Nick Rahall: “last night's GMAC Bowl in Mobile, Alabama could have carried a warning from the Surgeon General: Not recommended for…”

“last night's GMAC Bowl in Mobile, Alabama could have carried a warning from the Surgeon General: Not recommended for those with heart conditions. In the end, with all due respect to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Jones), the best team won. In only its fifth year, the Marshall University Thundering Herd stampeded over East Carolina. Although the Herd was down 38-8 at half-time, the enthusiasm of Marshall's fans did not waiver. But Marshall rallied in the third quarter and charged on in the fourth. When time expired, the game was tied at 51. The noble opponents battled through two overtimes before Byron Leftwich connected on a pass to Josh Davis, ending the contest and securing the laurels of victory for our Thundering Herd. As the headline in the Huntington Herald Dispatch reads this morning, 'Miracle in Mobile.' I congratulate Marshall's tenacious players and coaches, and applaud its faithful fans. Few football programs have suffered as severe a loss, struggled so valiantly, and risen to such heights, all in the course of 30 years. During half time, Coach Bobby Pruett, who hails from my hometown of Beckley, West Virginia, talked with his team of belief and faith. It is a lesson we should all remember, not only in times of need, but in our everyday lives.”