Sports
LUTE BREAKS HIS SILENCE
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| Scott A. Taras | Special to the Green Valley News Arizona head basketball coach Lute Olson looks on during the Pepsi Red-Blue Game at McKale Center in Tucson in this Oct. 30 file photo. Yesterday, Olson, who returned to the team on March 24, gave his first press conference since taking a leave of absence on Nov. 4. |
By Nick Prevenas, Green Valley News
Olson vows return to ‘Arizona basketball,’ dismisses O’Neill
What are Arizona basketball fans to make of the last five months?
Since Lute Olson decided to step away from the sidelines on Nov. 4, his name has appeared at the center of more conversations through these five months than it did in the 25 previous years.
The rumor mill worked into overdrive during Olson’s absence, with nearly every Southern Arizona hoops fan offering his or her own take on the situation.
Yesterday, Olson, 73, gave his first press conference since resuming his duties as head basketball coach on March 24, hoping to give the public a clearer picture of his situation and to give his program a sense of normalcy and consistency.
He refused to go into any specifics regarding his leave, but did confirm that difficulties with stress and anxiety led to his five-month departure.
“There were things going on in my life that caused some health problems,” Olson said. “But I won’t go into every nuance of my private life.”
Olson said he felt great, but that the events of the past five months — which included a divorce with his second wife, Christine — has caused his blood pressure to increase to 113 over 65, with his resting heart rate currently standing at 62 — two beats higher than normal.
But after meeting with all of his players last week, he said he can’t wait to get back to coaching.
“I’m so excited,” Olson said. “I was ready to get out there and start coaching after talking with the players.”
Of course, it isn’t quite that simple.
Olson, who went on the Family Medical Leave Act on Dec. 7, said he would’ve liked to handle the initial press release differently, but that the leave was necessary.
“First and foremost, I took the leave because I couldn’t be fair to the kids had I stayed on as head coach,” Olson said.
No more KO
Kevin O’Neill took over as Arizona’s interim head coach and led the Wildcats to a 19-15 record and a 24th consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
O’Neill was brought on the staff last summer to replace beloved assistant coach Jim Rosborough. He was in charge of reworking Arizona’s defensive philosophy and adding a new level of discipline.
However, Olson said O’Neill will not be on the staff next season.
Olson, who plans to coach through the 2011 date on his contract — if not longer — said he met with O’Neill last Tuesday and asked if he would be satisfied as an Arizona assistant coach for the foreseeable future.
He said no.
His preference, Olson said, is to either be a head coach at a solid college program or an assistant in the NBA.
Olson was recently seen chatting with former Phoenix Suns’ head coach Frank Johnson, but he said that no official offer can be made until O’Neill is no longer an official member of the Arizona basketball program.
“I don’t think my relationship with Kevin changed,” Olson said. “He is currently on vacation and will likely interview for other positions from now through the Final Four.”
After filing for divorce, Olson “got out of dodge,” on the advice of his attorney and spent some time outside of Tucson. He continued to monitor Arizona’s progress and watched every game on television.
He said he did not talk with Arizona players behind O’Neill’s back, but he did speak with Jawann McClellan and Chase Budinger at different points of the season with O’Neill’s permission.
“Jawann is like a son to me — especially after his father died,” Olson said. “And I could see Chase’s confidence was way down.”
Olson told his players that they will go back to running a wide-open style of offense, as opposed to O’Neill’s highly structured offensive philosophy.
Draft philosophy
In addition to the group and individual meetings he held with his players, he spent three-and-a-half hours with Jerryd Bayless and his family in Phoenix on Thursday night and spent five hours with the Budingers on Sunday.
Both Bayless and Budinger are potential lottery picks if they declare for the 2008 draft.
Olson told each family that they have an obligation to get as much information as possible before making a decision, but he wanted to make it clear that he has never told any of his players what to do with regard to the NBA draft.
“Could we help each of those kids next year? No question,” Olson said. “I think they like it here, and they would be in better position next year, but it’s ultimately their decisions. Jerryd and Chase are both very intelligent kids.”
While Olson spent most of yesterday’s press conference discussing the future of the Arizona basketball program, he was still noticably sensitive with regard to some of the rumors that had begun to circulate — especially the one about Olson entering a rehab center.
This sensitivity resulted in an adversarial tone in some of his responses.
“I was very upset about some of the rumors,” Olson said. “I don’t smoke, and I occasionally have a glass of wine, like my doctor tells me to.”
He added that he was physically ready to return to the sideline in February, but it would’ve been an insurmountable distraction to return in the middle of the season.
Olson now hopes to put the negativity from the last five months behind him and re-establish the Arizona Wildcats among the nation’s elite basketball programs.
“This past year might’ve been good for the fans,” Olson said. “They hopefully realize that it’s not that easy. Coaches have been negatively recruiting against me for the past 10 or 12 years, but all those coaches are gone and I’m still here.”
nprevenas@gvnews.com | 547-9747
What are Arizona basketball fans to make of the last five months?
Since Lute Olson decided to step away from the sidelines on Nov. 4, his name has appeared at the center of more conversations through these five months than it did in the 25 previous years.
The rumor mill worked into overdrive during Olson’s absence, with nearly every Southern Arizona hoops fan offering his or her own take on the situation.
Yesterday, Olson, 73, gave his first press conference since resuming his duties as head basketball coach on March 24, hoping to give the public a clearer picture of his situation and to give his program a sense of normalcy and consistency.
He refused to go into any specifics regarding his leave, but did confirm that difficulties with stress and anxiety led to his five-month departure.
“There were things going on in my life that caused some health problems,” Olson said. “But I won’t go into every nuance of my private life.”
Olson said he felt great, but that the events of the past five months — which included a divorce with his second wife, Christine — has caused his blood pressure to increase to 113 over 65, with his resting heart rate currently standing at 62 — two beats higher than normal.
But after meeting with all of his players last week, he said he can’t wait to get back to coaching.
“I’m so excited,” Olson said. “I was ready to get out there and start coaching after talking with the players.”
Of course, it isn’t quite that simple.
Olson, who went on the Family Medical Leave Act on Dec. 7, said he would’ve liked to handle the initial press release differently, but that the leave was necessary.
“First and foremost, I took the leave because I couldn’t be fair to the kids had I stayed on as head coach,” Olson said.
No more KO
Kevin O’Neill took over as Arizona’s interim head coach and led the Wildcats to a 19-15 record and a 24th consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
O’Neill was brought on the staff last summer to replace beloved assistant coach Jim Rosborough. He was in charge of reworking Arizona’s defensive philosophy and adding a new level of discipline.
However, Olson said O’Neill will not be on the staff next season.
Olson, who plans to coach through the 2011 date on his contract — if not longer — said he met with O’Neill last Tuesday and asked if he would be satisfied as an Arizona assistant coach for the foreseeable future.
He said no.
His preference, Olson said, is to either be a head coach at a solid college program or an assistant in the NBA.
Olson was recently seen chatting with former Phoenix Suns’ head coach Frank Johnson, but he said that no official offer can be made until O’Neill is no longer an official member of the Arizona basketball program.
“I don’t think my relationship with Kevin changed,” Olson said. “He is currently on vacation and will likely interview for other positions from now through the Final Four.”
After filing for divorce, Olson “got out of dodge,” on the advice of his attorney and spent some time outside of Tucson. He continued to monitor Arizona’s progress and watched every game on television.
He said he did not talk with Arizona players behind O’Neill’s back, but he did speak with Jawann McClellan and Chase Budinger at different points of the season with O’Neill’s permission.
“Jawann is like a son to me — especially after his father died,” Olson said. “And I could see Chase’s confidence was way down.”
Olson told his players that they will go back to running a wide-open style of offense, as opposed to O’Neill’s highly structured offensive philosophy.
Draft philosophy
In addition to the group and individual meetings he held with his players, he spent three-and-a-half hours with Jerryd Bayless and his family in Phoenix on Thursday night and spent five hours with the Budingers on Sunday.
Both Bayless and Budinger are potential lottery picks if they declare for the 2008 draft.
Olson told each family that they have an obligation to get as much information as possible before making a decision, but he wanted to make it clear that he has never told any of his players what to do with regard to the NBA draft.
“Could we help each of those kids next year? No question,” Olson said. “I think they like it here, and they would be in better position next year, but it’s ultimately their decisions. Jerryd and Chase are both very intelligent kids.”
While Olson spent most of yesterday’s press conference discussing the future of the Arizona basketball program, he was still noticably sensitive with regard to some of the rumors that had begun to circulate — especially the one about Olson entering a rehab center.
This sensitivity resulted in an adversarial tone in some of his responses.
“I was very upset about some of the rumors,” Olson said. “I don’t smoke, and I occasionally have a glass of wine, like my doctor tells me to.”
He added that he was physically ready to return to the sideline in February, but it would’ve been an insurmountable distraction to return in the middle of the season.
Olson now hopes to put the negativity from the last five months behind him and re-establish the Arizona Wildcats among the nation’s elite basketball programs.
“This past year might’ve been good for the fans,” Olson said. “They hopefully realize that it’s not that easy. Coaches have been negatively recruiting against me for the past 10 or 12 years, but all those coaches are gone and I’m still here.”
nprevenas@gvnews.com | 547-9747
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