By Moreno H.C.R. No. 32 74R2826 WMS-D CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 1-1 WHEREAS, Nolan Richardson has achieved outstanding success in 1-2 the sport of basketball for more than three decades, establishing 1-3 unsurpassed standards of excellence both as an athlete and as a 1-4 coach; and 1-5 WHEREAS, A native of El Paso, this exceptional individual 1-6 attended Bowie High School, where he earned all-district honors in 1-7 football, baseball, and basketball; in addition to his dazzling 1-8 athletic accomplishments, he also was selected class favorite in 1-9 his senior year; and 1-10 WHEREAS, He briefly attended Eastern Arizona Junior College 1-11 before transferring to The University of Texas at El Paso, where he 1-12 became a stellar member of the Miners basketball squad under the 1-13 tutelage of legendary coach Don Haskins; and 1-14 WHEREAS, After graduation, he chose professional football 1-15 over baseball and basketball, having received offers from 1-16 franchises in all three sports, but his promising career was 1-17 hampered by injuries; however, when the Dallas Chaparrals were 1-18 formed as a member of the American Basketball Association he made 1-19 the squad, performing admirably before injuries again forced him to 1-20 the sidelines; and 1-21 WHEREAS, Mr. Richardson returned to Bowie High School in El 1-22 Paso as head basketball coach, the first African-American to hold 1-23 such a position in the State of Texas, and during his decade there 1-24 helped build the team into a hardwood powerhouse; and 2-1 WHEREAS, In 1978 he moved to Western Texas Junior College, 2-2 where as head coach he compiled an impressive record of 98 wins 2-3 against only 14 defeats, including a perfect 37-0 mark during the 2-4 team's 1980 national championship season; and 2-5 WHEREAS, He continued his phenomenal success at the 2-6 University of Tulsa, taking the Golden Hurricane basketball 2-7 program, which had not posted a winning season in five years, to 2-8 the National Invitational Tournament championship in his first year 2-9 at the helm; and 2-10 WHEREAS, Continuing his climb to the top of the coaching 2-11 profession he moved to the University of Arkansas, taking over one 2-12 of the most respected programs in the nation, and although he was 2-13 not immediately embraced by all the Razorback faithful, he was 2-14 determined to overcome whatever barriers lay in the path of his 2-15 ultimate success; and 2-16 WHEREAS, During Mr. Richardson's second season at Arkansas 2-17 his daughter, Yvonne, lost her two-year battle with leukemia, but 2-18 in spite of this overwhelming personal tragedy he continued in his 2-19 efforts to build the Arkansas basketball program into one that his 2-20 daughter would have taken pride in; to honor his daughter's memory, 2-21 Mr. Richardson has sponsored an annual basketball tournament in her 2-22 name in El Paso to benefit charitable causes there; and 2-23 WHEREAS, One of basketball's finest floor strategists, this 2-24 exemplary leader implemented a style of smothering defense that 2-25 promised opponents "forty minutes of hell" and took the Razorback 2-26 squad to the 1990 Final Four; four years later Mr. Richardson's 2-27 Arkansas team held aloft the National Collegiate Athletic 3-1 Association's national basketball championship trophy as a fitting 3-2 tribute to the efforts of coach and players alike; and 3-3 WHEREAS, A consistent supporter of The University of Texas at 3-4 El Paso, Mr. Richardson was deservedly named 1994 UTEP 3-5 Distinguished Alumnus for his many contributions to that fine 3-6 institution; and 3-7 WHEREAS, Nolan Richardson has served as an inspirational 3-8 figure to all who have known him, overcoming obstacles both on and 3-9 off the court to become one of the premier college basketball 3-10 coaches in the nation, and his noteworthy achievements in this 3-11 regard are indeed worthy of special legislative recognition; now, 3-12 therefore, be it 3-13 RESOLVED, That the 74th Legislature of the State of Texas 3-14 hereby congratulate Nolan Richardson on his many accomplishments in 3-15 the sport of basketball and extend to him best wishes for continued 3-16 success in all future endeavors; and, be it further 3-17 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be 3-18 prepared for Nolan Richardson as an expression of high regard by 3-19 the Legislature of the State of Texas.