[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 37, Number 10 (Monday, March 12, 2001)]
[Pages 403-404]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks Honoring the NCAA Football and Women's Softball Champion 
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. [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. [Laughter] 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

[[Page 404]]

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.