Tulane appeared to send a pretty strong message Saturday through four quarters of controlling its season opener against Big Ten visitor Northwestern.
But Jon Sumrall pulled back the curtain some following the game on some of the added significance and emotion in the 23-3 victory, during a 20th anniversary week of Hurricane Katrina.
“We wore the green helmets today for the 20th anniversary of Katrina,” the coach said during his opening postgame remarks. “And I’m gonna say one thing. I’m tryna take a shot, but we requested to wear white jerseys because that’s what that team wore. It got denied by the other team. That’s their prerogative. But when you show disrespect to the city of New Orleans, that’s what’s gonna happen to you. You’re gonna run into a team like this that’s — they had a chip on their shoulder, because I wanted them to wear that same exact uniform that team wore 20 years ago. Request got denied. We might’ve used that for a little extra motivation to represent the city.
“So don’t disrespect New Orleans ever.”
The Green Wave’s second-year coach was a graduate assistant at Kentucky, his alma mater, during the 2005 season, but spent three seasons on Tulane’s staff from 2012-14 and has consistently expressed his and his family’s love for New Orleans as part of their enthusiasm to return last winter and have embraced the city as home.
“Look, this city’s gone through a lot,” he said. “And there’s unbelievable spirit here, and the culture of this place is unlike anywhere else in the world. And the resilience, the toughness, the spirit, the perseverance that the people of New Orleans and the state of Louisiana went through 20 years ago and to be back to where we are today. And it’s fitting, the score today was the same as the score in the (New Orleans Saints) game vs. the (Atlanta) Falcons. Right? Kinda cool.
“And we talked this week about playing for the city. It’s the 20th anniversary. I showed them videos Thursday, videos Friday. I wanted ’em to have a real appreciation for what this place has been through. Tulane went through a lot then. The guys on that team, Michael Parenton who’s (vice president of pro personnel) with the Saints came and talked to our team this summer. Him and (coach) Kellen (Moore) came and spent a little time with us, and Michael talked about his experience to our team this summer about how they went to Shreveport and then Dallas and then back to Shreveport or wherever and they played the first game against Mississippi State in Shreveport. And they wore all white with green helmets with no decals.
“So we wore green helmets with no decals. We didn’t get to wear all white today because the other school didn’t want us to. Well, they got to wear all white, and they took the loss. So, they want to do it that way, they can do it that way. But, just, I’m not trying to be a jerk, but I’ve got a lot of pride in this place and love this place, love the city and don’t disrespect the city.”
