III

106TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION S. RES. 281

To congratulate the Michigan State University Men’s Basketball Team on

winning the 2000 National Collegiate Athletic Association Men’s Basketball Championship.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

APRIL 4, 2000

Mr. ABRAHAM (for himself and Mr. LEVIN) submitted the following resolution;

which was considered and agreed to

RESOLUTION

To congratulate the Michigan State University Men’s Basketball Team on winning the 2000 National Collegiate Athletic Association Men’s Basketball Championship.

Whereas the Michigan State Spartans were Big Ten Conference regular season co-champions, and were winners of

the Big Ten Conference Tournament, and, with a 26–7

record, earned a number one seed in the Midwest region

of the 1999–2000 N.C.A.A. Tournament;

Whereas the Michigan State Spartans proved their dominance over the Midwest Region in reaching the Final

Four, defeating Valparaiso 65–38, Utah 73–61, Syracuse

75–58, and Iowa State 75–64;

Whereas in winning the Midwest Region the Michigan State

Spartans reached the Men’s Final Four for the second
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year in a row, last year losing to the Duke University

Blue Devils in the semifinals;

Whereas the Michigan State Spartans vowed after that loss

to return to the Final Four in 1999–2000, and to settle

for nothing less than the ultimate prize;

Whereas the Michigan State Spartans moved one step closer

to their goal when they defeated the University of Wisconsin Badgers 53–41 for the fourth time of the 1999–

2000 season to reach the championship game;

Whereas in that game, the Michigan State Spartans, with an

entire team effort that demonstrated why college athletics

are so special, defeated the University of Florida Gators

89–76 on April 3, 2000, and won the N.C.A.A. Men’s

Basketball Championship for the second time in the history of the program;

Whereas Coach Tom Izzo, who hails from Iron Mountain,

Michigan, in only his fifth year coaching the team, has

proven himself to be one of the finest coaches in Men’s

College Basketball, and he and his staff instilled into the

Spartans a will to win second to none, exemplified by

their cutthroat defense, which suffocated many potent offenses throughout the season, and particularly in the second half of N.C.A.A. Tournament games;

Whereas Mateen Cleaves, Morris Peterson, and A.J. Granger,

three seniors who have been playing together for four

years and who ended their collegiate careers with a win,

spurred this team to victory throughout the year, Mr.

Cleaves with his incredible leadership, Mr. Peterson with

his clutch shooting, and Mr. Granger with his consistent

long marksmanship;
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Whereas Mateen Cleaves, Morris Peterson, and Charlie Bell,

three individuals who hail from Flint, Michigan, and have

thus been given the nickname ‘‘the Flintstones’’, have

been playing together since elementary school, and whose

comradeship and loyalty to one another carried out onto

the floor, and made the Spartans team a family off the

floor as well;

Whereas Mateen Cleaves, the fearless captain of the team

and the all-time assist leader in the Big Ten’s history,

who led not only with words but also with the example

he set, who returned to the championship game after sustaining a high ankle sprain to his right leg, led his team

to the title and, like a true champion, made good on his

word;

Whereas Morris Peterson, named the Big Ten Conference

Player of the Year, saved the Michigan State Spartans

from the clutches of defeat many times this season, and

particularly in the tournament, with his laser-like shooting and stingy defense;

Whereas Charlie Bell, perhaps the best rebounding guard in

the Nation, also led the team with his quickness, tireless

defensive effort, and athleticism, and who will be counted

upon for his leadership next year;

Whereas A.J. Granger, displayed his awesome variety of offensive skills in both assisting on, and hitting, several big

shots when the Spartans needed them most;

Whereas Andre Hutson, the man in the middle, who was

often called on to shut down the opposing teams top player, particularly in the 1999–2000 tournament, handled

his job with a workmanlike skill that defined profes-
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sionalism, and in doing so provided the Spartans with the

whole package the entire year;

Whereas Mike Chappell, Jason Richardson, and Aloysius

Anagonye provided the Spartans with quality minutes off

the bench all year, and particularly in the championship

game, where they held their own against the vaunted

Florida bench;

Whereas David Thomas and Adam Ballinger provided valuable contributions throughout the season and the tournament, both on and off the court, often providing the

Spartans with the lift they needed; and

Whereas the contributions of Steve Cherry, Mat Ishbia and

Brandon Smith, both on the court and in practice, demonstrated the total devotion of the Spartans players to

the team concept that made the Spartans into the most

dominating college basketball team of the new millennium: Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved, That the United States Senate congratu2 lates the Michigan State University Men’s Basketball

3 Team on winning the 1999–2000 National Collegiate Ath4 letic Association Men’s Basketball Championship.

Æ