Lute Statue

[Spaceman Spiff]

http://m.tucson.com/online/video/hansen ... touch=true" target="_blank

I see no reason why Lute should not have a statue or more than just the court to commemorate his accomplishments at Arizona. I would go so far as to support renaming McKale.

If we do a statue, can it be this:

[Chicat]

I'm down with both. Give the man his due.

[wyo-cat]

It could go in the spot where Button Salmon used to reside. Right outside of McKale.

That spot needs something to make it look complete.

[Jefe]

Article: http://tucson.com/sports/columnists/han ... 6c395.html" target="_blank

Lute Olson was sitting at Gate A3, awaiting a Southwest flight to Los Angeles for Arizona’s recent UCLA-USC swing. He looked different than I’ve ever seen him.

He was wearing glasses.

It took me back to the 2005 Elite Eight in Chicago, Arizona vs. No. 1 Illinois. Someone in the media audience asked Olson if he planned to retire soon.

“I don’t take any medications,” he said. “I don’t even need reading glasses.”

Olson was 70. Nobody was going to take him down.

From the day Olson walked into Tucson, in April 1983, he appeared to be indestructible. A friend from Oregon was visiting one day in the spring of 1994, a month after Arizona played in its second Final Four, and asked if I would show him around McKale Center.

We were in a corridor near the old weight room when Olson, in workout gear, walked by.

“Holy cow,” my friend said. “Lute looks like he could play tight end in the NFL right now.”

Olson was 59.

Today, at 81, he wears reading glasses. He told me a week ago he had tweaked his back, which has cut back his golf schedule.

Indestructible? Time touches all of us, even coaching legends.

After Arizona beat Washington two weeks ago, Olson and his wife, Kelly, went to the Huskies locker room to say hello to UW coach Lorenzo Romar. The two embraced and chatted, forgetting those heated battles in Seattle, especially that remarkable double-overtime New Year’s Eve game of 2005, when Olson beat Romar’s No. 7 Huskies 96-95.

As Olson walked away, Romar looked at me and said “do you realize what that guy built here?”

Talk about preaching to the choir.

Olson coached his last game at McKale Center on Feb. 17, 2007. The school had already put his signature on the court, naming the floor after him for posterity. A few years later it painted a hallway outside Sean Miller’s office with a vibrant, life-size image of Olson.

Is that enough? Should not the entry to McKale include a statue of the man who transformed not only the image of the UA athletic department, but that of Tucson?

Until Olson arrived from Iowa, Tucson’s image to outsiders was that John Wayne used to make a lot of good movies here. It was Tumbleweed Junction. But that all changed once Olson took command of the Pac-12 and built one of the most successful college sports programs in the West.

Without Olson, there would be no Greg Byrne at Arizona. No Sean Miller.

Shouldn’t the school erect a statue of Olson before he’s 91 or 101, while he’s still here to see and appreciate it?

After Arizona’s dramatic loss last week at Cal, I walked from the Haas Pavilion media room to a pavilion where several hundred Bears fans gather for pregame drinks and appetizers.

A statue of Pete Newell stands at the entry.

Newell coached Cal to the 1959 NCAA championship. The Bears didn’t think to erect a statue of him until 2006, when he was 91.

Two weeks earlier, on Arizona’s trip to USC and UCLA, I walked on the campuses of both schools. I stood in front of the John McKay statue at USC’s $70 million John McKay Center. Both were built 11 years after McKay’s death.

He won four national championships at USC, making it an enduring national power. The school waited almost 40 years to honor him properly. They waited until he was dead.

At UCLA, the John Wooden statue sits outside refurbished Pauley Pavilion. Wooden died in 2010; he was 99. UCLA then began work on the 8-foot high bronze statue.

Other schools have acted with better timing.

UNLV erected a statue to Jerry Tarkanian before he died. Arizona State has a statue of Frank Kush, who did to that school’s national reputation and local image in football as Olson did to Arizona and Tucson.

Ole Miss built a statue of former football coach John Vaught; Florida State honored football coach Bobby Bowden with a statue. There are many others: Vince Dooley at Georgia; Tom Osborne at Nebraska; Ara Parseghian at Notre Dame; Don Faurot at Missouri; Frank Broyles at Arkansas; even still-active Nick Saban at Alabama.

Basketball? North Carolina State is in the planning stages of a statue of Jim Valvano. Michigan State will similarly construct a statue of Jud Heathcote. UTEP is in the process of building a memorial for Don Haskins.

One of my enduring memories of Tucson is attending the dedication of the John “Button” Salmon bust outside McKale Center. It was 1986, almost 60 years since the death of Arizona’s “Bear Down” legend.

I was introduced to Clyde “Babe” Lockie, Button’s sister. She was in tears.

“It’s long overdue,” she said. “But I know, wherever he is, Johnny will be pleased.”

Maybe this time we can avoid the tears.

I emailed Hansen a photo of the Lute bust my neighbor did and this was Gregs response:

I would hope Byrne would be receptive, but you never know. I don't think he fully understands what Lute did here.

[rgdeuce]

I dont think Greg Hansen fully understands anything.

If that is the case, I highly doubt it would be difficult to convince GB this is important to us fans, the city, alumni/former players. You know Sean Miller would fully support it and all it would take is a couple important former cats to put the bug in his ear

[Alieberman]

I'm totally for a statue but I bet Lute wouldn't want it.

[Chicat]

I emailed Hansen a photo of the Lute bust my neighbor did and this was Gregs response:

I would hope Byrne would be receptive, but you never know. I don't think he fully understands what Lute did here.

There aren't enough eye-roll emoticons in the world. As if Hansen ever recognized what Lute did here?

[catgrad97]

Could Greg Hansen possibly sound more out of touch?

That's the problem with his contrarian stances. They need to be clued in to work.

[ASUHATER!]

I'd love to see a Lute statue where the Button Salmon one was.

[Jefe]

http://www.arizonawildcats.com/news/201 ... tatue.aspx" target="_blank

Arizona Athletics will honor Lute Olson for his significant contribution to the University of Arizona and the Tucson community with a statue on the Eddie Lynch Athletics Pavilion Plaza.

By: Arizona Athletics
08/29/2017

TUCSON, Ariz. – Arizona Athletics will honor Lute Olson for his significant contribution to the University of Arizona and the Tucson community by constructing a statue in his likeness, Director of Athletics Dave Heeke announced on Tuesday. The statue will be located north of the Jim Click Hall of Champions on the Eddie Lynch Athletics Pavilion Plaza. The statue project is estimated to cost about $300,000 and construction is scheduled to be completed in March 2018.

"We're thrilled to recognize Coach Olson, not just for what he accomplished on the basketball court, but for what he means to Arizona and our community," Heeke said. "Through the success of Arizona basketball, Lute helped introduce people around the country to our University and this city, and he forever changed the trajectory and perception of our athletics department. His legendary status is worthy of this honor, and we're proud that his statue will be visible to the thousands of people that visit McKale on a yearly basis."

Olson served as the head coach at Arizona for 24 seasons and amassed a 589-187 (.759) record. He led the Wildcats to the 1997 National Championship, four Final Four appearances, 23 consecutive NCAA Tournaments and 11 Pac-10 titles, while earning Pac-10 Coach of the Year honors seven times. Olson also guided Arizona to 20 consecutive 20-win seasons, and, at the time of his retirement, was one of only three coaches in NCAA history to record 29 or more 20-win seasons. For all of his accomplishments, Olson was enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002.

"This is a wonderful honor and I'm grateful to the people at Arizona who made the decision to put up a statue," Olson stated. "I was fortunate to have a successful career that spanned a number of different locations, but Tucson and the University of Arizona have become my home. I'm deeply touched at this recognition and I want to thank all of the staff members, student-athletes and fans, who made, and continue to make, my life at Arizona something special."

The location of the statue was determined based on a number of factors. The Eddie Lynch Pavilion Plaza is connected with central campus and the UA mall, which sees the greatest amount of the area's general traffic. That area also sees a large percentage of the basketball gameday traffic. The Plaza also has sufficient room for the potential implementation of additional statues. The south side of McKale was not considered because of potential arena expansion plans in the future.

The construction of the statue coincides with the 30th anniversary of the 1988 men's basketball team. The '88 team was the first in program history to qualify for the Final Four. They also won Pac-10 regular season and tournament championships en route to a 35-3 record. Because of this team's accomplishments, it's fitting that the statue of Olson will become a reality this year as a way to honor the great '88 team.

To assist with some of the project cost, Steve Kerr, current Golden St. Warriors head coach and prominent member of the 1988 team, is partnering with Original Retro Brand to sell Arizona Kerr replica jerseys and tees. Kerr has agreed to donate his royalties from the replica-jersey sales to the Lute Olson Statue Fund. In addition, ORB Founder and CEO Marc Herman has agreed to match Kerr's donation.

The Kerr tees will be available exclusively at the McKale Center A-Store from Thursday, Aug. 31 through Sept. 9 and on football game days at various merchandise tent locations. In addition, the online sale of tees will begin on Aug. 31 at BearDownShop.com, Originalretrobrand.com, and UABookstore.com. The replica jerseys will be available on Wednesday, Sept. 20 in store and online. The collection will also be available at select Just Sports locations in Tucson and Phoenix after Oct. 15.

Because the donations from Kerr and Herman are expected to cover only a small portion of the cost, the bulk of the statue project will be supported through private donations, which can be made by clicking HERE.



As part of a continuing effort to recognize Coach Olson and his accomplishments, he and his wife Kelly will be honored at halftime of the home football game against Utah on Sept. 22. Coincidentally, that is also Olson's 83rd birthday. As for the unveiling ceremony, which is tentatively scheduled for March, all former men's basketball letterwinners will be invited back to take part in the occasion. More details will be shared as plans are finalized.

To stay up-to-date on Arizona Athletics, sign-up for the athletics department's free email system, which includes breaking news, exclusive content and special offers, by clicking here.

[Bear Down Vegas]

Made. My. Day.

[azcat49]

I would never rename McKale, sorry. I also think Snowden needs more than a simple UofA hall of fame induction but hey, that's just me

[Spaceman Spiff]

I would never rename McKale, sorry. I also think Snowden needs more than a simple UofA hall of fame induction but hey, that's just me

How about just renaming Arizona Stadium? Lute Olson Stadium.

It's not like we've got a football coach in the running for the name of the football stadium.

[azgreg]

This is a no brainer. If you don't do it for Lute then who?

[azcat49]

The statue is great. That and the court with Bobbi is wonderful. As for the football stadium Spiff, keep basketball away (button is where he should be).

Root as hard for the basket cats as the football cats. The statue is well deserved but we also should have one for Candrea and Kindall

[Longhorned]

Pose of Augustus of Primaporta but in a blazer and pants.

[Beachcat97]

I'd be good with putting the statue just about anywhere on campus, as long as it's a place of high prominence and visibility. Lute represents the very best of UofA. He is arguably the greatest ambassador for the university, not just in athletics, in its history. I'm thrilled that he'll get to enjoy this during his lifetime. He and his family deserve it. And those who admire and appreciate him deserve it.

[gumby]

"Not until he renounces the indentured servitude of players" -- Jay Bilas

[wyo-cat]

This is a no brainer. If you don't do it for Lute then who?

Greg Hansen?

[Jefe]

I would never rename McKale, sorry. I also think Snowden needs more than a simple UofA hall of fame induction but hey, that's just me

I did see this on the project site:

McKale Field House Complete Re-roof

PROJECT DETAILS 89-5425

Current Budget
$385,000

but then I saw this

McKale Memorial Center, Gymnastics Locker Room Remodel

PROJECT DETAILS 16-9303

Remodel an area in McHale that was vacated by the football team for new Women’s Gymnastics Locker Rooms.
Current Budget
$400,000

[YoDeFoe]

I'm sure it'll be at the Eddie Lynch Pavilion entrance, greeting fans as they enter the arena.

[Jefe]

Completed in March 2018. Should make for a nice segment during our Final Four run

[Spaceman Spiff]

I'm sure it'll be at the Eddie Lynch Pavilion entrance, greeting fans as they enter the arena.

We should have a mobile version that can go to Wells Fargo Arena once a year so ASU fans can remind themselves who runs basketball in this state.

[prh]

I'm sure it'll be at the Eddie Lynch Pavilion entrance, greeting fans as they enter the arena.

We should have a mobile version that can go to Wells Fargo Arena once a year so ASU fans can remind themselves who runs basketball in this state.

But that one needs to replicate this

[Spaceman Spiff]

I'm sure it'll be at the Eddie Lynch Pavilion entrance, greeting fans as they enter the arena.

We should have a mobile version that can go to Wells Fargo Arena once a year so ASU fans can remind themselves who runs basketball in this state.

But that one needs to replicate this

That was my original post in the topic, so yeah, I'm into that idea.

[prh]

My bad Spiff, that's what happens when I skip to the new posts. Would love one like that though.

[gumby]

It's a fun one, but it suggests ASU was a factor. Never been a factor.