[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.