'M' football team visits Washington

WASHINGTON - The game of touch football that everybody wanted to see never materialized, but not for a lack of trying.

The Michigan and Nebraska football teams, who shared the 1997 national championship title, almost squared off on the White House lawn yesterday where both teams were honored by President Bill Clinton.

"For the entire season, everybody in America wanted Michigan and Nebraska to meet," Clinton said in the White House East Room yesterday afternoon. "And I'm the only person who could pull it off.

"Since the sun is out, we should go out and settle this. We'll call it the Rose Garden Bowl," Clinton said.

Despite the absence of a national championship showdown on the East Lawn, both teams said they were honored to be invited. Of course, the White House tour is old hat to the Cornhuskers - they won the national championship outright in 1994 and 1995 -

WARREN ZINN/Daily Michigan football captains Eric Mayes and Jon Jansen present President Bill Clinton with a team jersey in the East Room of the White House yesterday.

but it's been half a century since the Michigan football team won the national championship.

The Wolverines' basketball team paid former President George Bush a visit after winning the 1989 NCAA Tournament and the Michigan hockey team was greeted by Vice President Al Gore after their national title in 1996. And, despite three split football national championships in the '90s, this is the first time the president has invited two rival teams to the White House at the same time.

"We've had a lot of heavyweights in this room in the past," Clinton said. "But nothing compares with today."

Clinton congratulated both teams on their undefeated seasons and commitment to excellence on the field, in the classroom and in the community. He singled out Michigan's swarming defense - the nation's top-ranked unit - and its no-frills, mistake-free offense, as well as Rose Bowl MVP Brian Griese and Heisman Trophy winner Charles Woodson for their spectacular play.

But at least some of the president's compliments fell on deaf ears. Although the East Room was packed with members of the national media as well as players and coaches from both teams, Woodson was noticeably absent. He is believed to be attending The Masters in Augusta, Ga.

The rest of the Wolverines, however, enjoyed a bus tour of Washington, lunch in Georgetown and a tour of the White House before taking a team picture with the president. The team flew back to Ann Arbor via charter plane last night.

"Obviously, we're very honored to be here," Griese said. "This is something that very few people get to do. It's very special and one of the finer moments in my senior season."

During the 11-minute ceremony, Clinton emphasized his admiration for both Michigan coach Lloyd Carr and Nebraska coach Tom Osborne, saying Carr has "quickly established himself as one of the best coaches in college football" and calling the now-retired Osborne a "truly great legend of football like Knute Rockne, Bear Bryant and Pop Warner."

This was Osborne's last hurrah as Nebraska's coach after 36 successful years in Lincoln, Neb., but Carr said he hopes this will be the first of many trips to the White House.

"We are honored and privileged to be invited to the White House," Carr told Clinton. "I hope you do it again next year.

"This is a very, very special day for anyone who loves the University of Michigan and it is a day that I will never forget."

Keeping with tradition, both squads offered Clinton gifts as tokens of their appreciation. Michigan captains Jon Jansen and Eric Mayes gave Clinton a game jersey and a national championship baseball cap while the Nebraska captains presented Clinton with a game jersey and an autographed football.

04-10-98