He is now 68 years old.

He has 767 career wins, 23 NCAA tournament bids and five Final Four appearances.

Not to mention he holds the distinction of being the most recognizable face in Tucson.

But does that mean he should start slowing down anytime soon? Absolutely not.

After being inducted into the basketball Hall of Fame on Friday, has basketball head coach Lute Olson accomplished all that he once set out to as a coach?

Don't bet on it.

Some said he should have quit after the Final Four run in 2001, after the core of the team left school, leaving a "supposed" rebuilding process that would take years to bring the program back to prominence. I use the word "supposed" because everybody put that label on the following season except the silver-haired one himself.

The naysayers all said he was losing his edge and throughout that entire season the turmoil caused by player miscues off the court and the tragic struggle and loss of his beloved wife Bobbi, the first lady of Arizona basketball, in early 2001 should be reason for him to give up the reins and take time to relax.

Relax?

In his own way, he did just what they suggested. He "relaxed" by coming back better and stronger than ever. He relaxed by putting more hours into the team, and by dedicating more time to the program and the school. He relaxed, and look what happened ÷ he led a young Wildcat squad with just one returning starter to within two games of the national championship game. Now his team is the preseason No. 1.

Through every devastating hardship and each spirit-lifting triumph, the question will still remain throughout the rest of his tenure as head coach at UA ÷ he has been at the school for 20 years now ÷ how long should Olson stay with his current post at Arizona?

"He deserves to go on as long as he wants," his long time assistant coach Jim Rosborough said. "Being 68 years old is not the same as it was 30 years ago. He is still relatively young and is as sharp on the court and with the program as he's ever been."

Rosborough is right. Olson is as dedicated to the team and as committed to winning as he ever was. His nationwide recruiting trips should prove that.

Whether it has become his renewed love for the game, or to keep himself occupied and away from the heart breaking thoughts of his family's recent loss, he still has his A-game, and should stay here at Arizona accordingly, whether he feels it to be five more years or even 15 ÷ even though he would be in his early 80s by that time.

UA assistant coach and Olson protege Josh Pastner said last week that Olson is a long way away from hanging up his blue blazer.

"He is simply the best coach in the game, period," Pastner said. "He's as sharp as he's ever been. He could go for 10 years or even more. He's a genius, is in great shape and in great health. He along with this program are just a couple of well-oiled machines. It's that simple."

Many believe that either Rosborough or Pastner will, and should, be the next head coach of Wildcat basketball. Both would be perfect fits for the job and have shown great interest in taking over the post that their boss currently has, but along with their desire to stay in Tucson, both agree it is not a priority right now. They're more than happy just looking up at the Hall of Famer.

"My dream job would be to be the head coach here," Pastner said. "I would stay in Tucson the rest of my life if I could. Even if I had any offers elsewhere, it would have to be something very special for me to leave here. I don't think that anything can get better than being here, even as an assistant."

Director of Athletics Jim Livengood agreed with the sentiments of Rosborough and Pastner.

"Any coach in the country would love this job, but there is no time table set at all," Livengood said. "The irony of all this is that we should not be focusing on (Olson's leaving) at all, but instead with the team we have presently, and I think this does a disservice to the fans and the program by not enjoying that right now. We are blessed, and I choose to enjoy every single day with him here."

Maybe we should all take a cue from Livengood.

Just shut up about the future, and look at what we have now.

Olson is not just a coach, but also a Southern Arizona cultural folk hero, and a symbol of success in Tucson.

But, just as his induction into the Hall of Fame was classified, sadly, the end of his career can be looked at in the same light.

It is now not a matter of if, but rather a matter of when.

Thankfully, this particular "when" happens to not be this season or anytime in the immediate future.