He was 85. 1, 2 or 3 but often found themselves the victim of a first- or second-round upset. While Olson was not directly reprimanded, he accepted blame, telling ESPN, “That wasn’t anyone else’s fault. When he stepped away for good, he had amassed 589 wins including a record 327 conference victories.
section: | slug: legendary-former-arizona-coach-lute-olson-who-built-the-wildcats-into-a-national-power-dies-at-85 | sport: collegebasketball | route: article_single.us | Olson called the moment, humbling.During his 25 years as Arizona’s head coach, Olson turned the Wildcat program from a basement dweller to one of the most recognizable brands in college basketball. He was more than a coach to all of his players.
Who was Lute Olson? He is one of only 14 men's coaches to take two different schools to the Final Four. Olson coached basketball at the high school level for 11 years in his 20s and 30s before moving on to junior college and eventually into the D-I rank. Lute Olson, the man who guided the University of Arizona to an unlikely 1997 NCAA Tournament championship, died … His tenure ended with some schisms and bumpy behavior, as Olson unknowingly suffered a stroke that his doctor would later publicly state led to depression and irregular behavior. “Lute Olson was so much more than a basketball coach. His overall record was 781-280.Olson sent several players to the NBA, including Steve Kerr, Mike Bibby, Jason Terry, Gilbert Arenas and Damon Stoudamire.Olson was married to Roberta “Bobbi” Russell for 47 years and they had five children. Play Now I leave with a great sense of pride in what we have accomplished here.” At the time, Wildcat head football coach Mike Stoops summed up Olson’s tenure in three words: “He’s an icon.”Olson claimed his retirement was due in part to his desire to devote more time to family.
The less-than-graceful end of Olson's time with Arizona did not affect his standing in the community or with Arizona fans whatsoever.
The Washington Post called it, “one of the most dizzying, fiercely contested NCAA men’s basketball tournament finals ever.” It was quick vs. quicker with junior guard Miles Simon and freshman guard Mike Bibby leading the charge. 1 seeds in a single That '97 title was all the more memorable and surprising due to Arizona's reputation in the NCAA Tournament prior to that year. Olson sent 34 players into the NBA who, over time, earned over $1 billion in salaries and numerous championship rings. The penalties came as a result of recruiting violations that stemmed, in part, from Olson’s promotion of two youth basketball tournaments.
Arizona knocked off blue bloods Kansas (probably the best team in the sport that season), North Carolina and reigning champion Kentucky en route to winning it all. Lute Olson, the Hall of Fame coach who spent nine years at Iowa and became a legend at Arizona, passed away Thursday. Play Now Getting the Arizona job in 1983 ultimately meant Olson would settle in Tucson, Arizona, for life; he lived there all 12 years following his retirement. Instead, he remained an active cheerleader of the program and his permanent replacement Sean Miller. Olson coached Arizona for the final 24 seasons of his career.
Arizona courted Olson in 1983 after the then-49-year-old had made Iowa a nationally relevant program by taking the Hawkeyes to five straight NCAA Tournaments, including the 1980 Final Four, at a time when the tournament was composed of far fewer schools than the 64-/68-team format that made it the March Madness monolith it's known as today. "Having asked his former players, coaches and people in our community the same question, I came to a final conclusion: He had no weaknesses as a coach.
Lute Olson, the man who guided the University of Arizona to an unlikely 1997 NCAA Tournament championship, died Thursday at the age of 85, according to the university.
Arizona went on a 17-2 run leading up to the National Championship game. at His coaching legacy continues thanks to his granddaughter, Julie Hairgrove, who is an assistant with the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury, and his grandson, Matt Brase, an assistant with the Houston Rockets.CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Commissioner.com is a registered trademark of CBS Interactive Inc.
The team was a potent mixture of pure talent and plenty of chemistry.As guard Craig McMillian once pointed out, “I don’t think you could have a better group of guys. After her passing, Olson took a little over two weeks off before returning to work. Two years after their chance encounter, Lute Olson married Bobbi Russell, forming a partnership that would have everlasting effects on countless basketball players.Olson’s coaching career started in Minnesota where he coached high school ball for 13 seasons before moving west, eventually ending up in California. By the 1979-80 season, he had led the Hawkeyes to the NCAA Tournament’s Final Four.