Lute

[pc in NM]

Lute probably doesn't like me. A friend and I were walking to Staples Center for the 2012 PAC tourney in the walkway north of the ESPNZone. It was early and relatively empty and who should we see but Lute and his wife talking with some couple who said their pleasantries and walked off. They had gotten a picture and my friend had never met or seen Lute off the court (Lute and I go way back, walking by each other in an empty McKale while I was on my way to a class....I'd nod and say "Coach" and he'd nod back and say "hello"), so I asked if we could get a picture of him with my friend. He and his wife smiled and he said "yes", so my friend jumped into a pic with Lute and wife (cropping is essential).

I snapped the pic, we all shook hands, and I started to walk off. My friend said "what about you?" Lute looked at me with a look I can only describe as Regal Puppy Dog. He was confused. I said "No...thank you. I took a picture with you in Flagstaff recently". (I had, in fact, been in a picture with him at a YMCA fundraiser up north). Lute looked confused, said OK, and they walked off.

My friend caught up to me and said "you totally left Lute hanging. He looked...sad."

I looked back and they were well on their way. I hadn't considered his feelings. I thought I was saving him an obligation. I didn't for one second consider that he missed coaching and the attention...albeit in small doses.

I felt bad the rest of the day...I didn't consider HE might have wanted me to ask for a picture.

Wow!! You made him a clickold!!

[Newportcat]

I was in a marketing class at U of A where the teacher asked us to reach out to someone we admire and interview them to learn how they became successful. It was my junior year at U of A and I used a connection I had to reach out to Lute's office. Throw a name out to his secretary hoping for a miracle. Two days later she called me and told me he could spend 30 minutes with me before he was speaking at another Eller class on leadership the next day (It was after the season).

I am waiting in the main lobby of Eller and in walks Lute. I introduce myself and we spend 30 minutes discussing his career and life. Greatest 30 minutes of my life and he was unbelievably gracious. I remember posting on the old Goazcats board the fact I got to interview Lute and everything he told me that day.

Fast forward about 18 months and I am in Long Beach for a U of A fundraiser event where Lute is speaking. Lute comes around to introduce himself to every table like the utter class act he was. I introduce myself and say nice to meet you thinking of course he has no idea who I was. He says, "well we have met before when you interviewed me for that class last year. You never did let me know what grade you got on it".

I told him I got an F because the teacher thought I made up interviewing Lute Olson. Lute laughed.

That moment was possibly the greatest moment of my life the fact Lute remembered me.

[UAEebs86]

I was in a marketing class at U of A where the teacher asked us to reach out to someone we admire and interview them to learn how they became successful. It was my junior year at U of A and I used a connection I had to reach out to Lute's office. Throw a name out to his secretary hoping for a miracle. Two days later she called me and told me he could spend 30 minutes with me before he was speaking at another Eller class on leadership the next day (It was after the season).

I am waiting in the main lobby of Eller and in walks Lute. I introduce myself and we spend 30 minutes discussing his career and life. Greatest 30 minutes of my life and he was unbelievably gracious. I remember posting on the old Goazcats board the fact I got to interview Lute and everything he told me that day.

Fast forward about 18 months and I am in Long Beach for a U of A fundraiser event where Lute is speaking. Lute comes around to introduce himself to every table like the utter class act he was. I introduce myself and say nice to meet you thinking of course he has no idea who I was. He says, "well we have met before when you interviewed me for that class last year. You never did let me know what grade you got on it".

I told him I got an F because the teacher thought I made up interviewing Lute Olson. Lute laughed.

That moment was possibly the greatest moment of my life the fact Lute remembered me.

Awesome story!

One of my all-time favorite pictures was me and my best friend with Lute pre-game when the 'Cats played Temple in Florida back in 1992.
I treasure it to this day. Lute is all class.

[Irish27]

invite-only event

boooooooooo

Anyone know if Hansen was not invited?

[rgdeuce]

Lute probably doesn't like me. A friend and I were walking to Staples Center for the 2012 PAC tourney in the walkway north of the ESPNZone. It was early and relatively empty and who should we see but Lute and his wife talking with some couple who said their pleasantries and walked off. They had gotten a picture and my friend had never met or seen Lute off the court (Lute and I go way back, walking by each other in an empty McKale while I was on my way to a class....I'd nod and say "Coach" and he'd nod back and say "hello"), so I asked if we could get a picture of him with my friend. He and his wife smiled and he said "yes", so my friend jumped into a pic with Lute and wife (cropping is essential).

I snapped the pic, we all shook hands, and I started to walk off. My friend said "what about you?" Lute looked at me with a look I can only describe as Regal Puppy Dog. He was confused. I said "No...thank you. I took a picture with you in Flagstaff recently". (I had, in fact, been in a picture with him at a YMCA fundraiser up north). Lute looked confused, said OK, and they walked off.

My friend caught up to me and said "you totally left Lute hanging. He looked...sad."

I looked back and they were well on their way. I hadn't considered his feelings. I thought I was saving him an obligation. I didn't for one second consider that he missed coaching and the attention...albeit in small doses.

I felt bad the rest of the day...I didn't consider HE might have wanted me to ask for a picture.

I've seen him walk up to McKale on gameday with his lady multiple times. Every single time his head is up and on a swivel, ready to embrace the love he still gets from the fans. You can tell he still loves it. Last time I saw him he complimented me on my shoes. Made my season (and I'm sure he knew it would).

[Irish27]

[Irish27]

[Beachcat97]

The Lute doc sounds incredible. Looking forward to it!

[Merkin]

Behind a paywall. When and where will it be available for streaming?

[84Cat]

Behind a paywall. When and where will it be available for streaming?

"LUTE" will air on CBS Sports later this year.

A new documentary about former Arizona basketball coach Lute Olson will premiere Sept. 30 on the UA campus.

"LUTE," a production of Podium Pictures, CBS Sports and Arizona Assist, will be screened at 5:30 p.m. inside Centennial Hall. Tickets are $15 for students, $20 for alumni and $30 for the general public, with a portion of proceeds benefiting the Lute Olson Endowment for Excellence in Men's Basketball. The screening will take place before Arizona's 7:30 p.m. Red-Blue Game in McKale Center.

The documentary includes interviews with Steve Kerr, Mike Bibby, Jason Terry, Kenny Lofton, Andre Iguodala, Richard Jefferson and Channing Frye, among others. Former Wildcat Luke Walton narrates.

The film's executive producer (Andrew Braccia) and director (Brett Rapkin) are both UA alums. Terry, a member of the Wildcats' 1997 national championship team, is an executive producer.

[Irish27]

[84Cat]

[AZCatGirl]

Started late, so if you DVR'd it the end might be cut off if you didn't add time. But it was very well done and gave a great behind the scenes look into how Lute built the program and what led up to the 97 run. Glad they also mentioned the ASU students who were asshole's after Kerr's father was assassinated.

A clip I hadn't seen before was after Kerr's injury he was asked what he would do if he couldn't play again. Lute quote him as saying, "I'll just go back to Tucson and get coach fired and then take his place."

[EastCoastCat]

It was very well done and of course I enjoyed every minute of it, but it was also hard to really depict his impact to the school, program and community in a hour documentary.

I left wanting more.

[TheCatInTheHat]

It accomplished the apparent goal, which seems to be to create an official player-endorsed history of Lute for posterity. They may have felt with the COVID-delayed memorial that he deserved more, and that's fine. A bit superficial, with no new real ground covered. With more time, you could get into all kinds of stuff with specific player recruitment stories, player suspensions and departures, rivalries with other coaches, feuds with the media, some of the issues with his stroke and second marriage, and his years attending games at McKale with Kelly. But, while that's all reality, I guess the time required and the negative aspects inherent in some of those topics wouldn't fit the script. It was a bit of an abrupt ending, like they suddenly realized they ran out of time and wrapped up the loose ends. In any event, over all it was nicely done.

[arizonawildcats]

It's worth checking out if you haven't seen it. Replaying tomorrow (Saturday) at 1 PM MT on CBS Sports Network.