Bear Down Wildcats

I always felt like Lute was an after thought on the national stage... but this week has really proved me wrong. I don't get tired of watching people talk about him.

He molded many great ambassadors for Arizona basketball. Forever a king. RIP.

Alieberman wrote:I always felt like Lute was an after thought on the national stage... but this week has really proved me wrong. I don't get tired of watching people talk about him.

I think he was an afterthought for many pundits. Blame the late night east coast starts or the early flameouts, but I never thought he got his due.

For instance, why did I have to wait until the man died to learn this?

His alumni is too spread out amongst the playing, coaching, and broadcasting world to deny him his due. He was an afterthought in his heyday nationally, but his influence is too expansive to not acknowledge him in his death.

Great to see Coach get the recognition we all knew he deserved!

On the wildcast podcast the star does, Corey Williams have a GREAT tribute to Coach O. Well worth the listen

Chicat wrote:It makes me happy and proud to see the national media treating Lute as the icon he is. He wasn’t just an important person to UA and Tucson. He was one of the most important people in sports. Full stop.

I appreciate them giving the man his due. RIP Coach.

Agreed. Great to see the national respect and admiration. He was synonymous with AZ basketball, the primary reason it was so special.

Remembering Lute Olson: Jim Slone interview
By | August 30, 2020 at 3:29 PM MST - Updated August 30 at 3:41 PM

https://www.kold.com/video/2020/08/30/r ... interview/" target="_blank

Have been searching for a "Lute Lid" for years, anyone seen one for sale? No luck on eBay..

Such a great giveaway.

Has there been any word on services for Coach O? Anyone know if UofA or the city are planning some kind of service?

Basketcats wrote:Has there been any word on services for Coach O? Anyone know if UofA or the city are planning some kind of service?

I haven't heard or seen anything but I really hope they wait until next year when he can get the proper service he deserves and the community deserves

It obviously can't be done properly now. The opportunity to have any public spectacle of grieving and mourning (like the Bobbi Olson memorial at McKale) was taken away by COVID, so Lute's family had to make whatever private arrangements for that part of it, and maybe that's for the best. Former players either already have, or will soon, put together some kind of streaming tribute to him. But, none of that is enough. He requires a packed house of fans surrounding Olson Court. In a year's time, when the virus issues are generally gone, a lot of the immediate emotional impact of his passing will have faded. While it would seem morbid to do anything on the anniversary of his death, his birthday is September 22nd. That should be declared Lute Olson Day forevermore, in Tucson, Pima County, and maybe all of Arizona. That falls on a Wednesday in 2021. So, I'd say you do his celebration of life/birthday party on the following Sunday afternoon at McKale.

Yeah, I have absolutely no problem with the University taking its time to put this together. This needs to be done right and if they feel they can't do a proper tribute until 2021, then that's fine with me.

ESPNU is remembering Lute. They just showed Iowa beat Indiana in a game played in 1983. At 4:00PM Tucson time, they will be showing Arizona vs Maryland from 2001 in the IKON Classic.At 6:00PM, they are showing Arizona vs Georgetown from 1995. Finally, at 8:00PM, they are showing Arizona vs Florida in the finals of the IKON Classic in 2001.

Irish27 wrote:ESPNU is remembering Lute. They just showed Iowa beat Indiana in a game played in 1983. At 4:00PM Tucson time, they will be showing Arizona vs Maryland from 2001 in the IKON Classic.At 6:00PM, they are showing Arizona vs Georgetown from 1995. Finally, at 8:00PM, they are showing Arizona vs Florida in the finals of the IKON Classic in 2001.

So ESPNU did a better job than Pac-12 Network, who only showed the one on one with Lute and the 97 title game.

Sad.

AZCatGirl wrote:

Irish27 wrote:ESPNU is remembering Lute. They just showed Iowa beat Indiana in a game played in 1983. At 4:00PM Tucson time, they will be showing Arizona vs Maryland from 2001 in the IKON Classic.At 6:00PM, they are showing Arizona vs Georgetown from 1995. Finally, at 8:00PM, they are showing Arizona vs Florida in the finals of the IKON Classic in 2001.

So ESPNU did a better job than Pac-12 Network, who only showed the one on one with Lute and the 97 title game.

Sad.

Layoffs and furloughs

We just can't do a Lute Day until we are able to fill McKale.

Jefe wrote:

I volunteer to produce these uniforms on behalf of Arizona. I will simply hand in the design of the 1997 kit in a modern cut.

YoDeFoe wrote:

Jefe wrote:

I volunteer to produce these uniforms on behalf of Arizona. I will simply hand in the design of the 1997 kit in a modern cut.

It boggles my mind we haven't already done this. The 97 era blue, white and red alternate needs zero changes, just differently tailored and you're done. It's not complicated.

Why couldn't they give longer notice on this? It's in under a month. Makes planning for it very difficult for out-of-towners.

Short notice, especially since we'll be in a full blown covid explosion in Tucson by then

Day after 9-11 20th anniversary.

Call me jaded but it almost seems like PR to make you forget what has happened the last 6 months of Arizona basketball

I wish I could be there

In case anyone can't watch live:

The tribute is starting on pac-12 network

I’m getting ASU Tex Tech soccer from 2017 on Pac12 net and PAC 12 AZ

Postmaster wrote: Sun Sep 12, 2021 10:43 am I’m getting ASU Tex Tech soccer from 2017 on Pac12 net and PAC 12 AZ

https://pac-12.com/live/university-arizona

I was really moved by, and greatly appreciated that, Ros got his due today!!!

A very well done tribute all the way around. It was only right, and very healing, that Roz got the last word. RIP Lute.

Wish they would've uploaded the whole thing somewhere. Pac 12 TV literally only aired the first 60 minutes and then cut it off. Because reairing Pac 12 After Dark is so much important I guess.

84Cat wrote: Mon Sep 13, 2021 10:58 am

Thanks for posting, 84!

Wish I would have gone in person but I was glad the whole thing was streamed. Very moving ceremony. Loved the stories from Paul Weitman and wish he had said more. Was he the one Lute sat by in the stands after retirement?

yes

Ummm, errrrr....

Idiots

Well they got his birth date right on the website. To bad there's not place to note a death date. That's what you get when you turn things over to the younger generation thinking life would be so much easier if you just have automated media pushes. .... go back to the drawing board buddy.

RIP Lute! Wish it were 1983 all over again.

I had forgotten about this story, found it when I was looking up info on Joe B. Hall and Lute being offered by Kentucky.

The Daily Star came after Lute about uniforms they thought he steered to a company (MacGregor) he had consulted with, then they had to retract the story. Sports editor and writer resigned. The original Columbo LOL.

Also, NY Times corrections at the end:


"The newspaper was The Arizona Daily Star (not The Arizona Republic), and the school was the University of Arizona (not Arizona State)."

https://www.nytimes.com/1985/03/30/spor ... check.html

Wow. I hardly remember the days writers had accountability and these guys actually self-penalized for jumping the gun and publishing an unverified and untrue story? Send this to ESPN and every goddamn news outlet for that matter!!

No video of the Lute tribute??

Jefe wrote: Fri Mar 04, 2022 4:39 pm No video of the Lute tribute??

Someone said it was the same video that showed last fall.