Lute Olsen

[DanMcQ]

Apparently retired because he had a stroke last year that impaired his ability to function mentally including his judgement.

rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/news?slug=ap-arizona-olson&prov=ap&type=lgns

[bubbrubbhoya]

I'll be waiting with baited breath for Pat Forde's retraction of his inexcusably poorly researched article on Lute's exit last week. Forde is a complete and total edited, and his lack of even trying to find the answers to the questions surrounding Olsen's last year before skewering the coach should get him fired. Too bad journalistic standards, especially at the four letter network, don't work that way these days.

sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=forde_pat&id=3660973&sportCat=ncb

[DanMcQ]

You can find Forde's email address at the bottom of that article. There are already a few choice comments about it on the ESPN site.

[kchoya]

Oct 29, 2008 15:34:58 GMT -5 bubbrubbhoya said:

I'll be waiting with baited breath for Pat Forde's retraction of his inexcusably poorly researched article on Lute's exit last week. Forde is a complete and total edited, and his lack of even trying to find the answers to the questions surrounding Olsen's last year before skewering the coach should get him fired. Too bad journalistic standards, especially at the four letter network, don't work that way these days.

sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=forde_pat&id=3660973&sportCat=ncb

What was he supposed to research? Olson hid his condition from everyone (apparently). It's not like Forde could go to Olson's doctor and ask if there was anything amiss.

Also, did you miss this passage:

"The hope is that this exit has not been forced by a previously undisclosed physical or mental illness or family trauma. Ideally, Olson will now enjoy his retirement in good health. Yet at the same time, a serious ailment would be the most palatable reason for a succession of bizarre, puzzling and poorly explained actions that did a disservice to the school and the players he purported to care about."

Stroke or no stroke, these facts remain:

Olson left right at the beginning of last season
He agreed to have Kevin O'Neill succeed him, then backed out
He came back to coach this season, seemingly with no problems
Then he quits right after practice begins

[bubbrubbhoya]

Oct 29, 2008 16:51:13 GMT -5 kchoya said:

Oct 29, 2008 15:34:58 GMT -5 bubbrubbhoya said:

I'll be waiting with baited breath for Pat Forde's retraction of his inexcusably poorly researched article on Lute's exit last week. Forde is a complete and total edited, and his lack of even trying to find the answers to the questions surrounding Olsen's last year before skewering the coach should get him fired. Too bad journalistic standards, especially at the four letter network, don't work that way these days.

sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=forde_pat&id=3660973&sportCat=ncb

What was he supposed to research? Olson hid his condition from everyone (apparently). It's not like Forde could go to Olson's doctor and ask if there was anything amiss.

Also, did you miss this passage:

"The hope is that this exit has not been forced by a previously undisclosed physical or mental illness or family trauma. Ideally, Olson will now enjoy his retirement in good health. Yet at the same time, a serious ailment would be the most palatable reason for a succession of bizarre, puzzling and poorly explained actions that did a disservice to the school and the players he purported to care about."

Stroke or no stroke, these facts remain:

Olson left right at the beginning of last season
He agreed to have Kevin O'Neill succeed him, then backed out
He came back to coach this season, seemingly with no problems
Then he quits right after practice begins

You're borrowing another of ESPN's favorite tactics and being contrarian just to argue this point. Problem is, you're flat out wrong, KC.

The fact that Forde acknowledges in that paragraph that their could be something more behind Lute's actions makes the article that much more inexcusable. He knew that he hadn't gotten to the bottom of the issue, but he went ahead and savaged the old coach nevertheless. Forde's a columnist, sure, but he's also a journalist, and it's his job to find out what has been hidden from the public. That's the value added by journalists, KC--they report what the public can't find out for themselves. Forde didn't do any actual reporting--not only was he lazy, but the the inclusion of this paragraph shows that he was also too stupid to know how lazy he is.

[rosslynhoya]

Oct 30, 2008 8:34:09 GMT -5 bubbrubbhoya said:

The fact that Forde acknowledges in that paragraph that their could be something more behind Lute's actions makes the article that much more inexcusable. He knew that he hadn't gotten to the bottom of the issue, but he went ahead and savaged the old coach nevertheless. Forde's a columnist, sure, but he's also a journalist, and it's his job to find out what has been hidden from the public. That's the value added by journalists, KC--they report what the public can't find out for themselves. Forde didn't do any actual reporting--not only was he lazy, but the the inclusion of this paragraph shows that he was also too stupid to know how lazy he is.

I've said it before, but I really think it's sad that ESPN columnists are expected to adhere to a higher standard than actual NY Times/Washington Post/etc. "news" reporters....

[kchoya]

Oct 30, 2008 8:34:09 GMT -5 bubbrubbhoya said:

Oct 29, 2008 16:51:13 GMT -5 kchoya said:

What was he supposed to research? Olson hid his condition from everyone (apparently). It's not like Forde could go to Olson's doctor and ask if there was anything amiss.

Also, did you miss this passage:

"The hope is that this exit has not been forced by a previously undisclosed physical or mental illness or family trauma. Ideally, Olson will now enjoy his retirement in good health. Yet at the same time, a serious ailment would be the most palatable reason for a succession of bizarre, puzzling and poorly explained actions that did a disservice to the school and the players he purported to care about."

Stroke or no stroke, these facts remain:

Olson left right at the beginning of last season
He agreed to have Kevin O'Neill succeed him, then backed out
He came back to coach this season, seemingly with no problems
Then he quits right after practice begins

You're borrowing another of ESPN's favorite tactics and being contrarian just to argue this point. Problem is, you're flat out wrong, KC.

The fact that Forde acknowledges in that paragraph that their could be something more behind Lute's actions makes the article that much more inexcusable. He knew that he hadn't gotten to the bottom of the issue, but he went ahead and savaged the old coach nevertheless. Forde's a columnist, sure, but he's also a journalist, and it's his job to find out what has been hidden from the public. That's the value added by journalists, KC--they report what the public can't find out for themselves. Forde didn't do any actual reporting--not only was he lazy, but the the inclusion of this paragraph shows that he was also too stupid to know how lazy he is.

Are you just ignoring what I wrote? What was Forde supposed to "research?" Olson hid the fact that he had medical problems and suffered a stroke from the public and from the media. There was no way for Forde, or anyone else, to be aware of this private medical information without Olson disclosing it. That's the story - that Olson led everyone along and didn't reveal what he was going through.

Not that I think he was under an obligation to say, "Hey I suffered a stroke on October 3, 2007." He has the right to keep that private. But if he's going to do so, then he should have handled everything differently than he did. On that basis, Olson deserved to be criticized. Are you saying Olson did nothing wrong?

[theexorcist]

Columnists aren't journalists, though many have a background in journalism and can and do use their investigative skills and sources to write. Forde was under an obligation to do due diligence - exploring Arizona and getting a "no comment" and probably asking his contacts in basketball to make sure he wasn't missing something obvious - but he was under no requirement to dig through the trash looking for depression or stroke meds.

In any case, this is a depressing story all around. Being rendered unable to make decisions with the same clarity you usually did in an instant, and having it affect your relationships and your work. And almost being able to continue your daily routine, and mask it, until everything collapsed.

[kchoya]

Oct 30, 2008 11:15:52 GMT -5 theexorcist said:

Columnists aren't journalists, though many have a background in journalism and can and do use their investigative skills and sources to write. Forde was under an obligation to do due diligence - exploring Arizona and getting a "no comment" and probably asking his contacts in basketball to make sure he wasn't missing something obvious - but he was under no requirement to dig through the trash looking for depression or stroke meds.

In any case, this is a depressing story all around. Being rendered unable to make decisions with the same clarity you usually did in an instant, and having it affect your relationships and your work. And almost being able to continue your daily routine, and mask it, until everything collapsed.

That's what I really wonder about - who's he have around him to counsel him and help him out.