The Final State of the Union
This is historical material “frozen in time”. The website is no longer updated and links to external websites and some internal pages may not work.
Summary:
President Obama honors the L.A. Kings and L.A. Galaxy for their championship seasons -- again.
Galaxy Coach Bruce Arena presents President Barack Obama with a team jersey during an event to welcome the 2014 National Hockey League Champion Los Angeles Kings and the 2014 Major League Soccer Cup Champion LA Galaxy, and to honor the teams on winning their Championship titles, in the East Room of the White House. February 2, 2015. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
In a fitting tribute to Groundhog's Day, the L.A. Kings and L.A. Galaxy returned to the White House to celebrate their championship seasons -- again. Two years ago, the two teams joined President Obama in the East Room -- the L.A. Galaxy as the top team in Major League Soccer, and the L.A. Kings as the winners of hockey's most prestigous award, the Stanley Cup.
Today, they were back after repeating those victories. "So if you see Bill Murray playing the piano in the foyer, you know something weird is going on," the President said. "And we're probably going to do this again."
Watch the President's remarks:
The L.A. Galaxy returned to the White House after winning their fifth MLS crown -- an unprecedented achievement. The game was a nail-biter, with the MLS's most valuable player, Robbie Keane, scoring the final goal in overtime against the New England Revolution to win the championship 2 to 1.
"America is starting to realize what the Beautiful Game is all about," the President said:
It is wonderful to see not just what’s happening at the highest levels of professional sports, but how legions of young people are going to be continuing the traditions here in the United States with soccer for many years to come.
President Barack Obama examines an engraved hockey stick presented to him during an event to welcome the 2014 National Hockey League Champion Los Angeles Kings and the 2014 Major League Soccer Cup Champion LA Galaxy, and to honor the teams on winning their Championship titles, in the East Room of the White House. February 2, 2015. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
Like the Galaxy, the Kings needed overtime -- two overtimes -- to eventually secure the coveted Cup. After winning three straight Game 7's -- on the road -- to get to the finals, where they ousted the New York Rangers to win their second championship.
The Kings have done the unthinkable -- they have turned a city with no snow and no ice and no winter into a hockey town.
See what the President had to say the first time the teams visited the White House in 2012.
President Barack Obama delivers remarks honoring the 2014 National Hockey League Champion Los Angeles Kings and the 2014 Major League Soccer Cup Champion LA Galaxy on winning their Championship titles, in the East Room of the White House. February 2, 2015. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
