IV 

110TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 938 

Commending the West Virginia University Mountaineer football team for 

exemplifying the pride, determination, and spirit of the Mountain State 

and overcoming adversity with skill, commitment, and teamwork to win 

the 2008 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 23, 2008 

Mr. MOLLOHAN (for himself, Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts, Ms. VELA ́ZQUEZ, 

Mr. WYNN, Ms. LEE, Mr. MURTHA, Mr. MCNULTY, Mr. CARNEY, Mr. 

DOYLE, Mr. KANJORSKI, Mr. ALTMIRE, Mr. STUPAK, Ms. LINDA T. 

SA ́NCHEZ of California, Mr. FATTAH, Mrs. MCCARTHY of New York, Mr. 

BISHOP of Georgia, Mr. OLVER, Mr. CAPUANO, Mr. PASCRELL, Mr. 

DICKS, Mr. LAMPSON, Mr. ORTIZ, Mr. REYES, Mr. SCHIFF, Mr. FRANK

of Massachusetts, Mr. SPRATT, Mr. HASTINGS of Florida, Mrs. JONES

of Ohio, Mrs. DAVIS of California, Mr. SCOTT of Virginia, Mr. 

DELAHUNT, Mr. PETERSON of Minnesota, Mr. SERRANO, Mrs. CAPITO, 

and Mr. RAHALL) submitted the following resolution; which was referred 

to the Committee on Education and Labor 

RESOLUTION 

Commending the West Virginia University Mountaineer football team for exemplifying the pride, determination, and 

spirit of the Mountain State and overcoming adversity 

with skill, commitment, and teamwork to win the 2008 

Tostitos Fiesta Bowl. 

Whereas the West Virginia University Mountaineer football 

team won the 2008 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, defeating the 


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•HRES 938 IH 

University of Oklahoma Sooners by a score of 48 to 28 

in Glendale, Arizona, on January 2, 2008; 

Whereas the Mountaineer football team has been a source of 

great pride for West Virginians throughout the years; 

Whereas the people of West Virginia take their team’s triumphs and setbacks as their own, in times of hardship 

and prosperity; 

Whereas the Mountaineers displayed uncommon intensity and 

determination in preparing for the challenge of meeting 

one of the best teams in the country in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl; 

Whereas the Mountaineers executed an almost flawless game; 

Whereas then-assistant coach Bill Stewart demonstrated true 

leadership and coaching skill by filling an unexpected 

coaching void, instilling confidence in his team, and leading them to victory, earning the admiration and gratitude 

of his fellow West Virginians; 

Whereas the Fiesta Bowl Most Valuable Player on offense, 

Mountaineer quarterback Pat White, gave a brilliant running and passing performance that inspired his teammates, delighted his fans, and frustrated his opponents; 

Whereas the Fiesta Bowl Most Valuable Player on defense, 

Mountaineer linebacker and native West Virginian Reed 

Williams, led his teammates in an outstanding defensive 

performance; 

Whereas Mountaineer senior fullback Owen Schmitt, through 

his steady play and gracious post-game words of victory, 

displayed the best qualities of team play and sportsmanship; 


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•HRES 938 IH 

Whereas Mountaineer receiver Tito Gonzales demonstrated 

outstanding play with a 79-yard touchdown pass and 

showed a national television audience how important 

Mountaineer success was to his team and his State; 

Whereas Mountaineer freshman tailback Noel Devine gave a 

spirited and skillful performance worthy of his injured 

teammate and mentor, record-breaking tailback Steve 

Slaton; 

Whereas the Mountaineers’ offensive line dominated the battle in the trenches, making possible the outstanding performances of White, Devine, Schmitt, receiver Darius 

Reynaud, kicker Pat McAfee, and the other offensive 

stars of the day; 

Whereas the Mountaineers’ attacking defense contained one 

of the best teams in the Nation and forced the Sooner 

offense to yield the field time and again; 

Whereas the Mountaineers finished among the top 10 in college football rankings for 3 years in a row; 

Whereas Mountaineer athletic director Ed Pastilong has instilled in the athletic department of West Virginia University the highest standards of ethics and performance 

throughout his many years of leadership; and 

Whereas the Mountaineers and their new head coach Bill 

Stewart have brought great honor to themselves, their 

university, and the State of West Virginia: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) congratulates the West Virginia University 

3 Mountaineer football team for winning the 2008 

4 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl; and 


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•HRES 938 IH 

1 (2) commends the team for demonstrating 

2 throughout the season the best qualities of team3 work, dedication, and sportsmanship. 

Æ 


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