LOS ANGELES — No matter who becomes the Pac-10's top basketball coach this season, USC's Tim Floyd has an idea of what to call him.
The Lute Olson Coach of the Year.
"We were discussing how we really should name an award for him," Floyd said. "We need to do something. I thought of how Lute has affected the Pac-10 for a 25-year period. He effected change, and he conducted his entire career with dignity. Nobody with the exception of (former UCLA coach) John Wooden has had the kind of success he's had in this league."
The idea was discussed informally at Thursday's Pac-10 media day, according to conference spokesman Dave Hirsch, although not in the official meetings.
However, the Pac-10 has no awards named after basketball coaches — not Olson, the league's all-time victory leader with 327; not Wooden, nor any of its other legends.
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Still, talk about Olson permeated an otherwise routine Pac-10 media day Thursday. When Olson was not the current topic, UCLA was again picked by media to win the league; coaches talked about how good the Pac-10 will be despite losing 12 NBA draft picks; and Mike Montgomery cracked the same kind of jokes as Cal coach that he did for years across the bay at Stanford.
"Lute and I go back a long way," Montgomery said. "He's not only a competitor, but a true friend. I feel really bad for the whole situation. I think a lot of people would try to avoid what's happened. … (You would want) Lute going on his own terms, feeling good about himself.
"But this is a tough business. Expectations in Tucson are very, very high. I wish him the best from a health perspective."
Montgomery said he has not spoken with Olson recently but wanted to. Washington's Lorenzo Romar said he has talked with Olson over the past year but not since Olson retired suddenly last week.
"Maybe Coach Olson wasn't able to go out on his own terms," Romar said. But "I would hope people don't lose sight of what a marvelous career he's had and what he's done for our game. He's made the Arizona basketball program something that has been quite special over the years. It's a big loss for our conference."
Without Olson, it is not entirely clear if the Wildcats are really expected to be a fourth-place finisher, as they were voted in the Pac-10 poll, behind UCLA, ASU and USC. Hirsch said about half of the votes were in before Olson retired, though some voters made adjustments after he stepped down.
In any case, UA interim head coach Russ Pennell said Thursday he just hoped to keep the momentum going. Pennell received the promotion last Friday, saying he felt his "heart start racing" when he was told to see athletic director Jim Livengood to discuss the situation that morning.
"The thing about Arizona, there's so many people who care deeply," Pennell said. "That's what really hit me in the last 4 1/2 months, just that passion. I really hope we can keep that passion going, competing at a high level, and I hope that people can get behind this team. I know these kids need that."
Pennell said Olson called him Wednesday to ask how things were going, yet steered clear of advising him on anything.
"He sounded in really good spirits," Pennell said. "He was really good about letting us know that this is our team and we need to coach to the best of our ability."
So far, during five practices since taking over, Pennell has told the Wildcats their best chance this season will be sticking together in the face of adversity and making the best of it.
The message may be getting across.
"I think us as players have reached this point — this is our team, this is what we have," forward Chase Budinger said. "We've all got to stay together, watch each other's back and take this journey together. That's all we can really do."
"Maybe Coach Olson wasn't able to go out on his own terms. I would hope people don't lose sight of what a marvelous career he's had and what he's done for our game."
Lorenzo Romar
Washington coach
