Tulane to play on so we will not forget

Classes have been canceled at Tulane University in what is left of New Orleans. Students have been farmed out to schools around the country. The football team had to beat a fast retreat out of town. Their hometown is a virtual ghost town thanks to the wrath of Hurricane Katrina.

But the Green Wave — sorry about that nickname — has decided to play ball, come heck or, um, high water.

"We're going to be Tulane's face every time we're out there," said Jud Sudsbury, the school's sports information director from his makeshift office in the lobby of a Dallas hotel last week.

"People eventually will forget what happened. If you see our football team on TV, you're going to remember. We want to be that visible face, a reminder, and we want to be good news. We didn't give up."

Tulane president Scott Cowen has been criticized, and Coach Chris Scelfo has received hate mail for Tulane's life-goes-on posture. Their attitude: They lost apartments, homes and possessions, but don't take away their hard work and hopes, too; don't take away their game. One player says he cried when he thought the football season would be canceled. It was all he had left.

The Waves, whose real season-opener was canceled, will open the season on Sept. 17 at Mississippi. The school's other teams will play their seasons, as well, but forget about home-field advantage. The Waves are a team without a home, embarking on a permanent road trip. They are about to be everybody's favorite underdog.

The golf team has moved to SMU. The baseball and women's basketball teams are at Texas Tech. The men's basketball, women's volleyball, soccer, swim and tennis teams have moved to Texas A&M. The baseball and women's basketball teams are at Texas Tech. The football team is at Louisiana Tech.

Tulane's athletic department has had offers of help from numerous schools. "Florida State said we'll take you in," says Sudsbury. "Alabama offered its stadium. Little Rock said come over. Schools have said they'll do whatever they can do to help."

The football team fled New Orleans the day before the hurricane hit New Orleans. They loaded up three buses and four vans with players, coaches, support personnel, the women's soccer team and some unexpected guests. Ordinary students — almost three dozen of them —-approached the bus, pleading for help. "They were saying, 'We don't know what to do,' " says Sudsbury. So they were invited to board the bus and make the trip to Jackson, Miss.