Barbara Boxer: “this past week, our nation and the world have been privileged to witness two dramatic triumphs by American athletes.…”

“this past week, our nation and the world have been privileged to witness two dramatic triumphs by American athletes. Lance Armstrong won his second consecutive Tour de France, and Tiger Woods became the youngest person ever to capture golf's Grand Slam by winning the British Open. These are truly historic achievements. Both men are deserving of all the praise and congratulations they are receiving, not only for their exceptional performances, but also for the dignified way they have represented their country and respective sports. With the example of these modern day champions in mind, today I am introducing a resolution to honor a similarly outstanding group of athletes from years ago. The 1951 University of San Francisco football team, the Dons, went undefeated and untied. By almost any account, the Dons were among the most gifted college football teams ever. Ten of the team's players were drafted by the NFL. Of these, eight actually played professionally. Of these, five played in a least one Pro Bowl. And of these five, three, Bob St. Clair, Ollie Matson and Gino Marchetti, were inducted into the Professional Football Hall of Fame. But despite the team's irrefutable ability and qualifications, the Dons were not invited to participate in any post season bowl games.”