Jamie Dixon might move to the top of the list very quickly to be the next head coach for the Arizona Basketball Program.

His Pitt Panthers are #1 in the polls for the first time in school history. It was just over 20 years ago that Arizona was in the same situation. Good times.

The Panthers are undefeated and having a fantastic year. A Big East Title and Final Four are very much in reach for Pitt. Now that we know that North Carolina won't run the table, the National Title is up for grabs.

I'm not giving up on this year's Arizona squad though. Or Russ Pennell. Not his fault the 'Cats couldn't hit water when falling out of the life boat. The shots will come.

Soon hopefully...

BALLS!

No.

That was not your classic Arizona/Stanford game. To my recolection, Stanford has never beat Arizona by that much. The final margin of victory for the Cardinal was 16 points but it wasn't that close. Cal beat Arizona by just about the same amount.

Arizona was 0-8 on Three Pointers. OH FOR EIGHT. Make half of those and it would have been a game.

It was good to see Chase slamming it home a few times near the end of the game. You know he's going to come out of that funk and then some. Perhaps Budinger will find his grove and even break the Arizona single game scoring record of 46 points, held by Ernie McCray. He certainly has the talent to do it.

The 'Cats couldn't hit anything. Stanford is very good this year. But they aren't that good. But they are very good. I anticipate a much better game between Stanford and Arizona in Tucson this year.

The good news is that Arizona has Oregon and Oregon State at home next week. If they can get back to .500 that is a step in the right direction. But Zona NEEDS to win on the road. Period. They are 0-4 on the road this season so far. That must change in order for them to make the NCAA Tourney.

No pressure.

Seriously. Don't give up on this Arizona team. They will bounce back. I know it.

And I would have been at that game today but I was busy letting a large herd of capybaras loose in a small town. Next year...

And Cal took down ASU tonight. Who would have thought the Bears would be 13-2 and 2-0 (Conference) at this point? Also Oregon State beat USC. It's gonna be a crazy year in the Pac 10. The Conference Championship is still up for grabs, even for ARIZONA!

0-1. Not a great way to start out the Pac 10 Season. Well... The best anyone has ever finished in the Conference was 17-1. Arizona did it twice. I think Stanford did as well. Maybe UCLA. Let's hope Arizona can do that. Actually they could go 1-17 and as long as they win the Pac 10 Tournament and get the NCAA Tourney Automatic bid that would be alright. But let's hope for a split in the Bay Area for Arizona for starters. Bear Down and Beat the Stanfords.

Cal be good. Monty. You know he inquired about the Arizona job last year. Sigh. He'd definitely be at the top of my list of coaches to succeed Lute. Maybe he'll only stay at Cal for a year!

Chase be in a slump. But he's no chump. He's going to dominate Stanford with some alley-oop dunks!

No worries. Unless ASU sweeps and Arizona gets swept in the Bay Area this weekend... No. That could never happen. Ever. It's against the laws of the of The Universal Basketball Federation of United Planetary Amateur Ballers (TUBFUPAB). Arizona's gotta beat Stanford. Who cares about ASU anyway?

Not Guert.

Was Cal then when they were good? Back in '59 were as the Champs then. When was that when they were is that they were good to play basketball? Now that is Monty on the sideline. Are they now? Good?

Monty?

Monty.

Coach Monty is was of the Stanford Cardinal then they were as good as if. Cal wasn't as if as good as Monty and Stanford was.

Not as good.

Now as better? Or as was.

Was it?

Arizona Comes to town is was sans Lute. Lute Olson. Coach O. Is was always will be a the best coach in of the Earth.

Olson.

Lute.

Hair.

Quality.

Now Pennell and his company that is new of Arizona has been like old at times.

So then if then was Cal good now are they better or not as they were but Arizona is not as they also were but of an entirely difference but of that which they lack is not much. Star power is there as is and was chemistry more so than of a last year or more.

Look upward for Arizona and for as is Cal but were then but better now.

It should be a good game.

Go 'CATS!

Just because Jerryd Bayless, Kevin Love and O.J. Mayo are gone along with quite a few other star players in the Pac 10, doesn't mean the Conference is going to be a push-over this year.

In fact with some new coaches in place it may not be as top heavy as last year but from top to bottom the Conference might be stronger overall. There will be no gimmies this year. Not even Oregon State.

UCLA will and probably should be the favorite to win the Pac 10 but they are very beatable this year. The most likely challengers might just be the two schools from the State of Arizona. ASU was expected to be very good. Arizona was not.

But the Wildcats are entering the Pac 10 Season with a very good record of 9-3 with high quality wins over Gonzaga and Kansas.

I predict the Pac 10 will place five teams in the NCAA Tourney this year.

Here are my Conference predictions (Tourney winner at the bottom)

1) UCLA
Until someone else wins the Pac 10 Regular Season Title you might as well pencil in the Bruins. They lost a lot from last season but have the number one recruiting class in the Country. They win with tough defense and they are very quick this year. UCLA is beatable but could lose 3-4 conference games and still place first.

2) Arizona
Lute Olson retired and everyone (including most Arizona fans) expected the Wildcats to roll over and die. No way. Look for the 'Cats to have a lot of grind out games but they will win some big ones too. This might be the type of team that could beat UCLA one week and lose to Oregon State the next. But Arizona should continue to improve and if they stay healthy, watch out! They are two points away from being 11-1 heading into Pac 10 play. A Conference Title is certainly not out of the question.

3) Arizona State
Herb has these guys playing tough and they have a lot of confidence and experience. James Harden is one of the best players in the Conference, but shut him down and ASU isn't the same team. ASU is off to their best start in decades and a 3rd place finish might be too low of a projection.

4) Stanford
Stanford has to be the biggest surprise of the Conference so far. Nobody expected them to be undefeated at this point after losing their head coach Trent Johnson and the Lopez Twins. But Johnny Dawkins and his staff are doing a terrific job. Stanford also returns some experienced veteran players. They haven't had the toughest schedule but they will enter the Pac 10 play with a lot of confidence.

5) Cal
Mike Montgomery just might turn Cal's Program around in a single season. Not that they were ever that bad. They just were never that good. So far this year they are 11-2 playing a decent schedule. The Bear's best win so far is a 20 point victory at UNLV. Don't be surprised to see Monty get them to the NCAA Tourney in his first year back as a College Coach.

6) Washington State
Wazzu lost a lot from last year but they have a very strong fundamental system in place. Tony Bennett and his players will be a very tough out, especially at home. If they can steal some road games this year they could place in the top 3-4 in the Conference.

7) USC
USC is an interesting team this year. A win over Oklahoma would have really helped but they couldn't quite do it. SC will need to place in the top 4 of the Pac 10 to make the NCAA Tournament this year. Definitely not out of reach but they could also place in the bottom half of the Pac 10 as well.

8) Washington
Washington is very talented but just hasn't seemed to be able to put things together the last couple of years. But if they make a run in the Pac, they could finish in the top 3. Then again it wouldn't be a total shock to see them in the bottom 3 either. They have a long way to go. Last year they didn't even make the NIT.

9) Oregon
Oregon has a .500 record going into Pac 10 play. The one thing that gives them hope is that they have been battle tested with a very tough non-conference schedule. So far everyone is undefeated in the Pac 10. It would be strange to see the Ducks finish this low but if they play the way they did pre-Pac 10, then it won't be pretty. And Ernie Kent will once again be on the hot seat.

10) Oregon State
I guarantee they will be better than last year but that is not saying much. They will need a Miami Dolphins type of turnaround to get out of the Pac 10 basement. Look for the Beavers to beat some people at home and totally mess up the Pac 10 standings, but a winning record or top 5 finish is very unlikely. Give Coach Craig Robinson a couple of years and these guys will be very good.

From top to bottom the Conference will be very tough. Tougher than most people think. A clear winner of the Pac 10 regular season may not be decided until the final week or two. There is a lot of balance in the Conference this year and that should make things interesting.

* Pac 10 Tournament Champion: ARIZONA
The 'Cats will get hot and stay hot in March, winning the Conference Tourney over UCLA and receiving an automatic bid to their 25th NCAA Tournament in a row. The Tournament champs will get a 4-5 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

The other, other Wildcats.

No, not Kentucky. Not Davidson. Not Northwestern. Not Bethune-Cookman.

Arizona needs to beat the Weber State Wildcats.

GO!

Guert is having a very good sports week. First Arizona Football gets to and wins a Bowl Game for the first time in 10 years.

Then the B-ball team beats Kansas (by a lot).

And now:

Miami Dolphins went from 1-15 a year ago to 11-5 and just beat the Jets to reach the playoffs for the first time in years. So they might as well just go ahead and win the Super Bowl. Even if they win just a game it will be the largest one season turnaround in NFL history.

Good times.

Go 'Cats tomorrow vs Weeeeeeber State!

This is the first start of the Second Semester where nobody has transferred or at least considered it for a few years now.

Jeff Withey is officially transferring to Kansas but that doesn't really count because of a delay in his release. It wasn't like he played 10 games and just announced he was going to transfer all of the sudden.

So no surprises this year. That is good.

Last year was Laval Lucas-Perry (now with Michigan).

The year before that was J.P. Prince (currently with Tennessee).

That really says a lot about the current coaching staff and the current players and their commitment to Arizona Basketball. They seem to be enjoying it. As they should!

Good times.

Hey guess what?

I saw a funny picture of Kirk Walters on a Rhino. It wasn't real. But it was real funny.

I really, really like the team this year. They are playing as a very solid unit on both ends of the court. The 'Cats are very unselfish and they are improving game by game. I still would have loved to see Lute Olson (at the top of his game) take this Team all the way (winning a National Championship) but under the circumstances there is much reason for optimism.

Once again, you can never replace the great Lute Olson. But to keep the Program at the highest level possible, here's who I think should be the top candidates to coach the Arizona Wildcat Basketball Program next year and beyond.

1) Rick Pitino (Louisville)
It's Rick Pitino.

2) Russ Pennell/Mike Dunlap/Reggie Geary (ARIZONA)
Kudos to the current staff for really getting Arizona to play well on both ends of the court. Can we just keep this staff and add Pitino? Pastner maybe (for recruiting)... Hopefully the good momentum will carry over into the Pac 10 Season, Pac 10 Tournament and NCAA Tournament. Don't forget about Dewey Pennell. These guys are doing great considering the off-season drama that seemed to change by the day.

3) Tubby Smith (Minnesota)
So far the Golden Gophers are undefeated this season and looking good. He's turned them around very quickly. And who wants to play at Minnesota? It's so dang cold there! Mr. Smith knows how to make and keep a winning program.

4) John Calipari (Memphis)
Only if he brings Pastner back with him. I don't think they will run the table again in Conference USA (watch out for UAB and Houston) but the Tigers will be ready for the NCAA Tournament for sure. Memphis has played in and won a lot of NCAA Tournament games in the last 3 years (two Elite Eights and a Title game appearance).

5) Jamie Dixon (PITT)
PITT is super tough this year. If they can win the Big East and Reach the Final Four, Dixon will be the hottest Coach in the Country.

6) Scott Drew (Baylor)
Look out for Baylor this year. They are one of the hottest teams in the country. Don't be surprised if they finish in the top 3 in the Big 12 and make a good run in the NCAA's.

7) Tom Izzo (Michigan State)
I'm less and less convinced he's going to leave the State of Michigan much less Michigan State.

8) Lon Kruger (UNLV)
* New Addition. I had forgotten that he lead Florida to the 1994 Final Four. Oh and his current team recently beat Arizona. By a lot. :(

9) Mark Few (Gonzaga)
Still a great candidate but moved way down since Pennel & Company beat the Zags. And now Gonzaga has lost 3 straight. Gonzaga still has a chance to make some major noise come March.

10) Billy Donovan (Florida)
He'd be higher but I really don't think he'll leave Florida. Might as well put him in the Roy Williams, Coach K, John Thompson, Jim Calhoun category...

11) Bill Self (Kansas)
Pennell beat him too! By a lot. :)

12) John Beilein (Michigan)
* New to the list: He just got there but he's really turned Michigan around. They are doing great this year and Beilein is a proven coach. Had Louisville been "Pittsnogled" by West Virginia a couple of years ago, John would have a Final Four under his belt. Michigan is definitely headed in the right direction. I wonder if LLP would return to Arizona if Beilein became the coach...

13) Bruce Weber (Illinois)
Illinois is TOUGH this year. Weber won't have many rebuilding years like he did last year.

14) Jay Wright (Villanova)
Run and Gun. They haven't really beaten anyone yet but they will get many chances during the Big East Season.

15) Anthony Grant (VCU)
We'll see if they can win their conference and make some noise in the NCAA Tourney. So far their record this year is just so-so.

THE ORIGINAL LIST

Good Job Guys

The Fiesta Bowl Classic has always worked to Arizona's advantage. Over the past 24 years or so Arizona has only lost once. It was to Mississippi State I believe. One point.

Other than that Arizona has always found a way to win just before the Christmas Break. It used to be two games but now it is just one that usually includes a major opponent. A couple of years ago it was Memphis. This year Kansas came to town. Last night's game was also part of the Pac 10 - Big 12 Hardwood Classic Series.

The perfect desert weather in Tucson this time of year always seems to relax the opponents. Probably too much so. That is the idea, not to mention they stay at the Posh Ventana Canyon Resort, just minutes from Sabino Canyon. It's a pre-Christmas vacation for traveling teams that are used to the frozen Midwest and East.

I remember being at many of those games over the years. One of the best was when that '88 Vintage Arizona team beat Duke and became ranked #1 for the first time in school history. You know, the game where Sean Elliott had that sweet Reverse Jam. I happened to be standing close to the basket and actually got a picture of it. I'll upload it one of these days.

Good Times.

Not a lot of teams come back twice to the Fiesta Bowl Classic. I wonder why?

It certainly isn't the weather. ;)

WOW!

That was a stunning turnaround.

I love the Arizona Kansas Series! And not just when Arizona wins. They are two great programs.

But you can cross Bill Self off the list (haha). ;) Pennell beats (Mark) Few and Self. What is he trying to do here? Stay? :) Next thing you know he and Arizona will beat Howland and UCLA twice! He's already done something that the Great Lute Olson didn't accomplish... Pennell and Arizona beat Kansas AT Arizona. But the Wildcats obviously didn't play them during the 72-game-in-a-row win streak at McKale Center. Pennell has a way to go to beat that record.

Chase's dunk was just sick. AbsoLUTEly sick! One of the best I can remember at Arizona period. I know there were a few HassAndre alley-oops that were pretty sweet. But man, that one handed jam (and one) was just awesome. And of course Chase made the free throw.

The fact that Chase "only" scored 5 points for the game and Arizona beat the Jayhawks by 17 points is outstanding. Everyone else really stepped up on both sides of the court. Hill was unstoppable and Horne and Fogg had incredible games.

Plus it was nice to see the McKale Crowd back! Really great crowd.

Absolutely fantastic win for Arizona and it will get some great momentum going into the Pac 10 Season.

Merry Christmas!

It took 10 years to recover from the firing of Dick Tomey and Arizona Football to have a winning record and make a Bowl Game. And as a bonus, they won it by beating a solid BYU team.

You could tell Arizona was better than their record showed. They were in almost every game this year and lost at least two in the final seconds. They know how to score and they know how to defend.

Willie Tuitama had a fantastic career and will be tough to replace.

But Mike Stoops. MIKE STOOOOOOPS and his rebuilding efforts have finally payed off. I knew he'd turn things around and that it wouldn't be overnight either. Five years is not a bad turnaround time considering the state of Arizona Football when Mackovic was fired.

Go 'CATS!

Great season. Next year might be even better.

I don't even think I had Lon Kruger on "The List" of coaches to succeed Olson. But today UNLV did to Arizona what many of Lute's teams did to a lot of good squads, they ran away with the game. Not to mention the Rebels couldn't miss a three pointer. I think they scored 42 points alone from behind the arc. Arizona had three points from Three Point Land.

Neutralize Jordan Hill, make a lot of threes and you beat Arizona.

UNLV did that very well, so I guess you can add Lon to the list now.

Funny. Mark Few moves down. Lon Kruger moves up.

Pennell stays about the same. We'll see if he and Arizona can pull off a victory over Kansas on Tuesday. That will be no easy task. But if the Wildcats can guard the perimeter and Hill can score at will like usual, then 'Zona has a good shot at it.

Arizona will need some good road wins in the Pac 10 because they didn't get any in the preseason. That won't fare well if they are on the NCAA Tournament Bubble. A top 3-4 finish in the Pac 10 will leave no doubt.

One time I fell asleep during the play, "CATS", but I never fall asleep during Arizona 'Cats games. Not even when they are down by 20.

Why?

I will tell you why.

Wait for it...

Just a little longer.

Do you know why?

Any guesses?

OK I will tell you.

Hold on a sec.

REGGIE GEARY

Coach Geary was one of best (if not the best) defensive players to play for Lute Olson during his tenure. You can see it rubbing off on the team.

Dunlap is also adding in some interesting zone/trapping defensive schemes. I like the trapping and the constant in-your-face style. It creates a lot of turnovers and speeds up the game, which is the style of play that Arizona Basketball still thrives on.

The 'Cats beat the Zags with great defense. The offense looked pretty darn good too and will get even better. Chase "only" scored 14 points.

Good times.

Arizona beat #4 Gonzaga in a close grind-it-out win. This time Arizona was able to hold on and keep the lead, unlike the UAB and Texas A&M games.

I like this Arizona team. It is good.

Perhaps Mark Few after now being an all-time 0-3 vs Arizona will say, "If you can't Beat 'em, Join 'em". He could still be Arizona's next coach.

But if (and I say when) Russ Pennell and Company keep winning like this, they will be such hot commodities that the UofA would be crazy to let go of them. If Dunlap can recruit some super star Euro guy and perhaps a few bangers from the Football team in the next few semesters, the decimated recruiting class could gain ground quickly.

If Chase and Jordan could somehow stay an extra year... Oh man.

I'm a dreamer. I will ask them.

Great win 'Cats!

Weeee!

Today.

But tomorrow I will.

See you tomorrow.

-Guert

Sometimes people go outside of the gym and into a frozen Winter wonderland. When I'm out there on the ice I feel like graceful swan. Sometimes when I see swans I want so swim underneath them and pull at their feet. I think that would be kind of fun and a little funny. The only thing is, when it gets really cold, water turns into ice. Then the fish hibernate (or whatever it is that they do) and people play hockey and go sledding and frolic in the snow. That is really cool. I would imagine that the water-to-ice phenomenon happens more than a lot in Canada. It gets pretty cold up there from what I have been told. I've never been there. Hopefully someday I can travel to the Canadian provinces and pull on swan feet from under the water and then later when it gets cold skate and play hockey on the frozen ice. Then the next day I'd enjoy chasing herds of caribou around the frozen tundra.

Arizona beat ASU in the Territorial Cup Football Game and will play in the Las Vegas Bowl the same day that the Basketball Team plays UNLV.

Awesome!

Very happy for Coach STOOOOOOOOOOOPS!

'Cats will likely play BYU.

If Arizona wins they will be 8-5 on the season. Not bad and they lost two games by 3 points or less (Oregon State and Stanford).

Good Times.

Hold me.

Geez. It's OK. Arizona will bounce back and be better for it. They played an amazing first half.

The Wildcats were the better team for 39 minutes and 40 seconds. But the game wouldn't have been close if it had not been for:

1) Nic Wise Fouling out with 7 minutes to go.

2) I really don't like to cry foul but the refs in "some" respects gave the game to Texas A&M.

3) Speaking of foul, Arizona couldn't hit water when falling out of a boat when it came to free throws. Free shot. Clank. It's ironic because we have such great shooters.

4) The Aggies got lucky.

I write about Arizona Basketball. I write about Arizona Basketball. I write about Arizona Basketball. I write about Arizona Basketball. I write about Arizona Basketball. I write about Arizona Basketball. I write about Arizona Basketball. I write about Arizona Basketball. I write about Arizona Basketball. I write about Arizona Basketball. I write about Arizona Basketball. I write about Arizona Basketball. I write about Arizona Basketball. I write about Arizona Basketball. I write about Arizona Basketball. I write about Arizona Basketball. I write about Arizona Basketball. I write about Arizona Basketball. I write about Arizona Basketball. I write about Arizona Basketball. I write about Arizona Basketball. I write about Arizona Basketball. I write about Arizona Basketball. I write about Arizona Basketball. I write about Arizona Basketball. I write about Arizona Basketball. I write about Arizona Basketball. I write about Arizona Basketball. I write about Arizona Basketball. I write about Arizona Basketball. I write about Arizona Basketball. I write about Arizona Basketball. I write about Arizona Basketball. I write about Arizona Basketball. I write about Arizona Basketball. I write about Arizona Basketball. I write about Arizona Basketball. I write about Arizona Basketball. I write about Arizona Basketball. I write about Arizona Basketball. And I love it!

Thanks for listening.

-Guert

Sorry Coach Pennell and the Current Staff...

The Arizona Fans (Myself Included) are almost acting as if the Team has already lost their last game and shouting "There's Always Next Year. Just wait until next year...". While it is exciting to think about the prospects of a proven coach, such as Tom Izzo taking over the reigns at Arizona next Season, let's be in the present moment for a moment.

So Far Arizona is 5-1 and one point away from being undefeated. They should have at least tied UAB. Even thought the Schedule is light (so far) they players, chemistry and overall team development is looking better each game. You've got to give both the players and coaches a lot of credit.

Just look at Zane Johnson. Arizona found it's Sixth Man the other night. Zane hit 5 three pointers and looked Steve Kerr-ish out there! If he can keep it up and the rest of the starters and bench players can keep improving, I wouldn't be surprised to see Arizona entering the Pac 10 Season with only two losses. UAB and the other most likely against Gonzaga. The rest of the games are winnable at this point for Arizona. Even Kansas because it's at home.

The McKale Crowd had better show up for that one! I think they will.

The game at UNLV will be a tough one but Arizona beat them on their home court last year. I'm convinced that the 'Cats are and will be better this season. The style of play that the current coaching staff has implemented sure looks a lot more like the "Lute Olson System" than last year's "slow it down, never use a zone and set plays" type of game.

The overall team chemistry is great. The best I've seen in years. Marcus Williams would have been a Senior this season but I'll take Jamelle Horne and his good attitude any day over a "Me First" type of player.

Russ Pennell and the staff are making Horne and everyone else better.

I'm still excited and very optimistic about THIS SEASON.

Hopefully other Arizona fans can become as much of a "Homer" as I am.

According to Jim Livengood's press release Arizona may be in talks with up to 15 different coaches to succeed Lute Olson. Who could they be? Nobody will say for sure and you can't really know for sure as it's the middle of the season. Here are Guert's top 15 (in order).

1) Tom Izzo (Michigan State)
Four Final Fours. One National Championship. 11 Straight NCAA Tournament appearances. Multiple Big 10 Championships. And he's accomplished all of that in 13 years. I've always thought that Izzo would be the man for Arizona if Lute retired before 2010. Well, here we are. And there he is, coaching another very talented (Final Four capable) Michigan State team. Coach Izzo has never coached a school outside the state of Michigan. But maybe he's tired of that icy wind blowing off of the Great Lakes and would consider the mild and beautiful Arizona Winters. Coach Izzo also likes Golf (Arizona offers plenty) and Bocce Ball!

2) Rick Pitino (Louisville)
He's taken 3 different schools to the Final Four (Providence, Kentucky and Louisville). Perhaps he can add one more school to that list (Arizona). He's won two National Titles with Kentucky and if it weren't for Lute Olson's 1997 Team of Destiny, Pitino would have had a 3-peat. He may not coach for another quarter century but a good 10-15 year run in Tucson might be just perfect. He's probably more likely to leave Louisville than Tom Izzo is to leave Michigan State. Over the last 25 years which program has had more success, Arizona or Louisville? ARIZONA!

3) John Calipari (Memphis)
He has yet to win the Big One but Memphis all but won the National Title last year before Kansas's amazing comeback to force overtime. The Tigers also won an NCAA record 38 games last year. Calipari took Memphis to the Elite Eight the two previous years as well. He also took U-Mass to the Final Four in the late 90's. As an added bonus, Josh Pastner is on Calipari's staff now and it would be great to see him back in Tucson!

4) Mark Few (Gonzaga)
Everyone loves Mark Few. Seriously have you ever heard a bad thing about him? He's really made Gonzaga a household name and they've gone from Cinderella to Power Program. And the Zags always seem to be very likable. No Final Four or National Title yet but Coach Few is very young. So young that he looks like he could suit up and play. He'll only get better as a coach as time goes on. The Zags are looking very good this year and Few might be coaching his best squad yet. They are more than capable of reaching the Final Four and they will likely be a #1 or 2 seed if they keep playing like they have been.

5) Billy Donovan (Florida)
It never hurts to ask, even though he already said no to Kentucky and The Orlando Magic. He seems happy at Florida and how could he not be? It's a great program and he's won back-to-back National Titles with them already. He played for Providence when they went to the Final Four under Rick Pitino. He did say recently that Lute Olson might be the best coach EVER! I agree. That has earned him major brownie points.

6) Bill Self (Kansas)
Why not? He finally reached the Final Four and won it with Kansas after taking the JayHawks and his former school, Illinois to the Elite Eight a bunch of times. Kansas is a great place to be. But then again, so is Arizona. He's a tougher get at this point because of Kansas just coming off of a National Championship. But if the Jayhawks get knocked out of the NCAA Tournament early he could be up for grabs. Expectations are very high in Lawrence, KS, and they expect nothing less than a Final Four every year.

7) Tubby Smith (Minnesota)
He's won a National Title with Kentucky and came close to the Final Four a few times during his tenure there. He's already got the Golden Gophers headed in the right direction. If I'm not mistaken he took Kentucky to the NCAA Tournament every year he coached there.

8) Jamie Dixon (PITT)
He's made PITT very successful in the Big East. Don't be surprised to see them in the Final Four this year. He is a Ben Howland Protoge and would know how to beat UCLA. That is always a plus for Arizona. He's one of the great young coaches out there.

9) Jay Wright (Villanova)
'Nova was the best team in 2006. Arizona almost beat them. Florida knocked them out that year and went on to win the National Title. Wright knows how to win in the Big East and in the NCAA Tourney. Last year the "other, other" Wildcats reached the Sweet 16 as a 12-seed. He also likes to run-and-gun with guard-oriented teams. His style would fit in nicely at Arizona.

10) Bruce Weber (Illinois)
They had a tough, tough year last season but almost won the Big 10 Tournament to qualify for an NCAA auto bid. This would be an ironic hire as it was Weber's Illinois squad that made one of sports biggest comebacks against Arizona on that dreaded night in Chicago back in '05. He took Illinois to the Title Game and Arizona just missed the school's fifth Final Four. Arizona still hasn't fully recovered.

11) Scott Drew (Baylor)
He's made the biggest turnaround this decade in College Basketball. And it only took him 4 years. He's 38 years old and one of the hottest coaches in the country. Baylor doesn't have the tradition that many of the Big 12 teams do so he probably won't be there for very long.

12) Thad Matta (Ohio State)
He's done great things at Ohio State in a short period of time. Matta reached the Title game a couple of years ago and if memory serves, he took Xavier to the Elite Eight.

13) Anthony Grant (VCU)
Anthony and VCU beat Duke in the first round of the NCAA Tourney two years ago. Enough said. He would explode if he got into a power conference such as the Pac 10.

14) Gary Williams (Maryland)
I can't believe he's on the hot seat at Maryland, especially being an alumni and winning a National Title there in 2002. Not to mention multiple Final Fours. It's a long-shot but if the Terps missed the tourney again and he was fired, Coach Williams would be a great pickup. He might already be talking to Arizona just in case...

15) Bruce Pearl (Tennessee)
Would J.P. Prince come back with him? He may be higher on a lot of lists but Tennessee is still tops in Women's College Basketball. I can't put my finger on it but I'm just not quite sold on coach Pearl yet. Tennessee's Men's program has never looked better though. They like to run-and-gun as well.

16) Russ Pennell/Mike Dunlap (ARIZONA)
The current staff is doing very well under the circumstances. It helps to have the big three with Chase, Jordan and Nic. We'll see what happens. Dunlap would have been a good hire but Arizona wouldn't give him a multi-year contract. It's likely both he and Russ will go on to coach major programs next season. Unless they take Arizona to at least the Sweet 16 and bring in some really good Euro/Aussie players over the next few months, it's more than likely that one of the coaches I have listed above will be coming to Arizona for the long haul.

Obviously Roy Williams is a lifer at North Carolina as is Coach K with Duke, John Thompson III (Georgetown) and Jim Calhoun (UCONN). Tom Izzo certainly seems like a lifer at Michigan State but you never know. It's very cold there. I don't see Rick Barnes leaving Texas, Billy Gillespie leaving Kentucky or Tom Crean leaving Indiana (he just got there). Mike Montgomery would have been a fantastic hire as well but he just landed at Cal and is unlikely to ever leave the Bay Area. Plus coaches don't usually move within their conference.

Bobby Knight probably called UofA just to see if there was any interest (hopefully not). He certainly wouldn't last a quarter-century as Jim Livengood has mentioned (once in a quarter century type of hire). So that tells me he may be leaning toward the younger candidates which bodes well for the Mark Fews, Scott Drews, Jamie Dixons, Billy Donovans and John Calipari's... Donovan has the best of both worlds. He's young and he's won a couple of National Titles. But he's most likely a lifer at Florida. Calipari would be more likely to leave Memphis.

What about Steve Kerr?
Sounds great in theory but he has zero coaching experience. Look for him to become Arizona's next Athletic Director. He would be better suited for that role. Not that he couldn't come on as an assistant if he so desired. ;)

Lute Olson will never be replaced but there are some great coaches who could step in and carry on Arizona's winning tradition that Coach O' put in place over the last 25 years. Olson built a powerhouse in the desert and Arizona is now a premier job. You couldn't say that in 1983.

That would be sweet. Arizona gets dibs on Beaker because they are Point Guard U! Beaker is super quick and can shoot the lights out from downtown (mememememe). Animal will grab rebounds like no other in history. He is a must get for the Wildcats. Kermit The Frog would be fantastic on the wing with his long arms and enormous hops (you thought Hassan Adams could jump...). Put Gonzo at the two guard because he has a nose for good shots and dribble penetration. Fozzy Bear would be a beast on the inside and "Bear Down" at the power forward spot. Put a Lute Lid on Dr. Bunsen and you've got a Hall of Fame Coach in the making... Imagine.

The Three Musketeers. Chase Budinger, Nic Wise and Jordan Hill.

They are big.

Huge.

Ginormous!

It took Arizona 35 minutes to fend off a pesky NAU team, but the 'Cats still won by 17 points. They can really score in bunches and I'm impressed with the way that they have been playing in late game situations. When the pressure is on, Arizona steps up, especially the Big 3. Even in Arizona's one point loss to UAB, the 'Cats made a big comeback to tie the game.

Jamelle Horne is right there as the #4 guy. He is looking better each game. Once he lost the headband things started looking up.

Now it's Judkin's turn to fling the headband into the crowd.

Jordan Hill's headband doesn't seem to bother him. The combination of his his long hair and his height and wing span cancels out any adverse effects caused by carbon fibers interfering with the Earth's magnetic polarity. Jordan doesn't miss many layups. He simply dunks it.

Overall a good effort and the team is improving.

Zane Johnson is the quiet X factor for this team. He can really shoot the three. But until he spends so much time making practice shots that he has a name for each individual floor board, his shot won't fall (like it should) during the games.

Good times.

I really like this team. And the staff too.

Let's just keep everyone and add Tom Izzo! And a Euro or Aussie big man for the Spring Semester since there is no sign of Jeff Withey coming back to the team.

But if you want the Arizona Basketball Program to stay one of the premier programs in the Country, Tom Izzo is your man. See his Bio below:

Having recently completed his 13th year directing the Spartan program, head coach Tom Izzo has compiled an impressive list of accomplishments, including one NCAA National Championship, four regular-season Big Ten Championships, two Big Ten Tournament titles, four Final Four appearances, four National Coach of the Year awards and a Big Ten-best 11 straight NCAA Tournament appearances.

These accomplishments, however, are not what make Izzo one of the best in the game, but rather it is his insatiable desire to accomplish more.

With a career record of 305-130, it's easy to see that Izzo knows how to win, but he also knows how to win the right way. In his 13 full years directing the Spartan program, 83 percent of his players who completed their eligibility also left with a degree. In the last nine years, 29 Spartans have received their undergraduate degrees, including five each in 2001, 2003 and 2007.

In 13 seasons, Izzo has returned Michigan State to national prominence, placed his name in the NCAA record books and become a leader among college basketball coaches.

Izzo's 305 wins are the seventh most by any coach in his first 13 seasons in the history of college basketball. In the NCAA Tournament, Izzo is at his best, winning at a clip of .722 to rank sixth among all active coaches with at least 10 tournament games coached. In 2005, Izzo led MSU to its fourth Final Four in the last seven seasons, becoming the only team to accomplish that feat between 1999 and 2005 and just the eighth team in college basketball history to do it in any seven-year span. Izzo also became just the second coach in NCAA history to reach four Final Fours in his first 10 years of coaching, joining Ohio State's Fred Taylor, and just the sixth coach in NCAA history to appear in Four Final Fours in a seven-year span.

Through 13 seasons, Izzo is already one of the most successful coaches in Big Ten history. His .678 winning percentage in Big Ten games ranks third all-time among league coaches with at least 10 years of service, behind former Indiana coach Bob Knight (.700) and Purdue's Ward Lambert (.685). In all games, Izzo ranks fourth, behind Knight (.734), Wisconsin's Walter Meanwell (.712) and Lambert (.709). With 145 conference victories, Izzo ranks 11th all-time.

Furthermore, Izzo brings stability to Michigan State basketball. The 2008-09 season will mark Izzo's 26th with the Spartans. He is the longest serving active Big Ten men's basketball head coach. He is also a leader among his peers, serving on the NABC Board of Directors, the John R. Wooden Award Board of Governors and the USA Basketball Collegiate Committee.

Over the past 11 seasons, Izzo has compiled an impressive 272-102 (.727) record. A quick look at other stats further demonstrates the Spartans' success over that stretch: 127-51 (.713) in the Big Ten; 158-13 (.924) at the Breslin Center, including a Big Ten record 53-game winning streak; 61-54 (.530) against Top 25 teams; 38-19 (.667) in postseason play and 26-10 (.722) in the NCAA Tournament.

Individually, players have excelled under Izzo. Six Spartans (Charlie Bell, Mateen Cleaves, Paul Davis, Drew Neitzel, Morris Peterson and Jason Richardson) have earned some form of All-America honors, while Chris Hill was a three-time Academic All-American, while Neitzel earned Academic All-America accolades. Eighteen different players have earned all-conference recognition.

One of the reasons for Izzo's success is his ability to recruit some of the nation's most talented high school players. During his time as head coach, Izzo has recruited eight McDonald's All-Americans (Mateen Cleaves - 1996, Jason Richardson - 1999, Zach Randolph - 2000, Marcus Taylor - 2000, Kelvin Torbert - 2001, Paul Davis - 2002 and Shannon Brown and Brandon Cotton - 2003). In addition, five of the last 10 Michigan Mr. Basketball award winners suited up for the Green and White (1999 - Richardson, 2000 - Taylor, 2001 - Torbert, 2002 - Davis, 2004 - Drew Neitzel), while Shannon Brown won the 2003 Illinois Mr. Basketball Award.

But perhaps even more important to Izzo's success is his ability to take young talent and develop a player's skills, allowing him to grow as a player and go on to play professionally. Since 2000, Michigan State has had 10 players selected in the NBA Draft, including six first rounders (Mateen Cleaves - 2000 first round, Morris Peterson - 2000 first round, Jason Richardson - 2001 first round, Zach Randolph - 2001 first round, Andre Hutson - 2001 second round, Marcus Taylor - 2002 second round, Erazem Lorbek - 2005 second round, Shannon Brown - 2006 first round, Maurice Ager - 2006 first round, Paul Davis - 2006 second round). Ager, Cleaves, Davis, Richardson, Randolph and Taylor were all high school All-Americans, but Izzo took Hutson and Peterson, who were not ranked in the top 75 coming out of high school, and turned them into NBA talent. In addition, Izzo-recruit Charlie Bell played in the NBA during the 2001-02 season after signing a free agent contract. The past three seasons, he has been a key part of the Milwaukee Bucks' playing rotation. Alan Anderson, a member of the 2005 Final Four team, signed a free agent contract and played two years with the Charlotte Bobcats.

Izzo has also emerged as a teacher, not only to his players, but also his assistant coaches. Five current Division I head coaches all served as assistants to Izzo, including Crean (Indiana), Stan Heath (South Florida), Brian Gregory (Dayton), Doug Wojcik (Tulsa) and Jim Boylen (Utah). Current assistant Mike Garland spent three seasons as head coach at Cleveland State following an initial seven-year stint at MSU. Stan Joplin was also head coach at Toledo for 12 seasons.

Izzo directed Michigan State to a 27-9 record in 2007-08, recording the ninth 20-win season in the last 11 years. Of the 17 20-win seasons in Michigan State history, Izzo has been involved in 14 of them, nine as a head coach and five as an assistant. The season finished with a trip to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament, marking MSU's seventh trip to the regionals in the last 11 years, tying for second most in the nation. The 27 wins marked the fifth-largest total in school history, while the 24 regular-season victories were the third-largest regular-season total for MSU. The Spartans were a perfect 17-0 at home, good for the first perfect home season since 2001 and just the fourth in Breslin Center history.

The Spartans led the Big Ten in rebounding margin (+6.8) for the ninth time in the last 11 seasons. In league games, MSU paced the conference in field-goal percentage (.474) for the fifth-straight season, becoming the first school in league history to accomplish that feat. Defensively, the Spartans held 19 of 36 opponents below 40 percent shooting, and 33 of 36 below 50 percent.

Michigan State finished with a 23-12 mark in 2006-07. The Spartans had to overcome a large amount of adversity and a very difficult Big Ten schedule, but they did advance to a 10th-straight NCAA Tournament. The Spartans also did something for the first time in school history - recording Michigan State's first home win over a No. 1-ranked team, with a 64-55 over Wisconsin.

The 2006-07 Michigan State squad excelled by getting back to Spartan basics - rebounding and defense. On the glass, the Spartans led the Big Ten in rebounding margin (+7.0). Defensively, MSU allowed opponents just 57.2 points per game, the lowest total since the 1951-52 squad allowed 56.0 points. Opponents also shot just 38.4 percent from the field, the lowest percentage since 1958-59 (.379). Nationally, the Spartans ranked sixth in scoring defense and field-goal percentage defense and eighth in rebounding margin.

In 2005-06, Michigan State finished with a 22-12 mark. The Spartans played one of the nation's toughest schedules, playing more games against teams ranked in the RPI top 25 (13) and top 50 (18) than any other school in the nation.

In Big Ten games, Michigan State led the conference in five statistical categories including free-throw percentage (.781), field-goal percentage (.469), rebounding defense (30.1), rebounding margin (+4.2) and assists (15.81 apg).

Michigan State returned to the Final Four in 2005, becoming the only team to appear in four of the last seven Final Fours. The Spartans finished the season with a 26-7 mark, equaling the 1979 team for the fifth-highest win total in school history. MSU finished the regular season with a 22-5 record. Since Michigan State joined the Big Ten, only three Spartan teams finished the regular season with fewer losses.

In the NCAA Tournament, MSU defeated No. 1 Duke and No. 2 Kentucky in the Austin Regional, becoming the first team in tournament history to defeat the Blue Devils and the Wildcats in the same year. Despite losing to North Carolina in the Final Four, Izzo was named the 2005 Clair Bee Award winner, recognizing the Division I men's basketball coach who has made the most significant positive contribution to his sport.

Not only did the 2004-05 Spartans win, they were also statistically impressive, ranking in the top 15 nationally in six statistical categories, including free-throw percentage (3rd, .777), scoring margin (7th, +13.1), assists per game (10th, 17.1 apg), field-goal percentage (11th, .487), rebound margin (11th, +6.8) and scoring offense (13th, 78.5 ppg). MSU led the Big Ten in scoring for the second straight year with 78.5 points per game - its highest scoring average since 1985-86 (83.1 ppg).

During the season, Izzo recorded his 232nd win at MSU, moving past Benjamin Van Alstyne for the second most number of career wins in Spartan coaching history. In summer of 2005, Izzo traveled to Kuwait to take part in "Operation Hardwood - Hoops With The Troops." Izzo was one of eight coaches and sports personalities coaching 13-member military basketball teams on Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, from Aug. 27-31. Camp Arifjan defeated the other bases to win the championship under the direction of Coach Izzo.

In 2003-04, MSU opened the season with a 5-7 mark after taking on one of the most difficult non-conference schedules in NCAA history. Rather than give up, Izzo and the Spartans rallied to win 12 of the next 15 games, finishing just one game out of first place in the Big Ten at 12-4. For the year, MSU posted an 18-12 mark.

The 2003-04 season saw Michigan State become the first team in Big Ten history to lead the conference in scoring offense (71.3 ppg), field-goal percentage (.522), 3-point field-goal percentage (.434) and free-throw percentage (.777) in the same season.

On Feb. 4, 2004, MSU defeated Iowa, 89-72, as Izzo recorded the 200th victory of his Spartan career, becoming just the third coach in MSU history to accomplish that feat. He also became the eighth head coach in NCAA history to record 200 wins in his first nine seasons. Ten days later, Izzo became just the third coach in Big Ten history to record 100 league wins in his first nine seasons, joining Bob Knight and Gene Keady as MSU defeated Minnesota, 69-58, on Feb. 14.

The 2002-03 season was a study in perseverance. Izzo rallied his team to win the final four regular-season games and eight of the last 10 conference games to finish 10-6 in the Big Ten, good for third place in the league.

Michigan State made even bigger noise during the NCAA Tournament. The No. 7 seed Spartans easily dismissed Colorado in the first round, setting up a matchup with the No. 2 seed Florida Gators. The Spartans shocked many experts with a 68-46 victory in the Gators' home state. In the Sweet Sixteen, Michigan State defeated defending-national champion Maryland in a thrilling two-point game, before eventually falling to the No. 1 seed Texas Longhorns in the Lone Star State.

The Elite Eight appearance was the fourth for MSU in the last five years. During that time period, no other school made more than two trips. In fact, since the NCAA Tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985, just three programs (Duke, Kentucky and Michigan State) have advanced to four Elite Eights in any five-year period.

The 2001-02 season may prove to be one of Izzo's finest. Despite losing 81 percent of the scoring load from 2000-01, and having three of his key players miss several games with injuries, Izzo led the Spartans to a 10-6 Big Ten record, finishing just one game out of first place. MSU won 10 of the last 13 regular-season games to finish with a 19-12 record and earned a spot in the NCAA Tournament.

In 2000-01, Izzo earned NABC National Coach of the Year and District 11 Coach of the Year honors for leading Michigan State to its third straight Final Four and fourth straight regular-season Big Ten Championship. MSU became just the fourth school in Big Ten history to win four straight league titles.

MSU opened the season by winning its first 12 games to establish the best start in school history. On Dec. 25, 2000, the Spartans earned the top spot in The Associated Press Top 25, marking the first time they held the No. 1 position in the AP Poll since 1979. In Big Ten action, Michigan State posted a 13-3 record to win a share of the league crown. The Big Ten finale vs. Michigan marked Izzo's 100th Big Ten game. Through his first 100 games, Izzo posted a 72-28 mark, the fifth-best record in Big Ten history.

In the 2001 NCAA Tournament, Izzo guided the Spartans to a third straight Final Four. For a third consecutive season, Michigan State earned a No. 1 seed. MSU won the first three games by double figures, establishing a record with nine straight NCAA Tournament victories by double digits. When MSU defeated Temple, 69-62, in the South Regional Final, the Spartans became just the ninth school to reach three-straight Final Fours and just the third since the NCAA Tournament field expanded to 64 teams in 1985. On the season, MSU finished with a 28-5 record.

Michigan State led the nation in rebound margin for the second straight season at +15.4 boards per game, tying the fifth-largest margin in Division I history and the greatest since 1980. The Spartans also ranked 13th in the nation in scoring defense (61.8 ppg).

In 1999-2000, Michigan State captured the second NCAA Championship in school history and its third straight regular-season Big Ten Championship. MSU also won at least 30 games for the second straight season, posting a 32-7 mark, becoming just the second Big Ten school to accomplish that feat. The 65 wins over the 1998-99 and 1999-2000 seasons is the greatest two-year total in the history of the Big Ten. The Spartans also repeated as Big Ten Tournament champions.

Izzo also led MSU to consecutive Final Fours for the first time in school history. For his efforts, Izzo was named USBWA District V Coach of the Year and NABC District 11 Coach of the Year. Izzo also recorded his 100th career victory in a Jan. 11, 2000, 77-71 overtime win over Indiana in the Breslin Center.

For the second consecutive season, Michigan State earned a No. 1 seed in the Midwest Region of the NCAA Tournament. After disposing of Valparaiso and Utah in Cleveland, Ohio, the Spartans moved on to the Sweet 16 at the Palace of Auburn Hills, Mich., where they recorded come-from-behind victories versus Syracuse and Iowa State. In the Final Four, MSU defeated Wisconsin for the fourth time that season. The Spartans then captured their second NCAA title in school history, defeating Florida, 89-76.

During the 1998-99 season, Izzo directed the Spartans on a magical run to the program's first appearance in the NCAA Final Four since 1979. Under Izzo's guidance, Michigan State posted a record of 33-5, establishing a school record for most wins in a season. For his efforts, Izzo was named the Basketball Times National Coach of the Year and the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) District 11 Coach of the Year. Throughout the 1998-99 Big Ten season, Michigan State established itself as the class program of the conference. Izzo directed the school to its second straight Big Ten title. The Spartans followed up a 15-1 Big Ten regular season by capturing their first Big Ten Tournament championship. The 15 league wins tied a school record for most victories in conference play, while the Spartans' 93.8 winning percentage established a school record.

Whereas MSU's success in 1998-99 was expected, the Spartans took the college basketball world by storm in 1997-98. Izzo became the first Michigan State coach to earn Associated Press National Coach of the Year honors while leading MSU to a 22-8 record and a share of the Big Ten title. The Spartans posted a 13-3 mark in conference, earning Izzo Big Ten Coach of the Year honors.

Over the course of the 1997-98 season, Izzo and his team recorded six victories over teams ranked in the top 25 and finished the year ranked No. 10 nationally by USA Today/ESPN, marking the first time the Spartans had finished in the Top 10 since 1995. In addition to his AP award, Izzo was named National Coach of the Year by Basketball News and the United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA). Basketball Times selected Izzo as its Mideast Coach of the Year.

During Izzo's first season as head coach in 1995-96, he directed the Green and White to an overall slate of 16-16, including a 9-9 effort in the Big Ten. Izzo recorded wins over Top 25 teams on four occasions. In 1996-97, Izzo guided the Green and White cagers to an overall mark of 17-12, including a Big Ten ledger of 9-9. Izzo led the Spartans to the second round of the NIT in each of his first two seasons.

About to enter his 26th season as a member of the MSU coaching staff, Izzo has been with the Spartan program since taking a part-time assistant coaching position in 1983. An assistant coach with the Spartans from 1983-86, Izzo left MSU in May of 1986 to become the top assistant and recruiting coordinator at Tulsa. But, on June 10 of the same year, Izzo returned to East Lansing when Spartan assistant Mike Deane left to become head coach at Siena College.

Since then, he has been the catalyst in the resurgence of the MSU program. Regarded as one of the country's top recruiters, he is known as a tireless worker both on the recruiting trail and in the office. His hard work and loyalty were rewarded in July 1990, when Jud Heathcote appointed him associate head coach. His dutiful efforts were further recognized when, on March 30, 1993, then-MSU Athletics Director Merrily Dean Baker recommended both a one-year contract extension for Heathcote through the 1994-95 season and that Izzo be appointed head coach upon Jud's retirement. The MSU Board of Trustees accepted both recommendations on April 9, 1994.

Izzo originally came to MSU from Northern Michigan, where he had been an assistant from 1979-83. He was named a part-time assistant at MSU in September 1983. When former assistant Edgar Wilson left in November 1983, Izzo became a full-time assistant.

Izzo played guard for NMU's basketball team from 1973-77, and was voted the team's MVP as a senior. He was also a third-team Division II All-America pick that year and established the Wildcat record for most minutes played in a season. Following his graduation from NMU in 1977, Izzo took over as head coach at Ishpeming High School and served in that position for the 1977-78 campaign.

A native of Iron Mountain, Mich., Izzo and former NFL head coach Steve Mariucci were Iron Mountain High School teammates in football, basketball, baseball and track. As college roommates at Northern Michigan, Izzo walked on to the basketball team, while Mariucci did the same with football. Both would go on to earn Division II All-America honors. Despite their busy schedules, they remain the closest of friends. For the past 10 years, they co-hosted a golf tournament in Iron Mountain to raise money for the community, including a fitness center for the high school.

In October 1990, Izzo was inducted into the Northern Michigan University Hall of Fame and was selected as an inductee into the Upper Peninsula Hall of Fame during the summer of 1998.

In 2001, Izzo received honorary degrees from both Northern Michigan and Michigan State, delivering the commencement address at both graduation ceremonies.

Izzo is also an active volunteer in the community. Among his many efforts, he is very active with Coaches Vs. Cancer, Sparrow Hospital and the Catholic Social Services/St. Vincent Home for Children in Lansing.

Izzo was born January 30, 1955. His family includes his wife, Lupe, daughter, Raquel, and son, Steven.

Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo Tom Izzo to ARIZONA!

I didn't see the game because it wasn't Televised and I don't live anywhere near Atlanta and the game wasn't on TV so I wasn't able to see the game even though the game was on and I could follow it closely through the Internet on the Yahoo!/Rivals sports site which is great because you can keep up with scores from around the country even on your phone if you are away from the TV and when the games are not televised and I'm very happy to see that Arizona was down 3 with less than a minute to go and won the game by three points and Horne got a huge dunk to pretty much seal the deal even though Santa Clara missed a last second shot to tie the game but that is OK because Arizona won the game that they should have won in the first place and next up is NAU so the 'Cats can just go ahead and keep on winning and gaining the confidence that they will need to win a bunch of games in the Pac 10 Conference and place in the top 4 (at least) in the conference standings so that they can make it to the NCAA Tourney for the 25th year in a row and all will be well in the land of Arizona Basketball and hopefully Lute is doing well and recovering and feeling better and Happy Thanksgiving to everyone who has read or not read this run-on sentence because punctuation is overrated but not really because it helps with the flow and structure of language but that is OK because my point is at least I will end this sentence with a period and I'm glad that Arizona won the game because they are my favorite basketball team and smiling is my favorite too.

GO 'Cats!

Arizona played and beat Mississippi Valley State 86-52 yesterday and the Wildcats' RPI went from 58 to 183. Their SOS went from 20 something to 175. The numbers constantly change, even if a team doesn't play.

It's kind of funny because UofA would never have schedule such an easy game ahead of time, but as a result of the last second loss to UAB in the NIT quarter finals, Arizona was sent to Georgia to play MVSU and Santa Clara in two consolation games.

After that it's NAU. So UofA's RPI/SOS numbers won't climb back up until they play Gonzaga, Texas A&M, Kansas and UNLV.

The numbers will be back up once the Pac 10 Season starts, and Arizona should have at least a top 10-20 SOS by March, which should help them reach their 25th NCAA Tourney in a row. That is if there's any doubt.

At this point a couple of cupcakes are good confidence builders for Arizona!

Santa Clara isn't a total cupcake but probably one of the weaker teams on Arizona's schedule at this point.

Intriguing. The ratings would be huge. But the rivalry already gets SO much attention that it is enough to turn your stomach. If the two teams met in the National Championship game I'd have to to with North Carolina. I don't like Duke. And I lived in Carlisle, PA where the High School had great success in the mid 1980's producing some great players that included Jeff Lebo, who went on to play at North Carolina, and Billy Owens who played for Syracuse. If you lived in Carlisle you cheered for North Carolina or Syracuse. Every once in a while you'd run into a Villanova or Georgetown Fan. I was pretty much the lone representative for The University of Arizona, or any school West of the Mississippi for that matter.

I've always liked North Carolina. Good school. They have great colors and a beautiful basketball court and excellent coaching. It sure was fun watching Tom Tolbert and Lute Olson's 1988 Arizona squad dismantle the Tarheels in the Elite Eight en-route to Arizona's first Final Four. In 1997 Carolina fell to Miles Simon, Mike Bibby & Company during a Final Four Semifinal game. It turned out to be Coach Dean Smith's last game. Lute Olson and his Wildcat Team of destiny went on to beat Kentucky for the National Championship in overtime.

In 2001 Arizona was upset by Duke in the National Title Game. That was the only time I remember Duke actually beating Arizona between 1988 and 2001. Coach K stopped scheduling Arizona after the mid 90's.

Had Arizona held on to beat Illinois in 2005 they most surely would have beaten Louisville and played North Carolina for the Title.

My point?

I'm getting to it.

Here it is.

North Carolina and Duke have both won multiple National Titles and been to countless Final Fours, and they both have very good teams this year. Especially UNC. But watch out for the Dukies. I don't like saying it, but they are due for an extended run in the NCAA's. Plus both schools have had numerous #1 seeds and I would not be surprised to see both teams at the top of their respective Bracket Regions in March. Last year UNC was a #1 seed and Duke a #2. Both teams are better this year.

Last season for the first time in history all four #1 seeds made it to the Final Four. On average there are two #1's that make the Final Four.

If there ever was a year that Duke and North Carolina were destined to play for all the marbles, this might be it. They would of course have to be seeded so that they don't meet in the Final Four Semifinals assuming both teams advance that far.

But then again if Arizona squeaks into the Tournament for the 25th year in a row and wins the 8/9 game they could face Duke in round two.

Then we'd have to go with Arizona for the upset! ;)

'Zona would then lose a close Sweet Sixteen game to Tom Izzo and Michigan State. The Spartans would go on to Detroit and play North Carolina in the Title Game.

North Carolina wins then Izzo announces that he will leave Michigan State after the season to coach Arizona for the remainder of his career.

Dick Vitale. I've always liked him. Why? Because he's always been a very vocal supporter of Lute Olson and The University of Arizona Basketball Program. I've even watched Duke games (don't tell anyone) for a few minutes and he's commented on Lute's perfect hair and the great program that he started in the desert. "The Frank Lloyd Wright" of Basketball as Vitale would always say.

But now that Lute has retired, Vitale doesn't know what to do (besides root for Duke of course).

He has stated recently that Arizona would be in great shape with Kevin O'Neill or Bobby Knight as an interim head coach.

What?

Who?

NO.

He's flat out wrong. I'd rather have Dick Vitale himself coaching Arizona than Bob Knight. Knight has won over 800 games but so what? He's much better as an ESPN analyst (I actually don't mind listening to him) and making cameo appearances in VW commercials.

O'Neill's personality and coaching philosophy just wouldn't/didn't work at Arizona as a head coach. Had the situation been different and he had actually been the defensive assistant to Lute Olson, that may have been OK. But not as the interim coach. The main reason Arizona made it to the NCAA Tournament last year was because of Jerryd Bayless. Nic Wise and Chase Budinger were also very instrumental in keeping the Wildcat's NCAA streak alive, but the slow-down, set-play type of game just doesn't fit their natural style of play.

Do you think for a second that Budinger would have come back from testing the NBA waters if he knew Bob Knight was coming to town? Wise would be sitting out a year at Texas or Baylor right now. Horne would be gone who knows where. Somewhere between San Diego and Kansas.

Luckily this scenario is not the case.

There will be no chairs thrown across the McKale Center floor.

Wow. Arizona sure is getting a lot of media attention as of late. In the latest turn of events, Jamelle Horne and "the foul" made the front page of Yahoo! today. I don't think Lute's retirement made Yahoo! front-page headlines. Unbelievable.

This team is very talented but has some young-lings that are being forced to learn quickly. The biggest thing will be working on mental concentration. The leadership of Chase Budinger will be what carries the Arizona team this year.

Perhaps Horne just had a slight case of Mustafa Shakur Syndrome, where his headband was too tight and caused the carbon fibers interfere with the Earth's magnetic polarity that lead to the incident...

If anything this should really be motivation for Arizona to kick some butt.

Every second counts. Mistakes will be made but these guys are a great bunch of kids that will bounce back. They are very likable and I think they will listen to the coaches now more than ever and get better and better as the season progresses.

Hang in there 'Cats.

It's still very early in the Season.

From an ESPN chat with Andy Katz:

Q: Barry (Norfolk, VA: With all the Lute Olson drama, do you see the Wildcats making it to the Big Dance for the 25th time? And who do you see as the front runner for the job?

A: SportsNation Andy Katz: It will be close with Arizona. Close. Arizona will talk to three people first from what I have been told: Jamie Dixon, Mark Few and Tom Izzo in some order and then will work from there if it doesn't pan out.

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TOM IZZO, TOM IZZO, TOM IZZO!

Seriously though. Tom Izzo.

I hope Pennell wins 25-30 games for the 'Cats anyway. I really like the current staff. Maybe we can just add Izzo to it. ;)

Few and Dixon are also fantastic choices. All three coaches have very good teams this year that each have a great chance to make it to the Final Four. It would be Izzo's fifth Final Four if Michigan State makes it that far this year.

I still miss Lute.

Wait until it goes up a bit. It will. This Arizona team is VERY young and that was made very apparent in their closer than close loss to UAB last night.

One point.

Arizona made a great comeback, tied the game and had the chance to win. But the ball never got to Chase Budinger. Two silly fouls, including one semi-unintentional intentional foul gave UAB two shots and the ball with one second left. They made one free throw. Game over.

UAB goes to New York and Arizona will travel to Georgia to play Mississippi Valley State and Santa Clara. MVSU has already lost to ASU and Washington State out of the Pac 10. Wazzu held them to 25 points for the game.

It won't help the SOS any but Arizona should get two more wins before heading back home to play NAU in a couple of weeks. Being on the road might help the 'Cats get focused for each and every game no matter how large or small the competition.

Arizona will become stronger. They are young but still have enough upperclassmen and experienced coaching staff to right the ship and prepare for the Pac 10 Season.

If ever there was a year that you wouldn't want Arizona playing in Madison Square Garden in the NIT, this would be it. Imagine if this was March already.

That would mean no NCAA Tournament for Arizona.

But it is not yet March.

UAB, an Oregon-like 3-point shooting machine will be in the NCAA tournament. I expect Arizona to be there too, perhaps facing UAB in the 8/9 game.

You never know.

That game deserves a do-over...

Wow. Good win. First win for Russ Pennell and the Arizona Wildcats for the season.

Russ has a Division I record percentage of (100.).

It sure looked like Arizona Basketball to me. The 'Cats are starting to gel already and if they keep their confidence up, play with a sense of urgency and avoid the injury bug that has plagued UofA for a few years, they will be very, very good by March.

So is Washington State by the way...
Flip them with Washington in the "rankings".

Wazzu just held Mississippi Valley State to 25 points for the game. 25 points. That is a bad half! Tony Bennett has a system and even though they lost a lot of players from last year I don't see them having much of a drop-off. In fact they will be tougher for Arizona this year because they will slow the 'Cats down. But then again hopefully Arizona can speed them up!

Next up for Arizona is UAB, lead by another great coach, Mike Davis. It should be a good game and I'm gonna go with Arizona to win the contest and get to Madison Square Garden!

Hopefully Chase will make some more of those one-handed tomahawk dunks. That one last night against Florida Atlantic was just sick! That turned the game around and Arizona never looked back.

The Freshmen are looking good too and I love the team's aggressive defense leading to easy fast break points.

So far so good.

The Legacy of Lute lives on...

And then there were two. Both were on the verge of getting to the point of that which is pointless. To begin with the ball you first must have the ball. But where does it come from? The ball bin usually. Unless it comes from a pass on the wing. And speaking of wings, I remember getting mine when I visited the pilot of the plane back in the day. Kids can't do those things anymore but the pilots can always give the wings to the stewardesses. Or stewards of the land which is to be kept safe and well tilled.

Nothing like well tilled soil to make your crops grow as well as they can. And of course lots of sunlight and some good rain. When you need it the most then it happens. Always remember to pass the ball when you can. From the wing to the other side of the court. A skip pass will usually create a three pointer or a pass inside to the open man who may or may not jump toward the cafeteria line. But then again if you need to pass the salt at least do so in a manner that is appropriate to those of whom need a rest. But after they get bored from riding the pine you should let them in the game, especially if you are up by 30 points or more. More cowbell is always a good thing.

Can't get enough of that super mac and cheese with Spam. It is very good and very filling and I'm not talking about the type of spam that fills your inbox. Take the ball out of the box and put it in the basket.

GO 'CATS!

Yep. Looks like Arizona will go to the NIT this year.

THE PRESEASON NIT

Will the Wildcats win it? I think so. But maybe not the Arizona Wildcats. I predict Arizona will go 3-1 (winning two games in Tucson and the consolation game in Madison Square Garden). I've got the Davidson Wildcats winning the Preseason NIT over Purdue.

The big question this year...

Will Arizona make the NCAA Tournament for the 25th year in a row?

I say yes. Why not?

OK, let's not go there.

But seriously, Arizona has the talent and enough core experience to get to the NCAA Tourney and maybe even win a game or two.

One of the strange things about this season is looking at the Pac 10 conference and realizing how many really good and experienced coaches there are, but no Lute Olson. It's daunting enough to play against Ben Howland, Mike Montgomery, Tim Floyd, Herb Sendeck, Tony Bennett, Lorenzo Romar or Ernie Kent coached teams, but without Lute it's plain scary.

For the first time in a quarter Century it's Arizona with a new coach in the League. Second if you count last year with Kevin O'Neill, but Lute was planning on coming back. Oregon State with Craig Robinson and Stanford with Johnny Dawkins are the only other schools with new faces. California has a "new" coach in Mike Montgomery but he knows the Pac 10 and West Coast as well as anyone.

Good thing Arizona plays a tough non-conference schedule to prepare both the new coaching staff and the players for another tough Pac 10 season.

Or maybe not so good. If the 'Cats lose too many early games it won't be good for confidence or morale. Arizona will need to win at least a couple of the tough early games that include games against Kansas, Gonzaga, at Texas A&M and at UNLV. At least getting to Madison Square Garden for the Preseason NIT Semis will help as well. The rest of the pre-Pac 10 games that include Florida Atlantic, Weber State, Loyola Marymount, NAU, Houston and San Diego State are very winnable for Arizona.

If the 'Cats can start Pac 10 play with a record of say, 7-4 or better, things will be looking good. Then if 'Zona can at least place in the top five of the Pac 10, they will be NCAA Tournament bound for sure. That will likely take an 11-7 record (or better), plus a win or two in the Pac 10 Tourney putting Arizona at an overall record of something along the lines of 21-11.

The Pac 10 will get at least 4 teams in the NCAA Tourney. If Arizona is the 5th team they will make it because of their high SOS once again. It will likely be top 5 in the Country.

If I had to guess the NCAA seeding at this point for Arizona, I'd probably say they end up in the 8/9 game with a win in round one and a semi-close loss to the number one seed in the second game to a Big East team headed to the Final Four. If the 'Cats can get a 7 seed or higher, the Sweet 16 is within reach!

But for now let's hope Arizona at least makes it to the NCAA Tournament for the 25th year in a row!

Expectations may not be as high this year without Lute Olson but it is still Arizona Basketball and the Wildcats now have a lot of tradition.

Thanks to Lute!

This Just in...

Arizona Football clinches a Bowl Game appearance for the first time in a decade.

Wheeeeeee! So glad for Mike Stoops. He keeps his job and Arizona will only get better over the next few years. And the 'Cats aren't done yet this year. I think they will win at least two of their next three games. Arizona will definitely beat ASU this year.

And what about Bracketology for Football?

A College Football playoff?

I'm all for it.

Most fans are all for it.

Most coaches are all for it. You know Joe Pa is since Penn State lost by a point to Iowa. Now according to the BCS they are out of contention for a National Title.

AND... according to a recent Dan Wetzel article, President Barack Obama is all for a College Football Playoff too.

CHANGE is coming!

An 8 game College Football playoff would be awesome.

Bracketology baby! It certainly works for College Basketball.

It is so early but here goes.

-- North Carolina (if Arizona doesn't make it because the Wildcats WILL at least make the NCAA Tournament)

-- PITT (because Jamie Dixon is probably a candidate for the Arizona job)

-- Gonzaga (because Mark Few would be a fantastic choice too and I hear his name mentioned for the UofA job more than anyone)

-- Michigan State (because Tom Izzo already has 4 Final Fours, could be on the verge of another, and has a National Title. He should be considered for the UofA job)

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Villanova's Jay Wright is a run-and-gun style coach and would also be a great candidate for the Arizona job.

Wright, Dixon or Few would all be great choices but none have "yet" to reach the Final Four. They've all been close. I'd at least ask Izzo. Livengood? Anyone?

What if Russ Pennell and Company go undefeated? So far so good... ;)

When you really stop and think about it about 80-90 percent of watching a basketball game is focused on the players with the occasional cut-away to the coach. And every once in a while you'll notice somebody standing on the sideline.

Lute Olson wasn't on the sideline tonight but his presence was still felt. The committee of Head Coach Russ Pennell, Mike Dunlap, Matt Brase, Dewey Pennell and Reggie Geary made sure that the transition from the Lute Olson Era will be as smooth as possible.

Already there are signs that the program may have hit bottom last year with Kevin O'Neill's set-play and not-so-positive reinforcement style of Basketball. That just doesn't work for Arizona.

With the talent that is still here this year and the return of the run-and-gun style of play, the 'Cats had a few moments of brilliance and you could almost forget that Lute had retired. It was as if he was still on the sidelines.

It was just an exhibition game but Arizona won and scored 97 points to Incarnate Word's 83. And it wasn't even that close. It was sloppy for the most part but you can see how this team, once it gels and if it stays healthy, could really be good. Once the Wildcats got into a rhythm it was fun to watch. And the 'Cats were really going after loose balls diving on the floor. Great to see!

That one kid though from the Cardinals was a real gunner. I don't think I've seen anyone shoot the 3-pointer that well in McKale Center since Salim Stoudamire. The kid was knocking them down from Alltel sign.

Nic Wise is the best point guard Arizona has had since Jason Gardner and is the glue to this team and will certainly be next year as well. One of the comments made by the announcers was that Nic Wise by the time he graduates next season will have played for 8 different coaches in 8 seasons since his Freshman year of High School. Wow!

Hill is a monster on the inside and had some fantastic dunks and rebounds. Probably the teams biggest strength right now is rebounding. That is a good thing.

Budinger had a not-so-good shooting night but still managed 15 points.

Jamelle Horne had a great night and will be huge for the team this year.

And the Freshmen players really looked good at times, especially Lavender.

What's up with the crowd though? Was it even half full? I saw empty seats in the first row. I'd be grabbing one of those in a second if I was there. C'mon Tucson! If you can squeeze 50,000 fans into a football game how can you not fill a 14,000 seat Basketball arena? I've been to games where the crowd was so loud that it had to be at least worth 10 points. Hopefully McKale Center fills up once the regular season starts.

Where's Withey? Jacobson did well but we could use another tall saguaro up front. Maybe Jeff will change his mind since he wasn't granted a release from his Letter of Intent. No pressure bro.

It was great to see Bagga in the game! ;)

Apparently the next President of the United States of America, Barack Obama, is a pretty good basketball player.

There should be little doubt that he will be an extraordinary President.

His historical campaign and win over Arizona Senator John McCain yesterday was so convincing (such a landslide) that we don't even have to think about recounts, pregnant CHAD or the adverse effects of Rovian Swift Boat tactics. All we have to do is witness how far this Country has come since the Civil Rights Movement and that there is finally a very bright light at the end of the Orwellian BushCo tunnel.

There is Hope.

The kind of hope in this Country that Martin Luther King Jr. dreamed of for all people.

This kind of hope has already been present during my lifetime in sports, business, and even politics, but Obama undeniably adds the exclamation point by reaching the pinnacle, the highest office in the land. The Presidency. He has become a peaceful revolution that resonates with people from all walks of life and has done it with integrity and conviction.

Senator John McCain represented Arizona very well and I found his concession speech to be quite graceful and sincere. Probably his best speech of the campaign. In the end he couldn't distance himself from the Bushies or America's proximity to Russia (from Alaska).

Starting in 2009 America will officially have a new leader, a "new coach" (if you will). A "Coach O". "Coach Obama".

President Obama.

Thank God: We Have Overcome.

There is also hope for Arizona Basketball, but we'll get back to that soon... :)

And Russ Pennell is my new favorite coach.

Why?

Because he is the head coach of the Arizona Basketball Program.

Best of luck this year man!

Lute Olson is still my all-time favorite coach in any sport.

This Season is for Lute. Just like 2001 was for Bobbi (Olson).

Lute's heart and soul was still into coaching. To that I have no doubt. He wanted to go out on top (or close to it) as much and probably more than anyone.

Unfortunately his body and mind just couldn't keep up.

Last week the doctors told him he needed to step down as Head Coach of The University of Arizona Basketball Program as a result of a stroke that had occurred sometime over the last year or so.

My hopes and prayers are with Lute and his family and I am wishing him a full recovery.