Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Congress hails UNC Tar Heels

The Tar Heels are being praised on the floor of the U.S. House.

North Carolina's Congressional delegation unanimously cosponsored a resolution honoring the men's basketball team of UNC-Chapel Hill, which won the NCAA championship.

U.S. Rep. David Price, an alumnus and a professor at rival Duke University, saluted President Obama's "bipartisanship" in picking UNC on his bracket while employing a former Duke basketball player.

Another alum, Rep. Brad Miller, took a gibe at Price, noting that he has taught "at a nearby institution of lesser reputation."

"I wanted to make sure there was somebody here with absolutely unmixed loyalties who could speak in favor of this resolution," he said.

He praised the school's academic standards for athletes, noting the graduation rate for the basketball team is high.

Congress considered the resolution for 24 minutes.

Rep. Mike McIntyre, who got bachelor's and law degrees from UNC, said that Williams' coaching sent a "strong message" that "dreams, dedication and determination" lead to success.

"God bless the Tar Heel boys," he said.

Rep. Bob Etheridge, who played basketball at Campbell University, said the student athletes were calm under pressure.

"For people who have played basketball, you can really appreciate what it takes, the pressures that are on those young men," he said. "I don't know of any greater pressure that a young person can have."

The team also earned praise from Rep. Michael Castle, a Delaware Republican; and Rep. Hal Rogers, a Kentucky Republican.

A vote on the resolution was postponed because there was no quorum.

-- Ryan Teague Beckwith

(First posted in the "Under the Dome" blog)

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thats nice, i am sure they have nothing better to do up there. GET BACK TO WORK

Anonymous said...

Let them do it. That way they want be screwing something else up.

Anonymous said...

I don't recall any other national championship team being praised by congress...Correct me if I'm wrong, but someone has won the national title before right?

Trenchard Gordon said...

What a waste of time by these jokers! Surely there are better ways to spend time on the floor of the House. The thing is, it isn't just this one time that Congress does this meaningless nonsense. It you look at every members record it is full of stuff like this. Voting to express thanks and gratitute to one foreign leader or another, naming a post office after someone, congratulating a girl scout troop, et cetera, ad nauseum!

Anonymous said...

Let me preface this by saying that I am a graduate of UNC and, naturally, a huge fan of UNC. But this is really ridiculous. Here is our taxpayer money hard at work. And, please, having to throw in there that Obama picked the Tarheels to win --- is he the only one who picked them? Although I will say that is the only thing he has done so far in his presidency that I have agreed with.

Anonymous said...

"I don't know of any greater pressure that a young person can have."

Hey, Bob. How about the pressure our soldiers face every day in Iraq and Afghanistan, do you think that might be close???

Anonymous said...

This has by far been my biggest WTF moment with congress thusfar. The amount of people sucking up to UNC Chapel Hill is disgusting.
I will be the first to admit that they have a great school and a great athletics program, but giving them first priority in funding in the UNC System and making a congressional resolution honoring them is complete bullshit.

Anonymous said...

People chill out. This happens every year after the football and basketball national championships. You can go back and google any of the past national championships and congress and you will find this is common place.

Anonymous said...

1/14/2009- Congressional resolution congratulating UofF football

4/14/2008- Congressman Jerry Moran sponsored legaslation to honor KU basketball.

Those are just the last two. Do some research and you will see this is common.

Anonymous said...

Celebrate with the Tarheels at home!
Go to http://www.ioffer.com/i/102103533
NO# 5 and still counting!

Anonymous said...

Watch Roy and the Heel's win it all!
Paste the following listing.
http://www.ioffer.com/i/102103533
Go Heel's in 2009.