Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for yielding me this time, and of course I thank my colleague, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Davis).

Congratulations to the Tampa Bay Bucs and all who live in Tampa Bay, St. Petersburg, and all the environs. As a fan of the Dolphins, and coming from southeast Florida, many of us obviously wished the Dolphins great success, the last team in Florida to win a Super Bowl until this outstanding victory of our west coast compatriots.

Governor Gray Davis will have to pay up the debt to our own Governor, Jeb Bush, so we are excited that we had two victories over this past weekend. But the thrill of competition and the teamwork that took place was evidenced in that outstanding, incredible, incredible victory.

I want to commend both gentlemen that serve us in Congress representing the west coast of Florida for their leadership on this resolution and for their taking time to honor the skills of the athlete. I think the gentleman from Tampa, Florida (Mr. Davis), spoke eloquently about the members of the team who give back to their community outside of their professional sports endeavors; that actually mentor the kids; that work in the educational environment; help in inner-city schools, and do things that display the kind of character we hope all professional athletes will emulate.

Oftentimes role models for young kids who are struggling to find a role model to look up to are those that make a lot of money and drive fancy cars. Many on the team take time out of their own lives and professional endeavors to help those children. So this is not only a victory for a team on the field, it is a victory for the kids off the field.

So as Tampa Bay will continue to celebrate this outstanding achievement of a phenomenal team, we in

southeast Florida are all proud Tampa Bay Buccaneers, too. Mr. Glazer is a resident of Palm Beach, so we kind of share the opportunity to have the owner of the team in our county, but we also have a chance now as all Floridians to articulate the kind of excitement we felt that night when the time ran out on the clock and we, in fact, had another Super Bowl championship to put in the case of history.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns on Tuesday, January 28, 2003, it adjourn to meet at noon on Wednesday, January 29, 2003.

Madam Speaker, I was not always sure I would be here congratulating a Florida football team for taking the Super Bowl, but it is hands-down the best feeling in the world, and I know Tampa Bay's Congressman, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Davis), who is here on the floor, will also be taking the floor to commend his hometown team, as well as Florida's Super Bowl champions.

As anyone who has every had a passing interest in the sport knows, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers won the Super Bowl yesterday against the Oakland Raiders. And I am only sorry that I will not be in Tampa when the celebration begins tomorrow, because if there is any town that deserves those celebrations, it is Tampa, Florida.

You see, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers joined the NFL in 1976 and began their history losing their first 26 games in a row. For that great feat they earned the nickname the Tampa Bay Yucs.

What they achieved last night more than made up for that slow, humble start. The Bucs trounced the Oakland Raiders to win the Super Bowl 48- 21. Let me repeat that, 48-21. It was a wipe out. I do not even think there is any question we need a recount on that one.

Tampa's 39-year-old coach, John Gruden, has now become the youngest head coach in history to win a Super Bowl.

I want to congratulate the Tampa Bay players and their coaches on their victory. Congratulations also to the dedicated fans in the Tampa Bay area, who now have the bragging rights that no one will dispute.

From the outset last night, the omens were good for Tampa. Don Shula flipped the coin, and the Bucs won the toss. For those who play tennis, Shula was the coach of the last team from Florida to win the Super Bowl, the Miami Dolphins, and members of the undefeated Dolphins were recognized at the ceremony last night.

Maybe it is just coincidence, but the Tampa Bay area is home to one of our Nation's top defenses, the U.S. Special Operations Command, and ``defense'' was the word that took Tampa to the top last night. The Tampa Bay Bucs entered the Super Bowl with the number-one-ranked defense in the league, and it was this defense that clinched the game.

Football is a team sport, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers demonstrated that beyond doubt, not just during the Super Bowl win, but throughout the whole season, where they went 12 and 4.

While I want to congratulate the entire organization for the fantastic job each and every one of them did to win the Super Bowl, I would also like to

mention a few players for their contribution off the field that speaks volumes for the caliber of everyone on the team.

When Derrick Brooks is not playing linebacker and winning the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year award, he is involved in the Boys & Girls Club throughout his area with the Brooks' Bunch program.

The Brooks' Bunch is a group of Boys & Girls Club members whom Brooks began working with after signing with Tampa Bay in 1995. Drawing from some of Tampa's most underprivileged neighborhoods, these kids have become a fixture in Brooks' life.

Aside from 24 tickets he purchases for every Bucs home game, Brooks also mentors and tutors his Bunch, taking them on educational trips to places like Ft. Lauderdale, Atlanta, the American West and even South Africa. Brooks constantly stresses the importance of education, and the kids have responded to his message.

Last spring, they successfully nominated Brooks for the Educational Visionary award from the Hillsborough Education Foundation in recognition of his work with the Brooks' Bunch, a nice edition to his 2000 NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year award.

Then there is John Lynch, Tampa Bay's safety and its 2002 nominee for the NFL Man of the Year. A five-time Pro-Bowler, Lynch established the John Lynch Foundation in 2000 to provide encouragement and positive alternatives for young people.

The foundation believes that good, solid values can be learned through education, sports and community involvement. Through his foundation, Lynch provides financial assistance for high school students to attend the college of their choice.

Finally, there is Tampa wide receiver Kennan McCardell, alias Santa Claus. This past Christmas Eve, McCardell took 10 children from the Hillsborough Department of Child Services foster care program for an early morning shopping spree at a local toy store. McCardell told the kids they each had $500 to spend. McCardell's generosity rubbed off on the children, who spent some of their allowances on their family and friends.

Again, congratulations to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on their championship; and thank you Derrick, John, and Kennan and members of the Tampa Bay organization for all your contributions to the Tampa Bay community. You have always been champions off the field, and now you have taken over the championship on the field too.

Be proud, because we are certainly proud of you, Tampa Bay Buccaneers.