http://www.ualrtrojans.com/ViewArticle.d...=209603232

(08-01-2014 09:28 AM)MICHAELSPAPPY Wrote:  http://www.ualrtrojans.com/ViewArticle.d...=209603232

Nice article. I will send a letter to Chris about placing Coach Kestenbaum in the UALR Hall of Fame. I've been meaning to do so for several years, but always put it off. He deserves and needs to be there.

Leading a team into D1 is bound to be a tough job.

I vividly recall that last second loss to Georgia Southern. I imagine North Texas feels the same way about Solo's miracle shot.

It was a good article.
I remember the press conference when it was announced UALR was not renewing Kestenbaum's contract. So strange. Vice chancellor for advancement Wyatt was sitting next to Kestenbaum. Wyatt answered almost every question with "no comment." The school came out looking pretty dumb in the article because of that.
I think Kestenbaum should be in the Hall, too.

I started with the Trojans after Kestenbaum, I believe it was Newell's 2nd year. What I remember about it was that Kestenbaum was not treated well, and was somewhat bitter. I recall him saying that for recruiting trips he no budget and had to pay for expenses out of his own pocket. Could be that he would not be that excited about the Trojan HOF.

You wonder how we would have done had Ron stayed? Don't know if he would have had the success Newell had, but he did pretty darn good while he was here. No way of knowing, but you have to think about where the program would be today had he stayed and Newell had never come. He had New York connections and Newell, if I recall, had Detroit connections through his assistant coach. If we ever hire another coach, it might be wise to bring in someone who could tap into a major market.

I'm sure Ron was bitter and he deserved to be. I remember going to the TAAC tournament game in Shreveport and Ron drove down in his Pinto and, I believe, had a couple of players squeezed in as well. They traveled in vans and ate at McDonald's. However, the article suggests to me that he is over how he was let go and remembers his time in Little Rock fondly. I wrote an email to Chris supporting his election to the Hall of Fame. I hope a few folks on this board will take 5 minutes to do the same.