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Life Without Lute
by: Barrett Baffert
11/07/2007
In what has become a yearly ritual, I stopped by campus Monday morning to get my hands on a post-homecoming copy of the Arizona Daily Wildcat. This tradition started in 2004 when, after the 'Cats took down the 14th ranked UCLA Bruins, my somewhat OCD cousin Hunter scanned the front page of that Monday's Wildcat, only to find my ear-to-ear smile hiding like Waldo amongst the hundreds of other field stormers. Thrilled to be "part of history", I framed the paper - with my head circled - and hung it on my wall.
One year later, after Arizona overcame 8th ranked Cal, I did the same, despite the fact that the editors chose not to include me in any of the photography. And although last Saturday's win over unranked UCLA was a far more muted affair, I'm a man of tradition. Within minutes of waking up Monday morning, I journeyed on campus to pick up a post-homecoming copy of the Arizona Daily Wildcat. What I found, however, was a bit sobering.
Yes, the victory over the Bruins made front-page news but only marginally. This year's Homecoming victory was nowhere near the day's top story and I immediately felt stupid for thinking it would be.
"OLSON TAKES A LEAVE OF ABSENCE"
With that slight punch to the stomach, my week began. How'd I not see this coming? I spent most of Sunday talking about it. I got phone calls from just about everyone I knew, asking if I knew anything they didn't. I even sensed the strange vibe within a Lute-less McKale Center as Arizona faced Concordia. Regardless, for some reason, I was fully expecting the celebrations of Mike Stoops, his players, and a handful of fans to take up most everything above the fold of that newspaper. Apparently I need a little lesson in perspective.
And while deciding Monday's cover story was kind of a no-brainer, the battle for headlines between the football and basketball programs will become very competitive over the next week and a half. With so many questions left unanswered, the editors at the Wildcat won't need to reach very far to find storylines. Will Lute return in time for the November 13th season opener against NAU? If not, will it affect the decisions of those scheduled to sign their letters of intent on November 14th? Will Mike Stoops - whose program has made enough 180s to make Tony Hawk dizzy - have his team ready to face BCS hopeful Oregon on national television? In doing so, can he maintain his recruiting momentum and prove to recruits that the U of A has more to offer than Nike U? What "Arizona Celebrity" will announce the starting lineups? Is there any chance I could meet Erin Andrews? And back to basketball, should Lute not be able to make it, can Kevin O'Neill avenge last season's loss to Virginia on November 17th? Is Bayless ready to help me forget the Mustafa Shakur Era? Is Budinger anywhere near his goal of being the nation's best basketball player? Seriously though, what are the odds I meet Erin Andrews?
Has there been a bigger week of Arizona sports in recent memory?
I only hope that Coach Olson will be back soon to share these moments with the entire Wildcat community. I hope that he arrives just in time to lead his team into another successful season. Heck, I hope he makes it to Thursday's football game to cheer on the 'Cats and let America know during an in-game interview that he ain't going nowhere. (Now what sideline reporter might be best at handling such an interview? hmmmm...) But above all, I hope the best for Lute and the entire Olson family. It's times like these that truly offer a lesson in perspective.
Until his return, everyone at rauraur.com will struggle through without Luuuuuute. Just as the latest Daily Wildcat: Homecoming Edition doesn't look quite right hanging below its predecessors, a great week to be a Wildcat doesn't seem as exciting without Coach O around to orchestrate it.
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