Lute Olson passes away
Former Arizona coach and Hall of Famer Lute Olson, who graduated from Grand Forks Central, died Thursday night at age 85.
Olson, who was inducted into the national basketball Hall of Fame in 2002, turned Arizona into a national power and led the Wildcats to a national championship in 1997.
Olson was born in Mayville, N.D., and graduated from Grand Forks Central in 1952. He led the school to the North Dakota state title. He then played at Augsburg before landing his first coaching position in Mahnomen.
He later coached at Long Beach State and at Iowa before taking over at Arizona in 1983.
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Steve Bruce (@MNBuckets) shared an excerpt from the 1957 Mahnomen yearbook on Twitter Monday, “He is a rookie at coaching, but displays the ability of a veteran. Even though Mr. Olson has been here only a short time, his wonderful personality has made him many friends.”
PR referendum includes new gym
The Park Rapids school district has an upcoming vote on a $52.9 million bond referendum that includes a new gymnasium.
The Panthers would join area schools in Detroit Lakes, Perham, Pelican Rapids and Lake Park-Audubon in upgrading gym space.
In a July poll of Park Rapids residents, 58 percent were in favor of additional high school gym space to provide adequate space for athletics and activities.
Construction continues at the Detroit Lakes high school into this school year. The new high school gym will have a full set of bleachers and a track. Gyms were also built at Rossman and Roosevelt schools.
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Lesnar a free agent
Professional Wrestling Inside (pwinsider.com) reported Monday that former WWE and UFC Champion Brock Lesnar is currently a free agent as his most recent deal with World Wrestling Entertainment has expired without the two sides locking in a new contract.
While the two sides have been working on a new deal, they have hit an impasse and have paused discussions. This leaves Lesnar on the open market where he could, if he desires, field offers from outside WWE, whether it be AEW or other wrestling promotions, UFC, or even outside endeavors beyond combat sports.
Lesnar, a former wrestler at Bismarck State College and the University of Minnesota, last appeared at Wrestlemania 36, losing the WWE Championship to Drew McIntyre. Lesnar had toyed with returning to UFC in 2019 to potentially face the recently retired Daniel Cormier, but opted not to pursue a return to MMA at that time.
