| 2 | 3 | | |
|---|
| 3 | 4 | | |
|---|
| 4 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
|---|
| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, Texas athletes have a long history of excelling at |
|---|
| 6 | 7 | | the highest levels of competition, and Clint Dempsey of the United |
|---|
| 7 | 8 | | States Men's National Team furthered that tradition with his |
|---|
| 8 | 9 | | exemplary performance at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil; and |
|---|
| 9 | 10 | | WHEREAS, Mr. Dempsey shined throughout the tournament, |
|---|
| 10 | 11 | | starting all four of the USMNT matches and scoring two crucial goals |
|---|
| 11 | 12 | | from his forward position; in the process, he helped the United |
|---|
| 12 | 13 | | States advance out of the group stage and into the Round of 16, |
|---|
| 13 | 14 | | while becoming the first American player to score in three |
|---|
| 14 | 15 | | consecutive World Cups; and |
|---|
| 15 | 16 | | WHEREAS, This superb athlete tallied his first goal in the |
|---|
| 16 | 17 | | team's opening match against Ghana, evading his defender in the |
|---|
| 17 | 18 | | penalty area and placing a perfect shot inside the goalposts to give |
|---|
| 18 | 19 | | the U.S. a lead just 32 seconds into the contest; Mr. Dempsey also |
|---|
| 19 | 20 | | displayed rare grit and determination by remaining on the field |
|---|
| 20 | 21 | | after suffering a broken nose late in the first half, as the U.S. |
|---|
| 21 | 22 | | won by a score of 2-1; in the ensuing matchup with Portugal, he |
|---|
| 22 | 23 | | deftly controlled a crossing pass from teammate Graham Zusi in the |
|---|
| 23 | 24 | | 81st minute and put the ball in the back of the net for a late |
|---|
| 24 | 25 | | go-ahead goal; and |
|---|
| 25 | 26 | | WHEREAS, A member of the national team since 2004, |
|---|
| 26 | 27 | | Mr. Dempsey has been recognized for his efforts during |
|---|
| 27 | 28 | | international competition with a number of accolades, including |
|---|
| 28 | 29 | | three U.S. Soccer Male Athlete of the Year awards and three Futbol |
|---|
| 29 | 30 | | de Primera Player of the Year awards; in addition, he has been named |
|---|
| 30 | 31 | | Man of the Match on several occasions, and he won the prestigious |
|---|
| 31 | 32 | | FIFA Bronze Ball at the 2009 Confederations Cup for his attacking |
|---|
| 32 | 33 | | style of play; and |
|---|
| 33 | 34 | | WHEREAS, Mr. Dempsey was a standout performer on the |
|---|
| 34 | 35 | | Nacogdoches High School soccer team, and he went on to achieve |
|---|
| 35 | 36 | | notable success in college as an All-American midfielder and |
|---|
| 36 | 37 | | forward for Furman University; he was drafted in 2004 by Major |
|---|
| 37 | 38 | | League Soccer's New England Revolution, where he scored 25 goals in |
|---|
| 38 | 39 | | three seasons before continuing his professional career overseas |
|---|
| 39 | 40 | | with the Fulham Football Club and the Tottenham Hotspurs Football |
|---|
| 40 | 41 | | Club of the English Premier League; in 2013, he returned to the U.S. |
|---|
| 41 | 42 | | and his MLS roots by transferring to the Seattle Sounders Football |
|---|
| 42 | 43 | | Club, leading the team to a berth in the MLS Cup Playoffs; and |
|---|
| 43 | 44 | | WHEREAS, Clint Dempsey has distinguished himself as one of |
|---|
| 44 | 45 | | the finest footballers to ever wear the red, white, and blue, and |
|---|
| 45 | 46 | | his accomplishments on the game's biggest stage are a source of |
|---|
| 46 | 47 | | great pride and excitement for his many fans across the country and |
|---|
| 47 | 48 | | in the Lone Star State; now, therefore, be it |
|---|
| 48 | 49 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
|---|
| 49 | 50 | | Legislature hereby congratulate Clint Dempsey on his performance as |
|---|
| 50 | 51 | | a member of the United States Men's National Team at the 2014 FIFA |
|---|
| 51 | 52 | | World Cup and extend to him best wishes for continued success; and, |
|---|
| 52 | 53 | | be it further |
|---|
| 53 | 54 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
|---|
| 54 | 55 | | prepared for Mr. Dempsey as an expression of high regard by the |
|---|
| 55 | 56 | | Texas House of Representatives. |
|---|