Columnist provides impressive insight into campaign methods
Alyson Hill’s column, “”Latest threat to America: Americans”” (Oct. 27, 2008) offers insight not only toward what’s happening now in the ugly electoral campaign, but how a divisive scapegoating strategy after the election can continue to stir up fear that might keep us vulnerable to manipulation.

The McCain-Palin campaign has been spewing murderous venom that should be condemned by both Congress and the president. It sounds as if they’d be delighted to inspire an assassin. If harm should come to Sen. Barack Obama, it would be seen by the world as our nation’s relapse into barbarism.

“”A dog returns to his vomit!”” it is said. But let us not return to ours!

David Ray
author, professor

Olson must have known he’d be leaving this season
I really enjoyed Tom Knauer’s piece in the Daily Wildcat. (“”Spread the blame for UA hoops chaos,”” Oct. 27, 2008) Thank you for saying what many are not willing to admit to: Lute Olson is an asshole for the way he handled this circus, and that is a lifelong UA hoops fan talking.

My parents lived in Iowa before Lute’s tenure as a Hawkeye, moved to Tucson about the same time he was hired on at the UA, became season ticket holders and we all feel the same way. They saw the God worship emerge in Iowa and people hound him at every chance, and so he took the opportunity at Arizona.

The same God identity happened here, but people mostly left him alone, so he built an empire in the West.

Now that empire is on the verge of total collapse and Livengood wants us to say “”thank you?”” And then for Shelton to waive his $100,000 fine for not fulfilling his contract? Whatever happened to consequence? What happened to honesty (at least to your players who were swayed to trust you, as they above all others deserved the truth of the many past situations)?

What happened to the integrity Lute once had? Apparently all those qualities left the last few years along with his judgment and coaching ability. His own stubbornness blinded him.

My biggest issue with Lute is that he didn’t make his decision overnight. It is not one that you could. Lute did what he could to make sure that there would be players here this year, which might be seen as the last good thing he did, but when the crap hits the fan, does it really matter? Lute must have known last year that he wasn’t going to return; it wasn’t fair to himself, his coaching staff or to those on the team to act like he was going to coach again.

The one bright side is that Coach Ros (who was thrown under the bus last year for our favorite K.O.) wasn’t thrown under the bus for a second time. People will speculate on who will replace Lute, but that doesn’t really matter right now because it will be a high quality coach unless Livengood screws that up, which I don’t think will happen.

The unfortunate thing is that Lute did have a great career at UA and as a coach, period. But the thing people remember the most is their first impressions and their last.

Frankly, Lute will be remembered for the way that he left: as keeping his players in the dark when they matter, not being honest with them or his peers and as being the biggest prick in the Western Hemisphere.

Aaron Marter
undeclared junior