Hall-of-Fame basketball coach Lute Olson said he feels good health-wise, but admitted that life after his stroke has been difficult.

“”The health aspect of getting all of the medications straightened out and going through more tests than I’d like to tell you about,”” Olson said Wednesday. “”But everything’s going along well right now. I feel good. I spend a lot of the time during the day exercising.””

Olson said he walks for two to two-and-a-half hours per day. He also works out on the elliptical machine for an hour to an hour and 15 minutes, if not more.

Olson, 74, was physically shaky during his press conference – something his physician, Dr. Steven D. Knope, said in late October was a benign condition called a familial tremor, which causes involuntary shaking and trembling of the voice, and not Parkinson’s disease.

The former coach, who described himself as “”more edgy”” in the past four months, said suddenly retiring on Oct. 23 was difficult to do, but his health would not let him continue coaching.

“”It was a decision that was made by my doctors at that point,”” Olson said. “”(Knope) said, ‘You can (coach) but you might drop on the sidelines.’ … It was a case my doctor (made) with the advice of the cardiologist.””

Watching basketball games on TV and reading helps occupy Olson’s time when he’s not exercising, he said, though he is still getting used to life after coaching.

“”I’ve talked with other coaches before that have said that retirement is a very difficult time,”” Olson said, “”because you get so involved in being involved and being busy, and so that will be my next thing now: to make sure that I do the things that I can do to be productive, even though I’m retired.””

Lute by the numbers

9,341

days as Arizona head coachÿ
589victories at Arizona

312

consecutive weeks ranked in The Associated Press regular season poll, a national record

23

straight NCAA Tournaments

11

Pac-10 Championships

4

Final Four appearances

1

National Championship