It looks like Dumars has competition for Tommy.


If Kevin McHale decides not to return as Timberwolves coach, and if another team already has hired Saunders, don't be surprised if the Wolves try to lure Tom Izzo from Michigan State.

http://www.twincities.com/sports/ci_11977283?source=rss

YES!

Izzo a pro at conjecture
Staff And Wire Reports / March 22, 2009

Four Final Four appearances, a national title in 1999, and 12 straight NCAA Tournament berths, and it is no secret that Michigan State's Tom Izzo has drawn his fair share of interest from the NBA over the years. He was once again asked about the possibility of making the jump on the eve of the Spartans' second-round game against Southern California.

Though he said, "For the most part, I seem to be a college guy," he later added: "I never say never to anything because who knows what offers come?

"The minute somebody says that, you replay it five years later and you look like an idiot. I can do that myself," he said.

Izzo said there is at least one more "big-time" goal - another national title - he wants to reach with the Spartans before he even thinks about leaving.

"If that was accomplished, who knows what I would do?" he said.
http://www.boston.com/sports/colleges/mens_basketball/articles/2009/03/22/izzo_a_pro_at_conjecture/


Tom Izzo still won't say 'never' to NBA
Eric Lacy / The Detroit News

MINNEAPOLIS -- It had been a while since Tom Izzo was asked about coaching in the NBA. But is happened Saturday during a press conference at the Metrodome, and Michigan State's coach gave his usual response.

"I seem to be a college guy," he said without hesitation. "But I've never said never to anything because who knows what offers come. The world 'never' never approaches me, but at the same time there are some goals I still have in college."

One of those goals is a third national title for Michigan State, which would put the program in elite company.

When the Spartans won the title in 2000, Izzo was given a warm welcome to the elite ranks by legendary UCLA coach John Wooden. That fueled his desire for more success.

The exchange remains vivid in Izzo's memory.

"(Wooden) said, 'Welcome to the fraternity of 40 (championship coaches),'" Izzo recalled. "If you can win two (titles), that group shrinks down a lot. But if you win three, it shrinks down even more."

After MSU's banner season in 2000, Izzo did explore some NBA job opportunities, including an opening with the Atlanta Hawks.

Izzo said Saturday that Southern California coach Tim Floyd was one of the peers he called for advice because at the time he was the newly hired coach of the Chicago Bulls. A day before the second-seeded Spartans' second-round matchup against the No. 10 seed Trojans, Floyd recalled the advice he gave Izzo and claimed the NBA lifestyle isn't all it's cracked up to be.

"All I told him was to stay put," Floyd said. "I think that's the first thing I told him when I met him because he's too great at what he does."

Floyd is in his fourth year at USC and enjoys the college experience. He said if he wasn't a coach, he'd be a professor.

"I had a guy come up and talk to me about whether or not he should get married," said Floyd, recalling a recent discussion with one of his players. "That didn't happen in the NBA. Guys bring me newspaper articles from their hometown. That kind of stuff is corny, but it's fun."
http://www.detnews.com/article/20090321/SPORTS0202/903210433/1265/Tom+Izzo+still+won+t+say++never++to+NBA


The prevailing opinion in East Lansing puts Brian Gregory of Dayton, a former Michigan State assistant, in Tom Izzo’s seat whenever Izzo decides to retire or move on. At 54, Izzo could easily coach another 10 years or more.
http://thequad.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/21/a-goal-left-for-izzo/

MORE TO COME!!

This thread came as a surprise.

Not a shock coming off his best coaching job ever.

We need more Izzo stuff! Because let's face it, it's not like Gl'enn kills everything.

Izzo is so good he fired up the women's team to knock off #1 Duke

Welcome back to your green and white tent, gentlemen.

^ gave this thread 5 stars

http://www.w3bdevil.com/forums/Thread-Sucks-Come_for-Arnold.jpg

VIRUS

http://www.fantasticdamage.com/blog/seal.jpg

http://premium1.uploadit.org/DJShamrock/Thread-Gay-Disturbing-copy.jpg

http://www.my-two-cents.net/forenpix/thread-is-gay.jpg

Oh no! Goshboots Jr. doesn't like my thread!

:jvb:

I can't see jizzo as an NBA coach, unless he'd be able to stop screaming at the players.

Jerry Sloan types could yell at players. He's paid his dues. But a College guy needs to earn some respect before you go around disrespecting these players and their million dollar contracts.

By the way which ever image LDB posted that has "thread sucks" in the filename has a virus attached to it so I might delete it.


Scan type: Auto-Protect Scan
Event: Security Risk Found!
Security risk detected: Downloader
File: C:\Documents and Settings\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\8LYJCD23\thread%20sucks[1].jpg
Location: Unknown Storage
Action taken: Cleaned by Deletion
Date found: Wednesday, March 25, 2009 2:05:03 PM

I keep getting virus warnings in this thread.

^ now that you mention it. Me too.

LDB is a cyber terrorist!

But no worries, I think the threat has subsided.

http://roadkillrefugee.files.wordpress.com/2007/11/mission-accomplished.png

http://img529.imageshack.us/img529/4466/rrgnw6.jpg

http://graphics.fansonly.com/photos/schools/msu/sport/m-baskbl/99-00action/ncaa/champ/izzo-040300-lg.jpg

SWIDT?

I can't see jizzo as an NBA coach, unless he'd be able to stop screaming at the players.

Jerry Sloan types could yell at players. He's paid his dues. But a College guy needs to earn some respect before you go around disrespecting these players and their million dollar contracts.


Where the hell were you 20 years ago pal?

By the way which ever image LDB posted that has "thread sucks" in the filename has a virus attached to it so I might delete it.

Holy shit! Good looking out. Thanks.

Oh no! Goshboots Jr. doesn't like my thread!

:jvb:

You're right about that. Maybe if you waited a week or two, I would have been on board.

Seriously GD, Do you think Izzo can make that leap to the NBA and be successful?

There aren't a lot of coaches able to do that are there? I'm trying to think of some.

Successful NCAA coaches just don't seem to be able to be succesful in the NBA, do they?

I think it depends on the situation/team he inherits.

If they are talented and buy in, then yes, I think that he can be successful.

To my recollection, most of the high profile college coaches that make the move to the NBA and then fail, usually do so with doormat teams that NOBODY was going to win with.

We saw what, 10 coaches fired this year? And if one of them had been a high profile college coach that made the jump, then all we would have heard was "college coaches don't transition to the NBA well", even though 9 other "NBA guys" didn't survive either.

There's a disconnect there, IMO.

I can't remember the roster that Pitino had in Boston. But thats not a bad gig.

I think I'm following that last paragraph...NCAA coaches should be allowed to fail just like the Curry's of the world.

It's gotta be tough on high profile college coaches to come to the NBA. The bar is so high.

Izzo, in particular, his style, etc, just doesn't seem to me to be a good fit. But its not like I've spent a bunch of time thinking about it either.

Bline, or more of low-keyed guy might be better?

Brown was a college coach that transitioned. It happens. Just not as often.

Prolly moreso in football? Although there are failures there as well.

Nick Saban, anybody?

I guess I just don't follow the logic of not hiring someone that you think can do a good job because Nick Saban didn't cut it.

I agree with Gl'enn. A candidate should be looked at on his qualifications, abilities and merits alone.

I have no idea whether Izzo would make it in the NBA, but I sure think he has some good arguments in favor. His teams play physical basketball with emphases on defense, rebounding and inside play. He works with his point guards to make them floor generals and he tries to find guys on his team that will police his locker room and be leaders on and off the court. I think he makes good game-time adjustments and can call plays out of timeouts.

Can he do it in the NBA? I don't know. But I can't believe he'd have done a worse job than the binary moron we have now.

I guess I just don't follow the logic of not hiring someone that you think can do a good job because Nick Saban didn't cut it.
I wasn't saying don't hire someone because of Nick Saban, I was referring to the post that said flameouts have happened in the NFL as well. He didn't even make it a full season.

Ironic that Nick Saban was mentioned in this thread as the latest Izzo rumor is that he has a contract already in place with Alabama.........ha ha ha. Some douche on his "blog" posted that Izzo already has a contract with Alabama making LESS MONEY to go down there and coach the amazing Crimson Tide basketball team. Maybe this guy should be the reason that blogs are ridiculous.

Gillispie to be fired today in Lexington.

Izzo to Kentucky?

I think Kentucky says: FUCK THIS! WE WANT The IZZO!

Really, where else are they gonna turn? They need instant cred. Izzo is NOT NBA material. He axes his players to check the ego at the door. He's a screamer, a dictator, a control freak. And the only NBA team he COULD take over would be a doormat because he'd need players to buy into his system for at least a couple years.
He isn't gonna get the Lakers gig or any West Conference gig. It's the Rich Rodriguez argument: RR coaches the spread. Many peope axed: you don't have spread guys, why not adapt to that and go for the six wins and make a bowl? RR apologists say: He only coaches spread, what the fuck is he posed to do? Same for The Izzo: He is 54. He ain't gonna change. He coaches physical, sell out, leave it all on the floor, we talkin' bout HARD practice basketball.

But I DO say Kentucky opens the checkbook to make an offer. Unless, of course, Calhoun decieds to fly the coop now that he has Fishered UConn.

Kentucky is apparently targeting Billy Donovan.

Arizona?


This from Tom Izzo, another rumored Arizona candidate, on answering questions about interest in other jobs: "I think I've always been honest. One or two jobs that I've looked at, for me personally, I always went through my president. He always knew what was going on. Usually my athletic director. And I would say that anybody who answers them that they have no interest in anything, that's insane, because nobody else in America would ever feel that way. And yet the best way I could answer it is, you know, I probably would never say never.

"But I would say this: I am so happy where I'm at. I have a wife and kids. My wife has a lot of family where I'm at. I have goals still of what I want to achieve at Michigan State. They have not been achieved."

Izzo stays at Michigan State.
Donovan stays at Florida.
Pitino stays at Lousville (rumored to both Kentucky and Arizona).
St. Mary's coach will get the Arizona gig.
Brian Gregory takes the Kentucky gig.
Somebody takes the Dayton gig.

Just a random guess.

Gillispie out as Kentucky coach in second year (http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=4021232)

Izzo should take over as the Michigan hockey coach.

DON'T RULE IT OUT

So does making Rick Pitino his personal bitch today push his stock up?

how can it get any higher?

It will be higher when he wins the Republican nomination in 2012

He keeps using that 2nd National Championship as his ultimate "goal".

Part of me wants to see him win it just to see what he'd do next.

Joe might agree.

He keeps using that 2nd National Championship as his ultimate "goal".

Part of me wants to see him win it just to see what he'd do next.

Joe might agree.

Come back for a repeat!

He keeps using that 2nd National Championship as his ultimate "goal".

Part of me wants to see him win it just to see what he'd do next.

Joe might agree.
I agree. If Izzo wins another NC, he will be seriously looking to the NBA. But, would Izzo`s coaching style (you know, actually coaching and expecting players to listen) work in the NBA? Izzo and Rashheed Wallace (and those like him), a match not made in heaven.

i think coach k in the olympics proved that the right players will listen to the right coach.

the track record isnt good, but success isnt unprecedented. chuck daly, poppovich, and larry brown being probably the 3 best success stories. one thing to consider is coaches in the nba are often hired to fired (see mike curry). im not sure tim floyd not coaching 19 year old ed curry and tyson chandler to a winning season means he couldnt have won in a different situation or that an "nba coach" would have done any better with the baby bulls...

i agree it would be unlikely for izzo to match well with a rasheed wallace, but being a successful nba coach doesnt necessarilly mean a guy who messages his player's nuts.

if i was izzo only chance i'd do it was if i got a rase of more than 2x his current money. personally, i think even then leaving msu would be stupid, but i wouldnt blame him.

i think coach k in the olympics proved that the right players will listen to the right coach.

the track record isnt good, but success isnt unprecedented. chuck daly, poppovich, and larry brown being probably the 3 best success stories. one thing to consider is coaches in the nba are often hired to fired (see mike curry). im not sure tim floyd not coaching 19 year old ed curry and tyson chandler to a winning season means he couldnt have won in a different situation or that an "nba coach" would have done any better with the baby bulls...

i agree it would be unlikely for izzo to match well with a rasheed wallace, but being a successful nba coach doesnt necessarilly mean a guy who messages his player's nuts.

if i was izzo only chance i'd do it was if i got a rase of more than 2x his current money. personally, i think even then leaving msu would be stupid, but i wouldnt blame him.
Yeah, thats kind of the thing. Izzo is looking down the barrel of being a legendary college basketball coach. An ill-fated tenure in the NBA could kind of sully that. Honestly, if I were Izzo, I would stay put, continue building his dynasty and then hand it off to his chosen successor. No one would say boo.

Maybe I'm the only one, but I can imagine Sheed being all right with Izzo. Izzo preaches what Sheed likes, man to man D and rebounding, so at least he'd respect the X's and O's. And Izzo's a good in-game coach so Sheed wouldn't necessarily think he's smarter than Izzo there.

Obviously I'm just talking out of my ass, but if you look at who Sheed listened to versus who he tuned out, you have to wonder if Izzo has more in common with the former group than the latter.

Good point.

Just my opinion, but I think it's irrelevant how Sheed feels about the next Pistons coach.

Coach John Calipari planned to spend Monday meeting with Memphis officials and contemplating what is expected to be a multiyear, multimillion-dollar offer to coach Kentucky, a source close to the situation said.

Calipari had a morning meeting with his players to discuss his interest in the Kentucky opening, and players came away convinced their coach would leave for Lexington, the Memphis Commercial Appeal reported, citing a source close to the situation.

Magic also worries about Izzo rumors

By Jeff Rabjohns
Posted: March 30, 2009

Sporting a Michigan State sweatshirt, Magic Johnson threw his arm around a tearful Tom Izzo as the Spartans celebrated in front of their bench.

In the aftermath of his fifth Final Four as Michigan State's coach, secured with Sunday's 64-52 lockdown of high-scoring Louisville, Izzo hugged the star of the Spartans' 1979 championship team.

Will this be Izzo's last Final Four in green?

"I hope not," Johnson said, referring to the possibility Izzo could replace Billy Gillespie at Kentucky. "I think it's tempting for him. He's one of the top two or three coaches in the nation.

"It's a tempting situation. I understand that. I know they're going to be calling him. After this win, Kentucky's got to call him."

Magic said he thinks Izzo might choose to stay because of such a strong recruiting pipeline -- nine current Spartans are from Michigan -- but he understands how much money could be involved.

"You're always worried about the money they are offering," Magic said, putting his top three coaches as Izzo, North Carolina's Roy Williams and Duke's Mike Krzyzewski. "You have to worry. Every Michigan State fan has to be worried.

"This is some serious business. They tried to get him the other time, and they're coming back."

Izzo stays at Michigan State.
Donovan stays at Florida.
Pitino stays at Lousville (rumored to both Kentucky and Arizona).
St. Mary's coach will get the Arizona gig.
Brian Gregory takes the Kentucky gig.
Somebody takes the Dayton gig.

Just a random guess.

I don't see Brian Gregory leaving UD just yet... just my .02.

Izzo ain't going anywhere. MSU basketball was poop before him. They didn't do shit after Magic left. Well, they whined about clocks and Kenny Anderson, but who really gives a fuck about that?

I don't think Izzo will give the NBA one wink. His place is in Lansing.

Sounds like Calipari to Kentucky and 8 years and $35 million are the numbers. The question is how many of his recruits will come with him and will Jody Meeks and Patrick Patterson stay.

If Coach Cal can get ALL of his recruiting class and retain Meeks and Patterson you're looking at a top 5 team in the country...............almost not even fair.

It's rumored that two top recruits--Demarcus Cousins and John Wall--will go to Kentucky with Calipari, and Wesley Witherspoon and Robert Sallie will transfer there.

Alright here's a question for you recruiting buffs - does Calipari seem like he might be a little "dirty" to you? I'm not talking Zip Goshboots dirty, more Pete Carroll dirty? Within 3 hours of rumors starting to fly about him going to Kentucky, his players are about to skip a year of playing basketball so they can stay with him? And these recruits are going to follow him everywhere? Keep in mind I know absolutely nothing about recruiting, but it just seems fishy to me. Plus he looks like a slimeball as well.

And his players have neck tats...

Alright here's a question for you recruiting buffs - does Calipari seem like he might be a little "dirty" to you? I'm not talking Zip Goshboots dirty, more Pete Carroll dirty? Within 3 hours of rumors starting to fly about him going to Kentucky, his players are about to skip a year of playing basketball so they can stay with him? And these recruits are going to follow him everywhere? Keep in mind I know absolutely nothing about recruiting, but it just seems fishy to me. Plus he looks like a slimeball as well.

And his players have neck tats...

Well, I've seen all that I have to see, GUILTY

incoming freshmen get released from their LOI if coach leaves. its the manny H situation.

Any time a coach is successful, the majority of posters from Michigan are going to label him dirty.

This is certainly a rhetorical question.

Let`s just say Calipari recruits a certain type of player.

Let`s just say Calipari recruits a certain type of player.

Link? Proof?

Let's just say that at Kentucky, he might not have to. Look, I'm not saying Calipari should be the next Pope (that would be a total insult to Calipari), and well, yeah, UMass did go on probation after he left. But so far at Memphis, he's not had any trouble!

I'd have loved for him or Pitino to come to Michigan. But fuck, who wants to coach at Michigan for 40 grand per year? Who wants to be told to stay away from the AAU circuit, and to stay away from top rated recruits, and to go to places like Chesterton, IN or Butt Sprinkles, ID to get players that nobody else wants, and build a team around them? And who wants to coach for a team that plays its games inside a hearing test booth?

Well, for 40 grand, I'd do it. I'm thinking sex with cheerleaders, bongs and dildos and frat parties. Internet pictures of me passed out on the roof of a church with a lawn gnome stuck up my ass. Those are just some of the benefits of being a college basketball coach. Oh yeah, health insurance for the family (UM has just increased their co-pay on the insurance they provide to $25.00 as an added incentive). Granted, the deductible per year per person is $85,000.00, but at least the insurance card will get you into the hospital.

^http://www.sjb.k12.nf.ca/grassroots/holocaust/other/hategroups/1stjewkkk.jpg1

Is that a recruit from Chesterton, IN?

Any time a coach is successful, the majority of posters from Michigan are going to label him dirty.

This is certainly a rhetorical question.

As opposed to posters around the country? Or is it specifically Michigan posters who are problematic?

Man, if Calipari actually turns Kentucky down to stay at Memphis, this Izzo thing could really blow up.

It's final. Calapari to UK for sure.

Not that surprising really.

Someone posed the question "Is Calapari dirty?" I seem to think so. He gave DaJuan Wagners dad an Assistant Coaches job to get Wagner to go to Memphis. Not to mention other AAU coaches getting speaking gigs and having their players (Rose) commit also.

My sources are saying Izzo to Memphis

My sources are saying Izzo to Memphis

:kennythejet:

It's final. Calapari to UK for sure.

Not that surprising really.

Someone posed the question "Is Calapari dirty?" I seem to think so. He gave DaJuan Wagners dad an Assistant Coaches job to get Wagner to go to Memphis. Not to mention other AAU coaches getting speaking gigs and having their players (Rose) commit also.

ha ha ha, if you think that is dirty than you don't understand college basketball at all. Now, I am not a huge Calipari fan, but that practice you speak of is done by about 40% of the big-time programs for sure. You know that Michael Beasly went to K-State because Manhattan, Kansas is such a great place right? A lot of these coaches have to pay money to a kid's AAU coach to even get the opportunity to TALK to him and if they want to keep persuing him and earn a commitment the AAU coach needs lots of dough in his "scholarship fund" or "Recreation Center fund" or he is simply paid to speak at a University's basketball camp because he is actually a coach and will earn $40,000 for it.

That's dirty regardless.

That's dirty regardless.

I agree it's 100% dirty, but the NCAA refuses to acknowledge that it happens and will not police it nor will they ban it's practices. Sooner or later it's going to crash hard and Miles Brand will be without a job IMO.

Miles Brand has terminal cancer, IIRC.

David (Lansing, Mich.): Let’s say Michigan State wins it all. Why not hire Izzo for next year?

:langlois:
Langlois: Chuck Daly used to contend that his trainer, Mike Abdenour, was better equipped to coach an NBA team than a college coach. Daly wasn’t denigrating college coaches – he’d been one at Boston College and Penn – but rather underscoring the vast difference between the two games. The recent history of college coaches leaping to the pros (Jerry Tarkanian, John Calipari, Tim Floyd, Lon Kruger) isn’t dripping with success. I’ll leave Rick Pitino out of the equation because he had a decent run with the Knicks before failing with Boston after leaving Kentucky. The economics of the situation have also changed. It used to be the lower-paid NBA coaches made more than the best-paid college coaches. That’s no longer the case. John Calipari’s dalliance with Kentucky is going to drive the market up even further. So the only way the NBA will be able to lure the best college coaches – and Izzo definitely is in that class – is to pay them on par with the top-third of NBA coaches, $4 million annually or up. And how could you justify paying a college coach that much money – a guaranteed $20 million or so, depending on the length of the deal – when there’s no solid evidence they could make the transition?

Evil Keith just broke Glenehneh's heart.

If he says Stuckey is one of the best young PGs in the league I am calling the GR police and telling them to watch all bridges.

He's been saying that since he was drafted.

I lol'd when I read that blurb just imagining what he would be writing if It actually Happened, "Great, visionary hire by Joe D".

Am I alone in thinking that Joe is going to make a run at Izzo?

I could see that happening. And if the players don't like his hardass style, show them the door.