Long, Barmore, Kims Clothes, Sleeves back?

[champion110]

Great information in a lot of articles this morning:

Long, Barmore make sure laughs are part of ceremony

By Scott Beder
sbeder@thenewsstar.com

RUSTON — Chris Long admitted to being a little nervous prior to Friday's news conference announcing him as the new women's basketball coach at Louisiana Tech.


Long's jitters were understandable, having to accept his dream job before a packed room of Tech supporters, while looking down at the front row to see his wife and kids, parents and in-laws.

To say the least there were a few tense moments, but the whole affair wasn't devoid of a little humor.

Leave it to former coach Leon Barmore to break the ice. Barmore, who is as much at ease behind a podium as he is at the end of a bench, delivered the line of the day in a speech before Long's introduction.

To set the scene, last week Kim Mulkey-Robertson, the Baylor head coach and former Tech All-American and long-time Techster assistant coach, raised some eyebrows in Ruston with her wardrobe selection.

Mulkey-Robertson, who led the Lady Bears to their first NCAA title last week and became the first woman to win NCAA titles as a player and coach, donned a powder blue outfit and matching shoes — which just happens to be the Lady Techsters' signature color — for the title game.

Afterwards, Mulkey-Robertson said she was just wearing what her assistant coach had bought for her.

So, after being introduced by Tech president Dan Reneau, Barmore strode to the podium and began:

"Listen, I never thought I would get up before you and make another speech to be honest with you. But if Dr. Reneau asked me to do it I do it, so please bear with me a moment. I don't have my blue shoes on but I do have my blue shirt on."

The entire congregation in the Hall of Fame room at Thomas Assembly Center broke up.

Long may have been nervous, but it didn't show. He handled himself calmly and also got into the comedy act when he recounted his meeting with Barmore when he came to interview for an opening on his staff six years ago.

"(Barmore) might get mad at me for telling this story, but it's the truth. I come (to Ruston) and we meet for three or four hours and I'm thinking it's going real well, but I'm not real sure. He took me in his car and we begin to look at various neighborhoods in Ruston and I'm thinking, boy, this has got to be a pretty good sign, but I still wasn't quite sure. But the ironic thing was the last house we went to happened to be his house — which was for sale. I ended up buying it and to this day I'm not sure if it's because I bought the house, or what the deal was. But I have lived there for six years and it is for sale if anybody's interested."

Originally published April 10, 2005

[champion110]

Long Q&A



Friday was a whirlwind day for Chris Long, who was named the fourth women's head basketball coach in the 31-year history of the Louisiana Tech program.


Long was promoted to fill the vacancy left by the departure of Kurt Budke to Oklahoma State after six years as a Techster assistant.


After his formal news conference and numerous one-on-one interviews, Long caught his breath and some time with News-Star senior writer Scott Beder.


Their conversation spanned several topics, but here are a few outtakes:


SB: I know you embrace the Techster tradition, so would you ever consider bringing back the sleeves on the game jerseys?


CL: The sleeves are something I haven't thought of the last couple of days (laughs). I like tradition and their uniqueness.


SB: You guys will play Grambling State next year for the first time ever. What's your view of regional rivalries?


CL: I'm not opposed to it. We've played quite a few the last six years. I think it's good for all the universities to get rivalries going and play people that are close to you.


SB: You spent three years as an assistant to Coach (Leon) Barmore. Do you have any classic "Leon moments" that you recall?


CL: There are quite a few great stories. I just think he is a master motivator and psychologist. He knew how to push the right buttons at the right times, with his coaching staff, media relations, whoever. When you look back on it, you appreciate it and understand where he was coming from.


SB: It's a little different being the head coach as opposed to the assistant. How will that change for you?
CL: I've always known that when you're the head coach you're on the hot seat. As an assistant you don't always feel how hot it is. Being a head coach on the high school level, I understand and expect there to be more pressure, but I put a lot of pressure on myself. I expect excellence from myself like I would my team and that's enough right there.

[champion110]

1 hire, 2 coaches
Barmore may re-emerge with Long now in charge

By Scott Beder
sbeder@thenewsstar.com



RUSTON — Leon is back. Well, sort of.

When Chris Long was named as the new women's head basketball coach at Louisiana Tech on Friday, it also opened the door for Leon Barmore to get closer to the program he built.

After retiring for the second time three years ago, Barmore stepped back into the shadows and had little contact with the Lady Techster program he guided to 576 wins, one NCAA title and nine Final Fours.

Barmore, mindful of the pressure on his successor Kurt Budke, stayed away intentionally. He knew that whomever followed in his footsteps faced enough challenges without a living legend constantly peering over the new coach's shoulder.

But the passage of time — three years — and the circumstances have changed. Now the prospects of Barmore, who actually holds the title of coach emeritus, having more involvement with the program, seem imminently better.

For one, Barmore and Long are close. Barmore hired Long as an assistant coach six years ago. Since that time Barmore has come to admire Long's coaching and in fact pushed very hard for him to get the job.

"(Long) has Leon as a mentor," Tech athletics director Jim Oakes said. "What more could you ask for. It is clear Leon has a special place in his heart for Chris."

Long is indeed one of Barmore's protegees and he used his three years as Barmore's assistant to sponge up as much knowledge as possible.

"I have the utmost respect for Coach Barmore as a coach and person," Long said. "He has meant a lot to me personally and in my career. I learned an awful lot. Whether he likes it or not, his phone will be ringing."

The 36-year-old Long holds the Techster tradition in great esteem and is determined to not only maintain it, but also promote it and build upon it.

What better way to accomplish that goal than to lean on and involve Barmore, a man who belongs to four halls of fames. If Pat Summitt retired from Tennessee tomorrow, it is doubtful she would be stuffed away in a closet, never to be heard from again.

"(Barmore) built this program," Long said. "Most of the banners hanging in that gym are the result of when he was coaching. He may sit up there in the blue section (the top of Thomas Assembly Center), but I want him up there.

"I think a lot of his opinion whether it's about players or the program as a whole."

Barmore himself seems more open to lending his services.

"No one has a lock on tradition," Barmore said. "If you don't guard it, it's gone. I know the administration and Chris want to guard it. From my standpoint, I will do whatever I can to help you."

Barmore was part of the program at Long's press conference and even addressed the seven members of the team who attended. His presence spoke volumes and added to the excitement of the day.

"You get the feeling he would welcome the opportunity to contribute," said long-time Techster supporter Carolyn Ashley. "To what extent, I don't know, but he is still dedicated to the success of this program and that is exciting."

Originally published April 10, 2005

[champion110]

MAN, wouldn't that be GREAT to get the sleeves back? It makes us the most recognizable team in the country again. I doubt that will happen, but I love the thought of it.

These are great articles and I am really getting pumped up again now!

LONG LIVE THE TECHSTERS!

[cornhuskr1]

It's great to see and read all this positive info. We have had so much negative info over the past few weeks. GO TECHSTERS!

[champion110]

It's great to see and read all this positive info. We have had so much negative info over the past few weeks. GO TECHSTERS!

I totally agree, cornhuskr! It is time to bring back Lady Techster basketball to where it belongs! All other talk is obsolete now.

[DustyDog]

MAN, wouldn't that be GREAT to get the sleeves back? It makes us the most recognizable team in the country again. I doubt that will happen, but I love the thought of it.

These are great articles and I am really getting pumped up again now!

LONG LIVE THE TECHSTERS!

Agreed. The sleeves were talked about often by sports writers of opposing teams. Some saw it as querky, but all recoginized it as a Louisiana Tech uniqueness. Its kind of like Alabama's continued tradition of putting the numbers on the helmets LONG after that went out of style in the 1960's. Now it would be seen as unthinkable to change it by the Alabama faithful. It also communicates the idea that "we don't need a logo because EVERYBODY knows who we are."

[champion110]

I didn't think about the way I signed the above email, but I think "Long Live The Techsters" might be a very appropriate saying for this year. ;-)

[aubunique]

Champion, get a ball and a kid and go to wherever the nearest hoop is and shoot and rebound for an hour with sleeves. Three or four days later go do the same without sleeves and see why playing with sleeves is not a great idea.

Maybe you should do sleeveless first and wait a few days and try it with sleeves.

Either way, looks and tradition aside, sleeves tire even a well-conditioned athlete basketball play just enough to cost a few baskets a game.

Besides, the girls look great sleeveless. Women's muscles are just as attractive and natural as men's and indicate good health and conditioning and can even be intimidating to opposing players!

They can enjoy the sleeves on their warmup jersies! Maybe shooting shirts while warming up, but the skimpier the better when the game starts.