[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 37, Number 19 (Monday, May 14, 2001)]
[Pages 730-731]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks Honoring the NCAA Hockey Champion Boston College Eagles

May 10, 2001

    Well, thank you all very much. Welcome to the White House. My honor 
to host you. I know some of the players up here are from Canada. I hope 
you feel just as welcome in this house as your U.S. counterparts do.
    I want to thank Father Leahy for being here. I want to thank the 
athletic director. Of course, I want to thank Coach York. It's an honor 
for me to host the mighty Eagles. One of the great benefits of having my 
job is, I do get to welcome championship teams from all across our 
country. As a Governor of Texas, the truth of the matter is I didn't get 
to welcome a lot of hockey teams. [Laughter]

[[Page 731]]

    I'm also pleased to see some folks who sometimes think I--on thin 
ice. [Laughter] I think they know who I'm talking about.
    Senator Kerry, thank you for being here, sir. I appreciate 
Representatives Frank and Markey. I appreciate Representative Capuano. 
I'm glad you all are here. One of the things that happens sometimes in 
politics is, we disagree. But I think we're learning to disagree in an 
agreeable way. So you're welcome to the people's house.
    I also want to welcome my friend Ambassador Paul Cellucci. I made a 
good pick when I picked Paul to become the Ambassador to Canada. He, of 
course, takes credit for the fact that the BC Eagles won the national 
championship, since he was the Governor at the time.
    Also before I turn to the coach, want to remind folks that my sister 
is a BC Eagle, and proudly so. She's probably wondering why I didn't 
invite her here today. [Laughter]
    This is a great place to honor champs. It's also a great place to 
play sports. We've got a basketball court here. There's a bowling alley. 
There is a swimming pool. Recently, there was a baseball yard for a tee-
ball game. I asked them why there's no hockey rink, and the truth of the 
matter is, Coach, there's no place to park the Zamboni. [Laughter]
    But I do want to congratulate you all for a great victory and a 
great championship. I know your win over North Dakota was a tough win. 
But I want to quote what one of your players said--Mark McLennan. Where 
are you, Mark? He said this about the team, ``There were no egos on this 
team. We had great individual players, but nothing was bigger than the 
team.'' And that's why you're the champs. I want to congratulate you all 
for being champs.
    I want to remind you that life is more than just being champs on the 
ice. It's important to be a champ off the ice, as well. I'm sure there's 
some little kid up there in the Boston area wondering how a champ 
behaves off the ice. And you have the responsibility as a champion to 
set the right example.
    Coach, welcome to the White House. Congratulations for being here.

Note: The President spoke at 5:10 p.m. in the East Room at the White 
House. In his remarks, he referred to Rev. William P. Leahy, S.J., 
president, Jeremiah F. York, hockey coach, and Eugene B. DeFilippo, 
athletic director, Boston College.