[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: GEORGE W. BUSH (2001, Book I)]
[March 5, 2001]
[Pages 194-195]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Remarks Honoring the NCAA Football Champion and Women's Softball 
Champion University of Oklahoma Sooners
March 5, 2001

    The President. Sit down. [Laughter] It's an honor to be here. This 
is the first championship teams that I've had a chance to honor since 
I've been the President. And it's a big deal for a boy from Texas to 
welcome the folks from Oklahoma here.

[[Page 195]]

[Laughter] I was going to say ``my fellow Texans.''
    I am so proud of you all. Thank you for coming. Senator, thank you 
for being here. Congressman, I appreciate you being here. President 
Boren, you had quite a year--you had quite a 
year.
    First, let me say to the unsinkable bunch of upstarts, the ladies 
softball team: Congratulations. Coach Patricia Gasso has done a fabulous job, and I'm honored that you all 
have come. I am fully aware of the dominance of California teams in 
ladies softball, and you proved that those of us who live in the middle 
part of the country can win, as well.
    And to the football team: Congratulations, coach. I know you're proud of these people. We share a lot in 
common. We both started our respective campaigns as underdogs. 
[Laughter] We both won our championships in the State of Florida. 
[Laughter] There's a big difference though: It took you all 60 minutes; 
it took me 36 days. [Laughter]
    But it's my honor to welcome you all here. I like to remind those 
who are champions on the field that it's important to be a champion off 
the field, too; that there's a lot of young men and women who look at 
you all as champs and that adds an added burden, an added sense of 
responsibility; that if part of our role as role models is to set the--
is to explain the difference between right and wrong to people looking 
at us, then we've got to live that way. Being the champ, the national 
champ, is an awesome responsibility. It means not only do you get to 
carry a trophy, it means you have the burden of setting the example, of 
saying to young kids, ``Somebody cares about you enough so that we'll 
help you make the right choices in life,'' so they get to be a champion, 
not only on the football fields or on the softball diamonds but in 
life--in life.
    And so, I am so honored you're here. I really appreciate you coming. 
I'm proud of your victory. It's a big deal to be the national champs. 
But it's also going to be a big deal to set the right example for some 
young lady or some young man who wonders whether or not life's worth it 
all, as you've proven it is. You've proven that if you set a goal and 
work hard, you can achieve it.
    And so, congratulations to the great University of Oklahoma teams. 
I'm proud to welcome you. I'm proud you're here in the people's house. 
It is an honor to be your President, more than you can possibly imagine, 
and it's an honor to welcome you here.
    God bless.

[At this point, University of Oklahoma president David L. Boren, head softball coach Patty Gasso, director of athletics Joe Castiglione, and head football coach Bob Stoops 
each made brief remarks and presented the President with gifts.]

    The President. Well, thank you all for coming. I look forward to 
shaking everybody's hand. And I guess it's time to get a few pictures.
    But again, I want to welcome you all here. This is a majestic place, 
as you can see. It is a magnificent home, and it's the people's house. 
That's what we like to call it. We're just temporary residents. But it's 
an honor to have you all here. I hope you get a good tour and realize 
this country is a fantastic place. It's based upon the greatest 
principle of all: We're all free, and we're all equal under the eyes of 
God.
    God bless.

 Note:  The President spoke at 3:45 p.m. in the East Room at the White 
House.