I rise today alongside my colleagues, Representative Costa and Representative Valadao, to honor the life and career of Jim Sweeney, who passed away on February 8, 2013. Mr. Sweeney was the legendary coach of the Fresno State football team, leading the Bulldogs for nearly two decades and leaving an indelible imprint on his team, his school, and his community.
Mr. Speaker,
I rise today alongside my colleagues, Representative Costa and Representative Valadao, to honor the life and career of Jim Sweeney, who passed away on February 8, 2013. Mr. Sweeney was the legendary coach of the Fresno State football team, leading the Bulldogs for nearly two decades and leaving an indelible imprint on his team, his school, and his community.
The son of a hardscrabble miner, Mr. Sweeney worked in the mines himself during his college summers. Afterward, he coached high school football for several years in his native Montana and then became an assistant coach of the Montana State Bobcats in 1960. Appointed head coach in 1963, he served five years in that position and eight years as head coach of the Washington State Cougars before becoming head coach at Fresno State, the position that would define his career.
During his nineteen years at Fresno State, interrupted by a two-year stint on the coaching staffs of the Oakland Raiders and St. Louis Cardinals, Mr. Sweeney elevated the Bulldogs to national prominence. A charismatic, no-nonsense leader, he brought an infectious enthusiasm to the entire community and inspired fierce loyalty in his players. He implanted an enduring team spirit with his resounding renditions of team fight songs and his inception of the “Bulldog born, Bulldog bred” chant that players still invoke today. In Fresno, Mr. Sweeney won eight conference titles and five bowl games on his way to amassing 144 victories, the most of any head coach in Bulldog history. Among his many well-deserved accolades, the team’s football field was renamed in his honor.
Personifying excellence, hard-work, and integrity, Mr. Sweeney was well-loved in his community and is a true California icon. His trademark wit and unceasing passion will be missed by the legions of fans and admirers he has left behind.
