Lute Olson statement on David Salinas

Lute Olson has released a statement on his investment with Salinas:

"I've known David (Salinas) for a long time and feel horrible for his family. That (his passing) is something that none of his friends could have expected. Yes, I've invested with David, and he's been a friend for a while, but I did not invest money until after I had retired from coaching."

I think Andy Glockner gets it right here:

So if investing with Salinas was supposedly not a big deal (AAU talent was modest), why the need to make Olson's investment timing clear?

I really just want the smoking gun in this story to come soon. If it doesn't, this story may drag on for a long time.
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The latest in meaningless NCAA punishments

Some of you may have forgotten about this, but back when Lute Olson was still considering whether or not he was going to continue his coaching career, Arizona was facing some fairly serious NCAA violation.

The NCAA's case centered around the Cactus Classic, and other on campus events between 2006-2008 that involved prospective student-athletes, and whether or not Olson asked and/or received financial contributions from boosters. Apparently, Olson sent a letter with his digitized signature to the Rebounders Club asking for donations.


Arizona self-imposed some sanctions, but today the NCAA handed down their ruling. From Jeff Goodman's blog:

• Public reprimand and censure.
• Two years probation from July 29, 2010 through July 28, 2012. That was self-imposed by the school. (Arizona self-imposed).
• Reduction in number of official visits in men's basketball from 12 to six for the 2010-11 academic year and six for the 2011-12 recruiting year. (Arizona had self-imposed 11 for 2009-10 and eight for 2010-11).
• Reduction in the number of "recruiting-person days" from 130 to 120 during the 2009-10 season and 130 to 100 during the 2010-11 academic year. (The committee added 10 days to the institution's 20-day reduction for 2010-11).
• Reduction in the number of "recruiting-person days" by eight during the 2010 summer evaluation period. The institution had imposed.
• Reduction by one in scholarships from 13 to 12 in the 2011-12 academic year, which was already imposed by the institution. The committee also determined the school shall reduce by one in the 2012-13 academic year.
• Two men's basketball players competed while ineligible during the 2007-08 academic year, based on their receipt of impermissible benefits in conjunction with the 2006 Cactus Classic. The institution will vacate all wins in which those players competed while ineligible.
• Disassociation of the promoter from the institution's athletic program based on his involvement in violation of NCAA rules. (Institution had self-imposed).

The irony in all of this (other than the fact that these violations landed Arizona Jamelle Horne and Zane Johnson)?

These punishments essentially mean nothing. We've said it a thousand times, and I'm sure you've read it a million more, the vacation of games means absolutely nothing. This is real life, we're not erasing a season on NCAA 2K10.

If this same principle applied to my life, then would I allowed to sleep around behind my girlfriend's back? Once she found out I was "cheating", couldn't I just vacate my "victories"? Then is all forgiven? (Maybe we should ask Rick Pitino.)

This punishment won't ruin how fans and media think of Lute Olson. He will forever be known as the coach that built a national power in Tucson. The only "tarnish" on his legacy is the way his career ended, but much of that involves his personal, and mental, health. Hell, it isn't even Olson's wins that are being vacated; they are Kevin O'Neill's. Olson didn't coach the 2007-2008 season. Once again, O'Neill is paying for another coaches crimes. (O'Neill is just a glutton for punishment, isn't he?)

(A bit off topic, but I wonder if Arizona State's 2008 squad is upset. The Wildcats are now the second tournament team to have their season vacated (Memphis), and if you remember, many believed that the Sun Devils -- who had a better league and overall record, and who beat their in-state rivals twice -- should have gotten an at-large bid.)

The recruiting penalties are the only place that Sean Miller and company are going to feel any pain, but it will be minimal. This team isn't going to need to do all that much recruiting this year or next year. There is only one rising senior on the roster, only two rising juniors got significant minutes last season, and both the freshmen and sophomore classes are deep and talented. If he can keep those kids around for two seasons (and all signs point to Miller being able too -- Derrick Williams isn't on the 2011 Mock Draft at Draft Express), can't he focus the leftover resources on bring in a few talents to fill needs?

There is only one question I am left with -- what happened at FedExForum on December 29th, 2007?
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Arizona to face sanctions

According to one of Jeff Goodman's sources, Arizona is expected to self-impose sanctions resulting from violations during the end of Lute Olson's tenure.

If you remember, back when Sean Miller still was coaching at Xavier and before Russ Pennell took the reins of the Wildcats for a year, Lute Olson hosted an AAU tournament called the Cactus Classic in the McKale Center for three straight years.

Olson left Sean Miller to deal with these violations.

Nothing wrong with that.

But the problem arose when an email surfaced, with Olson's digital signature, that asked the Rebounder's Club board of director's for financial assistance in running the event. Arizona was recruiting some of the players involved in the tournament, and since the NCAA prohibits boosters from providing money to help recruiting, this email was potentially an NCAA violation. Goodman also writes that there was another potential violation involving assistant coaches watching some of the games.

Sean Miller, who is now the head coach at Arizona, knew about the investigation when he took the Arizona job.

Apparently, there will be no postseason ban for the Wildcats, but according to Goodman they could receive punishments including "a loss of a future scholarship as well as a reduction of recruiting days in July and on-campus official visits because of recruiting violations."

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More Lute Olson News

Yeah, I'm sick of hearing about him too, but it seems as if the fall out from Lute Olson leaving is not over yet. First, Mike Dunlap, who most everyone expected to take over the reins of the Wildcats on an interim basis, turned down the position. The Wildcats instead hired former Arizona State assistant and last year's Sun Devils color commentator Russ Pennell. If that wasn't enough, it now looks as if Pennell will have to do all his own recruiting for the class of 2009, as Abdul Gaddy, Solomon Hill, and Mike Moser have all reopened their recruitment.

It now appears as if there is a reason for all of this madness. From USA Today:

Lute Olson suffered a stroke within the past year that contributed to recent "severe depression" and "changes in judgment," his doctor said Tuesday.
The 74-year-old University of Arizona basketball coach retired last Thursday upon advice of Dr. Steven A. Knope to step down.

Knope said an MRI done Monday confirmed that Olson "had a stroke in the frontal part of the brain" sometime in the past year. The stroke affected Olson's "executive decision-making and personality."

He was apparently taking anti-depressants throughout his leave of absence, was able to stop taking them around April but had to go back on the medication in the last few weeks.

Hopefully Lute will pull through all of this with a clean bill of health. If there is a silver lining here, it is that Lute's legacy as a Hall of Fame coach and legendary program builder is no longer tarnished after the ugly split with UA.

In other news: Cincinnati freshman Cashmere Wright, who was expected to move scorer Deonta Vaughn off the point, tore his ACL and is out for the year. Continue reading...

Lute Olson to Retire

I'm sure you've heard about it by now, but it seems as if Lute Olson has coached his last game at Arizona. According to Jeff Goodman of Fox Sports, Olson will step down as head coach immediately (maybe he heeded our advice) and Mike Dunlap, an associate coach, is expected to be named the interim head coach. It is unclear exactly why Olson is stepping down, but this makes it seem as if it is a health related cause (UPDATE: This NBC Sports article states that it is health concerns that are forcing Olson out, while this is ). Olson will be leaving Arizona with a career record of 780-280 in 25 seasons, taking the Wildcats to the NCAA tournament the last 24 years. He has been to five Final Fours, winning the '97 National Title. 

Regardless of the reason for his retirement, Olson will go down as one of the best coaches of his time. Olson will forever be linked with Arizona basketball as he took a program that was in shambles and turned it into a perennial powerhouse, churning ou NBA draft picks (13 first round pick, 17 second rounders), successful NBA players (Sean Elliot, Damon Stoudamire, Jason Terry, Mike Bibby, Gilbert Arenas, Richard Jefferson, Steve Kerr), and earning the moniker Point Guard U. Before Olson took the reins of this program, it had won just two postseason games of any kind (both upset victories in 1976) and was coming off of a 4-24 campaign. Olson missed the tournament his first season, but reached it every year for the rest of his career, compiling the following resume:

• 589-188 (.758) record
• 24 consecutive NCAA tourney's
• 4 Final Four's ('88, '94, '97 National Champs, '01)
• 11 Pac-10 Titles
• 2 National Coach of the Year Awards

Towards the end of his career, Olson seemed to rely too heavily on his recruiting, and earned a reputation as a guy that would just roll the ball out there and let his players play. The last few years have been rough, as Arizona seemed to perpetually be underachieving with the talent on their roster while going through a series of "mishaps", but that doesn't change the fact that Olson should be considered one of the best coaches and program builders in college basketball history. 
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10/2 - Some Links, Some News

-So Lute Olson is back in the news again. Remember how Olson decided he would no longer recruit one-and-done players, because of the defections of Brandon Jennings and Jerryd Bayless. Maybe Lute should look in the mirror. Apparently, after top 10 recruit Abdul Gaddy decided to re-commit to Arizona (he originally committed there, and then de-committed, and then re-committed again about two weeks ago), Olson withdrew his scholarship offer to Reger Dowell because his class was too guard heavy. The link is too a Gary Parrish column about it. And he has some good points. Recruiting is a cutthroat business, and recruits and coaches back out on each other all the time. Even Dowell was committed to Alabama and backed out.

So should you feel bad for Dowell? Probably. Should you be mad at Olson? Probably. Does this kind of thing happen ALL THE TIME? Definitely.

-More Olson news. Apparently the divorce that kept him from coaching last year is off of his mind. Olson is engaged again, this time to a 47 year old.

-Storming the Floor with a unique view on this year's coaching carousel.

-Two of the Final Four rings George Mason won in 2006 are now for sale on EBay.

-Santa Clara center John Bryant was stabbed in the back at an off-campus party over the weekend. Apparently, it is not that serious as he is already back in class.

-Joe Mazzulla and Cam Thoroughman both plead guilty to lesser charges stemming from an incident at a Pittsburgh Pirates game over the summer. They were charged with underage drinking, resisting arrest, and aggravated assault (just Mazzula), but were both given $100 fines (plus court fees). Continue reading...

9/18 - Some Link, Some News

-I thought that it would take Tom Crean three or four years to rebuild the Indiana Hoosiers basketball program, but after Crean signed Christan Watford, a 6'7" combo forward from Alabama and a consensus top 40 recruit, it looks like Indiana may be able to compete before that. Watford joins Maurice Creek (Rivals No. 59), Derek Elston (98), Jordan Hulls (106), and Bobby Capobianco (as well as Georgetown transfer Jeremiah Rivers, who will become eligible for the 2009-2010 season), giving Indiana what is just about guaranteed to be a top 10 recruiting class in 2009. The best news? Crean can recruit Indiana. Elston (Tipton) and Hulls (Bloomington) are two of the best local products. Crean also has 10 new faces coming into Bloomington (eight freshman and two JuCo transfers) this season, led by 6'4" guards Verdall Jones and Nick Williams.

-Yesterday we wrote about the newest trouble arising in Tuscon, Lute Olson's alleged recruiting violation. GoAZCats.com is probably the best place to get up to date news on all Arizona Wildcat athletics, but they have yet to report on the possible violation (although they were the ones to break the story about Abdul Gaddy re-committing). Gary Parrish tells us why. Jim Storey, the man whose AAU Tournament was the destination for the illegal funds Olson was trying to get from donors, also just happens to be the creator and principal of GoAZCats. Interesting.

-Last year, Duke Crews was the starting power forward for Tennessee before an injury, a suspension, and a heart condition combined to end his season. This year, Crews will be the starting power forward for DII Bowie State. Crews was kicked off the team at Tennessee, along with fellow sophomore Ramar Smith, for failing drug tests and decided to go to a DII school so he wouldn't have to sit out a year.

-Alex Stephenson still has not been cleared to play for USC this year, as he is awaiting word on whether he will get a waiver (aka the Tyler Smith waiver) because of the health of his father.

-Luke Harangody vs. Tyler Hansbrough. Both put up similar numbers, but one has much more star power than the other.

-Seth Davis of SI.com wrote an interesting piece looking at five teams that took trips abroad to play exhibitions during the summer.

-ESPN's Dana O'Neil catches up with John Chaney.

-Which state has the best overall college basketball? Storming the Floor tries to find out.

-Former Illinois guard Jamar Smith has received 18 months probation for violating a court order after his 2007 DUI, where he crashed into a tree and left teammate Brian Carlswell severely injured in the car.

-I don't like getting into recruiting too much, but there were some big signings yesterday - Tyler Honeycutt to UCLA and Avery Bradley to Texas. Continue reading...

Hey Lute, It's Time To Retire Buddy

What a year it has been for the Arizona basketball program. Take a look at this chain of events:

• In March, 2007, rumors start to circulate that Lute Olson has Parkinson's Disease, which he brushes off as a "vicious, vicious rumor".
• On November 4th, 2007, Olson announces that he will be taking a year-long leave of absence from the team and is to be replaced by lead assistant Kevin O'Neill. On December 7th, Olson files for divorce from his wife Christine. In April, it gets ugly.
• Then, the exodus began. First, it was interim coach Kevin O'Neill, who Olson graciously parted ways with threw under the bus. Then it was Jerryd Bayless (NBA Draft), Brandon Jennings (Europe), Emmanuel Negedu (common sense) and Abdul Gaddy. 
• Lute Olson sounds off on recruiting one-and-done players.

Now, it appears has if Olson has committed a pretty serious and damning recruiting violation. Apparently, a letter was sent out in May to the Arizona basketball boosters asking them to donate money to the Jim Storey Cactus Classic AAU Tournament (boosters are explicitly forbidden from financially assisting any recruits). From the AP:

"A 'personal and confidential' letter was sent to Rebounders Club board of directors over the electronic signature of Lute Olson, requesting that they provide financial assistance to Jim Storey's Cactus Classic AAU Tournament," Livengood said in a July 2 letter to Ron Barker, Pac-10 associate commissioner in charge of governance and enforcement. "The letter expressed how important this tournament is to the Arizona basketball program's recruiting. The letter also stated [correctly] that 'The athletics department can't assist in any way.' Which would include requesting that donors make financial contributions."

Olson denies all knowledge of the letter, and some Arizona fans are even crying conspiracy (h/t RTC).

I don't know what happened. I am definitely cynical enough to believe that Lute Olson (and any big-time D1 coach for that matter) would have no problem skirting the rules like that (if you ain't cheatin', you ain't tryin'). But to be honest, it is not even a huge problem as Arizona self-reported it back in July, and it is the type of thing (a form letter with a digitized signature) that would be very easy to forge (and if you believe some of those 'Zona fans, a very real possibility).

Whether Lute sent the letter or not doesn't change the fact that it may be time for him to hang it up. He's 74 years old and his teams have consistently underachieved during the new millenium (although to be fair, his assistants are he is a helluva recruiter as he just re-landed top 10 recruit Abdul Gaddy). To me, it has always seemed as if Lute Olson has just rolled the ball out there and let his guys play. Granted, there is a method to the madness - he lands talented lead guards, surrounds them with talented role players, and then runs a system where the Wildcats push the ball and play in the open court. That is fine when you are loaded at every position (remember in 2000-01 when they had Gilbert Arenas, Richard Jefferson, Luke Walton, Loren Woods, Michael Wright, and Jason Gardner? I think only the 1996 Kentucky team and the 2006 UConn team had more talent in my lifetime), but it is tough when you aren't.

I loved Lute and Arizona back in the day. Besides UConn, they were probably my favorite team growing up. I just hope that Olson's legacy lives on as the great things he did for the program in the 90's, and not that he ran it into the ground these last four or five seasons. Continue reading...