CFB: Obama honors Alabama football team
By JOSH HOFFNER
Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON� President Barack Obama honored the national championship University of Alabama football team on Monday at a White House event where the president punctuated his remarks by declaring, �Roll Tide.�
Obama congratulated the team for its undefeated season and invoked Alabama coaching legend Paul �Bear� Bryant as he recognized the program for its first national title in 17 years. He said the team�s newfound success is due in large part to the efforts of coach Nick Saban, who quickly turned the program around after arriving in Tuscaloosa and won a championship in his third season.
�I think it�s safe to say that the Tide is back,� Obama said, to the occasional �Roll Tide� chant from his audience.
The president received a football, helmet and jersey from Alabama players after his speech and went on to shake the hands of most of the team, including Saban and Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram.
�As Coach Bryant once said, �I think the most important thing of all for any team is a winning attitude,�� Obama said. �I think this team would make him proud, because they�ve got that winning attitude.�
Among those in attendance was Alabama Sen. Richard Shelby, who has repeatedly clashed with Obama on economic and banking issues by virtue of his position as the top-ranking Republican on the Senate Banking Committee.
Obama also pointed out to the crowd that White House press secretary Robert Gibbs was not in attendance. Gibbs is from Auburn � home to the Crimson Tide�s heated rival.
�He�s hiding in his office right now,� Obama said to laughter.