    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1995, Book I)]
    [April 1, 1995]
    [Pages 441-442]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Interview With Chris Fowler, Digger Phelps, and Dick Vitale of ESPN
    April 1, 1995

    NCAA Basketball Championship

        Q. Last year President Clinton was the first Chief Executive to
    attend the Final Four in person. Right now we are honored; he is
    definitely the first President to ever join us on ``Sports Center,''
    from Little Rock. Mr. President, you're one for two today. The home
    State Razorbacks get in the championship game. Your good friend is
    defeated.
        The President. Well, I'm very proud of both those teams. I'm of
    course proud of Arkansas. They played well. And you can never count the
    Tarheels out; Dean Smith coached a great game there down the stretch.
    And I'm glad we hung on, and it's a real tribute to those young men and
    to Coach Richardson.
        And of course, I think Eddie Sutton had a great season, and I'm very
    proud of him. But UCLA has fabulous talent. And you've said it all
    night, but the point guard, Edney, was terrific at the end. He just took
    the game over.
        Q. Well, Mr. President, you and I talked earlier today on the phone,
    and we were going through that first-half adjustment, and you said, ``We
    need a big guy inside.'' Were you happy the second half?
        The President. Real happy. You and I were talking--you know, they
    just had to get the ball to Williamson. They did, and he delivered just
    the way he's delivered all year. He's a real clutch player, and he
    played magnificently tonight.

    [[Page 442]]

        Q. Mr. President, Dick Vitale. You look at the match-up now, UCLA,
    and you look at the match-up against Arkansas--how do they contain the
    little guy? You're a coach--should they zone? You told Mr. Jarvis to use
    the zone earlier this year against Massachusetts. Should they zone?
        The President. Yes, I did. I think I'd start in the zone. I think
    Williamson will do well. I think that Thurman will do well. And I think
    that we've got enough skill, enough talent to beat them. But boy,
    they're deep, they're fast, and they're good. And we're going to have to
    play great defense to win that game. That's why they really got back in
    this game, I think.
        Q. Mr. President, what has it been like as an Arkansas fan in this
    tournament? Game after game they've survived. They were dead against
    Syracuse before the timeout was called by Lawrence Moten. The average
    margin of victory, just four points. Has it been tough as a fan?
        The President. It's been tough as a fan, but you know, every team
    this team has played has had their best game of the year against them.
    And it's been hard for them to get up. But the last two games they've
    been--they've been a different team in the second half of both the last
    two games. They've played like national champions, and they're going
    back to the final, and they deserve it. It's going to be a great, great
    game, I think.
        Q. Well, Mr. President, now that you've gone through the weekend--
    and a little golf, a little basketball--do you have the urge to sneak
    out to Seattle Monday night?
        The President. Oh, I do, but wherever I am, I'm going to be there
    cheering for them. And I'm really proud of them, and I'm excited. The
    fans will see a great game. UCLA's got a terrific team, and this will be
    a very, very exciting final, I predict.
        Q. Mr. President, you better come out here, because word has it that
    John Wooden may be out here to give them a little bit of an edge. They
    need you.
        The President. Well, I'm nowhere near in his class, but I'll be
    screaming my lungs out wherever.
        Q. Thank you very much for joining us.
        The President. Thank you.

    Note: The interview began at 9:21 p.m. The President spoke by satellite
    from Doe's Eat Place in Little Rock, AR. In his remarks, he referred to
    University of Arkansas coach Nolan Richardson and players Corliss
    Williamson and Scotty Thurman; Oklahoma State University coach Eddie
    Sutton; University of California-Los Angeles player Tyus Edney and
    former coach John Wooden; George Washington University coach Mike
    Jarvis; and Syracuse University player Lawrence Moten. A tape was not
    available for verification of the content of this interview.