    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2003, Book I)]
    [February 24, 2003]
    [Pages 207-208]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    [[Page 207]]

    Remarks Honoring NCAA Fall Champion Teams
    February 24, 2003

        Welcome. Ken,  Kenneth how are you? Good.
    Please be seated. Thank you all for coming. Thanks for the warm welcome.
    Welcome to the people's house on Champions Day. It's my honor to welcome
    some of our Nation's finest athletes and finest people. I really enjoy
    the chance to rub elbows with the champs.
        I first want to thank Members of the Congress who are here. Gordon
    Smith from Oregon, Senator, thanks for coming.
    I know you are proud of the Portland team for their first national
    championship.
        For some reason it seems like we've got a large contingent from the
    State of Ohio with us today. Governor Taft, thanks
    for coming, and   KennethKen, good to see you,
    sir. I'm glad you all are here. And Attorney General, thanks for coming. And I'm so honored that Oxley and Deborah and Pat
    Tiberi are here as well. They've been
    bragging about the Buckeyes every time they come to the White House.
    [Laughter] My little brother had to wear a Ohio
    State shirt today.
        I want to thank Karen Holbrook, who is
    the president of Ohio State. Thank you, Karen, for coming. Andy
    Geiger is the athletic director. Archie Griffin, I'm so honored to see you, Archie. It's a--I
    remember when you carried the ball--back-to-back Heisman Trophies.
        And of course, Coach Jim Tressel. When I had
    the honor of speaking at the Ohio State graduation last spring, the
    coach said, ``You know, watch us this year. We're going to be pretty
    good.'' [Laughter] ``Matter of fact, I think we'll be visiting you in
    the White House.'' [Laughter] You were right. Congratulations on doing a
    fine job.
        Also my honor to welcome Mick Haley, who is
    the women's volleyball coach at the University of Southern California,
    here. Mick, it's great to see you. I knew Mick when I was the Governor
    of Texas and he was coaching at another university at that time. I used
    to work out a lot at the gym, and he was always quick to give me
    pointers about how to stay in shape. [Laughter] I listened. I knew he
    was a high-quality man when he was there at the University of Texas.
    He's a high-quality man still, and he's brought some national champs to
    the White House. Congratulations.
        And I appreciate Lisa Love coming and Carol
    Dougherty, both from the University of
    Southern California as well. It's one of our Nation's great schools, as
    is UCLA, who is represented here as the men's national soccer champs.
    I'm so honored you all are here. And I want to welcome Tom
    Fitzgerald, the head coach, and Daniel
    Guerrero, the athletic director, as well as
    the team. Welcome to the White House, and thanks for coming.
        And then, of course, there's the University of Portland. They hadn't
    been to the White House too many times as national champs. Matter of
    fact, this is the first national championship of their great university.
    I'm so proud to welcome Reverend David Tyson,
    who is the president; Joe Etzel, who is the
    athletic director; Clive Charles, who is the
    head women's soccer coach, who brought the team to great things. By the
    way, the men's team and the ladies' team won their championships in the
    State of Texas. Now you must be as fond of the State as I am. [Laughter]
    But I do want to welcome the University of Portland here. You all did a
    great job in being the first national champs in your school's history. I
    know you're proud.
        I also want to welcome Kirk Herbstreit
    here. Since I don't spend too much time watching national news, I get
    stuck with ESPN, and--[laughter]--there you are. You look just like
    yourself. [Laughter] But I'm glad you're here, and welcome.

    [[Page 208]]

        The teams who are represented here represent hard work and
    dedication and vision and goals, the things that really make a healthy
    society more healthy. Not only are the folks up here with me great
    athletes and disciplined individuals; they're people in a position of
    responsibility now that they've become champs. You have a chance now to
    influence people's lives like you never had before.
        I guarantee you there's a bunch of junior high kids in the State of
    Ohio wondering what it's like to be a champion. They know their football
    team won the championship, and now they're wondering what it's like. How
    does a champion behave? What does a champion do? Not only can a champion
    run fast and tackle hard, but hopefully the champs up here send the
    signal that making right choices in life for youngsters is an important
    part of living a responsible existence.
        I know there's a lot of young ladies who are growing up wondering
    whether or not they can be champs. And they see the championship teams
    from USC and University of Portland here, girls who worked hard to get
    to where they are, and they're wondering about the example they're
    setting. What is life choices about?
        I guess my point to you is that you're a champ on the field, and now
    you have a great opportunity to be a champion off the field by setting
    good examples, by showing people that there is such thing as a
    compassionate society, that--encourage people in the university you go
    to to love a neighbor just like you'd like to be loved yourself, that
    recognizing in the midst of plenty here in America, there are some are
    some who suffer and some who hurt. And you have an example now as champs
    to help solve America's issues one person at a time. And so I'm here to
    recognize you as great athletes but, better yet, as great people who are
    a part of the greatest nation on the face of the Earth.
        Congratulations on your championship. More importantly,
    congratulations on using the capacity you now have to help this Nation
    fulfill its great potential. May God bless your universities. May God
    bless you all and the families. And may God continue to bless America.

    Note: The President spoke at 2:10 p.m. in the East Room at the White
    House. In his remarks, he referred to Gov. Bob Taft, Secretary of State
    J. Kenneth Blackwell, and State Attorney General Jim Petro of Ohio;
    Representatives Michael G. Oxley, Deborah Pryce, and Patrick J. Tiberi
    of Ohio; Archie Griffin, associate athletic director, Ohio State
    University; Lisa Love and Carol Dougherty, senior associate athletic
    directors, University of Southern California; and Kirk Herbstreit,
    reporter, ESPN television network. The President honored the Ohio State
    University men's football team, the University of Southern California
    women's volleyball team, the University of California-Los Angeles men's
    soccer team, and the University of Portland women's soccer team. The
    Office of the Press Secretary also released a Spanish language
    transcript of these remarks.