Lute is Cheating

I've written before about the college hoops malignant tumor that is the AAU. I mentioned it when Beilein was hired. And through the Tim Green"backs", Alex Legion, and the Prophet Reverend Legion soap opera.

The crux of the problem is that college programs are funneling "donations" into the 501(c)(3) corporations that are set up for the AAU coaches who run these programs.

Lute went a step further. He directly solicited donations from Arizona basketball boosters for an AAU tournament put by University of Arizona staff called the Cactus Classic. Lute claims he didn'do it. He says someone on his staff created and printed the letter with his electronic signature. From the Tuscon Citizen:

A letter was sent this spring to the Rebounders Club board of directors from Olson's office, encouraging members to donate to an amateur basketball exhibition tournament at UA, Livengood's report said.

The letter was printed over Olson's electronic signature and went out marked "personal and confidential," said the report Livengood sent to Ron Barker, the associate commissioner of the Pacific-10 Conference.

Olson "adamantly denied" knowledge of the letter being sent and later sent a retraction, Livengood said in his report.

Whether Lute was directly responsible or not is pretty much beside the point. The Arizona basketball program sought direct contributions from its boosters for an AAU tourney. Really, that's all that need be said.