3.20 - President Reagan Congratulating the Championship University of Notre Dame Football Team January 18, 1989 The President. Well, I thank you, and thank you all very much. Vice President-elect Dan Quayle and Reverend Edward Malloy, Coach Lou Holtz, Members of the Congress that are here, and distinguished guests and players and coaches and the Irish at heart -- [laughter] -- welcome to the White House. My life has been full of rich and wonderful experiences. And standing near the top of the list is my long and honored association with the University of Notre Dame and its legendary hero Knute Rockne. So, I want you know the INF treaty and George Bush's election were important, but having the Fighting Irish win the national championship is in a class by itself. [Laughter] And Lou, what you've achieved in only 3 years is inspiring. Maybe you could coach Congress on the deficit. [Laughter] With Notre Dame going undefeated this season, they might listen to you. You know, Coach Rockne believed there are no shortcuts to success. Practice and hard work combined with respect for your opponent is the path one must take to achieve the greatest glory. And as Rockne himself once wrote: ``Sportsmanship means fairplay. It means having a little respect for the other fellow's point of view. It means a real application of the golden rule.'' Well, you young fellows here today are living proof of the truth of Rockne's ideas. All of you, coaches and players, have made sacrifices and bore many a burden, and you did it all for one goal: to be the very best. Well, as I mentioned when I was on your campus last year, Knute liked spirit in his ballplayers. Once when he was working with the four backfield stars who became known as the Four Horsemen, one of the them, a fellow named Jim Crowley, just couldn't get it right. Now, you know, I never tell ethnic jokes -- unless they're about the Irish. [Laughter] But maybe today I can be permitted some leeway. Rockne, who by the way was Norwegian, was commonly called the Swede. He finally got exasperated after Crowley muffed a play and hollered, ``What's dumber than a dumb Irishman?'' And without missing a beat, Crowley says, ``A smart Swede.'' [Laughter] Well, at this year's Fiesta Bowl, you showed us what you're made of and reached the goal of being the very best. The West Virginia Mountaineers didn't luck into playing you for the national championship. No, just like you, they fought hard all season and earned the right to play for the title of being number one. And just like the Fighting Irish, they're a talented, well-coached team, and they deserve a salute. Their records should make them proud. And speaking of pride, I noticed that Coach Holtz thought Rockne would be proud of this team. And I'm sure he would be. Right now, I can't help but think that somewhere, far away, there's a fellow with a big grin and a whole lot of pride in his school. And he might be thinking to himself that maybe you won another one for the Gipper. [Laughter] Congratulations, and God bless you all.