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2004 SESSION


HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 466
Commending Bruce Smith.

Agreed to by the House of Delegates, March 12, 2004
Agreed to by the Senate, March 13, 2004

WHEREAS, Bruce Smith was born on June 18, 1963, in Norfolk and attended Booker T. Washington High School; and

WHEREAS, as a student-athlete at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Bruce Smith was named All-American and won the Outland Trophy as the most outstanding lineman in college football during his senior year; and

WHEREAS, the Buffalo Bills' first choice as defensive end in the 1985 National Football League (NFL) draft, Bruce Smith played 15 years with the Bills before joining the Washington Redskins in 2000; and

WHEREAS, Bruce Smith prepared himself for success on the field physically and mentally, taking particular care of his body and subjecting himself to a rigorous off-season program to make sure he was ready for each new season; and

WHEREAS, as a defensive end for the Buffalo Bills and the Washington Redskins, Bruce Smith accumulated over 18 years as a professional football player and earned the distinction of rushing the quarterback better and longer than any other defensive end; and

WHEREAS, Bruce Smith was named Defensive Player of the Year in 1990 and 1996, was named Player of the Week nine times, the most among active players, and was named to the Pro Bowl roster 11 years during his professional career; and

WHEREAS, Bruce Smith recorded a sack against every NFL team except Baltimore, Buffalo, and San Diego, and against some of the great quarterbacks in NFL history, including Dan Marino, John Elway, and Joe Montana, and some not-so-great quarterbacks have crumpled under his weight; and

WHEREAS, with Bruce Smith anchoring the defense, the Buffalo Bills appeared in four straight Super Bowls from 1991 through 1994, marking a bittersweet time in his illustrious career with the loss of four straight Super Bowls, of which he commented, "It wasn't meant to be"; and

WHEREAS, in knocking New York Giants quarterback Jesse Palmer to the ground during a game on December 7, 2003, Bruce Smith broke the record for career sacks, with 199, and before the season ended, he added one more sack for a total of 200; and

WHEREAS, at 40 years old and after a brilliant career as the NFL's all-time leader in sacks, Bruce Smith retired at the end of the 2003 season after 19 years as the record-setting defensive end with the National Football League; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend Bruce Smith, native son, one of the most dominating defensive players in the history of the National Football League; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Bruce Smith as an expression of the General Assembly's admiration for his unprecedented accomplishments and best wishes for continued success.