[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 31, Number 14 (Monday, April 10, 1995)]
[Pages 525-526]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Interview With Chris Fowler, Digger Phelps, and Dick Vitale of ESPN

April 1, 1995

NCAA Basketball Championship

    Q. Last year, President Clinton was the first Chief Executive to 
attend the Final Four

[[Page 526]]

in person. Right now, we are honored. He is definitely the first 
President to ever join us on ``Sports Center.'' From Little Rock--Mr. 
President, you're one for two today. The homestate Razorbacks get in the 
championship game. Your good friend is defeated.
    The President. Well, I'm very proud of both those teams. I'm of 
course proud of Arkansas. They played well. And you can never count the 
Tarheels out. Dean Smith coached a great game there down the stretch. 
And I'm glad we hung on. And it's a real tribute to those young men and 
to Coach Richardson. And of course, I think Eddie Sutton had a great 
season. And I'm very proud of him. But UCLA has fabulous talent. And 
you've said it all night, but the point guard, Edney, was terrific at 
the end. He just took the game over.
    Q. Well, Mr. President, you and I talked earlier today on the phone, 
and we were going through that first-half adjustment, and you said, ``We 
need a big guy inside.'' Were you happy the second half?
    The President. Real happy. You and I were talking--you know, they 
just had to get the ball to Williamson. They did, and he delivered just 
the way he's delivered all year. He's a real clutch player, and he 
played magnificently tonight.
    Q. Mr. President, Dick Vitale. You look at the match-up now, UCLA, 
and you look at the match-up against Arkansas--how do they contain the 
little guy? You're a coach--should they zone? You told Mr. Jarvis to use 
the zone earlier this year against Massachusetts. Should they zone?
    The President. Yes, I did. I think I'd start in the zone. I think 
Williamson will do well. I think that Thurman will do well. And I think 
that we've got enough skill, enough talent to beat them. But boy, 
they're deep, they're fast, and they're good. And we're going to have to 
play great defense to win that game. That's why they really got back in 
this game, I think.
    Q. Mr. President, what has it been like as an Arkansas fan in this 
tournament? Game after game they've survived. They were dead against 
Syracuse before the timeout was called by Lawrence Moten. The average 
margin of victory, just four points. Has it been tough as a fan?
    The President. It's been tough as a fan, but you know, every team 
this team has played has had their best game of the year against them. 
And it's been hard for them to get up. But the last two games they've 
been--they've been a different team in the second half of both the last 
two games. They've played like national champions, and they're going 
back to the final, and they deserve it. It's going to be a great, great 
game, I think.
    Q. Well, Mr. President, now that you've gone through the weekend--
and a little golf, a little basketball--do you have the urge to sneak 
out to Seattle Monday night?
    The President. Oh, I do, but wherever I am, I'm going to be there 
cheering for them. And I'm really proud of them. And I'm excited. The 
fans will see a great game. UCLA's got a terrific team, and this will be 
a very, very exciting final, I predict.
    Q. Mr. President, you better come out here, because word has it that 
John Wooden may be out here to give them a little bit of an edge. They 
need you.
    The President. Well, I'm nowhere near in his class, but I'll be 
screaming my lungs out wherever.
    Q. Thank you very much for joining us.
    The President. Thank you.

Note: The interview began at 9:21 p.m. The President spoke by satellite 
from Doe's Eat Place in Little Rock, AR. In his remarks, he referred to 
Nolan Richardson, coach, and Corliss Williamson, player, University of 
Arkansas Razorbacks basketball team; Eddie Sutton, coach, Oklahoma State 
Cowboys basketball team; and John Wooden, former coach, and Tyus Edney, 
player, U.C.L.A. Bruins basketball team. A tape was not available for 
verification of the content of this interview.