Ron Hunter new Tulane basketball coach

JerseyWave · Tue Mar 26, 2019 1:10 pm

Watched the press conference, our long basketball nightmare is over. Coach Hunter said everything you want hear from a winner.

I never heard Cowen, Dickson, Conroy or Dunleavy ever mention going to the NCAA tournament. It like it wasn't a goal. Today I heard President Fitts say it and that's all Coach Hunter would talk about.....winning!!! He even said we are not a program that's going to the CIT or CBI. It's either NIT or NCAA.

He told his guys to see the barber and enough with the speaking foreign language. He's hiring a Louisiana guy that he trusts and knows the area for recruiting. At times he sounded like Perry Clark, who I heard talk a lot about going to the NCAA tournament. I think we finally have ourselves a winner for the basketball program.

bananax07 · Tue Mar 26, 2019 1:23 pm

JerseyWave wrote: ↑Tue Mar 26, 2019 1:10 pm He told his guys to see the barber and enough with the speaking foreign language.

umm what?

Pepper · Tue Mar 26, 2019 1:24 pm

JerseyWave wrote: ↑Tue Mar 26, 2019 1:10 pm Watched the press conference, our long basketball nightmare is over. Coach Hunter said everything you want hear from a winner.

I never heard Cowen, Dickson, Conroy or Dunleavy ever mention going to the NCAA tournament. It like it wasn't a goal. Today I heard President Fitts say it and that's all Coach Hunter would talk about.....winning!!! He even said we are not a program that's going to the CIT or CBI. It's either NIT or NCAA.

He told his guys to see the barber and enough with the speaking foreign language. He's hiring a Louisiana guy that he trusts and knows the area for recruiting. At times he sounded like Perry Clark, who I heard talk a lot about going to the NCAA tournament. I think we finally have ourselves a winner for the basketball program.

I haven't heard a coach talk that confidently since Bowden.

Show Me · Tue Mar 26, 2019 1:30 pm

Frustrating trying to watch the stream. It was choppy the entire time and I have a 1G internet connection so I know it was in the Tulane server side. I’m going to have to watch the replay on YouTube again.

golfnut69 · Tue Mar 26, 2019 1:33 pm

Show Me wrote: ↑Tue Mar 26, 2019 1:30 pm Frustrating trying to watch the stream. It was choppy the entire time and I have a 1G internet connection so I know it was in the Tulane server side. I’m going to have to watch the replay on YouTube again.

I agree...the first live broadcast from the Moon was better....I turned the thing off

greenie78 · Tue Mar 26, 2019 1:34 pm

I watched it well from my phone.

OUG · Tue Mar 26, 2019 1:37 pm

bananax07 wrote: ↑Tue Mar 26, 2019 1:23 pm
JerseyWave wrote: ↑Tue Mar 26, 2019 1:10 pm He told his guys to see the barber and enough with the speaking foreign language.
umm what?

That’s not exactly how it went. He did a bit about how foreign players speak perfect English to him when until he asks them to do something they don’t want to do and then [jibberish]. He made it into a bit about Zhang. He was just doing schtick though, just like the haircut comment was about Jordan Walker. It was a little awkward in the way that not all of a comedian’s bits are going to be winners, but it was harmless.

I’m just going to say that part of having a high energy/interesting character as coach is that he’s going to say some awkward things, so there should be some slack cut. I like this over the alternative. This works in NOLA.

DfromCT · Tue Mar 26, 2019 1:38 pm

I thoroughly enjoyed Ron Hunter. His personality cannot be contained; sometimes I cringed at what he said, but he's genuine. You have to chuckle when he says things like "If I knew you felt that strongly about me, I would have asked for more money." Or "When I win the first conference game, I'll get a contract extension." Ok, he lacks a bit of filter, but he's the real deal.

Great to see the stream drew over 500 viewers.

WELCOME COACH HUNTER!

ROLL WAVE!

gbgreenie · Tue Mar 26, 2019 1:43 pm

Sounds great team coach huddling with the team, says this team will win, Semir in smiles, may reconsider!!! Said all the right things now the proof will be in the pudding sounds like he is under the mold of Fritz. Will not support negatism, was a breath of fresh air.

GreenLantern · Tue Mar 26, 2019 1:57 pm

Link to introductory press conference (starts near the 28:00 mark):

https://www.pscp.tv/w/1MYxNyMPzAOJw

So who's getting the haircut? Caleb? ROE?

Bicoastalwave · Tue Mar 26, 2019 3:53 pm

That was easily the most entertaining introductory press conference I have ever seen. Should have been a HBO comedy special aimed at Tulane fans. I laughed out loud a half dozen times. I am very very excited. He was pretty damn Candid and of course there is some
Coach speak but man he has me fired up. He is definitely not PC, and I love it.

I’ll let someone else pull his quotes about devlin

Jaxwave · Tue Mar 26, 2019 4:06 pm

Gotta say I love his enthusiasm and his positive attitude esp about Tulane and Devlin. However, I'm not a big fan of so much humor. It hits me as trying to get everyone to like him when what he needs is respect. This was a very similar introductory news conference to that of Jim McIlwain when he took the Florida football job. He said he could teach his dog to be a QB and win with him. When he didn't win enough, those comments were thrown back in his face and he was ridiculed as a comic and quickly lost the respect of the players and fans.
I also didn't like his comments about Houston. It seems like he was playing to the fans but someone will have to explain to me why they think that can possibly have any value in throwing down the gauntlet to the best team in the conference. Seems to me a more general statement regarding the top programs in the conference which he kinda said should have sufficed.

Bicoastalwave · Tue Mar 26, 2019 4:22 pm

I find it refreshing. It was a tangible challenge. Someone else compared it to picking a fight with the biggest guy in jail, or the school bully. Apparently he really was heartbroken about being crushed by houston by 30 or whatever it was.

I’m sure he has had more then a few of his comments thrown back at him, but who cares. God knows we need a little swagger and a shock to the system. And if it turns houston into a Rival that would be amazing. . . Even if they crush us a few more years in a row.

oliveandblue · Tue Mar 26, 2019 4:36 pm

Bicoastalwave wrote: ↑Tue Mar 26, 2019 4:22 pm I find it refreshing. It was a tangible challenge. Someone else compared it to picking a fight with the biggest guy in jail, or the school bully. Apparently he really was heartbroken about being crushed by houston by 30 or whatever it was.

I’m sure he has had more then a few of his comments thrown back at him, but who cares. God knows we need a little swagger and a shock to the system. And if it turns houston into a Rival that would be amazing. . . Even if they crush us a few more years in a row.

I don't care if it's all talk. It's the fucking confidence that helps when you're given keys to a rebuilding job. We are used to some of the most dour talk possible from prior administrations...

DfromCT · Tue Mar 26, 2019 4:51 pm

OUG wrote: ↑Tue Mar 26, 2019 1:37 pm I’m just going to say that part of having a high energy/interesting character as coach is that he’s going to say some awkward things, so there should be some slack cut. I like this over the alternative. This works in NOLA.

I think that's just part of who he is. He came off as genuine to me, even if some of his jokes weren't funny!

The funniest (and he doesn't know how close this hit to home with most of us) was when he said "first conference game I win I'll get an extension." (Maybe paraphrasing since it's been a few hours.)

I hope ALL of the players stay. That being said, it wouldn't surprise me if his act doesn't play well with a few of them. I also hope he steps right up on the recruiting trail.

Tue Mar 26, 2019 5:14 pm

Entertaining guy for sure. Was he joking or serious about making all the kids get haircuts like him? Definitely wants to win. I think he’s going to do well here. I’m not seeing 20 wins next year like he said. But that sure would fill the arena. I anxious to see who he brings in from Louisiana on his staff to help with recruiting. He said he’s going to recruit Louisiana and Georgia hard. New Orleans especially. He’s definitely good for a quote or two. The one conference win contract extension joke was a real zinger. I’m not sure the team appreciated that though.

Bigschtick · Tue Mar 26, 2019 5:14 pm

He got pretty fair schtick.

GreenLantern · Tue Mar 26, 2019 5:21 pm

I like him. A lot. But if he wins 20 games here next year, it will be one of the greatest coaching turn-arounds of all time.

OUG · Tue Mar 26, 2019 5:51 pm

GreenLantern wrote: ↑Tue Mar 26, 2019 5:21 pm I like him. A lot. But if he wins 20 games here next year, it will be one of the greatest coaching turn-arounds of all time.

And that’s ok. It’s ok to have high expectations and goals. It’s ok to be positive. It’s ok walk around and carry yourself with the belief of a winner. That’s a cultural change that needs to happen across this program to reignite it. If he has no track record of being able to do it, I would roll my eyes.

But I’m never going to fault a guy for saying “we are going to win 20+ and go to the tournament” and falling short with a 16-14 season in which we put the rest of the league on notice and send a message to recruits that we are ready to win. You have to get everyone pulling together towards high expectations and goals. Positivity without a plan is useless, but so is a plan without positivity.

I’m on board. Let’s do this. It’s going to be a fun ride.

nawlinspete · Tue Mar 26, 2019 5:56 pm

Most significant of all Coach Hunter said : ' I will not tolerate negativity . Anyone who says 'I can't , get out . ' '

Easy to see that his players are coached hard and expected to do exactly what they are told . No whining . Easy to see how his teams win a lot of games .

Bicoastalwave · Tue Mar 26, 2019 7:00 pm

Bigschtick wrote: ↑Tue Mar 26, 2019 5:14 pm He got pretty fair schtick.

I see what you did there . . .

Bicoastalwave · Tue Mar 26, 2019 7:03 pm

OUG wrote: ↑Tue Mar 26, 2019 5:51 pm
GreenLantern wrote: ↑Tue Mar 26, 2019 5:21 pm I like him. A lot. But if he wins 20 games here next year, it will be one of the greatest coaching turn-arounds of all time.
And that’s ok. It’s ok to have high expectations and goals. It’s ok to be positive. It’s ok walk around and carry yourself with the belief of a winner. That’s a cultural change that needs to happen across this program to reignite it. If he has no track record of being able to do it, I would roll my eyes.

But I’m never going to fault a guy for saying “we are going to win 20+ and go to the tournament” and falling short with a 16-14 season in which we put the rest of the league on notice and send a message to recruits that we are ready to win. You have to get everyone pulling together towards high expectations and goals. Positivity without a plan is useless, but so is a plan without positivity.

I’m on board. Let’s do this. It’s going to be a fun ride.

What is the greatest ncaa basketball turnaround ? Not sure if you would go by straight improvement in # of wins or if you get extra points for taking a winless team to a postseason tournament & beyond. It would be fun to have as a measuring stick.

I did love his comment about how he doesn’t believe in the CBI (“CBS” hahaha) and that it doesn’t count.

golfnut69 · Tue Mar 26, 2019 7:34 pm

https://www.theadvocate.com/new_orleans ... 81807.html

https://www.nola.com/tulane/2019/03/tul ... ampus.html

https://www.nola.com/tulane/2019/03/tul ... rence.html

https://www.nola.com/tulane/2019/03/who ... staff.html

WavyHoops · Tue Mar 26, 2019 7:43 pm

Sounds like Caleb Daniels is all the way on board.

https://www.nola.com/tulane/2019/03/who ... staff.html

anEngineer · Tue Mar 26, 2019 9:25 pm

nawlinspete wrote: ↑Tue Mar 26, 2019 5:56 pm Most significant of all Coach Hunter said : ' I will not tolerate negativity . Anyone who says 'I can't , get out . ' '

Easy to see that his players are coached hard and expected to do exactly what they are told . No whining . Easy to see how his teams win a lot of games .

He had better stay away from this site. At least one of the regular complainers will be all over him before recruiting is over.