The Tulane University football team requested to wear white for last Saturday’s game against Northwestern in honor of the 20-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, and that 2005 team, but the Wildcats declined to accommodate the request. Now, head coach David Braun is sending his apologies to the Green Wave.
According to ESPN, the issue arose because the road team typically wears white while the home team wears its primary colors. When Tulane requested the color switch on August 17, Northwestern responded that the team “was already prepared with its white uniforms and decals for the game.” Back in 2005, Tulane played all 12 of its football games on the road in white.
Following Tulane’s victory over Northwestern, head coach Jon Sumrall told the press, “Don’t disrespect New Orleans, ever. It got denied by [Northwestern], that's their prerogative, but when you show disrespect to the city of New Orleans, that's what's going to happen to you. You're going to run into a team like this -- they had a chip on their shoulder."
To which Braun quickly made his own response. “Certainly not a gesture of disrespect, but the timing of the request did impact our ability to honor the request," Braun told ESPN.
Instead of the all white uniforms, Tulane played in its traditional green home uniforms, but the team was able to include the green 2005 helmets that it wore during the Katrina season.
Braun reported that the two coaches were able to connect on Saturday night, after the game, and the two had a productive conversation that he “appreciated.” Said Braun, “I don't pretend to understand what the city of New Orleans has been through, but what I can tell you is this university and myself have a tremendous amount of respect for the impact that Hurricane Katrina had on New Orleans and that region. I had an opportunity to see it firsthand ... it was devastating. Having a chance to return to New Orleans for the first time since that trip, where that city's at right now is a reflection of the people that call it home.”
