I think it's a common misconception that in order to be a hero, one has to be a winner. That idea, however, is a bold-faced lie. A hero may have never won anything in his or her entire life. So then what makes a hero you ask? A hero is the one who stands tall in the face of adversity and who comes up against people who don't play by the rules and holds onto their principles and continues to work honestly. A hero doesn't need to win the day because he knows that when he walks away a loser, he can be just as proud as if he had won - he gave it his all and he fought fair and in that sense he has won. As such, there are a few heroes I would like to recognize here today.

McGill University - Your Quidditch team yesterday was simply amazing. Your players were hardworking individuals who demonstrated both talent and teamwork. I was impressed by how amiable your players were toward everyone, especially the fans and members of other teams. I'm happy to have met you all. And most of all, I was genuinely impressed with your attitude after losing to Middlebury. Three cheers for the ref and three cheers for the snitch isn't something a loser calls for; it's something a winner says when they know that even though they've lost, it's something to be celebrated.

Chestnut Hill College - What can I say, guys? We lost but we lost with pride. We all know you played an honest game and you gave it your all. Don't be upset. We may not have made it past the quarter-finals but we won in an entirely different sense.

Emerson College - I was impressed with your team last year but this year it was even more inspiring. Watching your team play was like being swept off my feet by a tidal wave. I heard some bad things being said about you by other teams but I think you were amazing. You were a force to be reckoned with and you played with principles and while I congratulate you for taking second place, I congratulate you even more for that.

Middlebury College - Congratulations on taking the gold but you've won so much more than just first place. Your team is just awe-inspiring. You're the home team but you've never seemed cocky about it. In fact, last year, your players told me that they felt inspired by the dedication shown by our school in sending a fan-bus on a 7-hour trip to Vermont at 2 in the morning, which I felt actually demonstrated quite a bit of humility. Your players are friendly and they play a good, fair game. Congratulations on being strong. Congratulations on being principled. Congratulations on being true heroes.