Doctor: Olson had stroke

The Olson family and his personal physician, Dr. Steven Knope, held a press conference yesterday at the McKale Center to confirm what has long been rumored. Olson suffered a minor stroke sometime in the past year.

Knope said they couldn’t be sure when the event happened, but what they are sure of is that it would explain a sudden shift in behaviour that became apparent a year ago. Knope also said Olson had a bout with depression in the past few years, but that was unrelated.

The stroke was likely caused by a heart problem suffered almost eight years ago while on a trip to the Washington schools.

According to Knope this was not a stroke that cause physical issues, rather only affects judgment.

Over the past few weeks, according to Knope, Olson and himself had talked retirement. Olson mood over his last second choice was described as being “devastate.”

Olson is at home resting well, said Knope.

Dear Coach O'

Dear coach O,

I wanted to write and thank you for everything you’ve done for me. Everything you’ve done for my university, my city and my state.

You put the University of Arizona on the map before my friends and I cared if the University of Arizona was on the map. Now when people ask us who we cheer for, were we went to school, were we live we can be proud to talk about the University of Arizona.

Thank you for the all time greats. Thank you for Sean Elliott, Steve Kerr, Josh Pastner, Luke Walton and dozens more.

Thanks for 1997, the greatest year in the history of Arizona sports. Lute, I remember running onto my street as a freshman in high school screaming and yelling about our national title. Us, little old Arizona, were the kings of the basketball world! Neighbors were firring off fireworks. People honking horns and just generally make noise. It was AWESOME!!!!! Ditching school, work and generally life that next day all because it was our day, Tucson’s day. Thanks for all of it.

Besides 1997 thanks for 1988, 1994 and 2001. What would my closet be without those Final Four shirts.

Thanks for being a team that was good enough to break my heart. For if you didn’t win, losses to Illinois and other would not hurt like they do today.

Thanks for having a ticket hard to get in a town that sometimes seems like it wouldn’t support there own kids.

Thanks for bring Kansas, North Carolina, Connect and other top ten programs to Tucson.

Thanks for showing the Sun Devils who’s boss by fighting back with the fans that Arizona fans hate so much.

Thanks for introducing us to Bobbi, the first women of Tucson. We know you miss her and we all do too.

Thanks to both of you for rising so much money to fight cancer and teaching so many people what they can to do to prevent themselves from falling victim to this horrible disease.

Thanks for hosting so many great basketball camps for kids. So many Tucson kids have learned hoops skills from you-a great coach.

Thanks for making old age cool. Being gray in style. And being fit in.

Thank you for making this a letter that could go on and on and on.

Arizona Falls to USC

What a weird weekend it was in Wildcat land.

Just as the Wildcats were 48 hours out of the biggest home game in ten years, the basketball program did what they seem to have been doing for the past 25 years. They stole the thunder. Pre game Saturday the talk on the U.A. mall was not so much about what Arizona had to to beat USC or what would happen if they in fact beat USC but rather the talk was all about Lute Olson weird-second year in a row-stepping down from his post as head men's basketball coach.

Post game it was back to Arizona football.

Although Arizona didn't beat USC Saturday night they did get one of those rare "moral victories."

There's little question in my mind that offence cost the Cats the game. Saturday was like a flash back to the old Dick Tomey days. In the back of your mind you had to keep thing there is no way, no way Arizona score more then 17 points. That turned out to be the case. You kept thing one more play-one more score this is a different game. Yup, that was the case.

Yet most true, reasonably thinking Cats fans will come to this conclusion. It appears that Arizona is the second best team in the Pac-10 and could have the inside track to the Holiday Bowl. If they can do what they need to and can do. Really Arizona should go no worse then 3-1 the rest of the season. They could go 4-0, the really could.

They played USC closer then Arizona State. Closer then Oregon. Closer then Ohio State.

This is the best football team in Tucson in ten years. Now the question is, is the University of Arizona a football school now?

Arizona Game Day

What USC Trojan @ Arizona Wildcats

When Saturday, kickoff 7:15 pm

TV Fox Sports Net

Radio 1290am, 107.5fm

Weather 77-64

What to expect Let's not forget that USC is really good. Really, really, really good. We don't know how good Arizona is, not yet. So the million dollar question when it comes to this Saturday's game is which USC team and which Arizona team will show up. If the Arizona team from the second half of the Cal game last week shows up and the USC team from the Oregon State loss shows up, then Arizona has a good chance to win. If the USC that beat Ohio State and the Arizona team that lost to New Mexico shows up then Arizona could be in big trouble. This is the biggest football game in Arizona in ten years and could mark the real start of the Mike Stoops era in Tucson. It should be a fun night.

Prediction USC 34 Arizona 35

Olson Out-For Real This Time

University of Arizona athletic director conformed late yesterday afternoon that Arizona basketball coach is stepping down as head coach affective immediately.

In a statement released by the university, Olson said he wanted to spend more time with his family.

No interim head coach nor a successor was named yesterday.

BREAKING NEWS

ESPN's Dick Vitale is reporting Lute Olson is stepping down as head coach. Reports on ESPN is that Mike Dunlap will taker over for the rest of the season. Arizona started practice a week ago tomorrow.

Olson steeped down for the season about this time last year and Kevin O'Neil acted as head coach. Around Christmas O'Neil was named the next Arizona coach whenever Olson decides to retire. Yet a falling out between Olson and O'Neil resulted in O'Neil leaving to work with the Memphis Grizzlies of the NBA. Presumably O'Neil will no longer be the next head coach.

It must be noted that the U of A says the story is untrue and Olson is still the head coach. Olson has yet to say anything.

The Rollercoast Rolls On

So another week, another trip on the roller coast that has been Arizona football this year. I really don’t remember a season like this one. In the matter of one week and for the second time this year Mike Stoops, Willie T and the rest of the Cats have gone from goats to hero.

Now the Cats find themselves in a place where they haven’t been since Bill Clinton was president, tied for first place in the middle of October. If this means anything right now-I’m not 100 percent sure. After all the Cats still have to play all but one of the teams they are bunched up with. Yet that is also good news-for the Cats once again control there destiny. Win out smell the roses, loss out and stay home for the holidays.

It would appear that once again Mike Stoops has saved his job. After all two more wins and the Cats are in a bowl. They still have a very bad Washington State team to play and two very winnable home games against Oregon State and Arizona State. And the Cats, by the way, haven’t even played a close game in Tucson. Bad news for the Stoops Realtor-good news for him.

As a result of beating Cal Saturday, the Cats also saved themselves from being on a three game losing streak when they travel to Wazzu in a couple weeks.

So the question should be asked, was this the biggest win in the Mike Stoops era? Sure the Cats have beaten hire ranked teams in the past. Yet Saturday’s game really opened the door for the future. For all the above reasons Saturday’s win really saved a season. Could this really be the game we look back on in 10, 15, 20 years from now and say that’s the game that forever changed the fortune of Arizona Football?

I guess only time will tell, but for now I’m buying it.