Chuck Schumer: “as all of America now knows, Syracuse defeated Kansas in the national championship Monday night 81 to 78. This is the…”

“as all of America now knows, Syracuse defeated Kansas in the national championship Monday night 81 to 78. This is the Syracuse Orangemen's first national championship. My, how long we have waited. But my, how sweet and deserved victory is. As you remember, in 1987, in New Orleans, the same building, the same site as this year's championship, Syracuse lost to Indiana by 1 point on an acrobatic shot by Keith Smart. Coach Jim Boeheim said: ``I think that building owed us.'' Well, the building did, and Syracuse is now the national champion. In a time of war, when so much sorrow is among us, it is a time for a little happiness, the happiness that the Orangemen brought New Yorkers, soldiers overseas who follow the game, and the tens and tens and tens of thousands of Syracuse fans across New York State and across the country. This is Jim Boeheim's first national championship. He has been coach for 27 years. His loyalty to his alma mater, Syracuse, is unparalleled. Now, Boeheim has been criticized for not being able to win the big game, but he has quieted his critics and has established himself as a legitimate candidate for the Hall of Fame. He called the win not a validation of his coaching skills but a testament to the talent of his players--typical of Jim Boeheim's modesty. This Syracuse team is a model for all of America. They have persisted and persisted and persisted. Coach Boeheim persisted and persisted and persisted, and we so admire him.”