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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, DeMeco Ryans, linebacker for the NFL's Houston |
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Texans, was named the 2006 Associated Press Defensive Rookie of the |
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Year after receiving 72 percent of the votes cast for this |
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prestigious award; and |
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WHEREAS, Houston's second-round draft pick in 2006, Mr. Ryans |
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played college football at the University of Alabama, where he was |
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named SEC Defensive Player of the Year as a senior and was an |
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Academic All-American; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Ryans finished his first NFL season with a |
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team-leading 156 tackles, including a league-leading 126 solo |
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stops, and he demonstrated amazing durability by playing nearly |
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every down of every game, including a run of 14 straight games |
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without missing a play; moreover, his 156 tackles were the highest |
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total for any rookie in the past two decades; and |
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WHEREAS, This defensive stalwart recorded 13 tackles in his |
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NFL debut and posted double-digit tackles in nine of his team's 16 |
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games, leading the team or tying for the team lead in tackles 10 |
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times; in his most impressive game of the season, Week 13 at |
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Oakland, Mr. Ryan notched 15 tackles, forced a fumble, recovered a |
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fumble, snagged an interception, defended three passes, recorded a |
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quarterback hurry, and sacked the quarterback for an eight-yard |
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loss; for that effort, he was named AFC Defensive Player of the |
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Week; and |
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WHEREAS, In addition to his receipt of that superlative, |
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Mr. Ryans also garnered the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month award |
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for his outstanding play in December, when he posted 57 tackles in |
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five games and helped the Texans post a 3-2 record for that month; |
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for the season, he also tied for the lead among rookie inside |
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linebackers with 3.5 sacks and finished second among rookie |
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linebackers with one interception; and |
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WHEREAS, The achievements of this talented young football |
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player are truly impressive; his seamless transition from the |
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college ranks to the NFL is a tribute to his exceptional physical |
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ability, his knowledge and understanding of the game, and his |
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dedication to excellence, and the future is indeed bright with |
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promise for DeMeco Ryans; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 80th Texas |
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Legislature hereby congratulate DeMeco Ryans on his selection as |
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the 2006 Associated Press Defensive Rookie of the Year and extend to |
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him best wishes for a long and successful career in the NFL; and, be |
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it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Mr. Ryans as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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House of Representatives. |
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Dutton |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 353 was adopted by the House on March |
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1, 2007, by a non-record vote. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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