III

105TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION S. RES. 66

Commending the University of Florida football team for winning the 1996

Division I collegiate football national championship.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

MARCH 20, 1997

Mr. MACK (for himself and Mr. GRAHAM) submitted the following resolution;

which was considered and agreed to

RESOLUTION

Commending the University of Florida football team for winning the 1996 Division I collegiate football national

championship.

Whereas the University of Florida can trace its beginnings to

1853 but was formally established by the State of Florida

when Florida Agricultural College merged with East

Florida Seminary, South Florida Military College, and

St. Petersburg Normal and Industrial School in 1905;

Whereas the University of Florida adopted the colors of orange and blue for its athletic team in 1905 and the alligator as the school’s mascot in 1908;

Whereas the origins of intercollegiate football at the University of Florida can be traced back to 1901, when Dr.

T.H. Taliaferro, president of the Florida State Agricultural College, enthusiastically endorsed the new sport of
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•SRES 66 ATS

football and by that deed ensured that the University of

Florida Fightin’ Gator football team exists today;

Whereas the University of Florida is a founding member of

the Southeastern Conference, considered by many to be

the toughest conference in college football;

Whereas the students, alumni, and friends of the University

of Florida are to be commended for the dedication, enthusiasm, and admiration they share for the Fightin’

Gator football team;

Whereas in 1990, Stephen Orr Spurrier, the most fabled

football player in the history of the University of Florida

and winner of the Heisman Trophy in 1966, was hired

to be the head football coach to lead the team to the ever

elusive ‘‘Year of the Gator’’;

Whereas in 1992, Coach Spurrier and his assistant coaches

recruited a group of talented athletes who went on to

form the nucleus of the 1996 football team;

Whereas the 1996 Fightin’ Gator football team compiled a

record of 12 wins and 1 loss and outscored their opponents by a margin of 611 points to 221 points, and for

this achievement the Fightin’ Gator football team was

recognized by the Associated Press and the Division I

college football coaches as college football’s 1996 Division

I national champions;

Whereas the 1996 Fightin’ Gators football team and coaches

are to be commended for winning the school’s first Division I collegiate football national championship;

Whereas the 1996 Fightin’ Gator football team broke several

school, Southeastern Conference, and Division I football

during the 1996 football season;
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Whereas the 1996 senior class of the Fightin’ Gator football

team should be commended for their leadership and their

‘‘team first’’ approach that helped win the 1996 Division

I collegiate football national championship, 4 consecutive

Southeastern Conference football championships, and the

most victories for a senior class in school history;

Whereas Danny Wuerffel, the team’s quarterback, field leader, and spiritual leader should be commended for winning

numerous awards and accolades for his performance during the 1996 football season including the Heisman Trophy, which is presented yearly to college football’s most

outstanding player, and the Draddy Scholarship Trophy,

which is presented annually to the Nation’s premier football scholar athlete;

Whereas Lawrence Wright, the team’s strong safety, should

be commended for winning the prestigious Jim Thorpe

Award, which is presented yearly to college football’s

most outstanding defensive back;

Whereas Reidel Anthony, one of the team’s clutch wide receivers, should be commended for being selected by both

the Football Writers Association and the Associated

Press to their respective college football All-American

teams;

Whereas Ike Hilliard, another of the team’s deep threats at

wide receiver, should be commended for being selected by

the Walter Camp Football Foundation as a member of its

college football All-American team;

Whereas all the loyal sons and daughters of the University

of Florida join together in honoring Coach Spurrier and

the 1996 Florida Fightin’ Gators for winning the 1996

NCAA Division I football championship; and
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Whereas the 1996 season will be known forever in the hearts

and minds of the University of Florida faithful as the

‘‘Year of the Gator’’: Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved, That the Senate—

2 (1) commends the University of Florida for

3 winning the 1996 Division I collegiate national foot4 ball championship;

5 (2) recognizes the achievements of all the play6 ers, coaches, and support staff who were instrumen7 tal in helping the University of Florida win the 1996

8 Division I collegiate football national championship

9 and invites them to the Capitol to be honored in an

10 appropriate manner to be determined;

11 (3) requests that the President recognize the

12 accomplishments and achievements of the 1996 Uni13 versity of Florida Fightin’ Gator football team and

14 invite the team to Washington, D.C. for the tradi15 tional White House ceremony held for national

16 championship teams; and

17 (4) directs the Secretary of the Senate to make

18 available enrolled copies of this resolution to the

19 University of Florida for appropriate display and to

20 transmit an enrolled copy to each member of the

21 1996 University of Florida Division I collegiate na22 tional championship football team.

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