    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1995, Book I)]
    [March 13, 1995]
    [Pages 333-334]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks to the NCAA Football Champion University of Nebraska
    Cornhuskers
    March 13, 1995

        Please be seated. Welcome to the White House on this beautiful
    morning. I am delighted to welcome all of the members of the national
    championship Nebraska Cornhuskers here, along with Chancellor Spanier,
    your athletic director Bill Byrne, and of course, Coach Osborne and all
    the players. I welcome the Nebraska congressional delegation: Senator
    Exon, Senator Kerrey,

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    and Representatives Barrett, Bereuter, and Christensen. I do want to say
    a special word of regret, too, that Bob Devaney couldn't be here today,
    but we all wish him a very speedy recovery.
        I have been, since I was a very small boy, an ardent college
    football fan. I know that Coach Osborne's record alone justifies a
    national championship, an 820 percent winning percentage. Most of us
    would like to have that here. [Laughter] Cornhuskers have been to a bowl
    game in each of his 22 years, and as I said when I called him the night
    Nebraska won, nobody deserves it more.
        I want to congratulate your three first team All-Americans,
    linebacker Ed Stewart, tackle Zach Wiegert, and guard Brenden Stai, and
    also your three first-team Academic All-Americans, tackle Terry
    Connealy, tight end Matt Shaw, and the Academic All-American of the
    Year, who I just understood has never made a B, Rob Zatechka. We could
    give him a job here at the White House. It's sort of like playing for
    pro football.
        I want to thank this team and this coach not only for winning the
    national championship--that's obviously a great honor--but for the way
    that it was won and the character and teamwork and spirit that Coach
    Osborne has always displayed and that this team displayed. I think it
    inspired people all across the country who are fans of athletics, and I
    think even people who are not great football fans or particularly
    knowledgeable about all the details, who read about the Nebraska team,
    who saw not only that you had three All-Americans but three Academic
    All-Americans, and who have followed the work of Tom Osborne over the
    years. It inspired them all to believe in the value of teamwork and
    sacrifice and discipline, and certainly you were rewarded in ways that
    were well justified.
        I'd also like to say, I asked Coach Osborne on the way out if this
    was the largest football team ever to win a national championship, and
    he said, ``Yes, but they're good students, too.'' I liked it because I
    felt this is the only--when those three guys walked out with me, this is
    the only football team in America that could make me look like a
    ballerina. [Laughter] I liked it.
        So I welcome you here. I honor your achievement. We're delighted to
    have the players here. And I'd like to ask Coach Osborne to take the
    microphone now.
        Coach?

    Note: The President spoke at 11:51 a.m. on the South Lawn at the White
    House. In his remarks, he referred to Graham Spanier, chancellor, and
    Bob Devaney, athletic director emeritus, University of Nebraska.
    Following the President's remarks, Coach Thomas Osborne made brief
    remarks, and the team presented the President with a team jersey and an
    autographed football.