Lute is coming back!

[Lefty]

This is great news.

http://msn.foxsports.com/cbk/story/7895658/Sources:-Olson-to-return-as-Arizona-coach

 

[Renz]

I hope he stays until his contract is up, at least. I'd like to see Lute coach 2 or 3 more seasons.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

More importantly this means Jim Livengood is as good as gone within the next calendar year.

And I can continue being a Wildcats supporter.

 

[AsUdUdE]

so O'nail is gone...

haha... what happends if UofA get on a roll and goes to the final four or something... then does UofA beg Oneil to stay until 2011, or is he done regardless?

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

Him and Lute aren't on speaking terms so at this point it's highly doubtful they both return which reflects pretty poorly on KO. Seriously, he could stick around for a year or two at 375k per (Lute probably won't be around until 2011, a succession plan will be in place this summer as it was last summer) then get to be head coach at premier college basketball factory or go through the constant moving and murky future that is part of being an NBA assistant. Good riddance to KO, suggesting he has the coaching acumen to get this team to the Final Four is comical.

 

[General Chaos]

If KO doesn't return as the head assistant, look for former Oregon St. coach Jay John to return (used to be an assistant for Lute).

 

[Arizona's Finest]

Him and Lute aren't on speaking terms so at this point it's highly doubtful they both return which reflects pretty poorly on KO. Seriously, he could stick around for a year or two at 375k per (Lute probably won't be around until 2011, a succession plan will be in place this summer as it was last summer) then get to be head coach at premier college basketball factory or go through the constant moving and murky future that is part of being an NBA assistant. Good riddance to KO, suggesting he has the coaching acumen to get this team to the Final Four is comical.

Mao I follow (and mostly agree) with most of your insights as much as anyone on this board but lets keep in mind you were championing KO no less then 2 months ago as a great replacement for Lute.

I tend to think he did a fairly good job with the cards he was dealt.

My god I just hope this rights the ship and gives guys like Bayless and Budinger pause before they decide to declare. The inconsistency of the football and basketball teams over the last 5 years has been down right maddening.

 

[PoolBoy]

are wildcat fans really happy to see him back? he kinda screwed you guys. but yea O'Neil is terrible. i see it as a lose, lose. try to tell me that there won't be animosity in that locker room regardless pf whether its o'neil, olsen, or both coaching that team next year.

 

[General Chaos]

are wildcat fans really happy to see him back? he kinda screwed you guys. but yea O'Neil is terrible. i see it as a lose, lose. try to tell me that there won't be animosity in that locker room regardless pf whether its o'neil, olsen, or both coaching that team next year.

The players were all recruited by Lute, and are loyal to him. They are happy to have their coach back. This also ensures that next years top 5 recruiting class sticks to their LOI's. This is a good day.

 

[AsUdUdE]

Mao I follow (and mostly agree) with most of your insights as much as anyone on this board but lets keep in mind you were championing KO no less then 2 months ago as a great replacement for Lute.

I tend to think he did a fairly good job with the cards he was dealt.

My god I just hope this rights the ship and gives guys like Bayless and Budinger pause before they decide to declare. The inconsistency of the football and basketball teams over the last 5 years has been down right maddening.

oooo... i was going to bring that same point up, but one of your own did MAO...

so in the span a 8 weeks he goes from being a GREAT coach, to a coach that has 3 NBA players in his starting 5, that its comical that this talent can get to the final four....

now THATS funny

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

oooo... i was going to bring that same point up, but one of your own did MAO...

so in the span a 8 weeks he goes from being a GREAT coach, to a coach that has 3 NBA players in his starting 5, that its comical that this talent can get to the final four....

now THATS funny

I'm pretty sure I never said KO was a great coach. I said he's a great recruiter and I'll back that up with the ridiculous 2008 class he helped close for Lute. I've said since the beginning my preference was for Lute to come back and get Arizona Basketball back to prominence at which point KO would be an ideal fit as a transition guy as he'd be viewed nationally as a cog in the machine. That's obviously not going to happen so onwards and upwards.

And a lot has happened in the last eight weeks that has turned me off to KO. Such as manuevering a power play to oust the HOF coach, getting outcoached by mediocre guys like Herb Sendek and Ernie Kent, not returning phone calls from Lute, siding with Jim Livengood, detailing how much he prefers the NBA over the college game, insinuating the UA job might not be a great fit long-term for him, etc. I'm grateful for KO for this last season as if it were Roz and not him we'd likely be 5-13 in the Pac-10, but it's become quite obvious Arizona can do better and they will when Lute retires. And there are some things that KO has put in place that will greatly benefit the program going forwards. KO's simply a decent college head coach, nothing great but he's not some hack either. Just not a good fit an a program that demands championships.

 

[Chaplin]

Great timing for this announcement, right before the tournament begins. I'm going to feel really sorry for Oregon State, they're going to get demolished.

 

[Skkorpion]

Excellent decision. I hope Lute coaches at least 5 more seasons. I'm looking forward to this more than any of you can imagine.

If Bill Clinton can go back to the White house, why not Lute to UA? Back to the future. Oh my, this is delicious.

So, does Bayless stay ot go? What is the guess here?

 

[ASUCHRIS]

Excellent decision. I hope Lute coaches at least 5 more seasons. I'm looking forward to this more than any of you can imagine.

If Bill Clinton can go back to the White house, why not Lute to UA? Back to the future. Oh my, this is delicious.

So, does Bayless stay ot go? What is the guess here?

Bayless isn't an NBA 2 guard, and the Cats have the top rated PG coming in next year. I doubt he sticks around. U of A fans can demand championships as much as they want, but after a very nice run this is a very different Pac-10.

As O'Neill says, the days of dominating the Pac-10 are over and Wildcat fans need to realize that U of A is not a top tier program like UCLA, North Carolina, and other teams that will consistently be at the top. Lute had an unbelievable streak down there, but U of A basketball hasn't been the same since the Illinois debacle, and may never be. An enjoyable article from the East Valley Trib...

http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/110916

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

Bayless isn't an NBA 2 guard, and the Cats have the top rated PG coming in next year. I doubt he sticks around. U of A fans can demand championships as much as they want, but after a very nice run this is a very different Pac-10.

As O'Neill says, the days of dominating the Pac-10 are over and Wildcat fans need to realize that U of A is not a top tier program like UCLA, North Carolina, and other teams that will consistently be at the top. Lute had an unbelievable streak down there, but U of A basketball hasn't been the same since the Illinois debacle, and may never be. An enjoyable article from the East Valley Trib...

http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/110916

You'd think it would take more than a 9-9 conference record to get cocky. One year of .500 ball doth a program make, right ASU fans?

The Pac-10 is not that good. Howland is a future HOF coach but Harrick was competing for and winning NC's in the 1990's too and Arizona was still elite. Stanford's not nearly what they were under Monty. Ernie Kent is historically mediocre and can't develop NBA talent, same goes for Herb Sendek. Wazzu will fall off the map pretty shortly after Bennett and their senior class leave next month. Oregon State is awful. Ben Braun can't coach his way out of a paper sack and is probably unfireable because Cal is so financially into the football program right now. Tim Floyd is always a hair away from NCAA sanctions. The Pac is very manageable with the right coach in place.

Look at the Pac-10's coaching roster in the mid-90's during the height of Arizona Basketball. Lute, Harrick, Monty, Frieder, Jerry Green, Raveling, and Bozeman (scumbag who could illegally recruit and develop talent) as coaches compares prettty favorably to what the conference is running out right now. Nice to see KO prematurely making excuses though for his flaws as a head coach, it's that type of commentary that eventually would've got him run our of town were he allowed to be the successor. Thankfully he won't and when Lute does step down we'll get someone like him who goes out there and wins instead of coming up with reasons as to why he can't.

And I love the Arizona is no UNC, UCLA, or Duke like that's some kind of insult. True, UA is not a top five or ten program historically but they are top 15 in the same boat as programs like Syracuse, UConn, Georgetown, Texas, Michigan State, etc. If you look at everything (tradition, revenue, facilities, alumni support, exposure) UA ranks right up there with pretty much any college basketball program in the country. Almost anybody will tell you Arizona Basketball is much more of a potential powerhouse than ASU Football yet somehow the latter is a sleeping giant and the former is a dwindling star according to everyone at ASFN. Funny how that works out.

 

[Lefty]

Bayless isn't an NBA 2 guard, and the Cats have the top rated PG coming in next year. I doubt he sticks around. U of A fans can demand championships as much as they want, but after a very nice run this is a very different Pac-10.

As O'Neill says, the days of dominating the Pac-10 are over and Wildcat fans need to realize that U of A is not a top tier program like UCLA, North Carolina, and other teams that will consistently be at the top. Lute had an unbelievable streak down there, but U of A basketball hasn't been the same since the Illinois debacle, and may never be. An enjoyable article from the East Valley Trib...

http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/110916

Keep dreaming. The UofA is a top program. Just look at next year's recruiting class, ranked #2 in the country. Bayless will be gone but Chase will be back and with Jennings, this will be the Cats strongest team since the Elite Eight one.

This is the best possible scenario. O'Neil will not stay and when Lute finally does retire, they will be able to go out and search for a top coach. Almost every coach will love to coach at the UofA. A program with rich tradition, a fan base that supports and sells out every game, plus they have top facilities. Talking about facilities, the new practice courts will be ready by
October.

People like ASU fans can keep dreaming this program will falter but it won't. It has all the ingredients to stay on top.

 

[FArting]

According to Gambo and Ash Lute will coach 1 year and Mike Montgomery might take over.

 

[Renz]

According to Gambo and Ash Lute will coach 1 year and Mike Montgomery might take over.

I don't know if that's true, but it wouldn't surprise me. Like Mao has said, there will be no shortage of good candidates to replace Lute when he decides to retire.

The UA job is big money in a high-profile conference with first rate facilities. Anyone who thinks UA basketball is going away is only fooling themselves.

No one seriously thinks that UA basketball is going to "dominate" the PAC, but there are expectations that the Cats can compete for the title every year. Those expectations, and the money that will come in from the boosters, will keep UA a top-tier program for years to come.

 

[Skkorpion]

I don't know if that's true, but it wouldn't surprise me. Like Mao has said, there will be no shortage of good candidates to replace Lute when he decides to retire.

The UA job is big money in a high-profile conference with first rate facilities. Anyone who thinks UA basketball is going away is only fooling themselves.

No one seriously thinks that UA basketball is going to "dominate" the PAC, but there are expectations that the Cats can compete for the title every year. Those expectations, and the money that will come in from the boosters, will keep UA a top-tier program for years to come.

I'm not buying. Show me first. Lute is UA hoops (or was).

 

[Renz]

I'm not buying. Show me first. Lute is UA hoops (or was).

Rabid fan base, warm weather, major conference, winning tradition, state-of-the-art facilities, big paycheck. That's what the UA job has to offer.

Someone explain to me what isn't attractive about the job. Does someone want to argue that jobs like Gonzaga and Pittsburgh are somehow better?

 

[ASUCHRIS]

You'd think it would take more than a 9-9 conference record to get cocky. One year of .500 ball doth a program make, right ASU fans?

The Pac-10 is not that good. Howland is a future HOF coach but Harrick was competing for and winning NC's in the 1990's too and Arizona was still elite. Stanford's not nearly what they were under Monty. Ernie Kent is historically mediocre and can't develop NBA talent, same goes for Herb Sendek. Wazzu will fall off the map pretty shortly after Bennett and their senior class leave next month. Oregon State is awful. Ben Braun can't coach his way out of a paper sack and is probably unfireable because Cal is so financially into the football program right now. Tim Floyd is always a hair away from NCAA sanctions. The Pac is very manageable with the right coach in place.

Look at the Pac-10's coaching roster in the mid-90's during the height of Arizona Basketball. Lute, Harrick, Monty, Frieder, Jerry Green, Raveling, and Bozeman (scumbag who could illegally recruit and develop talent) as coaches compares prettty favorably to what the conference is running out right now. Nice to see KO prematurely making excuses though for his flaws as a head coach, it's that type of commentary that eventually would've got him run our of town were he allowed to be the successor. Thankfully he won't and when Lute does step down we'll get someone like him who goes out there and wins instead of coming up with reasons as to why he can't.

And I love the Arizona is no UNC, UCLA, or Duke like that's some kind of insult. True, UA is not a top five or ten program historically but they are top 15 in the same boat as programs like Syracuse, UConn, Georgetown, Texas, Michigan State, etc. If you look at everything (tradition, revenue, facilities, alumni support, exposure) UA ranks right up there with pretty much any college basketball program in the country. Almost anybody will tell you Arizona Basketball is much more of a potential powerhouse than ASU Football yet somehow the latter is a sleeping giant and the former is a dwindling star according to everyone at ASFN. Funny how that works out.

Considering preseason expectations, a 9-9 conference record is great. Who would have thought that they would have a good chance of making the dance? Even better, ASU sweeps the season series vs. the Wildcats, and punishes them on their home floor. As an ASU fan, I am playing with house money at this point. The team is playing great, and it looks like they'll be together for at least one more year.

You fail to give Herb enough credit...you keep knocking him, but I can't imagine how anyone could say he hasn't been great so far. Rob Evans came in promising defense but never delivered. Herb has gotten this team to play hard every game and they have been one of the better defensive teams in the conference. He may not be the best recruiter, but ASU should be able to convince at least a few decent kids to come and play in Tempe. Win consistently and the fans and money will come.

I think you underrate the rest of the conference. Stanford has been very good this year, and has the reigning coach of the year. Are they going to suddenly fall off the map? Oregon made it to the elite 8 last year and the relationship with Nike will always help with recruits. USC has unbelievable facilities, great weather and a winning sports tradition. I could go on about the advantages at all the Pac-10 schools, including UCLA , a far superior program (with the exception of Washington State and Oregon State, which would be a tougher sell).

The point is, there are a lot of selling points for the majority of the teams in the Pac-10. Did Arizona have an unbelievable string there for the last 20 years? Yes, but it was all under Olson as well. We will see how long Olson lasts and whether or not he is replaced by a top head coach.

No offense by saying U of A is not an elite program, they have been great for 20 years, which is an amazing stretch. Having said that, coaching and recruiting have not been the same as of late. Bayless has been unbelievable, but for every Bayless there has been a Mustafa Shakur. I just don't see it as a given that U of A will rise back to the "powerhouse" level right away, if not with the next coach.

I wouldn't be bringing up football for the time being as well, being in the ranks with Baylor and Duke as the only D-1 teams that haven't made a bowl in the last 10 years is enough said.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

Considering preseason expectations, a 9-9 conference record is great. Who would have thought that they would have a good chance of making the dance? Even better, ASU sweeps the season series vs. the Wildcats, and punishes them on their home floor. As an ASU fan, I am playing with house money at this point. The team is playing great, and it looks like they'll be together for at least one more year.

You fail to give Herb enough credit...you keep knocking him, but I can't imagine how anyone could say he hasn't been great so far. Rob Evans came in promising defense but never delivered. Herb has gotten this team to play hard every game and they have been one of the better defensive teams in the conference. He may not be the best recruiter, but ASU should be able to convince at least a few decent kids to come and play in Tempe. Win consistently and the fans and money will come.

I said Herb would be fine for you guys, but I'm really not that concerned about him if Arizona takes care of business. Herb's a system coach, he'll win you about 20 games a year but never really do much in the Tourney as system players get exposed when playing against NBA talent and quality coaching. The reality is we set our sights higher than NC State Basketball of the last decade.

I think you underrate the rest of the conference. Stanford has been very good this year, and has the reigning coach of the year. Are they going to suddenly fall off the map? Oregon made it to the elite 8 last year and the relationship with Nike will always help with recruits. USC has unbelievable facilities, great weather and a winning sports tradition. I could go on about the advantages at all the Pac-10 schools, including UCLA , a far superior program (with the exception of Washington State and Oregon State, which would be a tougher sell).

Stanford is not going to be good next year if the Lopez twins leave and Oregon is losing most of their team to graduation. And it's not like Oregon and Stanford have been consistent powerhouses in recent years either, before their Elite 8 run last year Oregon had missed three straight Tourney's. Both Kent and Trent Johnson were on some pretty warm seats going into the year for heaven's sake. Neither program is as stable as you're making it out to be. I agree USC has all the tools, but Tim Floyd is developing quite the reputation around college hoops. Cal and ASU are football schools that won't get the support a consistent powerhouse needs. At some point for both schools it will come down to one or the other as neither can afford paying top dollar to both hoops and football coaches.

The point is, there are a lot of selling points for the majority of the teams in the Pac-10. Did Arizona have an unbelievable string there for the last 20 years? Yes, but it was all under Olson as well. We will see how long Olson lasts and whether or not he is replaced by a top head coach.

And Arizona pays more for their head coach than all of those schools. And they have better facilities. Their tradition is only second to UCLA. Arizona also recruits on a national level. Arizona is the second best basketball job in the Pac-10 and among the top ten or fifteen in the entire country, finding a head coach that knows what he's doing is going to be rather easy.

No offense by saying U of A is not an elite program, they have been great for 20 years, which is an amazing stretch. Having said that, coaching and recruiting have not been the same as of late. Bayless has been unbelievable, but for every Bayless there has been a Mustafa Shakur. I just don't see it as a given that U of A will rise back to the "powerhouse" level right away, if not with the next coach.

Arizona is a top 15-20 basketball program of all time, that really can't be debated. The recruiting has gotten back on track to the point where UA will probably be a top 10 team next year if everyone stays when you add in a legit 7 footer and the HS POY. They already have a probable McD's kid in 2009 as well. What remains to be seen if it can continue at Lute's age but I expect some sort of succession plan to be put in place under the table to ensure that all continues to run smoothly.

I wouldn't be bringing up football for the time being as well, being in the ranks with Baylor and Duke as the only D-1 teams that haven't made a bowl in the last 10 years is enough said.

I certainly wouldn't compare football programs, I'm the first to admit Arizona Football is a joke. I just threw it out there because you claim ASU is a sleeping giant in football while saying Arizona won't be a powerhouse in hoops. If you measure them against their competition, Arizona has the edge or is even against ASU Football in every measurable category that defines a sports program (community support, revenue, exposure, tradition, facilities, recruiting base).

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

Great timing for this announcement, right before the tournament begins. I'm going to feel really sorry for Oregon State, they're going to get demolished.

I'm actually in a different corner on this one. I think the UA players want to stop having to play for Kevin O'Neill as soon as humanly possible. Regardless, they should still be able to get by a horrific Oregon State squad.