Rivera: Kruger at one time ideal Olson replacement
UNLV a “tough” team to play
THIS IS AN EXCERPT OF STEVE RIVERA’S LATEST BLOG AT TUCSONCITIZEN.COM. TO READ THE WHOLE BLOG CLICK ON THIS LINK: Steve Rivera Ventures
Do you agree with Steve Rivera’s assessment that at one time UNLV coach Lon Kruger was an ideal replacement for Lute Olson?It might be a few weeks maybe months before new Arizona coach Sean Miller gets the team he really wants or hopes to see in a Wildcat uniform.
Until then, he’ll have to face the likes of Nevada-Las Vegas and others. Sure, Arizona (3-2) has a chance – better than average at best guess – to win a few games here before the all-important Pacific 10 Conference begins and it will, but Arizona must get better than what it showed last week in Hawaii as it went 1-2 for sixth in the Maui Invite. Given the fact the team is so young there’s no doubt UA will get better and get hardened during/with the process.
Until then, it will have to face the likes of the Rebels, a pretty good team behind an even better coach in Lon Kruger. Heck, I felt a long time ago – OK, about four or five years ago – that Kruger was the perfect replacement for Lute Olson when the time came. Thought he could still be last spring before the Miller stuff broke late in the process.
Tags: Lon Kruger, Lute Olson, Sean Miller
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December 1st, 2009 at 11:19 PM
The Kruger-UA marriage would’ve probably done some good in ending the UA-ASU Six Degrees of Separation thing I wish didn’t exist, but oh well…
Lon’s boy played for Tempe and at one time held allegiance to them, but he did see the light and finished out his playing career – and resolved his Sun Devil issues – as a Rebel for Dad and UNLV ‘s cause.
Coach S Miller we all know all too well was a Herbert assistant during Herbert’s stint in Miami, Ohio, as task master for U of M b-ball, and again in Raleigh, NC, as NC State hoops genius.
Arizona Assistant Coach A. Miller as we all know, and agin all too well, was a Assistant to Herbert in his early days in the Valley.
Certainly, considering how and when Kruger Jr. left Fargo for Thomas & Mack, I’d have to say Kruger Sr. would’ve come at this Dual In the Desert thing with guns blazing, with the fervor of a ‘Cat on the prowl, no doubt.
But in the grand picture, which one must look at if we’re not only going to get beyond the Maroon and Gold and the Center of the Universe that is Maricopa County and everything ASU thing, but also work to further our standing as an elite and getting eliter program, Coach Sean Miller’s got to be the answer.
He is The Man, and let me count the ways…
Look at the team of coaches and players and managers and facilitators he’s amassed in just a few, short weeks.
Look at the inroads he’s made in the east, southeast, west, southwest.
Look at the way the team, its families, the town, the UA community have taken to him.
And this is all for starters because Coach M’s yet to get this thing cranked up to where it’s bound to be in a short while, and often, for a long, long time to come.
Kruger, no knock on him, but he lives and does his thing in Las Vegas, for UNLV, and you can’t tell me there aren’t a fair amount of resources there at his disposal.
Shouldn’t the Rebels, then, by now be making a little more noise nationally or at least in their own conference?
Granted, Kruger & Co did beat the stuffing out of Pennell’s team last year, but that doesn’t say much for UNLV or Kruger.
And yes, Lon has followed one living legend – Tark The Shark – with some success, which is always hard to do.
But to come after a second, and perhaps one with more of a daunting shadow, as in Luther Legendary “O”ne?…
I don’t think so.
But we’ll find out later tonight if Coach Miller & Co prove me right or wrong, won’t we?
BEAR DOWN, COACH MILLER!!!!!