TUCSON, Ariz. — It was an unlikely friendship. Two coaches that were supposed to be heated rivals, but never let that get in the way. In fact, Bill Frieder and Lute Olson did what they could to bring Arizona State University and the University of Arizona together.
“That was one reason we said let's try these commercials, maybe it will bring the schools together,” said former ASU basketball head coach Bill Frieder. “You compete and compete and try to win but it doesn’t hurt to be a human being after that.”
The two did many commercials together, but Frieder has a favorite. The airplane one. He laughed as he described his role as the pilot of a plane that would take the Arizona basketball team to an away game. “I’ll get ya to the big game on time,” Frieder says in the commercial as the plan begins spinning in circles.
But, their friendship went far beyond the hilarious commercials. It began well before they coached at rival schools, and one they kept long after.
“In my own estimation, we had so much fun and so many memories that for me those memories will always take precedence and jump up at the top every time I think about the sadness.”
“Lute Olson was a hall of famer,” Frieder added. “He was a hall of fame basketball coach, a half of fame husband, a hall of fame father, a hall of fame family man. He was just a true hall of famer.”
Lute Olson passed away on August 27, 2020 at the age of 85.