Bruins Enjoy Needling No. 1 Razorback Fan at White House

A rueful President Clinton honored the national-champion UCLA basketball team at a White House ceremony Friday, gamely choking down his Arkansas pride to model a blue-and-gold Bruin jersey before a roomful of cameras.

Clinton also paid tribute to the Connecticut women’s basketball team, which compiled an unprecedented 35-0 record while running over Vice President Al Gore’s home-state Tennessee Volunteers on the way to the national title.

“You know, we ought to get something obvious out of the way. These championships were hard on the vice president and me,” Clinton told a crowd of UCLA and Connecticut backers in the East Room. “I mean, we just have to hope our ticket does a little better in ’96.”

Clinton, who described himself as “a near-fanatic” Razorback supporter, said he was forced to admit that the two best teams in the United States had won the men’s and women’s titles.

And Clinton jokingly chided UCLA Chancellor Charles Young for violating the school’s affirmative action principles by permitting the O’Bannon brothers--Ed and Charles--to play on the same team.

“Nevertheless,” the President said magnanimously, “I forgive you for that lapse.”

Bruin Coach Jim Harrick said that the 31-2 team’s appearance at the White House capped a “magical, magical year.”

“We knew that the road to the White House went through Arkansas,” he said, grinning.

Captain Ed O’Bannon presented Clinton with a Bruin jersey with his name on it. He also gave the President a T-shirt inscribed with the immortal words “Yeah, baby!” commemorating former UCLA star Marques Johnson’s radio call of Bruin guard Tyus Edney’s layup at the buzzer to beat Missouri in the tournament’s second round.

“This is so humbling for me,” Clinton said as the 6-foot-8 O’Bannon towered over him. “Most days I wake up and I’m 6 feet 3 inches tall. Today, I’m just another person.”

Turning to the Connecticut women, Clinton noted that their 35-0 record was the best ever by any college team, men or women.

“All I can say is that . . . the Connecticut Huskies did more to make the rest of America appreciate women’s basketball than any team has ever done, and they made millions of fans that will help other university teams all across this country for years and years and years in the future, and we thank you for that,” the President said.

Clinton recalled that Husky Coach Geno Auriemma and his team came to the White House in January for a promised tour, but that no one showed up to open the gate. The Huskies left rather than wait around in the cold.

“So let me say I’m glad you’re here,” Clinton said. “I also want to say to the coach, this team came to the White House once before and somebody messed it up and they didn’t get in even the back door. Today they came in the front door with full honors.”

Connecticut co-captain Pam Webber, a senior guard, presented the President with a white T-shirt to wear during his morning jogs. She also gave him a baseball cap and a basketball.