One of the more interesting statements Lute Olson made today was that his leave of absence adversely affected UA’s recruiting efforts with three Top 30 recruits from the class of 2009.
He said that within a week of his leave, two of them committed to North Carolina (undoubtedly David and Travis Wear) and another committed to Georgetown (Hollis Thompson).
“We were definitely No. 1 with one and very close to No. 1 with the other,” Olson said. “It was a tossup, I think.”
That may or may not be the case — several recruiting analysts have told me the UA was not leading for any of them — but the interesting thing is that Olson acknowledged his leave of absence did actually hurt.
And he may have to live with this handicap forever. Even though Olson is back, he’ll always have to answer these questions to recruits and their parents: Are you really OK? Will you always be there for me/our son?
He’ll also have to compete with rival recruiters who are undoubtedly having a field day over all this. I would imagine they’ll be quick to remind any player considering their school and UA that they may want to think twice about the Wildcats because Olson will be 74 years old next season and just took a year off for health reasons.
Even with his current players, Olson has had to do some scrambling and it’s not clear yet whether he will be successful.
The mother of Jerryd Bayless, Denise Bowman, says the stability and atmosphere of UA’s program will definitely affect her son’s decision on whether to jump to the NBA. Nic Wise’s dad, Greg, said Nic needs to know for sure that what happened this year will not happen again before he determines his future.
And the father of Jamelle Horne, Johnnie, said on Monday that even though he had a good meeting with Olson, and even though he thinks highly of Olson’s track record, he said his son is still considering a transfer.
“Of course,” Johnnie Horne said. “I would have to say that the integrity and sense of abandonment this year has got to leave some doubt.”
Bruce, Thanks for this supplement to your piece on star.net. It certainly appears he is handicapped. If Horne decides to transfer, B&B go pro, and the possibility of Wise transferring…. wow!
I wonder if these things were going to happen if KO stayed and fueled KO’s scholarship offers to three players.
Bruce, do you have any idea as to whether Horne is leaning toward coming back, and if Wise is considering transfering, too? Any word on Zane Johnson?
Thanks.
— confused, maybe not 04/01/2008 08:23 PM #
I was afraid every potential returning player had to be facing next year with doubts. Today’s combative press conference, complete with the dumping of yet another assistant coach, did nothing to improve the situation.
This is all so hard to understand. I would have bet Lute Olson was above the sort of behavior he just exhibited. Now, it looks like he thinks he’s above taking responsibility for that kind of behavior.
Sad!
— jmh 04/01/2008 08:40 PM #
The most troubling aspect of all this is the apparently significant loss of respect and dignity afforded the program, the sense of which is almost palpable. Some knowledgeable college b-ball analysts seem to believe that the program’s best days are behind it — at least until Olson leaves. I, for one, would like to see the AD give Coach Olson a nice, appreciative send-off…and then move on. The program could use the fresh, energetic talents of an up-and-coming, successful young coach such as Coach Few (Gonzaga) or Coach Crean (late of Marquette now of Indiana). As much as Olson has been the program in the past, he clearly is not the future of the program. Or, if he is, even sadder times lie ahead.
— sad, dispirited alumnus 04/01/2008 08:53 PM #
Confused (and aren’t we all here?) — What I got from Jamelle’s dad was that he’ll probably stay but has a lot of doubts about the situation. He said Jamelle would weigh other opportunities and see what’s best. I do think that sitting out a year as a transfer does not appeal to him, so that works in UA’s favor.
Wise is probably OK, too, but his dad did express concern that next season might be a repeat. So as long as Lute can assure him things are good and he will play a key role in an uptempo offense, he will probably stay. But it’s still probably too early to say for sure.
I talked with Zane a week ago and he seemed excited that Lute is back, so I don’t think there’s a problem with him. I suspect he was just bummed that he didn’t play all that much after ending the redshirt year.
— Bruce Pascoe 04/01/2008 08:56 PM #
Arizona could do a lot better than the highly over rated Few.
— vegasallen 04/01/2008 09:01 PM #
My concern in this entire mess has always been recruiting, and not for next year but for 2 years from now. Jennings may be Lute Olson’s last big time recruit. Lute should return for one year, honor his commitment to B&B, Hill, Wise and the rest of the players and than retire for good.
After that we should have a national search for a coach. I read somewhere (ESPN maybe) that coaches consider Arizona one of the top jobs in the country. If we have success next year Olson can retire and we can bring in someone to really rebuild the program. (And 1 great year won’t necessarily rebuild the program if, assuming B&B stay this season, they along with Jennings and Hill all turn around and go pro next year.)
Vegas – I also think Few is overrated. I like Jay Wright myself – young, aggressive, really gets his kids to play together. Uses his bench, plays uptempo – don’t know about his recruiting but I think recruiting at Villanova against the other Philly 5, plus the Big East, A-10 and ACC for players has to be tougher than coming to Tucson and competing in Cali, Texas, Oregon, and Washington against Howland, Kansas, Texas and a bunch of also-rans in the Pac 10 and Big 12.
— Mike H 04/01/2008 09:21 PM #
When the announcement that KO was coming back was made, I was excited. Then again, I was excited when Stoops was hired too.
I remember Marco telling us what a train wreck KO was at Marquette and how a lot of players hated him. I doubted Marco’s story but as we’ve seen, the nightmare became reality.
KO, at every coaching stop, has left under a cloud of controversy.
Here, he’s painted Livengood into a corner and apparently forced a raise of about $600,000 and a payment of $375,000 with the promise that he gets far away from the program ASAP.
Bruce, if you could tell all that you have been privately told about KO and this season, wow.. might make a good movie.
— vegasallen 04/01/2008 09:21 PM #
Few is an Oregon Alum and will wait for that job to open up in the near future.
Folks need to give Lute a break! He went through a huge life transition again after a traumatic issue with Bobbi. His love and passion is college basketball and next year will be exactly what he needs and he will be fine
Adrian
— ABC 04/01/2008 09:23 PM #
I’m depressed!!! When players you assumed were back (Wise Horne) are suddenly toss ups it makes you think the sky is falling. I may not read till next season starts…oh wait who am I kidding…I’m a UA athletics junky.
— John Smith 04/01/2008 09:29 PM #
it was good while it lasted. sooooo what do cat fans say now? wait for swimming season??? this sucks.
— russ 04/01/2008 09:30 PM #
Swimming is over. I’m just really ticked we didn’t find out what meds Lute is on.
— Brian 04/01/2008 09:46 PM #
Bruce, Thanks for the answers.
— confused, maybe not 04/01/2008 09:53 PM #
I felt LO was finished 3 years ago, he really does need to retire. The old folks in this town will not let him go, what a disaster.
This is what happens when you allow an individual to become bigger than the program.
He is here for another year but a list for potential replacements needs to start now or yesterday.
The major problem is the AD, he is a wimp and a complete waste of air and money, dump this useless terd now, it is truly sad to see such a great program crumble so fast because of some peoples inability and selfishness to take the forefront over the program.
Only a top 5 coach will be able to step in and fix this program, but with Livenbad at the helm the ship is sinking, time for a mutiny.
— JK 04/01/2008 10:00 PM #
JK,
Livengood is sticking around so he can get more money for retirement. As a UA employee, he’s on the state retirement system, if you put 20 years in, you get 80% of what you made during your last five years.
In this case, Livengood, for doing very little, will get paid 80% of $395,000 per year in retirement.
And he did nothing but ride Ced Dempsey’s coattails, Livengood’s hires have been bad across the board. Guess who hired Candrea and Frank Busch, that’s right Ced Dempsey.
So rather than resign or retire which is what someone with honor would do, after having destroyed one of the premier athletic programs, Livengood will attempt to stick around purely out of greed.
Regarding Lute, he needs to retire, he’s made his once proud basketball program look really bad.
Now the recruits have figured out that he’s no longer good for his word.
I think he should come back for one last year, while Shelton removes Livengood and hires a proven winner to take over the AD post. Then search for a replacement.
The UA should be able to get who they want, not settle for career assistants or re-treads which is the group that Livengood would have potentially chosen from.
The UA can’t afford Stoops/Mackovic results for the basketball program.
— Steal Your Face 04/01/2008 11:09 PM #
#14 – Good stuff and a very good point.
Bruce- What an outstanding article, excellent work, this is what I like to read about is the future and you have hit it right on the head.
Our biggest fears have reared it’s ugly head and I am sorry to say that this current leadership has to be cleansed and or terminated.
Where are the alumni and the boosters? They should quit being cowards and use their muscle to get this program back where it belongs, enough riding on the coat tails, it’s time for some change and real leadership.
Is there anybody with balls left in this athletic program?
— JK 04/01/2008 11:26 PM #
In many ways lute is like the star athlete whose time has past but can’t face that fact because the game is his whole life. For these guys retirement might as well be a death sentence. Unfortunately by the time Lute is finally compelled to step down for one reason or the other, the odds are not good that the program will be salvageable. The options are therefore poor in this situation. Do we wreck a great man or the program?
— Cactus Jim 04/01/2008 11:33 PM #
I’m a huge Lute Olson fan, but we need a contingency plan. Recruiting has already been affected, and it won’t get better with a 74-year-old head coach. Arizona basketball has already slid into mediocrity (8-9-10 seeds the past few years, first-round exits). We’re sliding further and further from national prominence like Penn State and Florida State football behind old coaching legends.
So it took $1 million + to get rid of Kevin O’Neill ($700+ this season and $300+ next year), but I think we got off cheap. This year was a miserable, failed experiment but it beats being contaminated with O’Neill for the next few years.
Best case scenario is that Lute coaches this season and enjoys one final, glorious run behind players like Budinger, Bayless and Jennings. Lute decides this is his one-year farewell tour. UA offers Mike Montgomery the head coaching gig and a year to get things in order and recruit full time.
Lute has been an incredible coach, but hasn’t been very successful in developing coaches. O’Neill, Rodney Tentison, Jessie Evans, Jay John, etc. I don’t think anyone here projects Miles Simon or Josh Pastner to be a marquee head coach anytime down the road.
My biggest fear is Jim Livengood, we all know about the failed hirings during his tenure. I cringe at night thinking he might be dusting off Ben Lindsey’s phone number or the equivelent of John Mackovic on the court.
— Button Salmon 04/02/2008 12:15 AM #
Bruce, after this story you may be on Olson’s Poop List along with Hansen :-). Arizona is not a top venue for basketball absent Lute Olson. Olson created the elite status afforded to the U of A. In general, a player will get more favorable media attention in the East. In the West, UCLA has a clear advantage because of media coverage and long tradition. Lute has had an enormous effect on basketball here in Tucson. Even within Arizona, ASU probably has a natural advantage in recruiting. Lute has earned the respect of the fans, players, and the media in my opinion. It might be better all around to wait and see what happens and hold the negative conjecture until we have more information to go on. The public conjecture in the media could become a self fulfilling prophecy and actually affect recruiting in some instances.
— Edwin S. 04/02/2008 01:39 AM #
In my job, I tend to get a bit out of control when those above me are 100% hands-off. Granted that’s also when I can be most productive because I don’t have tons of red tape to fight through.
Look at the Lute-Livengood relationship. I don’t know if you’ll find a more hands-off relationship between “boss” and “employee” anywhere in college athletics. And it worked fine in the glory days when Lute was pumping out Final 4 trips every 5 years. But now, when his control over the program is slipping, assistants are being axed left and right, players are confused, now more than ever is when Lute needs some structure and control from Livengood. The program needs immediate stability, yet Livengood is nowhere to be found. I find it absolutely incredible (even unacceptable, to a certain degree) that Livengood or KO hadn’t heard that KO wouldn’t be back next year. Seriously, where is our AD in this mess???
— Brett 04/02/2008 06:51 AM #
Brian,
What gives you the right to know what meds Lute is on? He’s not an elected official. He doesn’t represent the public in a government office. He’s a private citizen. Give the guy the privacy that he has the right to keep.
Lets keep the talk about basketball and let the personal stuff go.
Lute has the right to be pissed at Hansen. Don’t get on me now with freedom of the press, because Hansen has the right to write what pleases him, but Lute doesn’t have to take Greg’s crap with a smile. Freedom of speech is a right to speak without government censure, not a right to speak without consequence of the people.
Everyone needs to calm down. The program will regroup during the off season. Next year will be much better.
Button,
I was thinking the same thing about the $1.1M payoff. I hope the boosters have something left in the pocketbooks.
Bruce,
Any chance that this could be the last of the Lute’s LOA coverage?
I don’t think pressuring Lute to give up more details of the LOA is going to work. Lute doesn’t respond well to media pressure. No offense, but I thought the Columbo gag was a little funny.
— chi_cat 04/02/2008 07:30 AM #
Yeah Bruce, looks like you took all of Lute’s shots yesterday, but I’m sure you’re prepared for it working in the business that you do.
Predictable article from Greg Hansen today.
— Darren 04/02/2008 07:59 AM #
Bruce, thanks for being a reporter who isn’t afraid to ask tough questions. I really think that recruiting will take a hit starting in 2009. Maybe Gaddy but after that we will have to wait and see. I’ve had tickets for 25 years but have never felt this way about the program even when we lost to Santa Clara etc.
— Charlie 04/02/2008 08:21 AM #
KO is gone. Fantatic!
Wonderful news to wake up to…
Regarding Darren’s hints about a typical Hansen article:
The marginalization of Pascoe and Simon is what Hansen should have bloviated about. You think ignoring input from longtime assistants might effect a team’s morale? A little bit huh? But then again… Hansen wrote 40 days or so ago that O’Neill could still win Pac-10 coach of the year. Talk about being clueless. Embarrassingly so…
Fact is KO let the temporary power go to his head. Blame Livengood for that too. Calling someone “the successor” after six or so games? Is that the stuff of a savvy AD? Obviously he should have watched and waited. Instead he made him “prince” and probably started to sweat bullets when all the punch-drunk KO quotes started piling up on the ankles of the program like so much dirty underwear. Yuck.
My bet is that if Lute didn’t come back everybody would have transferred out or entered the NBA. I expect there is a lot of simmering beneath the surface towards him… And a whole lot of joy at hearing the report of the axe. Thwack! The prince is dead!
By the way: Patrick Finley compared KO’s quotes to Mark Twain the other day! WTF?
I did a classic Danny Thomas like spit-take with my coffee when I saw that.
Finley: KO is to Mark Twain as you are to Jim Murray.
Sorry fella. You earned that one. I hope Bruce shares it with you over beers.
— Senior A 04/02/2008 09:11 AM #
From CBS Sportsline…
Well done, Lute Olson
Posted on: April 1, 2008 6:57 pmScore: 91Rate This Post:Rate This Post: Rate This Post: Fair Good Cool Awesome I Love It!
Kevin O’Neill had to go at Arizona, but frankly I’m surprised Lute Olson had the wherewithal to know it — and the stones to do it.
O’Neill, who joined Olson’s staff before this past season and then replaced him on an interim basis, has been ripping Olson behind his back. Just crushing him. How do I know this? Because I’ve talked to several people — not one; several — who were on the receiving end of O’Neill’s rants against Olson. O’Neill isn’t as smart as he thinks if he thought his hammerings of Olson weren’t going to come out. Good grief, Kevin. This stuff always comes out.
O’Neill wasn’t just the Wildcats’ interim coach. He was their next coach, or at least, he thought he was. Arizona made him that verbal promise months ago, and O’Neill accepted it. Last week when Olson announced he was returning to the team for the 2008-09 season, O’Neill said he would be back at Olson’s side.
Apparently not. Olson seems to have fired O’Neill, and let me tell you, the pink slip was deserved. This is a bad guy, OK? Kevin O’Neill is simply not a good dude, and Olson — whose program has been crushed by other bad dudes masquerading as players — was able to sniff this one out. Good for you, Lute Olson.
Shame on you, Kevin O’Neill.
Go back to the NBA, you back-stabbing leach. You don’t deserve to work in college basketball ever again
— Trev In Kc 04/02/2008 09:58 AM #
Like a lot of you, I believe that next year is Coach Olson’s last good year, with the possibility of a run for the Final Four.
It all depends, OF COURSE, if Bayless and Budinger return and if there is stability year-round.
Otherwise, kiss next season good-bye, let’s get a new talented young coach and wait for at least 3 years while the program is rebuilt.
But then again, if the Final Four dream does come true, more players will leave and then we are in deep trouble.
— Concerned 04/02/2008 09:59 AM #
I was disappointed in Greg Hansen’s article today, and would prefer to see a more supportive tone from the Star as Lute Olson returns to the team. Lest we forget, Arizona was nothing before Lute came along. And as soon as he leaves, we’ll become a regular mediocre team – annual fodder for UCLA. We’ll be like ASU.
All the respect in the world for Lute Olson.
— Casey 04/02/2008 10:05 AM #
Wow! finally postings that address the BB program and not a lot of insults to other posters. Someone correct me if my memory for dates is out of whack but didn’t the UA fire Dave Strack-hire Ced DEmpsey (who hired Lute) back in the days of the Snowden mess and Lindsey hiring? Seems the opportunity to have Lute coach one more year and do the same thing with Livengood is here. Until the big money boosters and the Admin. get under way together to change the Athletic Dept. we shd look forward to a year of great BB enjoyment and hopefully years to come more. Who knows maybe even the Stoops clan can pull out a minor bowl year.
— Larry 04/02/2008 10:28 AM #
Looks to me like Shelton and Livengood just don’t want to touch this situation, wimps.
LO is acting like a dictator and the other two are standing in the corner shivering with fear waiting for their next order and holding hands.
Would this be happening at Ohio St, UNC, Michigan?
Absolutely not, the university has let this embarrassment just keep bleeding and bleeding, horrible leadership.
This damage has and will continue to spill into the 2009 and 2010 recruiting classes, regardless.
— JK 04/02/2008 10:55 AM #
Bruce,
Props to you for your perfomance at the press conference. You asked questions that needed to be asked.
For the rest of you still trying to defend Lute, you are all alot like the Clinton apologists back in the 90’s when Bubba said that he did not have “sexual relations” with that woman only to reveal that something did indeed happen with that woman, but that whatever happened technichally did not fall into the categofy of “sexual relations” and that at the end of the day it was all no big deal.
Now, you have Lute giving someone BS explanation that there was a health concern, but that it was nothing life threatening, but no, he won’t explain what it is. And, just you nevermind that he denied that there was a health reason for his leaving. Oh, I am sorry, he didn’t say that in the beginning – it was a PR firm employed by his crazy ex-wife – they were never hired by him. Of course, he never disavowed the statement when it was made nor did he make it clear that the PR firm did not represent him, but these are all just small details.
Now, I’ve said all along that Lute has a little bit of a truth telling problem of late and many of you jumped all over me for it. But hey, don’t listen to me, it seems like the players feel the same way. Horne and Wise, at least, think that Lute’s got problems. Bayless’ mom didn’t have anything glowing to say about Lute. Anyway, if you can’t see how much Lute is completely out of touch by now, you never will.
— Robert 04/02/2008 11:03 AM #
Marco,
Please point out for me line by line what Greg wrote about Lute that is untrue.
By the way, what do you think about this from Horne’s father,
“I would have to say that the integrity and sense of abandonment this year has got to leave some doubt.”
Integrity? I don’t think Horne is talking about KO. Lute owed it to his players, before he left, to call a team meeting with KO and explain the situation. That’s what good leaders do. This program is now without a sense of direction and it being led by an old man that just doesn’t know when it is his time.
At least Bobby Knight just up and quit and said he wasn’t coming back and already had a succession plan in place.
When Lute refuses to acknowledge that the program needs a plan for succession, it is the ultimate act of selfishness. He is Cpt. Queeg for crying out loud! Next thing you know he is going to hold another combative press conference accusing KO of stealing his strawberries.
— Robert 04/02/2008 11:23 AM #
Lute needs to go! Its long overdo. His coaching staff is pitifull, He has had no control on this team for six years now. time to clean house from AD right on down. Jay Wright or Bruce Pearl is a perfect fit for the Uof A program.Lets do it now before it is too late.
— Rudy 04/02/2008 11:45 AM #
Poll:
1. Are you glad to have Lute back?
2. Are you glad that Kevin O’Neil will not be coaching at Arizona next year?
3. Should Hansen be fired?
4. Should Pascoe be fired?
— Edwin S. 04/02/2008 12:00 PM #
Robert,
Lute said that it was his fault that the PR firm was used. You need to work out some of your hatred.
1. Yes
2. Yes
3. No, he writes an opinion article and if the star’s editors are happy with him, so be it.
4. No, why is this being asked?
— chi_cat 04/02/2008 12:16 PM #
I’ll tell you what. I think it is obvious that I have supported Lute through thick and thin, and have backed the thought that things would get better.
That being said, after I looked at all the garbage that has been presented in the last 24 hours (And it is GARBAGE) I have but to now turn my opinion. Unless Bayless and Budinger come back, Unless the CATS do not lose a single player to a transfer, unless Lute shows he can recruit some more pieces for the following term of his contaract… then this thing is over and I agree with RUDY post #34.
If these things don’t happen then a change needs to happen right away. Fire Lute, Fire Livengood and bring in a Pearl or Jay Wirght. I don’t like the way Lute handled this entire thing. I am for sure worried that the guys on this team feel the same way.
I do have to say that it is most likely hurt there play this year. O’Neil was not the right coach for this situation this year, and I have to give credit to the players for at least getting the 19 wins.
It is a sad day for the University. Basketball is the best thing that happen to this University and city. How can so much go wrong so fast.
I still hold out hope for the best.
Thanks.
— Wildcatike 04/02/2008 12:17 PM #
Chi-Cat:
If the PR firm came out with a statement that was not true, he’s got to go out there and correct it. He didn’t so he was complicit in the lie because it served his agenda. His explanation to the media yesterday was weak.
Ike,
Welcome, my friend, to the light. It’s nice to see you are finally seeing the truth. It’s funny how the fans have this unwavering support, yet there is a totally different vibe coming from the players and their families.
I read through the transcript of the press conference and it is quite telling. This program is in trouble.
— Robert 04/02/2008 12:32 PM #
AZ starnet reporters are just doing their jobs. Don’t take Bruce to task because he had the nerve to ask Olson questions, that’s his job.
And Hansen’s column was fine. He writes an opinion column and it is very clear that he doesn’t have a high opinion of Lute Olson. You know what, he knows Lute Olson better than 99% of the posters on this board. Don’t like the facts, blame the messenger.
The KO issue will go away, but the recruiting issues will not. How can you have such a huge lack of communication between the AD, the head coaches, the players and the recruits.
If KO was offering kids scholarships, he was doing that with the implicit or explicit approval of Livengood. If Livengood gave O’Neill such approval, without consulting Olson, than that can only mean there was no communication between Olson, O’Neill and Livengood during the season, and that is completely unacceptable.
And Marco, obviously the talk Olson had with the families didn’t answer all the questions or we wouldn’t have this quote
- And the father of Jamelle Horne, Johnnie, said on Monday that even though he had a good meeting with Olson, and even though he thinks highly of Olson’s track record, he said his son is still considering a transfer.
“Of course,” Johnnie Horne said. “I would have to say that the integrity and sense of abandonment this year has got to leave some doubt.”
— Mike H 04/02/2008 01:15 PM #
Marco,
Did you see Johnnie Horne mention “Integrity”. Who do you think Horne was talking about?
— Robert 04/02/2008 01:23 PM #
Marco — The implication I was trying to say was “Olson’s permanent (recruiting) handicap.” I can change the title, if that would make it more clear. I’ve taken heat from college basketball head coaches for 17 years — from Lute over the past 10 — so it’s not a big deal.
— Bruce Pascoe 04/02/2008 01:27 PM #
Voice,
Maybe the question that we need to ask about Bayless right now is whether or not he is attending class.
— Robert 04/02/2008 02:18 PM #
I wonder if Lute’s comment that it’s always been about the “kids”, was really intended for his biological kids, not the players. I’m sure there has a lot of friction between Lute’s kids and his soon to be divorced wife.
— George 04/02/2008 02:37 PM #
Thats a good question robert…………..
— Trev In Kc 04/02/2008 02:37 PM #
I agree with you Marco #41.
Very good question Robert. I wonder….
I’ll proclaim that Lute’s time is up, IF AND ONLY AFTER, next season is a bust. He’s earned that right and actually hes earned the right to finish his contract. But then again, what does my honest opinion really matter.
— chi_cat 04/02/2008 03:29 PM #
i now have more questions than answers. i really think this whole situation is sad for the players. like i posted before this is there time to shine and have fun in college. they should not have to deal with this drama. what a sad few weeks for arizona.
marco your boy lo caused this whole mess, had he been honest from the begining we would not have as many problems. he bailed on HIS TEAM! PERIOD!!
LIVENGOOD IS WORTHLESS, he also gets blame, he may have cost the U a lot of money in settlements. But maybe that is good, his bottom line wont look so good and he will be fired.
Bruce thanks for the work you do.
— chris from the oc 04/02/2008 03:44 PM #
If Bayless wasn’t attending class, you’d know it.
Come on guys, how long do you think that would be kept quiet?
— vegasallen 04/02/2008 04:24 PM #
You know, you wouldn’t have so many angry parents and players with Lute’s LOA but it’s obvious that KO was some kind of monster. That’s part of what I ment when I said that I wish Bruce could tell us the private, off the record stories, that he knows.
It’s just amazimg to me that anyone with a brain would still want KO around.
— vegasallen 04/02/2008 04:30 PM #
Voice of Patience,
You have way too much time on your hands.
— Dave 04/02/2008 05:11 PM #
Voice-You’re losing it.
— vegasallen 04/02/2008 06:44 PM #
HUH?????
— Trev in KC 04/02/2008 07:42 PM #
Just to clarify, my comment(#57) to voice was in reference to that jumbled thing he put up in post 54.
— vegasallen 04/02/2008 08:53 PM #
Bruce let me just say this one thing…. u looked like a complete idiot at the press conference on april 1st! wow! Calling out lute that way and asking him such stupid and very personal questions made you look like an idiot. lute olson has made this arizona program what it is and what it will always be. You dumb ass media people have no idea what you are talking most of the time and you should be ashamed of the way you looked and acted at the conference
— Jimmy 04/02/2008 08:58 PM #
Bruce, I think it’s now time to require IQ tests in order to weed out idiots from posting here.
— vegasallen 04/02/2008 09:55 PM #
Bruce-
Jimmy should be ashamed he posted anything on this board. If he were a critical thinker (which he’s clearly not) he would have realized that you made this board what it is and you’re the only reason we’re all here…so I say shame on him for calling you out.
seriously though Jimmy- Bruce’s job is to ask questions and write about the team, he’d be negligent if he didn’t ask the head coach about a major issue affecting the current and future team.
as to the situation at hand. My hope is that we’ll get the Olson circa 2001-2003 where we went championship game, sweet 16, and elite 8. If you all will recall it was after the 2003 season that Christine joined the picture and things weren’t the same. now i’m not making so bold as to blame all our problems on Christine, but I have heard from multiple people that Lute was really distracted over the past 2-3 seasons, and that COULD have played a part in what has happened to our team. Now we get an undivided lute and if he fails now, this season, then he needs to hang it up.
as for the discussion of a possible replacement…here are my humble suggestions, in no particular order
Mark Turgeon
Mike Montgomery
Jeff Caple
Jamie Dixon
Jay Wright
Matt Painter
and of course Ernie Kent…ok, just kidding
There’s more people we should consider, Callipari should be contacted as well as Bill Self, Thad Matta and Billy Donovan. We’re Arizona and we get the best…apparently Livengood forgot that one when he stupidly garaunteed O’Niell the job.
Nice work Bruce…don’t let the like of Jimmy get you down.
— scott 04/02/2008 09:55 PM #
No time to read that rambling, meandering piece from ABQ-man, who I normally enjoy reading. What is up with that post?
Marco, taking shots at the reporter who is doing his job? You are such a homer, you lose credibility like the uber-moron girl’s basketball coach who posts on here from time to time…
And #60, Jimmy, you sound like a fool based upon your post, why don’t you take your ignorant ramblings elsewhere?
— Steal Your Face 04/02/2008 09:59 PM #
Hey guys just thought I’d let you guys know Bayless attended a study session today for GEOSciences and He was preparing for our Exam which will be held tomorrow so that can be seen as some good news!!! Bear Down.
— Mark 04/02/2008 11:16 PM #
#11-If the man is having anxiety (panic attacks), I hope his meds are Effexor. The attacks can be devastating and control your life. This med stopped them when my wife had them. Thinking she was better at a later date she quit the meds. Bang they came back. So she takes them faithfully and all is well. Lute if this is the case ask someone about the drug. Xanax and other stuff don’t do the job.
— Chuck 04/03/2008 05:44 AM #
This is a blog and in part anything goes. But Bruce has done nothing to warrant criticism. He’s doing his job. I love Lute, but I also know many in the community have been hurt by Lute and are bewildered by how things have been handled. Bruce reports for these people, of which I’m one, and I appreciate the questions he asked at the interview. And if I were a reporter, I’d be honored to be called “Columbo” by one I’m reporting on, even if it was not meant in a nice way. I read lots of reporters and Bruce is one of the best beat reporters I read. This blog is also a great place. It’s place where Bruce lets his reporting hair down, so to speak. His titles are good. But more importantly, I don’t know of another blog where the reporter actively engages the posters questions. It’s one thing to disagree with Bruce, but quite another to psychologically critisize him or call into question doing his job.
We are all in his debt, not to mention I am bewildered by the critical comments above.
— confused, maybe not 04/03/2008 05:56 AM #
Bruce, your article on Star.net today is another example of your excellent reporting. Thank you! It helped me sort through legalities and options facing Zona and O’neil. I’m continually surprised at the poor communication between all the parties involved.
— confused, maybe not 04/03/2008 06:02 AM #
Voice,
WTF? You posted the same thing FIVE FREAKING TIMES? Are you just trying to see if someone would attempt to read through it? I’m sorry to say that it doesn’t suprise me that you would do that. Childish.
— chi_cat 04/03/2008 06:32 AM #
Wow, even Wildcat Ike has turned!! I’ve made no secret that I believe Lute has needed to go for several years now. We’ve needed a succession plan like Purdue’s for a long time. The problem is I can’t see Lute with his present mindset ever agreeing to it. He’s already thrown out the ONeill succession plan- evidently on his own volition. The other big problem is that even if he were to bow out( I don’t think “gracefully” is possible anymore) I don’t think Livengood is capable of choosing a successor worth anything. He seems totally imcompetant. It’s quite a quandry for UA sports and I’m afraid it will only get worse. Vegas, agree on Few. I’ve always been intrigued by Crean and obviously so was Indiana. There are a lot of possibilities out there unfortunately none that would likely become a designated successor. That means whoever it is eventually will have to try and rebuild a program in shambles.
— Ron W 04/03/2008 06:48 AM #
Gee Denise and Johnny, wouldn’t it be nice to have such assurances in life — stability, etc etc. GET REAL. Life takes twists and turns and your little boys might as well learn the facts of life in the protected environment of UA Athletics. Can’t stand the heat? Get out of the kitchen.
— D.J. 04/03/2008 06:51 AM #
66/67. Agree 100 percent.
What are the chances that O’Neill takes the high road and doesn’t sue the university? Probably about the same as Livengood being named AD of the Year.
— Button Salmon 04/03/2008 06:54 AM #
I’m pretty sure “handicap” is a no-no word these days.
The PC police are going to get you Bruce!
Marco, Simmer down now. We get it.
— chi_cat 04/03/2008 09:29 AM #
wow, the lute bashing in a tucson sports paper sure seems to be a bit over the top. you guys ask for lute to go and people will forget that your city even exists. tucson? is that near phoenix? have fun with that…
— bjacobs 04/03/2008 09:37 AM #
73-Voice, you are SO weird….
— vegasallen 04/03/2008 09:39 AM #
the press conference was on april 1st??? huh, april fools day… the irony is killing me.
— russ 04/03/2008 09:45 AM #
79-Yes, it looks good on you.
Now, for the rest of you not under psychiatric care, I see that the UA will name a new womens basketball coach at 10:30.
Maybe it will be KO. Wishful thinking….
— vegasallen 04/03/2008 09:56 AM #
I was going to post an attack on Pascoe, But it looks like a one sided Blog. “Support Pascoe or be attacked” Even nuetral posters are attacked here. Those that attack have no mind of their own, Pascoe and Hansen dictates their thoughts.
Pascoe and Hansen are second rate reporters,(agitators) with a second rate newspaper, Constantly attacking a 1st rate Hall of Fame coach, hoping to make names for themselves. Nothing new, Hansen has been at it for years! This site aids the “scum devils”.
— PapaCat 04/03/2008 10:05 AM #
Poster #54; I don’t believe Lute announced that KO would be his successor, It was livingood. Lute has always said he was retuning! Lute ask for and received a leave of absence, for personal reasons, which is legal and no one elses D—N business, of course except for Pascoe, Hansen and Gimino. They should be kept informed and ask to participate in all UofA sports matters!
— PapaCat 04/03/2008 10:30 AM #
u couldnt be more right, papacat. tucson newspapers are garbage, the writers are stuck in the desert, and they have to stir up sh1t in order to make a name. i praise olson for being an asshol3 to each and every one of them. maybe next time you won’t slander someone for a few months when they’re on medical leave. then again, maybe i’m just dreaming. in the end, olson sure as sh1t isn’t staying in tucson for the positive media coverage. ;)
lute olson pees on all of you 3rd rate beat writers. =)
— bjacobs 04/03/2008 10:37 AM #
Obviously the athletic department and boosters are happy with “status quo”.
With that said, it really means there is no such thing, you either get better or you get worse.
For every minute that Livenstupid is still around it gets even worse. I’m sure the happiest person in Tucson is Stoops watching this debacle, no wonder he has had job security.
At the university you are rewarded for incompetence, so keep checking your mailbox KO I’m sure another check is on the way.
— JK 04/03/2008 10:53 AM #
Wake up to the real world, people. When Lute Olson retires, Arizona basketball will return to anonymity. One more year of KO would have sealed the deal.
We are not Kansas, we are not North Carolina, and we are definitely not UCLA. It took an extraordinary coach to put AZ basketball on the map and keep it there. Yes, you can make a case that the program has fallen in recent years. It remains to be seen whether it was a coach losing his grip on the game, or just a bad batch of recruits. But once Lute is really gone, we will find that Arizona is incapable of bringing in a big-time coach and big-time players. We will return to mediocrity. Let’s hope Budinger and Bayless stay, and we make one or two good runs before Lute hangs it up.
— cw 04/03/2008 11:06 AM #
Just one question, Bruce.
When Lute said he wasn’t going to go into the personal issues any further, why did you, and just about every other reporter,keep asking questions about the personal issues?
Did you really expect him to answer them just because you’re so charming or were you just trying to be irritating. I really would be interested in your answer. And don’t say you were just doing your job because that is only a B.S. cop out.
— JohnnyBGoode 04/03/2008 11:14 AM #
I just don’t understand why this town and the press is so infatuated with the past and keep asking the same questions and writing the same stories over and over.
Press LO on the future about coaching positions, recruiting, the destruction of the program and how since he wants to coach for another 3 years is going to be able to compete against all of the facts against him.
Quit being two bit gossip columnists and get to the future, those are the hard questions that must be addressed.
— JK 04/03/2008 11:22 AM #
#83/84 – Where have you been living? The UA basketball program stopped being relevant years ago.
O’Neill is a mediocre coach, but who brought him in?
The UA had one of the top athletic programs in the country for many years, so I don’t think it’s a stretch to believe that we can get top notch coaches here.
Contrary to what Bjacobs posts, I think Tucson is a beautiful town, much nicer than Phx in many ways. However the AD runs the athletic program like we are Texas Tech or some other backwater school.
If you don’t believe you can attract top coaches, you won’t, which is how Livengood operates.
If you believe you can get the best, you will, just look at the staffs that Ced Dempsey built in the 80’s.
Getting rid of Jim Livengood should be the top priority, but Shelton seems out to lunch.
I won’t be giving a dime to the UA until the current administration is gone.
And by the way, Bruce, Hansen, and Gimino do great jobs with their reporting. It would seem that many of you don’t believe in freedom of the press, there are plenty of fascist states around the world that would fit you well. BJacobs and PapaCat, why don’t you move to Sierra Leone or some such place?
— Steal Your Face 04/03/2008 11:56 AM #
when did this blog turn into the bruce/hansen haters club. they are doing their jobs, they have the right to earn money. not everyone can write for the LA Times. ARE ALL OF YOU VPS OF YOUR COMPANY? my god! i for one want them to find out why LO BAILED ON HIS TEAM. i give money, i want answers. all the haters get a life.
i read this blog because i cant get info in so cal. thanks to bruce i feel like i am still in the loop. THANK YOU BRUCE!
— chris from the oc 04/03/2008 11:56 AM #
PapaCat,
I think that Lute is borderline delusional, especially if he thinks that no succession plan is necessary. Hey, if need be, I will personally file the petition for conservatorship in Pima County. That is, right after I file the petition for conservatorship in Alameda County on behalf of the Raider Nation! Those people need even more help.
— Robert 04/03/2008 12:03 PM #
cw,
What are you smoking? Arizona DEFINITELY has made a name for itself on the national level. If you ever travel outside your small cave that you reside in, you would find this to be true. I’ve lived all over the country and everyone that has watched at least a minute of NCAA BB knows that Arizona has a great program. The athletic dept has the $ to bring in a great replacement. Eventually Lute’s time will be spent in retirement, and Arizona will likely have a great basketball program still. Take you your maroon and yellow A$$ out of here. I can smell your stench from a mile away.
— chi_cat 04/03/2008 12:06 PM #
I don’t think that a succession plan is necessary. I do think that it is very important that UA goes out to get a well established coach that runs a system similar to what Olsen runs now. But that time will come when Olsen retires. I am excited to see that he is staying around for now. Livingood just needs to make the hiring process a quick one once Olsen leaves so that it does not hurt the recruiting class. A good model to follow for this situation is how Kansas handled Williams leaving for UNC. Losing Olsen doesn’t have to be the end of UA basketball, but it will be if Livingood screws up the replacement process because recruits who want to play here will be watching carefully.
— Seth 04/03/2008 12:50 PM #
chi-cat, chuck, johnnybgoode — I agree that asking him about meds was touchy, and I don’t think any irrelevant personal matters need to be asked about. Witness the way we stayed largely off the Bobbi Olson cancer story in 2000 even though we all knew what was going on. The only time it became necessary to write about was when he missed a trip to UConn because she had a procedure and Roz had to coach the team. That did affect the team (and they lost, albeit on a controversial call). Lute has even said that he appreciated the way we all handled the Bobbi matter.
But I do think that personal things that can affect the program need to be asked, and I think asking about meds is relevant. If Lute Olson is continuing to take medications for a condition that forced him to leave the very thing he loves for an entire season, then recruits are bound to be concerned — and that affects the program.
Jimmy, Papacat, bjacobs — I welcome all feedback. As you can see from this thread, Marco is not a supporter of mine and he’s been a long-time poster, and frankly I like to hear his views (even if I disagree with them). It’s always good to know what people are thinking, and contrary opinions keep this blog interesting.
Marco — Actually, I quoted two attorneys and one law professor. I also talked with three other attorneys who did not want to be quoted because of their closeness to either the UA, Lute or KO. I spent the better parts of two days researching this story, so I feel comfortable about what was written.
JK — the past is relevant here becuase it does affect the future. Recruits and their parents are going to need to know what happened to Olson and whether he is capable of being there for a while (especially now that Olson says no succession plan is necessary). Olson has not definitively said what happened, only that he is in great physical shape, so those questions may remain. The real effect of all this will be seen in the 2009 recruiting class: Can Olson get anyone despite this situation? Maybe he can. We’ll see.
— Bruce Pascoe 04/03/2008 12:50 PM #
#93 – I was born & raised in Tucson, I’m a lifetime UA fan. But I’m realistic too. We had Roz take over the team for a few games in ’01, and I seem to remember him going 0-2. Then O’Neill leads a roster with 3 McDonald’s All-Americans to a 19-15 record, and loses our ’09 recruits to boot. One more year of KO would have led to a sub-500 season.
You’re delusional if you think that we can just replace Lute and get back to the glory days. That’s what teams like UCLA/Kansas/UNC do. If you’re wondering what will happen when Lute retires, just look at Utah when Majerus left, or UNLV when Tark left. In college basketball, the coach is usually bigger than the program.
— cw 04/03/2008 01:05 PM #
cw,
Why can’t we do what UCLA/Kansas/UNC do?
And yes, we can just replace Lute and get back to the glory days if the AD is willing to spend the money to get a proven talent. For instance, take Tom Crean. That guy would have been a great replacement. He is young and hungry and he does well with less talent. I can only imagine what he could do with the talent that UofA has.
But of course, we will never know because Lute continues to hold the program hostage. Look, after the cluster that was the last season, what parent would want their kid to come to the UofA? Oh, I forgot, they would want him to come and play for a hasbeen coach with an undisclosed medical condition that forced him to take a year off. And, oh, by the way, who knows whether or not this will happen again? That is going to be the issue that Lute is dealing with for all recruits from today going forward.
CW, you are smoking crack. There is absolutely no reason why the UA can’t be an elite sports school. It all comes down to the AD and unfortunately he is castrated. He can’t touch Lute, even if he wanted to. He can’t fire him for financial reasons and he can’t fire him because of the Lute lemmings who care more about Lute than the health of the program. If I were AD, , Lute is gone yesterday. Either he retires with dignity or I blow him out, pay him off and take an entirely new direction. Otherwise, this is probably what you are going to see in the near future. Lute has a Sweet 16 team next year and then the talent departs and goes pro. Then, in 2010 and 2011 the UA doesn’t make the tourney at all and posts back to back below 500 seasons. Then what? Is that what you want?
— Robert 04/03/2008 01:55 PM #
Why is everybody assuming the Wildcats would have performed better this year had Lute never left? Despite what Lute said in the press conference, O’Neill did about as well as he could with a team of players (with the exception of Bayless) more concerned with showcasing their talents for NBA scouts, than actually winning. If there were no emphasis on defense, this team would have lost several more games.
Lute blaming O’Neill for losing out on the Wears and Thompson borders on delusional, as it’s widely known that they chose North Carolina and Georgetown over UCLA, while UA ran a distant third at best.
So where does that leave UA? The Wildcats fans get a coach who will be 74 years old at the start of next season, who has battled health issues and questions for some time (remember the tremors and Parkinsons denial press conference?), and ongoing questions that will always be on the minds of future recruits.
I know everybody pines for the good ol’ days, but nothing indicates Lute will have what it takes to get there at this point of his life.
— Charles 04/03/2008 03:50 PM #
on this site, dan patrick interviews KO about his future at Zona.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/ncaa/specials/ncaa_tourney/2008/
— confused, maybe not 04/03/2008 04:09 PM #
thanks, confused. I was just going to post it. KO did not provide any new info — and held firm on his stated position of being the successor (possibly for legal reasons). KO made fun of this year, when he jokingly agreed to work with Patrick on the radio show “just so long as you don’t leave at the beginning of the year.”
— Bruce Pascoe 04/03/2008 04:30 PM #
Bruce, when I heard the interview, I suspected KO said it for legal reasons, too. But when I heard the interview, a new question arose for me. If KO gets another job and takes it, he would resign from his assistant coaching position at the UofA. But is Zona still legally bound to KO succeeding Olson when Lute retires – even if he (KO) has a job with another program?
— confused, maybe not 04/03/2008 04:55 PM #
Confused-Just my opinion…If KO takes another job, it’s very safe to say that he would greatly weaken his position to seek further compensation from the UA. The reason being that he is breaking his end of the deal.
— vegasallen 04/03/2008 05:05 PM #
A couple of things:
I was dead wrong earlier in the year. I claimed Lute wouldn’t be back. That KO was his chosen successor… blah, blah, blah.
Got my fanny beat black and blue on that one. So what is the take away from that stinger? Lute always said he would be back. He never deviated. The fact was always smouldering away inside my brain. In fact, I came close to crafting a post once in regards to that stubborn piece of data. So here is the thing: I think it is best to take him at his word and not play him for Machiavelli again.
Which also means: If he says he is going to coach through the end of his contract… we have no reason to expect he won’t do just that.
I believe his contract runs through 2011.
One last thing: Credit where credit is due. I trashed Hansen the other day. He wrote a mighty fine one today on the U of A swim coach. Tribute pieces are really his milieu. That and golf. Basketball? Nah. He is like a blind pig searching for truffles in a desert wash. He has got no game.
— Senior A 04/03/2008 05:28 PM #
Vegas, I think you’re right. But a part of me still wonders if the deal to succeed Olson is legally seperate from the issues over KO’s assistant coaching position.
— confused, maybe not 04/03/2008 06:04 PM #
confused — I agree that his position would be weakened, especially on the $375K deal for next year, but from what the lawyers have told me, he still might have a chance at something because of the successor thing — especially if he takes a job that pays less than the UA head coaching position. He could argue that he was forced to take a lesser position than the one he was promised. But I don’t know for sure. The attorneys seemed to all have varying views of this whole thing.
— Bruce Pascoe 04/03/2008 06:05 PM #
oops. separate, not seperate.
— confused, maybe not 04/03/2008 06:06 PM #
Bruce, Thanks for the answer.
— confused, maybe not 04/03/2008 06:08 PM #
Bruce – I know you have been quite busy on this blog today but one more question.
Do you think Lute might have been more forthright or specific about the reasons behind his absence when he spoke with the parents of Bayless and Budinger?
I am still stunned that a press conference designed to end the confusion and speculation of this situation ends up creating more drama, questions and speculation that will continue to hound the program for months. Unbelievable!
— SCDave 04/03/2008 07:48 PM #
If I was an elite basketball player, I would not attend the University of Arizona.
I would not have said this six years ago…
— Steal Your Face 04/03/2008 09:19 PM #
SCDave — Yes, I think he probably was more forthright. But he has a lot to smooth over, after not talking with those two hardly at all over the past five months.
I suspect KO’s move off the staff may help appease concern about who will be in charge next season. Bayless’ mom has indicated she was receiving a mixed message about the coaching staff.
I’m not sure he’s telling anybody 100 percent of what the story is, however.
— Bruce Pascoe 04/03/2008 09:47 PM #
I think everyone on the lets hire a hot new coach bandwagon is not thinking it thru completely. Maybe we get a big name, maybe we do not, and anyway a big name does not guarantee Arizona does not go back to the days before Lute. I think everyone feels like oh we are Arizona we can get anyone – I bet we go looking and get embarrassingly turned down more than once, and have to settle for much less than a top 10 coach. Our best hope is Lute gets things rockin again before he steps down, and to that end we should be fully supporting him. What big name coach would want to come here if we do not give Lute a fair shake?
— Dave 04/03/2008 09:58 PM #
Well-said, Dave. And what coach would want to fill the shoes of a legend? No Top 10 coach, that’s for sure. We’d have to take a chance on a younger coach that might show promise. It took UNC a few coaches and several years to properly replace Dean Smith. Indiana MAY have finally replaced Bobby Knight after several tries. We have a Hall of Fame coach, and possibly a starting lineup of 4 NBA players next season. Anyone that thinks it’s time for Lute to move on needs to come to grips with reality. Next year might be Lute’s (and our) last great shot at a title if Bayless & Budinger return.
— cw 04/04/2008 12:01 AM #
Bruce, Give it a rest. Why is it so important to you to know the reasons for Lutes leave of absence? I don’t believe anyone is entitled to personal information, except his employer and I am pretty sure the AD knows, and even he can’t comment on personal matters.I am sure the reasons for the leave of absence will come out, hopefully it wont hurt the program any more than it is being hurt now. there are reasons for being concerned about future recruiting, but not just Lutes age. Have you looked at the improved quality of coaches and their facilities, in the Pac-10 now compared to just 3 years ago? Darn frightening. Well anyway, Good or bad, things will come to a head soon and there is no reason to keep the bashing up. It really hurts the UofA and the sports program. Someone mentioned in an earlier post, that reading the star sports pages was almost like reading the National Enquirer. It shouldn’t be that way. Thank you.
— PapaCat 04/04/2008 12:36 AM #
The reason Lute prefers the national press and Andy Katz is because they defer to him like many of the posters on this board. And why do they refuse to press him on anything, to ask him any tough questions? Because they know that if they do they will be shut out- no more interviews. True, some of the questions at the news conference went into private areas that should be left private such as the divorce. However, Lute was ultra defensive from the start. Instead of continuing to say, “ I won’t answer that question,” and remain above the fray, he launches personal attacks against Hansen and Pascoe. Those just served to emphasize his defensive nature. AND one big question for Lute: Why call a press conference if you don’t really want to answer questions? I think Dick Cheney must be one of his PR people.
— Ron W 04/04/2008 06:54 AM #
Ron,
I’ll defend anyone who wants to protect their right to privacy regarding their MEDICAL HISTORY. There is a freaking reason why DOCTORS CAN NOT SHARE THAT INFORMATION. Seriously WTF is everyone’s problem that they think that Lute’s medications should be public. I don’t care if Bruce says it has to do with recruiting. Thats BS. If a recruit has a problem with that, he can ask Lute himself, but it doesn’t need to be public information.
What medications are you all taking, because I question the judgement of anyone who thinks that medications should be public knowledge.
If Lute is automatically on the defensive, there is good reason for it. There is a history of these types of questions.
— chi_cat 04/04/2008 08:28 AM #
Ok folks enough is enough. Coach is back Oneil is gone for now. I think coach will know when to hang it up. We dont want to make this any more crazier than what it is now. It could be worse we could have a Nolan Richardson ordeal and coach turns around a sues the school. We dont need that. MM looks to be off the market so lets bury that and see how this summer and next season plays out.
— Trev In Kc 04/04/2008 09:16 AM #
Well…
We can now take Mike Montgomery out of the equation. He has agreed to coach Cal.
I just hope there is a solid coach out there by this time next year…one down.
— Nick 04/04/2008 09:32 AM #
Get over it and move on folks. There is always someone out there.
— Trev In Kc 04/04/2008 09:55 AM #
Voice thats fine and dandy. You have your Wild Turkey views i have mine. Thats fine. But lose the trevy deal. All you have to do is look at the UNC situation. They wanted Roy Williams, didnt get him the 1st time around but ended up getting him the 2nd time. There is going to be someone that gets fired or leaves that will shock everyone. All i am saying is lets see how everything plays out there are at least 12-15 coaching changes a year…..
— Trev In Kc 04/04/2008 10:03 AM #
as soon as the cal job opened i posted mm would take it.
chi cat i dont care what he is taking, but i do want to know why he took a year and didnt talk to anybody.
what lo did was dishonest and not fair to HIS players and HIS team.
— chris from the oc 04/04/2008 10:28 AM #
Everybody would rest a lot easier if Livenstupid was just fired. It’s Stoops paranoia.
The program will move along fine “if” and when LO ever retires, there are a lot of hungry outstanding coaches out there.
But hiring another coach with no head coaching experience (N. Butts) speaks volumes about what is running around in that squirrel cage Livenstupid calls a brain. Just pray he is not here when the old guy hangs it up.
— JK 04/04/2008 11:01 AM #
QUOTE: “You’re delusional if you think that we can just replace Lute and get back to the glory days. That’s what teams like UCLA/Kansas/UNC do.”
Actually, those schools didn’t run out and hire great replacements after they lost their legendary coaches. How long did it take UCLA to get back on top after the Wizard left? Decades. They had a brief bright spot under Harrick until his renegade nature was revealed. UNC? IIRC, Roy is their 3rd coach since Dean Smith left. Kansas is the only one of those schools to sustain any kind of success. It completely depends on who is available and if the admin is smart enough to find the right fit.
As for a potential lawsuit, is that really a possibility or are people just grasping for things to write about? Right after the “succession plan” was announced, I remember Andy Katz reporting that the UA had clarified that KO would only be the next coach IF Lute did not return for the 2008-2009 season. If true, that makes all the media gossip just a bunch of straw-grasping.
— Kim 04/04/2008 11:18 AM #
Bruce,
Since you’ve covered many of Lute’s press conferences before, could you tell us if he’s always been this nasty with reporters?
Also I noticed he kept his hands together with his fingers interlocked almost the entire time. Does he normally talk this way. Most people are far more demonstrative with their hands. Very odd, seemingly purposeful. Did you notice up close any tremors or shaking?
— Paul 04/04/2008 11:45 AM #
Voice of Cialis, i was speaking to the blog in general.
— Trev In Kc 04/04/2008 12:21 PM #
marco give it a rest, its not a big deal and its true.
— chris from the oc 04/04/2008 02:22 PM #
Nick,
Don’t hold your breath that you will be able to find a quality replacement next year. Next year, it is final four or bust ‘cause that’s the last time Lute is going to be able to lead a club into the tourney. Lute will finish the ’11 season below 500 and then the program will be stuck in hell. Recruiting is cumulative and the 09 season is likely to be a bust, 10, is likely to be a bust, and 11 certainly will be a bust with that being the last year on Lute’s current deal. See, that’s what alot of you Lute lemmings are failing to realize. This is a talent acquisition business and Lute is not going to be able to continue to acquire the talent necessary for the program to remain competitive.
Moreover, if Bruce chooses the word “handicap” without adding the word “recruiting”, so be it. Lute brought it on himself by failing to be truthful. He refuses to be frank with the local media and instead seeks out the national media good ol’ boy network that worships the ground that he walks on. It’s pathetic, really.
As far as I am concerned, by the very fact that Lute is 73, has an undisclosed medical condition, was forced to take a year off because of that medical condition, and moreover the medical condition was bad enough for the AD to name KO as successor, you are darn right he is handicapped. Something is obviously wrong with the guy beyond what is being disclosed. It also sounds like the parents of the players feel the same way. If players decide not to transfer at this point, I doubt it’s because of their loyalty to Lute as he has clearly demonstrated that he has no loyalty to them. No, if they stay it’s only out of their own self interest.
For instance, if Bayless stays (and by the way, KO is right, as much as I would like to see Bayless stay, he should leave) it’s probably going to be because he doesn’t want to play for the Knicks or the Heat. Nick Wise could transfer, but what is their to be gained by sitting out a year. Same thing for Horne. No, no, no. People will not be staying for the love of the program or Lute. In a way, they are stuck. They listened to Lute, accepted the scholarships, and now they are in a really difficult position. Future recruits are not going to make this same mistake. They all saw what happened this year. Do you honestly think that Brandon Jennings would be signing with Arizona had he not been a Senior this year? And now, to make matters worse, Cal has Mike Montgomery. Things just got more difficult. Cal will be better. USC is better. UCLA, duh, they are cruising. Stanford has a good coach. ASU is improving. WSU-Bennet is young and he is staying-for now. Washington-Romar is not a bad coach. That leaves Oregon and Oregon St. with futures that are unclear. So, 7 out of the 10 programs in the Pac-10 have younger coaches in their prime or coming into their prime. And what do we have? A relic and a bunch of delusional fans who think that this hasbeen coach has one more championship left in the tank. The team should be loaded next year. So much so that several coaches could take the squad and make a deep tourney run.
What are all of you Lute Lemmings going to do next year if the UA doesn’t make it to the Sweet 16 next year? Are you all going to find another assistant to blame? Or, are you going to blame team chemistry again saying that Bayless, Buddinger, and JEnnings were worried to much about their NBA futures? There will be a ton of excuses but at the end of the day it will never be Lute’s fault. Funny, that was the theme of this week’s press conference. Lute never once took responsibility. Not once. He did not even have the common decency, as a man, to address his team before he left. What type of crap is that?
And Marco, don’t even try to justify that one. You know as well as I do that every elite level athlete is going to question the integrity of their coach when they pull some garbage like that. I know what Horne’s father is thinking. He is thinking, hmmmm, the guy was going through some problems, he couldn’t take the pressure, and he bailed without even explaining to my son why he left. And you think that Lute is still a man of class? Are you kidding me?
— Robert 04/04/2008 02:58 PM #
Marco,
I agree, this team has loads of talent, provided everyone stays. So much so, that I think that several coaches can take this team to the final four, but I am not so sure that Lute can. On paper at least, they look that good. The question is, can Lute lead them there?
— Robert 04/04/2008 03:42 PM #
Coach Olson literally has to win the PAC-10 championship as well as make a deep Big Dance run next season. Because anything less than a Elite 8 run will be disappointing. Especially IF both Jerryd and Chase return and nobody of significance transfer’s out.
It’s certainly feasible since Stanford is losing key senior’s as well as the Twin Tower’s. U.C.L.A. may lose Love and or Collison to the N.B.A. Oregon will be an extremely young team because they’ll also lose three senior starter’s and two important senior bench reserves. Cal could possibly see Anderson declare for the N.B.A., depending on his draft status. Mayo may even jump the U.S.S. Trojan for the “league.”
Therefore, it’s highly probable that the Wildcat’s along with both the Trojan’s and the Sun Devil’s would be favored to win the PAC-10 regular season title.
Of course, nobody can forecast the future with abso-LUTE assurance but IF the above scenario’s come to fruition, then I believe the vast majority of loyal Wildcat fandom will forgive and forget what transpired this year.
By the way, is anybody privy to the 2008 N.I.T. Opening Season Tournament field.
Also, I wouldn’t mind seeing Olson schedule one more difficult home and away series with a team from the A.C.C. or Big East or even S.E.C. For instance, Georgia Tech or Wake Forest. Maybe Syracuse or Pittsburgh from the Beastly Big East. Or what about Florida or even Kentucky. The major college hoopdom television networks would naturally cover one of these possible games on national television. Just a notion.
— voice of Ahab 04/04/2008 06:09 PM #
Kim — Livengood did mention at the time that the plan was intended for next season but the announcement makes no mention of that. So there still could be some legal room. In any case, we aren’t really searching for things to write about here. We just cover what we believe is pertinent. Based on the behaviors and statements of the parties involved, it appeared reasonable to suspect this could be headed for legal action, and many of the attorneys I spoke to agreed.
BTW, I haven’t had a real day off since Feb. 3, so a day without a story that needed to be written would be nice, believe me…
Paul — Lute’s press conference was typical for one that involved a sensitive matter. I can think of many (i.e. Jason Terry accepting agent money, Hassan Adams off court troubles, Chris Rodgers booted, innumerable suspensions, etc.) that were similar though maybe not as long in duration. This one was just on TV.
— Bruce Pascoe 04/04/2008 09:19 PM #
Also, Paul — I did not notice anything with his hands that I haven’t seen before. He may or may not have been folding them for a reason; I don’t know. But I’ve never had reason to believe that the shaking affected his coaching.
Marco — I really do believe you’re reading way too much into the headline of this thread but I’ll change it since this is a sensitive issue.
— Bruce Pascoe 04/04/2008 10:03 PM #
# 90, “Steal your Face” someone must to have stole your senses and ability to rationalize !! The First amendment, which for your information, covers Freedom of Speach and it applies to everyone, not just the press. But I guess you really woundn’t be familiar with that, being so into Sierra Leone. You sound a little detached from reality. You are saying the press can write and criticise others, but we, Paying readers, are not allowed to criticise their criticisms, Wow, how are things in Sierra Leone?????
— PapaCat 04/05/2008 10:42 PM #
#7 – I don’t know where Marco is getting information about KO being a “trainwreck” at Marquette. Unless he was part of the program at the time (as I was) he has no knowledge of the rebuilding he did of a down and out program.
— Bhan 04/06/2008 01:12 PM #
marco you are drinking to much of that kool aid
— papaj 04/08/2008 08:13 PM #
I think that everything that is happening to the “4 year college of Arizona” is well deserved!
You have a train wreck for a head football coach and have been beaten by the Sundevils in every major sport this season.
I am taking GREAT personal satisfaction in reading the posts here and on other Mildcat forums. You guys are turning on each other and eating the young and it’s a beautiful thing!
No one is going to admit it, but the two losses in hoops this season to the Devils is just KILLING you guys.
The Devils are well on the rise in all sports and academics and the “4 year college of Arizona” is on the decline.
You continue to keep Stoop(s)id and Accapulco Lute around. Please keep these guys on the payroll. The ship isn’t sinking, it’s already sunk and most Cat’s hate water.
Flush twice, it’s a long way to Tucson!
It’s a great time to be a Sundevil Fan!
SCOREBOARD.
Love,
Sparky
— IH8UofA 04/08/2008 08:55 PM #
Lute is a joke and his players (what’s left of them) know. H.S.
— Sendek 04/09/2008 10:30 AM #