[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2003, Book I)]
[June 17, 2003]
[Pages 647-649]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Remarks Honoring NCAA Winter Champion Teams
June 17, 2003

    Thanks for coming to the White House on Champions Day, the day we 
honor our Nation's champs.
    I first want to say that, obviously, you know how to play hoops in 
the East--[laughter]--as our Texas teams found out.

[[Page 648]]

[Laughter] And it seems like Minnesota is pretty good at hockey too.
    I now know why we've got all these Senators from New York and 
Minnesota and Connecticut, as well as Members of the House from those 
three States. Welcome, and thank you all for honoring these fine student 
athletes. We're glad you're here.
    I want to welcome the University of Connecticut women's basketball 
team back to the White House. Geno told me 
last time that--last time I greeted them here--that they would be back. 
He really didn't say it that way; we'll play like he said it that way--
makes a better story. [Laughter] At any rate, congratulations to you 
all. I appreciate Jeffrey Hathaway coming 
as well. These ladies can flat play basketball, and they are a great 
credit to women's athletics and to sport. They'll probably be back next 
year too. We're really glad you're here, and I'm glad Diana has given me the jersey. She is--thank God I don't have 
to guard her. [Laughter]
    I also want to welcome the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities men's 
hockey team back here again as well. I appreciate Don Lucia. I want to thank the athletic director, Joel 
Maturi, as well for coming. It's good to see 
these men back. They also know how to play hockey really well. They told 
me they'd be back again next year. Senator Dayton was a heck of a goalie in his day, but I don't know if 
he could stop these guys or not. [Laughter] I know the State of 
Minnesota is proud of your accomplishments. We're really glad you're 
here.
    And we're also glad that the ladies' hockey team from the University 
of Minnesota-Duluth is here. It's good to see Dr. Martin. Thank you for coming back--as well as Shannon 
Miller. She's been the coach for 4 years and 
has won three national championships. It sounds like to me, Dr. Martin, 
you'd better give her a raise. [Laughter] It's a State issue, of course. 
[Laughter] But congratulations to you all.
    I also want to congratulate Syracuse for winning their first 
national championship. It's a great tribute to Jim Boeheim, who is a heck of a guy and a great leader of men. 
Congratulations, Coach. I know you've worked hard for this. If it wasn't 
the University of Texas, I'm glad it was you. [Laughter] You've got some 
great players on your team. I'm sure some of us are going to be asking 
Carmelo Anthony for a loan one of these 
days--[laughter]--so keep the interest rates low. [Laughter] But 
congratulations on winning a tough tournament. You're a great credit to 
the sport.
    I also want to welcome Mike Tirico, who is 
here. Where are you, Mike? Oh, there you are. Congratulations on being a 
Syracuse grad. I know you were objective in your analysis of the--
[laughter]--of the tournament. But thanks for coming.
    I--one of the things I really appreciate about these days is that, 
when you welcome these champs, is that it reminds people of the basics 
of life, the need to serve something greater than yourself in life. 
Championship teams don't win because of a star. Championship teams win 
because people are willing to work together for a greater good, in this 
case, the team. Championship teams win because people are willing to 
work hard and sacrifice for something important. These are values that 
are really important not only in sport but in life as well.
    The other thing that's important about a championship team is to--
for people to understand that you can be a champ on the court or on the 
ice as well as off the court and off the ice.
    I've asked Dr. Martin if she 
remembered what I said last year about people serving their communities 
in which they live. She said, ``You bet. We've got girls on our team who 
are mentoring.'' One girl said she works for the Boys and Girls Club.
    My call to the champs is to be a champ off the playing--when you're 
not playing as well. You've got a chance to make a difference in 
somebody's life. There's always some little kid draped over the--

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draped over the ice, looking at the star Minnesota players, wondering 
what it's like to be a star. And a star is somebody who sets a good 
example. A star is somebody who says, ``I've got some God-given talents, 
and I want to help somebody else utilize his or her talents so they can 
realize the American Dream.'' There's always some little guy hanging 
around or some girl hanging around courtside watching champs, watching 
behavior. And you have a chance as champions to set such a good example 
for America's young, so that the next generation of athletes will know 
what it means to be a champ on the court or on the rink as well as off 
the court and off the rink.
    And so I'm here today to congratulate you for setting such a good 
example. Now that the spotlight is on you, assume responsibility. Do 
your job as an American. Love somebody just like you'd like to be loved 
yourself, and America will be a better place for it.
    Welcome to the White House. May God bless your talents, and may God 
continue to bless our great country. Thank you very much.

Note: The President spoke at 3:23 p.m. in the East Room at the White 
House. In his remarks, he referred to Geno Auriemma, women's basketball 
head coach, Jeffrey Hathaway, athletic director-designate, and Diana 
Taurasi, player, University of Connecticut; Don Lucia, men's hockey head 
coach, University of Minnesota; Kathryn A. Martin, chancellor, 
University of Minnesota-Duluth; Carmelo Anthony, men's basketball 
player, Syracuse University; and Mike Tirico, sports commentator for 
ESPN and ABC.