TUCSON, Ariz. -- Arizona basketball coach Lute Olson said Thursday night he would extend his leave of absence through the end of this season, citing undisclosed family matters that require his attention.
In a statement released by the university, the 73-year-old Hall of Famer said he plans to return to coach the Wildcats for the 2008-09 season.
"There are personal issues within my family that need to be addressed and I must devote my full energy to that," Olson said in the statement.
Athletic director Jim Livengood said assistant coach Kevin O'Neill will continue to serve as interim coach for the rest of this season. The 22nd-ranked Wildcats (5-2) are at Illinois on Sunday.
Livengood said the university supports Olson's decision.
"All of us at the University of Arizona want what is best for Lute and his family," Livengood said. "He has brought immeasurable good to our program and the university and we want him to know that we are supportive and wish him nothing but the best as he tends to these issues."
Katz: Decision Needed
Lute Olson needed to give Arizona a final decision about this season. Now that he has stepped away for the season, he has earned the right to publicly deal with his "personal issues", writes Andy Katz.
Olson requested a leave of absence on Nov. 4, asking the public and media to respect his privacy. He has attended a few practices since then but has said little publicly.
"After consultation with my famiy, I have decided to extend my leave of absence for the remainder of the current basketball season," Olson said. "I do this with great reluctance because I care greatly about the University of Arizona, the basketball program and the players on this team. But there are personal issues within my family that need to addressed, and I must devote my full energy to that.
"I plan to return to coach the University of Arizona next year," he said. "In the meantime, my heart will be with the team, the coaches and the staff."
Olson is 589-187 in 24 seasons at Arizona and 780-280 overall as a college head coach. Until this season, Olson had missed only seven games in 24 seasons with the Wildcats. Six came after the death of his wife Bobbi during the 2000-01 season, and one was against La Salle due to a back injury in 1994.
"To our basketball fans and the community, I ask for your patience in allowing me the time to attend to my personal situation," Olson said. "I am most grateful for the statements of support and prayers that have been offered and look forward to a return to more normal activities in the months ahead."
The Wildcats were traveling to Chicago on Thursday night.
O'Neill, a former Olson assistant, rejoined the Arizona staff last spring to help shore up the defense. The Wildcats upset then-No. 9 Texas A&M on Sunday in McKale Center.
"Kevin has done an absolutely superb job stepping in for Lute," Livengood said. "We have enormous confidence in his ability to lead the team in Lute's absence."
The young Wildcats have been improving despite the attention swirling around the program since Olson stepped away. Arizona is trying to extend its string of 23 straight NCAA tournament appearances, the nation's longest active streak, and win 20 games for the 21st straight season.
"I have spoken to the team and they fully understand Lute's decision," O'Neill said. "It has been a challenge for them to deal with the uncertainty surrounding this. But they have handled it with extraordinary grace and are fully focused on the season ahead."
Friday, December 7, 2007
Ronaldinho's agent downplays Chelsea talk
BARCELONA, Spain (Ticker) - Ronaldinho's agent has dismissed reports that there is any agreement in place for the Barcelona playmaker regarding a move to Chelsea.
Spanish media claimed on Wednesday that a deal between Chelsea and Ronaldinho had been struck, with the 27-year-old reportedly being offered a $14.6 million annual salary at Stamford Bridge.
However, Roberto de Assis, who is Ronaldinho's brother as well as his agent, has denied that there is any such agreement and that the two-time former World Player of the Year is remaining calm as speculation about his future at the Nou Camp continues to dominate the headlines.
"I have not read the newspapers, but it is a big surprise for me, because I have not spoken with anybody," De Assis said in El Mundo Deportivo. "I cannot receive offers. The only one who can receive them are Barcelona."
De Assis said the Ronaldinho, who has a contract with Barca until 2010, has a "fantastic relationship" with the Catalan giants.
"He is very well, very calm," De Assis said. "Every Wednesday and every Sunday they write another story and everything changes very quickly in football. He is a professional who is used to these goings on in football."
Spanish media claimed on Wednesday that a deal between Chelsea and Ronaldinho had been struck, with the 27-year-old reportedly being offered a $14.6 million annual salary at Stamford Bridge.
However, Roberto de Assis, who is Ronaldinho's brother as well as his agent, has denied that there is any such agreement and that the two-time former World Player of the Year is remaining calm as speculation about his future at the Nou Camp continues to dominate the headlines.
"I have not read the newspapers, but it is a big surprise for me, because I have not spoken with anybody," De Assis said in El Mundo Deportivo. "I cannot receive offers. The only one who can receive them are Barcelona."
De Assis said the Ronaldinho, who has a contract with Barca until 2010, has a "fantastic relationship" with the Catalan giants.
"He is very well, very calm," De Assis said. "Every Wednesday and every Sunday they write another story and everything changes very quickly in football. He is a professional who is used to these goings on in football."
Thursday, December 6, 2007
Hawaii dealing with a shortfall of Sugar Bowl tickets after relinquishing 4,000 tickets
HONOLULU (AP) -- Georgia's apparent home-field advantage at the upcoming Sugar Bowl just grew by 4,000 fans -- thanks to Hawaii.
The University of Hawaii decided against taking its full 17,500-ticket allotment for the Jan. 1 game because it was concerned it could not sell them all, so 4,000 tickets were gladly accepted by Georgia.
With Hawaii quickly selling out its reduced allotment of 13,500 tickets by Tuesday, many angry Warriors' fans and season-ticket holders were left scrambling to find tickets to the school's first bowl game outside the Aloha State since the 1992 Holiday Bowl.
Tickets, ranging from $125 to $145, were first made available to the Warriors' 23,000 season-ticket holders and sold out quickly. Tickets were supposed go on sale to the general public Wednesday, but that never happened.
The university has created a waiting list and is offering to buy back tickets if purchasers were unable to make travel arrangements.
Warriors athletic director Herman Frazier was traveling and unavailable for comment Wednesday.
Western Athletic Conference commissioner Karl Benson said Hawaii elected to take fewer tickets based on its best estimate of how many it could sell, "and at the suggestion of the Sugar Bowl, who was trying to accommodate the SEC team with more tickets to satisfy their demand."
Sugar Bowl officials say it was Hawaii's decision.
"They chose not to take their full allotment. That was Hawaii's decision," Sugar Bowl spokesman Duane Lewis said. "We definitely didn't tell them not to take it, it was their choice."
Scalping apparently was also a concern.
"No one in this business wants to see tickets dumped in the secondary market," Benson said.
The 10th-ranked Warriors earned a BCS berth to face the fourth-ranked Bulldogs (10-2) after finishing as the nation's only unbeaten team at 12-0, led by quarterback and Heisman Trophy finalist Colt Brennan.
Despite the team's unprecedented season, taking fewer tickets may have seemed logical. The 50,000-seat Aloha Stadium was only soldout for two of Hawaii's seven home games this year.
At the 1992 Holiday Bowl, Hawaii's last appearance on the mainland, the school was only able to sell about 4,000 tickets.
John McNamara, Hawaii's associate athletic director, said a major concern was the possibility of losing money from the bowl payout.
"Georgia has been to multiple BCS games. They know what they're capable of doing. We had no frame of reference or history to fall back on," he said.
The good news is, help may soon be on the way for Hawaii fans.
"We're looking to help them get more tickets," Lewis said. "We understand there's great demand and we'll do everything we can."
Brennan was puzzled at the move to take fewer tickets.
"Why did they do that?" he said. "You know what, it's no surprise to me."
Georgia is also dealing with a ticket shortage and has had no problem drawing fans. All of its games at 92,746-capacity Sanford Stadium were sold out this year. The Bulldogs have about three times as many season-ticket holders as Hawaii.
"Our waiting list is less than 100," McNamara said. "Georgia's is more than 5,000. ... Georgia is dealing with disappointed fans. We're dealing with disappointed fans."
The University of Hawaii decided against taking its full 17,500-ticket allotment for the Jan. 1 game because it was concerned it could not sell them all, so 4,000 tickets were gladly accepted by Georgia.
With Hawaii quickly selling out its reduced allotment of 13,500 tickets by Tuesday, many angry Warriors' fans and season-ticket holders were left scrambling to find tickets to the school's first bowl game outside the Aloha State since the 1992 Holiday Bowl.
Tickets, ranging from $125 to $145, were first made available to the Warriors' 23,000 season-ticket holders and sold out quickly. Tickets were supposed go on sale to the general public Wednesday, but that never happened.
The university has created a waiting list and is offering to buy back tickets if purchasers were unable to make travel arrangements.
Warriors athletic director Herman Frazier was traveling and unavailable for comment Wednesday.
Western Athletic Conference commissioner Karl Benson said Hawaii elected to take fewer tickets based on its best estimate of how many it could sell, "and at the suggestion of the Sugar Bowl, who was trying to accommodate the SEC team with more tickets to satisfy their demand."
Sugar Bowl officials say it was Hawaii's decision.
"They chose not to take their full allotment. That was Hawaii's decision," Sugar Bowl spokesman Duane Lewis said. "We definitely didn't tell them not to take it, it was their choice."
Scalping apparently was also a concern.
"No one in this business wants to see tickets dumped in the secondary market," Benson said.
The 10th-ranked Warriors earned a BCS berth to face the fourth-ranked Bulldogs (10-2) after finishing as the nation's only unbeaten team at 12-0, led by quarterback and Heisman Trophy finalist Colt Brennan.
Despite the team's unprecedented season, taking fewer tickets may have seemed logical. The 50,000-seat Aloha Stadium was only soldout for two of Hawaii's seven home games this year.
At the 1992 Holiday Bowl, Hawaii's last appearance on the mainland, the school was only able to sell about 4,000 tickets.
John McNamara, Hawaii's associate athletic director, said a major concern was the possibility of losing money from the bowl payout.
"Georgia has been to multiple BCS games. They know what they're capable of doing. We had no frame of reference or history to fall back on," he said.
The good news is, help may soon be on the way for Hawaii fans.
"We're looking to help them get more tickets," Lewis said. "We understand there's great demand and we'll do everything we can."
Brennan was puzzled at the move to take fewer tickets.
"Why did they do that?" he said. "You know what, it's no surprise to me."
Georgia is also dealing with a ticket shortage and has had no problem drawing fans. All of its games at 92,746-capacity Sanford Stadium were sold out this year. The Bulldogs have about three times as many season-ticket holders as Hawaii.
"Our waiting list is less than 100," McNamara said. "Georgia's is more than 5,000. ... Georgia is dealing with disappointed fans. We're dealing with disappointed fans."
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