Arizona alumni, Channing Frye now leads the NBA in 3 pointers this year. He has made 92 three-point field goals so far and doesn’t look like he is slowing down anytime soon. Congratulations to Channing Frye who is having an absolutely phenomenal year. That’s how you Bear Down!

Check out the video HERE.

Jerryd Bayless lights up the Suns with 29 points to carry the Blazers, and Channing Frye scores 17 in the loss. Good night for ZONA alumni…This is how we do it where I’m from.

Arizona Wildcat football season is right around the corner and Arizona Pest Control wants YOU there. We will be sending two of our customers to the home opener on September 5th against Central Michigan. We will be emailing out details early next week to current customers with info on how you can attend the home opener. Only those signed up for our e-newsletter will receive the details. You can sign up for our e-newsletter on our homepage at www.azpest.com to get more information. Bear Down Wildcats!

Arizona Daily Star

Tucson, Arizona | Published: 08.08.2009

Former UA coach Lute Olson gave a thankful eight-minute speech toward the end of a two-hour-long celebration of his retirement today.

About 6,000 fans attended the free event at McKale Center, which concluded with a video of highlights from Olson’s 24-year UA career.

“This is mind-boggling, the number of you that have shown up to be involved in this,” Olson said. “And speaking on behalf of my family, I can’t say how much I appreciate this.”

Olson personally thanked a number of his former players on hand and predicted UA fans will be “very, very happy” with new coach Sean Miller, who was also in attendance.

“I want you as fans to understand, one of the things that’s really important, is that you are patient,” Olson said. “This is not as easy a job as you think it is. You may think it is because of the great players we’ve had come through the program but it’s not as case of you can just snap your fingers and show up. “It takes people in the seats because players want to play in front of people. You’re a big part of what has made this a great, great program throughout the years.”

Before Olson’s speech, former UA players Harvey Mason and Andre Iguodala, plus former ASU coach Bill Frieder praised him.

Mason, who played for Olson in the 1980s, said he realized later in his life the influence Olson had on him – especially as he coaches his son’s youth basketball team.

“All the time he was turning us into little Lute Olson robots,” Mason said jokingly. “I discovered many years later, he had implanted something in me that made me want to be like him, do things the way he did.

“We were all very very lucky to have coach Olson. His expectation of excellence is something that affected me every day of my life. He makes me want to do the right things.”

Iguodala said the success – and riches – many UA players have experienced comes in part because of Olson’s instruction.

“Those nice paychecks on the 1st and 15th of every month .. that’s a celebration of what you’ve done,” Iguodala said, gesturing toward Olson. “Not just today – it’s every day of our lives.”

Former Wildcat standouts Pete Williams and Sean Elliott offered memorable stories.

Elliott, who played for Olson in the late 1980s before going on to a successful career with the San Antonio Spurs, first joked about Olson’s thriftiness, mentioning how he spoke at a luncheon for Olson only to complain to Olson on the way back that he was hungry – and how Olson barely bought him lunch.

“Coach pulls out a 20 dollar bill,” Elliott said. “I’m like, alright, and I’m doing all these calculations in my head – a couple of cheeseburgers… and in one move he says `Bring me my receipt and change.’ “

Elliott also joked that the well-regarded apple pancakes served by Olson’s first wife, Bobbi, to recruits were “an NCAA violation – they were as good as cash,” and noted the bond that Olson encouraged among the Wildcats – even those who did not play with each other.

“When I see young guys like Andre Iguodala, Richard Jefferson and Luke Walton, we always treat each other with lots of love and respect,” Elliott said. “That’s what coach Olson is all about.”

Willliams, a standout on Olson’s first two UA teams, said he remembered when Olson snuck up on him as he signed autographs in Denver following an NBA game.

“I look over my shoulder and he says `Can I be next?’ ” Williams said. “We went to dinner after. It was an evening I’ll never forget.”

UA President Robert Shelton, UA athletic director Jim Livengood, Tucson mayor Bob Walkup and congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords were among those saluting Olson in the first 30 minutes of his retirement celebration today at McKale Center.

Walkup measured Olson’s impact on the city of Tucson’s business revenue, while Giffords cited Olson as a mentor to young Tucsonans who grew up when he was at UA – said she was 13 when Olson was first named Wildcat coach in 1983 – and Livengood praised Olson’s class and excellence.

“Coach, thanks for being a great role model and thanks for making sure we never thought average,” Livengood said. “We simply never thought average. … Lute Olson is exactly what it’s about being a Wildcat. Exactly.”

Miller spoke of Olson’s track record of success and the fact that he was able to assemble high-character individuals.

“I want to know, coach Olson, how did it feel to drive home from McKale for about four years and never lose?” said Miller, referring to UA’s 71-game winning streak.

Olson received a standing ovation from the roughly 5,000 fans in attendance when he arrived a few minutes early for his retirement celebration today at McKale Center.

A game-like atmosphere begun developing inside McKale Center shortly after doors were opened at 10 a.m.

About 5,000 fans were already on hand 15 minutes before the ceremony was scheduled to begin, and a number of players, coaches and staffers who worked under the Hall of Fame coach have assembled at midcourt.

Fans entering McKale were given bookmarks highlighting Olson’s career accomplishments, while cheerleaders roamed the aisles with giveaways and UA band members played.

Congrats to UA basketball and Sean Miller for picking up a huge recruit for next year, Kevin Parrom! Keep up the great work Sean! Here is a nice article from the Citizen.

Bronx, N.Y., basketball recruit commits to UA

Arizona has picked up one of its wing players for the future. Recruit Kevin Parrom has committed to the Wildcats after visiting over the weekend.

Parrom, a 6-foot-6 shooting guard/small forward from South Kent (Conn.) Prep, had signed with Xavier and its former coach Sean Miller. But when Miller took the head coaching job at Arizona, Parrom was granted a release from his letter of intent.

The Bronx, N.Y., native visited Pittsburgh last week and came to Tucson this weekend.

“That’s what it comes down to,” Parrom told the New York Daily News. “I had a great relationship with coach Miller.”

Parrom nor his prep coach have not returned calls left by the Citizen.

Despite Parrom’s visit to Pittsburgh last week, it seemed like Arizona was the frontrunner because of his connection to the new UA coaching staff. His prep coach Kelvin Jefferson said last week that Parrom was looking for a “comfort level” and a chance to play right away. With UA having just seven scholarship players for next season, there seems to be plenty of playing time available – or at least a chance at playing time.

Parrom has a very good relationship with new UA assistant Emanuel (Book) Richardson, the former director of the New York Gauchos before he joined Miller’s coaching staff at Xavier in 2008.

Arizona isn’t likely done with recruiting just yet in that its chasingthe services of McDonald’s All-American Lance Stephenson, a 6-foot-5 guard out of Coney Island. http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/daily/sports/115706.php