The Spartans are now in the Top 25. Absolutely amazing considering their exhibition games and how they looked in practice. This was a topic on The Huge Show earlier today. He mentioned how incredible Tom Izzo is that he has this team in the Top 25. If they continue despite Morgan's absence and float in and out of the Top 25 throughout the BT season, I believe it will be Izzo's best coaching job ever. And that includes the 2000 National Championship year. Huge started to make a similar argument that this might be his best job ever if they continue.

So what do you guys think? What would State have to do for this to be his best coaching job ever? I say Top 3-4 in the BT and make the tournament. They do that and I'll be estatic.

http://store.fansonly.com/msu/store/Vendor42/images/ti01-s.jpg

I think it's amazing they're ranked considerring they're a 2 loss team that hasn't beaten any currently ranked team. I think it's because they're Michigan State. I think it's more of a credit to Izzo than it is to the current squad, but he's earned that. Now it's up to his team to keep them there. Once you're ranked, your games should be a little more scrutinized.

I think it's amazing they're ranked considerring they're a 2 loss team that hasn't beaten any currently ranked team. I think it's because they're Michigan State. I think it's more of a credit to Izzo than it is to the current squad, but he's earned that. Now it's up to his team to keep them there. Once you're ranked, your games should be a little more scrutinized.

They beat Texas when they were ranked #21. It's not what they are ranked after you beat them because obviously they drop. It's what they're ranked when you beat them.

The Bradley blowout impressed alot of people and I'm not talking about State people. I've heard it mentioned on ESPN several times. Bradley was considered a very solid team and they annihilated them.

Good for MSU, but "Huge" should never be used as re-enforcement for any argument.

I'm actually very pleased that his name doesn't pop up here very often.

Good for MSU, but "Huge" should never be used as re-enforcement for any argument.

I'm actually very pleased that his name doesn't pop up here very often.

To hell with that.....Don't you want to be drinkin some cold Miller Lights and not talk about sports and only talk about "Huge"'s personal life and lame ass promotions and an annoying bullhorn and a kiss ass named Muller and horrible callers

what a turd

Good for MSU, but "Huge" should never be used as re-enforcement for any argument.

I'm actually very pleased that his name doesn't pop up here very often.

Yeah, you are right. Huge is a douche bag. The guy never lets a caller get a word in if they disagree with him. I wish we had a better in-state show on at that time.

Geez, do we need a thread for this? [smilie=banghead.gi: Sounds a lot like MSU basketball to me.

Geez, do we need a thread for this? [smilie=banghead.gi: Sounds a lot like MSU basketball to me.

ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME??????!!!!!!!!!! HOW MANY DAMN UM WHINING, WHY WE SHOULD BE PLAYING, ARTICLES ABOUT WHY WE SHOULD BE PLAYING, WHO DO YOU HATE MOST UM FOOTBALL THREADS DO WE HAVE?!!!!!!!!!

I can't even handle this shit. Our entire site is covered with UM threads that all revolve around the same thing, yet I didn't complain once. If I didn't want to read it, I didn't open it!

And no, it isn't the same. I presented a question: Is this Izzo's best coaching effort ever. You can repost that bashing the head emoticon, but post 30 of them for me.

Geez, do we need a thread for this? [smilie=banghead.gi: Sounds a lot like MSU basketball to me.

I like how you want all MSU topics piled into one MSU Basketball thread, but you can create 20 different threads featuring UM Football topics. Do we have to go through this every 2 weeks!?

BTW, I just checked. We have 8 threads on page 1 that revolve around UM not playing in the National Championship game. HYPOCRITE

I also don't understand why there are so many U of M football threads. The same conversation is going on in 3 or 4 threads. I'll try and clean that up today. I do think this thread merits a separate discussion, but you should change the title to something about the actual question (best coaching job ever). the title implies we should talk about whether MSU should be top 25.

New threads don't cost anything, do they?

no. but they can be confusing if the same conversation is happening in parrallel. they can be even more confusing when you hit merge instead of move.

no. but they can be confusing if the same conversation is happening in parrallel. they can be even more confusing when you hit merge instead of move.

LMAO.

You saved me fom having to say it.

hopefully my accident killed that topic so we can end the debate.

MSU shouldn't be top 25.... yet. Coaches poll gives them the benfit of the doubt due to respect for Izzo, but a ranking of 25th in early December means nothing anyway. The Big Ten schedule will be the true test of this team and Izzo's coaching job this year.

And Huge is the biggest waste of skin in the state of Michigan..... he fucking sucks.

Izzo has HOW many Final Fours (and one championship, and an Elite Eight), and you are already wondering if this year will be his best job ever? Let's talk after the season, because it is all about making the tournament, and then doing some damage there. If State doesn't go at least Sweet Sixteen, then the season is a flop.
State is one of the Big Timers in basketball. When you have been as successful as Izzo, you can only ADD to that success to consider a season as one of your best ever.
You make the NCAA Tourney by winning two thirds of your games (sometimes less), and finishing in the upper half of a conference that has 11 teams. If I'm Izzo, I wouldn't take anything less than Sweet Sixteen as a season I want to jump up and down about.

Is this the same thread that was called "Spartans Top 25" yesterday or did that one get deleted?

Is this the same thread that was called "Spartans Top 25" yesterday or did that one get deleted?

Same one. I can live with this discussion. And Tre, if possible, look back and see how many of those threads I started. And they were about different topics one was Who should play OSU?, one was Tressel's comments, one was about articles in the media, and the other was the Rose Bowl thread.

Same one. I can live with this discussion. And Tre, if possible, look back and see how many of those threads I started. And they were about different topics one was Who should play OSU?, one was Tressel's comments, one was about articles in the media, and the other was the Rose Bowl thread.

8 threads that somehow involve UM football, I don't care what variation. Like we've said in the past, if you don't want to read it: Don't click on it!

Izzo has HOW many Final Fours (and one championship, and an Elite Eight), and you are already wondering if this year will be his best job ever? Let's talk after the season, because it is all about making the tournament, and then doing some damage there. If State doesn't go at least Sweet Sixteen, then the season is a flop.
State is one of the Big Timers in basketball. When you have been as successful as Izzo, you can only ADD to that success to consider a season as one of your best ever.
You make the NCAA Tourney by winning two thirds of your games (sometimes less), and finishing in the upper half of a conference that has 11 teams. If I'm Izzo, I wouldn't take anything less than Sweet Sixteen as a season I want to jump up and down about.

No offense dude, but you are obviously not very knowledgeable about Michigan State this year or Tom Izzo's expectations. I understand that you place high expectations on great programs, but this year is different and everyone knows it. I heard Izzo himself address the team about their situation and expectations. He flat out told them they weren't ultra talented and he was dead right. But, he did say that they have a chance to make the tourney if they play the game the right way.

You can't expect a team that sent three players to the NBA and lost more to graduation/deciding not to play anymore to do a lot of damage. Anybody that says Sweet 16 or bust for a team that lost 5 key players and 80% of their scoring is just not living in the real world. The best coaching jobs are not always done when you have the most talent. Championships and accomplishments aren't always the result of your best coaching effort. It can be easy to win when you have numerous All Americans. It's those seasons when you've got much less to work with, surprise people, and find "some" success that prove what kind of coach you are.

Dr Tre:
Hey, no offense taken! I guess you take stock of whatever you can, and if Izzo and the Izzoids are happy if they go 16-12, then groove on!
You are right that I'm judging Izzo on past seasons, and thinking that "Hey, it's Michigan State, they have Izzo, and we'll see them standing tall at the end of the season". I'm looking at that Final Four from two years ago and thinking there is no way he can top that. That came out of now where if you ask me.

Can anyone imagine UofM fan having this conversatoin about Carr? (I know, you lose more with an individual departure in hoops...whatever).

Can anyone imagine UofM fan having this conversatoin about Carr? (I know, you lose more with an individual departure in hoops...whatever).

This is not a football thread. We have 37 UM football threads so don't go there.

But, you answered your own question. Don't compare apples to oranges. In basketball, you can lose nearly your entire playing group due to graduation and the NBA. The fact that only 5 players play at a time magnifies the impact. It is a completely different situation, so don't go suggesting UM is at some higher level because they don't have years like this.

The elite of the elite in college bball have down years. Name the top 10 programs in the country and I'll cite down years. Duke has probably done the best with that. However, North Carolina, Kansas, Arizona, UConn, Kentucky, etc. etc. have all had recent years of down teams due to the way the sport is set up.

Yeah, thats why I said whatever. God, can you shut up for like 2 hours.

Absolutely not. A huge part of college coaching is to maintain the talent level in the program and Izzo has failed in that regard this year. Just because he does "better than was expected" doesn't excuse an otherwise failed season if they don't go far in the postseason.

Izzo just used the oldest trick in th book, lower expectations as far as you can so that if/when something good happens, you look that much better for it. Don't fall for it.

Vinny:
that's a good point. I hear that for next year Izzo is saying he'll be lucky the Sparties can beat a team consisting of a garbage can and four frogs.

Absolutely not. A huge part of college coaching is to maintain the talent level in the program and Izzo has failed in that regard this year. Just because he does "better than was expected" doesn't excuse an otherwise failed season if they don't go far in the postseason.

Izzo just used the oldest trick in th book, lower expectations as far as you can so that if/when something good happens, you look that much better for it. Don't fall for it.

I'm sorry man, I know I come off as a biased fan when it comes to Michigan topics, but your response just stinks of maize and blue garbage. Either that or you don't follow basketball much. Let me prove my point:

Roy Williams was named Coach of the Year last year. Did Williams win the ACC? Nope. Did he go to the Final Four? Nope. National Championship? Nope.

Then why did he win Coach of the Year? It was because voters are intelligent and they knew the situation. They lost a ridiculous amount of players and his team still finished with a solid record and played well. Did you hear fans saying that he failed? Absolutely not.

That's North Carolina, one of the most prestigious/recognized/storied programs not only in basketball but all of college sports. Were you ripping UNC for having lowered expectations? Retarded. Glad you don't have a vote.

Izzo just used the oldest trick in th book, lower expectations as far as you can so that if/when something good happens, you look that much better for it. Don't fall for it.


OH MY GOD......so that's where Tre picked up that trick.......it's all starting to make so much sense now

Roy Williams didn't recruit for 4 years at UNC as of last year. He lost a player or 2 or 5 early. He got a 3 seed. He finished 2nd in a great conference. UNC fan/program kept expectations high despite national disrespect.

Awful example. Izzo lost one guy, one year early.

I'm sorry man, I know I come off as a biased fan when it comes to Michigan topics, but your response just stinks of maize and blue garbage. Either that or you don't follow basketball much. Let me prove my point:

Roy Williams was named Coach of the Year last year. Did Williams win the ACC? Nope. Did he go to the Final Four? Nope. National Championship? Nope.

Then why did he win Coach of the Year? It was because voters are intelligent and they knew the situation. They lost a ridiculous amount of players and his team still finished with a solid record and played well. Did you hear fans saying that he failed? Absolutely not.

That's North Carolina, one of the most prestigious/recognized/storied programs not only in basketball but all of college sports. Were you ripping UNC for having lowered expectations? Retarded. Glad you don't have a vote.

Lol. Your posts are high comedy at this point. You're so jaded and you don't even know it.

Roy Williams didn't recruit for 4 years at UNC as of last year. He lost a player or 2 or 5 early. He got a 3 seed. He finished 2nd in a great conference. UNC fan/program kept expectations high despite national disrespect.

Awful example. Izzo lost one guy, one year early.

You showed how little you know with this post. Izzo lost Shannon Brown early to the NBA, lost Ager and Davis to the NBA (doesn't matter if they left after senior yr, still impacts team, lost Trannon to NFL prep, lost Rowley to moving on beyond bball. That is 5 guys and all of them played. 4 of them played significant minutes. Yet, you want them to come back and go to the final four this year. No wonder Michigan sucks at basketball, there fans don't even know the sport.

Lol. Your posts are high comedy at this point. You're so jaded and you don't even know it.

Nice response. You claim I'm jaded but haven't been able to counter my points or backup your own.

If you told Bilas, Vitale, or any other informed college basketball cover guy in the media that you expect every major bball program in the country to maintain Final Four expectations and never have a year with lowered expectation, they would laugh at you.

You think I'm jaded, but you are the one that is making it very clear that you don't follow the sport or know anything about it.

As a scientologist Bilas has had all his human emotions "audited" out of him and would never agree that Duke is anything but the top contender for the NC. Vitale is always laughing those crazy lunatic insanity laughs.

You showed how little you know with this post. Izzo lost Shannon Brown early to the NBA, lost Ager and Davis to the NBA (doesn't matter if they left after senior yr, still impacts team, lost Trannon to NFL prep, lost Rowley to moving on beyond bball. That is 5 guys and all of them played. 4 of them played significant minutes. Yet, you want them to come back and go to the final four this year. No wonder Michigan sucks at basketball, there fans don't even know the sport.

I'm a state fan. I fly a spartan flag in my yard. I have spartan drapes in my garage. I wear spartan shit to the gym.

I don't want them to go to the final four. I want them to compete at an elite level. They aren't. I am disapponted in Izzo for not preparing knowing that at the very least Ager and Davis would be gone. Losing a Junior isn't exactly a crushing defeat to a roster either. I don't want him fired, or am even really mad at him, but I have the clarity to see this for what it is. Its a blemish, a hiccup, but one that could have been avoided if we were truely A1. Its not to be celebrated.

I'll still enjoy the year, my take was as much of a dig on UM fans and their overreaction to Carr's occational mediocrity as a condemnation of Tom, but you're still asinine to fly this superior coaching job banner when so much of his job as a director of the program is to make sure that precisily this doesn't happen.

Nice response. You claim I'm jaded but haven't been able to counter my points or backup your own.

If you told Bilas, Vitale, or any other informed college basketball cover guy in the media that you expect every major bball program in the country to maintain Final Four expectations and never have a year with lowered expectation, they would laugh at you.

You think I'm jaded, but you are the one that is making it very clear that you don't follow the sport or know anything about it.

Let us review:


You posed a question about MSU basketball.
You provided your answer for said question.
I provided a response that differed from your answer.
You had a tantrum and started calling me names.
I never said there couldn't be lowered expectations for a basketball program, I never said it wasn't acceptable, I said that in such a season, you couldn't then consider it the coaches "Best Season Ever" because it's not. You really need to consider going to an MSU only board because it's becoming increasingly obvious that you don't want to listen to anyone who disagrees with you.

Let us review:


You posed a question about MSU basketball.
You provided your answer for said question.
I provided a response that differed from your answer.
You had a tantrum and started calling me names.
I never said there couldn't be lowered expectations for a basketball program, I never said it wasn't acceptable, I said that in such a season, you couldn't then consider it the coaches "Best Season Ever" because it's not. You really need to consider going to an MSU only board because it's becoming increasingly obvious that you don't want to listen to anyone who disagrees with you.

Same exact thing can be said about every single UM fan here on WTF. I shared my opinion that I felt Florida deserved to be in the title game and I was absolutely attacked in several threads. So don't give me this garbage about going to a MSU only board.

If you would have said you dont' think its his best and given reasons, I would have took part in the discussion. But, you called this season a failed season and played the old Michigan fan trick of putting ridiculous expectations on MSU so you can blast them later.

I'm a state fan. I fly a spartan flag in my yard. I have spartan drapes in my garage. I wear spartan shit to the gym.

I don't want them to go to the final four. I want them to compete at an elite level. They aren't. I am disapponted in Izzo for not preparing knowing that at the very least Ager and Davis would be gone. Losing a Junior isn't exactly a crushing defeat to a roster either. I don't want him fired, or am even really mad at him, but I have the clarity to see this for what it is. Its a blemish, a hiccup, but one that could have been avoided if we were truely A1. Its not to be celebrated.

I'll still enjoy the year, my take was as much of a dig on UM fans and their overreaction to Carr's occational mediocrity as a condemnation of Tom, but you're still asinine to fly this superior coaching job banner when so much of his job as a director of the program is to make sure that precisily this doesn't happen.

If you are truly a State guy, you'd be happy that Izzo has MSU back in the Top 25 again with the #5 recruiting class in the country coming in next year.
Here is what you guys aren't getting though: Sure Izzo could have brought in a few good freshmen guards and had higher expectations this year, but he knew that the following crop of freshmen were much more talented. He planned his schollies so that he could bring in several more talented freshmen next year and more the following so that he could build a NC calibur team. Had he went your route, he would have missed out on somebody like Lucas/Summers/Allen because there wouldn't have been enough schollies.

Do they make a Fathead[smilie=punks.gif] that is just a huge pic of Tom Izzo's face?

I'm a state fan. I fly a spartan flag in my yard. I have spartan drapes in my garage. I wear spartan shit to the gym.

I don't want them to go to the final four. I want them to compete at an elite level. They aren't. I am disapponted in Izzo for not preparing knowing that at the very least Ager and Davis would be gone. Losing a Junior isn't exactly a crushing defeat to a roster either. I don't want him fired, or am even really mad at him, but I have the clarity to see this for what it is. Its a blemish, a hiccup, but one that could have been avoided if we were truely A1. Its not to be celebrated.

I'll still enjoy the year, my take was as much of a dig on UM fans and their overreaction to Carr's occational mediocrity as a condemnation of Tom, but you're still asinine to fly this superior coaching job banner when so much of his job as a director of the program is to make sure that precisily this doesn't happen.


Bullshit. The coach of a program only has so much control over who stays, who leaves, who verbals, who commits, etc...

Some things can be planned for, like Davis and Ager graduating (see the recruiting class of Herzog, Morgan and Dahlman) and some things can't exactly be planned for (see Brown leaving early or Devendorf backing out of his verbal or Cotton transferring or Rowley quitting basketball or Trannon deciding not to play hoops). You recruit these elite players when they're sophomores and juniors. When a sudden and unexpected need arises, contrary to your belief...a coach can't just up and go grab an elite recruit when he's a senior in high school.

Fact is, if Shannon Brown hadn't left a year early...MSU would be a top 15 program this year and you wouldn't be calling this year a hiccup or a blemish or whatever the fuck else you feel like calling it. But Brown did leave and FACT remains that Izzo is doing the absolute most with what he's got. His team is in the process of exceeding the expectations of every single preseason prognostication out there.

It has been an impressive display of pure coaching by anyone's definition.

Impressive?
C'mon. The season is only a third over, and the Big 10 season hasn't started yet.
Wake me up when something important happens. Too much basketball to be played before all you Sparties start sucking each other dicks just yet.

Things I've learned tonight:

Barely beating Division II programs with the help of some questionable calls is part of being impressive

Coaches only control their programs when good things happen

Coaches do well to recruit players, but are not to be questioned if they lose those recruits

Coaches can do nothing to keep talent in their program from turning into

Coaches have no way of knowing guys who've been talked about leaving for other sports may need to be replaced

Tune in next week when Spartan slappies discuss how Napoleans finest moment may have been The Battle of Nations where he may have totally miscalculated his need for troops, he was able to be exiled to Alba and regroup stronger than ever.

Here's what I'm saying: exactly how many games has this team won that they weren't supposed to win? I would say Texas is the only game they were expected to lose. So winning one game that they were the underdog in annoints the man? Hardly. You may have a story here, and it might end up being the most impressive Izzo work in the end, in terms of getting the most out of what he had left, but like several have already said, that's only a possibility at this point and the team would have to fair quite well for it to be true. All this coming after perhaps the worst season of his career last year.

And, if you say something like, "Best coaching job EVER!"--What is the measuring stick? He could go 15-13, and Sparties are gonna be burning couches all over the country because no one thought they could be "that good". Or, he could go 19-10, and get into the Tourney, and then The Sparties will probably burn down the Sears Tower. But I think either way the Sparties need to call their shot. State the parameters for "Best Season Ever".
Sweet 16? Win a Tourney game? Finish in the upper half of the Big 10? Izzo getting a guest shot on "Boston Legal"? Izzo and Shatner double teaming a blue chick from the planet Yippsodiddletron? Come on Sparties: Lay it out!
"Best coaching jobs ever" usually equate to a moral consolation prize, and can usually also be translated into the phrase: A Shitty Season.

You showed how little you know with this post. Izzo lost Shannon Brown early to the NBA, lost Ager and Davis to the NBA (doesn't matter if they left after senior yr, still impacts team, lost Trannon to NFL prep, lost Rowley to moving on beyond bball. That is 5 guys and all of them played. 4 of them played significant minutes. Yet, you want them to come back and go to the final four this year. No wonder Michigan sucks at basketball, there fans don't even know the sport.

OH MY GOD YOU'RE RIGHT!!! That's exactly why Michigan sucks! Because of their fans!

You know, you always complain when someone else brings up Michigan in threads that are unrelated, but you LOVE to do it.

"Blah blah blah Michigan fans are stupid blah blah blah Michigan fans are turds blah blah blah Michigan fans are arrogant... etc"

Sure Izzo could have brought in a few good freshmen guards and had higher expectations this year, but he knew that the following crop of freshmen were much more talented. He planned his schollies so that he could bring in several more talented freshmen next year and more the following so that he could build a NC calibur team. Had he went your route, he would have missed out on somebody like Lucas/Summers/Allen because there wouldn't have been enough schollies.



Bullshit. The coach of a program only has so much control over who stays, who leaves, who verbals, who commits, etc...

Some things can be planned for, like Davis and Ager graduating (see the recruiting class of Herzog, Morgan and Dahlman) and some things can't exactly be planned for (see Brown leaving early or Devendorf backing out of his verbal or Cotton transferring or Rowley quitting basketball or Trannon deciding not to play hoops). You recruit these elite players when they're sophomores and juniors. When a sudden and unexpected need arises, contrary to your belief...a coach can't just up and go grab an elite recruit when he's a senior in high school.

Fact is, if Shannon Brown hadn't left a year early...MSU would be a top 15 program this year and you wouldn't be calling this year a hiccup or a blemish or whatever the fuck else you feel like calling it. But Brown did leave and FACT remains that Izzo is doing the absolute most with what he's got. His team is in the process of exceeding the expectations of every single preseason prognostication out there.

It has been an impressive display of pure coaching by anyone's definition.

Ok, I really must comment on a few things here, because like we always do, this conversation has become heavily skewed.
First Tre is talking about how Izzo planned his scholarships. First of all, Izzo could have done better the year before with his 2 schollies than to bring in Joseph and Walton. That was a horrible recruiting class and probably the biggest reason the team "has low expectations" this season. I don't care that it was only 2 scholarships, a guy like Izzo should be landing 4 star guys, anbd he got 2 three stars. That's a killer. Then, this past year he got 3 recruits. 2 are 4 stars but you're only expecting anything out of one of them, and then another 3 star. So that's a two-year run of recruits that could have been much better. The fact that YOU don't expect much of anyone other than Morgan (and the pleasant surprise of Walton and Joseph - it's THEIR contribution that probably sparked this thread in reality)

Now Jack. You talk of what can or cannot be planned for. First of all, this is college basketball. When your coach is so well known for making players better, you SHOULD be planning for any 5 star recruit to leave after 3 years. So they were lucky they even had Davis last year, and should have been expecting Brown to leave exactly when he did. Rowley and Trannon both should have been seniors last season so you should not be bitter about not having them. And how long has it been since Cotton transferred? Dude, there's dust on that argument. Devendorf backing out. Wow. Ok, so you have to give Michigan credit for any production that Crawford and Horford have made now, right? I'll tell you what Izzo didn't plan for. He didn't plan that Marquise would go from 5 star HS player to 2 star college player in two short years. But ultimately, who should have seen that coming and known from heavy recruiting and watching that it would have. Izzo. So that can be tied directly to expectations for this season. He's got a guy that could have been a 5 star stud playing his junior year right now. That's something to build upon, but it's something he doesn't have. So 2 substandard recruiting classes when 5 scholarships were in fact given out, combined with a 5 star who wasn't, are the reason there are few expectations. But should there be? Could there be? Absolutely. You can talk all you want about down years for elite programs, but at the end of the day those programs never have to climb their way barely into the top 25 in week 5 of the season.

I think the best post on this subject was by the guy who said that when it comes to Sparties, the seasons that are bad are NOT the coaches fault (especially when it's the Midget of Iron Mountain), but the good seasons are ALL ABOUT THE IZZO, baby!

How fucking drunk was I talking about the Battle of Nations? I appologize for that post, I can't read half of it. Its still better than Jack's post, but its awful.

How fucking drunk was I talking about the Battle of Nations? I appologize for that post, I can't read half of it. Its still better than Jack's post, but its awful.

Naw your's was worse. I could barely even comprehend your post. It was bad but don't worry about it...just don't use alcohol as a crutch. That's weak.

If you don't think there are things (especially with recruiting) that are out of a coach's control...then you are out of your fucking mind. lol

Unless your school's name is Duke or Carolina, you're going to have unforeseen pitfalls and stumbling blocks in maintaining a championship caliber product. And even those schools have their down years. You're an idiot if you think it's always the fault of the head coach and that those down turns are always correctable within a year's time.

But if you want to harp on Izzo's recruiting...that's completely fine but to be honest that's an entirely different discussion than the thread that Tre started. With your drinking problem though it's understandable why you're having a hard time figuring that one out. This thread is about what Izzo is doing with the current group of talent that he has to work with. A group that was preseason ranked in the 40's and 50's and a group that was never expected to be top 25 ranked at any point in the season. People were quite confident in calling a team led by Drew Neitzel, NIT caliber.

For whatever reason, it's not an overly talented group from a combine/measurable perspective. Morgan is probably the only pro prospect of the lot. And to have this team ranked and playing and functioning like they are...it's a credit to Izzo's pure COACHING abilities. Not recruiting abilities oh inebriated one....c-o-a-c-h-i-n-g. If you disagree with that. Fine. But you're dim if you do.

I love how Hermy claims he's a Spartan. That's the move of 12 yr olds on message boards. Sure you are Hermy! Were you drunk when you posted that too?

The response by the uninformed Michigan fans here is absolutely unreal to me. Taking bias to a new level. Can ya give a Spartan credit ONCE?!

Jethro: Your boy Tommy Amaker would LOVE to have Joseph and Walton. Joseph is a sophmore who is shooting lights out on a ranked team and Walton is a team captain and GREAT defender. How the hell is that a bad recruiting class? I understand saying he needs to get 4 and 5 star guys, but its what they do on the court that counts. I believe they are performing very well.

Will you at least change the name of the thread if you're just going to completely disregard everything anyone else has to say? It's starting to mislead people.

The topic is getting lost in all this bullshit. Let me simplify things. This is not about recruiting, program planning, etc. etc.

Is Izzo doing a great job coaching this year and could it maybe be his best effort ever when the season ends?

YES!!!!! Do you Michigan fans disagree with the fact that this team doesn't have great individual talent? If you believe they don't have great individual talent and the TEAM is ranked, ISN'T THAT A GREAT COACHING JOB?!

Fact is this, the Michigan fans are so jealous of State having Izzo as a coach that they refuse to give him credit for anything. Jethro wouldn't even give him credit for his Final Four run year before last. A couple of weeks ago The Huge Show had a topic (i know, the show sucks, but the topic was good). He asked, "Who is the state of Michigan's biggest sports leader and icon?" The results were overwhelming in favor of Tom Izzo. Tons of Michigan fans admitted on the show that Izzo was the biggest sports figure in our state. Michigan fans hate that and stink of jealousy whenever Izzo is mentioned.

I'm still waiting for a Michigan fan to address my point. Every program in the nation outside of Duke (and that's why they are Duke) has had down years in the last decade. Why do you hold MSU to a higher standard than every single Elite program?! I guess that reveals how you all truly feel about State's program. You question their standing among the nation's best, but then hold them to higher standards than everyone else.

WOW. Just WOW.

Dude, you just closed your eyes and drove right by half my post, didn't you?

I wrote how their play is probably the biggest reason you thnik what you do about this season. But I remember what you personally thought about these guys last year. I know you weren't hype by a recruiting class of two 3-star guys at the time. Obviously State fans wanted those scholarships to go to Devendorf and Dominic James. Consolation prizes probably would have been Bobby Frasor or Ryan Wright. Walton and MoJo weren't the priority recruits by any means.

Basically, we need to re-clarify the terms here. This has blended into a 2 subject thread. First subject - Izzo has gotten a lot out of his players so far this season. If he continues to, barring the dissappointment that is Marquise Gray, it will show just how good of a game coach and player developer Izzo can be. Second subject - State got caught with their pants down and had a two-year stretch in which their recruiting efforts did not reflect the arrogance of program backers.

I can't give you an answer for the last decade because I don't have the time to do the research, but ESPN goes back as far as 02-023 and there are plenty of teams besides UNC and Duke that haven't had seasons as bad as State's down years.
A partial list includes: Illinois, Arizona, Kansas, Texas, Syracuse, UConn, Florida and Kentucky. The worst season any of them have had in that time period was 20 wins and a first round loss. State's 18 win season was just really bad.
By the way, I was at your house for both the Duke game and the UNC game that season, and I watched the controversial Kentucky nailbiter (with 45 minutes of coverage of a toe) and apparently you have forgotten all the credit I gave at the time, because there was plenty. The only thing I've given you crap for wascalling it a championship on a regional technicality. That was all framed within the conversation of you not giving Michigan credit. I wouldn't consider making it to the Rose Bowl an amazing accomplishment, so I gave you crap about bragging about Final Fours. It's funny how Michigan is considerred a team that loses Rose Bowl games and that's a huge negative thing. Meanwhile, State is considered this amazing team because they REACH the Final Four. If there were any way to makes this apples and apples, those would be VERY similar accomplishments and yet one a is laughing matter and the other is the default brag for that school's fans.
But, I answered your question 8 times. You're welcome.

As far as the HUGE show goes, I personally would vote #1 - Joe Dumars, #2 - Tom Izzo. I'm not jealous at all. By the way, Izzo probably would have been 4th a year ago, with Ben and Yzerman beating him. I could have voted Leyland ahead of him now, but he's only done it one year here. Mike Hart would round out the list if he were more arrogant. It's hard to name a player since they're only around 3-5 years, so you almost have to pick a coach, GM, etc. Dombrowski would get the credit too, but it's a process.

There were so many things that was wrong in your posts, I don't know where to start.

1) First of all, you didn't answer my question. You side stepped it and changed it. I didn't ask if any of the Elite programs had seasons worse than State's down years. I asked if any of the Elite programs have had years of lowered expectations? Answer: YES. Every single one that you mentioned has had years of lowered expectations.

2) You are WAY wrong about my feelings about Walton and MoJo coming in. I displayed an issue of Spartan Mag for 6 months in my house with the two of them on it. Ask Moodini, he'll remember. I hyped Walton as being a stud defender.

3) I love when you make bold statements about players. "Bush is the most overrated player in college football" -wins the Heisman "OSU's offense is so overrated" -drop 40+ on Michigan in "The Game of the Century" Now, Walton was a disappointing recruit and you are referring to Quise as "The dissappointment that is Marquise Gray. How's this:

Walton- Leads all BT players in assist to turnover ratio
Quise- 3 Straight Double Doubles, Today- 15 pts, 12 boards

In all of this, we continue to get off track. Is Izzo doing an amazing job this year? Yes, Sir.

BTW, claiming that you gave MSU props for their FF is garbage. Were you super cool when watching with me? Yes.

But right afterwards you were on here ripping them for getting beat bad by UNC, you called them the Buffalo Bills, and downplayed the significance of a Final Four.

NO, making the Rose Bowl isn't the same damn it. I get so sick of that claim. The Rose Bowl is a BT title! You do know that right? Final Four is completely different. And winning it is completely different too because you have to win the freaking NC to win it. 2 games against the very best, not 1 against a good/possibly great team.

The Rose Bowl is not necessarily a Big Ten title. It used to be, but it isn't any more. They are not bound to invite the winner of the Big Ten and the winner of the Pac 10.
And you don't have to win a NC to make it past the Final Four. You just have to make it TO the championship game.
I didn't have the intention of ripping the team for losing to UNC that year. My intention was ripping fans who celebrated it with comments that the goal was the Final Four and we got it so there's nothing to be upset about.
This is our classic debate between you and I. I am never fully satisfied unless my team wins a NC. This year, I want Michigan to finish strong on a high note and legitimize their season, but no NC is a disappointment. State fans are perfectly content with a Final Four. And this year you're content with far less.

But, is Izzo doing a great job SO FRICKING FAR in this short stretch of the season that has been played? Yes. Possibly among his best work, but I haven't wanted to follow it closely enough to really know.

did he mention huge in that first post? as in bill simmonson? if so ban him now.

I love how Hermy claims he's a Spartan. That's the move of 12 yr olds on message boards. Sure you are Hermy! Were you drunk when you posted that too?




You got me. I'm also not a Pistons fan. I'm a Jazz fan. You know how you can tell? I haven't started a "WILL BLALOCK = JOE D'S BEST PERSONEL MOVE EVER!!!" thread. Good catch.

The Rose Bowl is not necessarily a Big Ten title. It used to be, but it isn't any more. They are not bound to invite the winner of the Big Ten and the winner of the Pac 10.
And you don't have to win a NC to make it past the Final Four. You just have to make it TO the championship game.
I didn't have the intention of ripping the team for losing to UNC that year. My intention was ripping fans who celebrated it with comments that the goal was the Final Four and we got it so there's nothing to be upset about.
This is our classic debate between you and I. I am never fully satisfied unless my team wins a NC. This year, I want Michigan to finish strong on a high note and legitimize their season, but no NC is a disappointment. State fans are perfectly content with a Final Four. And this year you're content with far less.

But, is Izzo doing a great job SO FRICKING FAR in this short stretch of the season that has been played? Yes. Possibly among his best work, but I haven't wanted to follow it closely enough to really know.

The Rose Bowl not being necessarily a BT title lowers it more. 2nd place BT finish = Final Four? I don't think so. Can't compare any BCS bid to a Final Four. All you need is a really good season and a strong traveling fan base to get a bid. Anyways, I'm done with that.

I'll give you props. First Wolverine here to simply answer the question. I asked whether this might be his best work, you answered it. FINALLY somebody answered it. tip my hat

The Rose Bowl not being necessarily a BT title lowers it more. 2nd place BT finish = Final Four? I don't think so. Can't compare any BCS bid to a Final Four. All you need is a really good season and a strong traveling fan base to get a bid. Anyways, I'm done with that.

I'll give you props. First Wolverine here to simply answer the question. I asked whether this might be his best work, you answered it. FINALLY somebody answered it. tip my hat

Wouldn't BCS = Elite Eight? Was 8 BCS spots(now 10) but pretty much the same thing.

But CBball has 3x as many teams as CFBall, hard to say how much difficulty comes from that though, it isn't very quantifiable to say the least.

Wouldn't BCS = Elite Eight? Was 8 BCS spots(now 10) but pretty much the same thing.

But CBball has 3x as many teams as CFBall, hard to say how much difficulty comes from that though, it isn't very quantifiable to say the least.

You are exactly right about the Elite 8 comparison. And that might even be a stretch given the circumstances. You could beat nobody all year and get a BCS game due to conference affiliations or everybody else beating each other up.

We probably shouldn't get into this again. We've been there. Not until football has a playoff can we compare, because football doesn't have any sort of Final Four. It's an acomplishment unique to college basketball.

You are exactly right about the Elite 8 comparison. And that might even be a stretch given the circumstances. You could beat nobody all year and get a BCS game due to conference affiliations or everybody else beating each other up.

We probably shouldn't get into this again. We've been there. Not until football has a playoff can we compare, because football doesn't have any sort of Final Four. It's an acomplishment unique to college basketball.

But, conversely, you could be very mediocre all year, then get hot, and make the Elite Eight, so I think that the accomplishments are similar.

Plus, keep in mind that everyone always talks about the "top 64 teams" when we all know you could be the tourney champ of the Southern Jicknut Conference with a losing record all for the right to get beat by 60 to a #1 seed. Not a chance you're one of the top 64 teams since any NIT team could take you by 25.

Plus, keep in mind that everyone always talks about the "top 64 teams" when we all know you could be the tourney champ of the Southern Jicknut Conference with a losing record all for the right to get beat by 60 to a #1 seed. Not a chance you're one of the top 64 teams since any NIT team could take you by 25.

Whether they are the Top 65 teams or the Top 55 w/ guests, you still have to beat the best of the best to get that trophy and banner for the Final Four.

Totally not the argument I was making. I wasn't discounting the efforts of those who make it to the final four, I was bitch-slapping the idiots that claim that the 65 there are the top 65 teams, because that's one of the dumbest arguments a person could make.

Totally not the argument I was making. I wasn't discounting the efforts of those who make it to the final four, I was bitch-slapping the idiots that claim that the 65 there are the top 65 teams, because that's one of the dumbest arguments a person could make.

True. I would say it's the 65 most deserving(though they should switch it from being the conf. tourney champs to conf. champs IMO). It takes the big boys, the solid teams around them, and little guys who deserve a shot.

True. I would say it's the 65 most deserving(though they should switch it from being the conf. tourney champs to conf. champs IMO). It takes the big boys, the solid teams around them, and little guys who deserve a shot.

It probably should be that way, but its fun to watch conference tournaments with the bid on the line. Plus, it give everyone one last shot at the end of the year. It's nice to give teams something to play for.

I've been gone for a while, and I've read all of the argument posts, but I'm not going to get into all of that.

I'll give Izzo and the Spartans props for how well they are playing. I thought they would be a lot worse.

I've been gone for a while, and I've read all of the argument posts, but I'm not going to get into all of that.

I'll give Izzo and the Spartans props for how well they are playing. I thought they would be a lot worse.

Heeeeeey! Welcome back buddy! Props for giving Izzo props. We needed more intelligent Michigan fans here. (I'm serious) Some of the newcomers are...umm...well, special.

Best coaching job yet?

Yes sir!

The guy can flat out coach. When is he going to go to the NBA or retire? Damn.

I sure hope Mr. Turtleneck doesn't get a win vs. Chief Illiniwek tonight and keep his job. I would love for Michigan to have a hard nosed cat like Izzo coaching.

Is this the line to suck Izzo's cock?

Is this the line to suck Izzo's cock?

Can you still consider it a line when the person at the front never leaves to give someone else a shot?

Can you still consider it a line when the person at the front never leaves to give someone else a shot?

Glenn this isn't the pissed off/bitter fan cuz my team sucks thread. You're in the wrong place.

In a career as stellar as The Izzo has built, Tre, I find it hard to pick this season as his best job ever. That's a little bit too much hyperbole.
The season a couple years ago when he manufactured that Final Four, with the big wins he had to get there ranks as #1 for me.
This is a nice season, and the Wisconsin win was big, but the Big 11 is real weak this year. MSU stands at 20-8, and they've been seriously whacked in a couple games that they should have probably even won.
It's a young team, and short on talent, and the injury to Morgan hurt, but I still think he's had better seasons all the way around in the past.
But, I'm sure (and he wouldn't be lying) that The Izzo will say that this season might be the one he's had the most fun with.

In a career as stellar as The Izzo has built, Tre, I find it hard to pick this season as his best job ever. That's a little bit too much hyperbole.
The season a couple years ago when he manufactured that Final Four, with the big wins he had to get there ranks as #1 for me.
This is a nice season, and the Wisconsin win was big, but the Big 11 is real weak this year. MSU stands at 20-8, and they've been seriously whacked in a couple games that they should have probably even won.
It's a young team, and short on talent, and the injury to Morgan hurt, but I still think he's had better seasons all the way around in the past.
But, I'm sure (and he wouldn't be lying) that The Izzo will say that this season might be the one he's had the most fun with.

The way I look at it is this. When I attended practice this year, I about puked. Now I watch this team and I believe they can win every game. A complete 180. I probably have a different perspective because I saw where they started and where Izzo got them.

In addition, we have one consistent scorer and he's a 170 pd, 6 ft, white boy. You win 20+ with that scenario and you're doing a helluva job. I agree that if you asked Izzo, this is probably the most fun he's had. However, I bet if you asked him if this is the best job he's done...the answer very well could be yes. I heard from his own mouth in private what he thought this team was capable of. Trust me, it wasn't a tournament birth and 20 wins.

Tre, you are on a whole other echelon. You are amazing. You seriously do live in a totally different world than the rest of us.

Tre, you are on a whole other echelon. You are amazing. You seriously do live in a totally different world than the rest of us.

I agree with the amazing part.

This says it all!
MSU-MARQUETTE PREGAME PART II

By Jim Comparoni


EAST LANSING – Tom Izzo is pretty loose this week. He’s doing a lot of smiling, and he’s optimistic about what could be.

As he said, he isn’t betting his house that the Spartans will survive the weekend and make it to the Sweet 16 for the seventh time in Izzo’s career. But he’s looking forward to giving it a whirl. He thinks MSU has a chance.

Making the NCAA Tournament was the No. 1 goal of the season. This was the bridge year. Izzo feels very good about his team’s ability to make a lot of noise next year, and in 2009 and 2010. It was this year, the year after Brown, Ager and Davis, the year in which Drew Neitzel had to step up as the go-to scorer, surrounded by a bunch of unprovens … this was the year that MSU needed to over-achieve in order to make the NCAA Tournament for a 10th straight year.

Now that that huge goal is out of the way, Izzo probably feels that No. 11, 12 and 13 are in the bag. That will keep MSU up there with Kansas, Kentucky, Arizona and Duke as the teams with the longest streak of consecutive years in the NCAA Tournament. That’s a program benchmark. Izzo loves that company. It’s huge to him. And MSU protected that program distinction this year by earning a bid to the NCAA Tournament in a year in which two of the last four national champs didn’t get in (Syracuse and Connecticut). (What’s your definition of elite?)

This was the year. The bridge year. And the bridge has been crossed. MSU is in. And there is no pressure.

Step 1...Unzip Izzo's pants.
Step 2...Insert Izzo's cock into mouth.
Step 3...Tell the world how good his sperm tastes.

Yup...you got it all covered.

http://atom.smasher.org/vegas/?p=4&l1=Welcome+WTF+Detroit&l2=Sparty+Contingent&l3=Tonite+Only%3A+Lick&l4=Tom+Izzo%27s+Balls

well done zip...lol

Step 1...Unzip Izzo's pants.
Step 2...Insert Izzo's cock into mouth.
Step 3...Tell the world how good his sperm tastes.

Yup...you got it all covered.

Jickboy, you seem to know the steps of giving a dude a blowjob a little too well. hmmm....

BTW, that was Comprani's article, not mine. You offer very little to WTF with your occational 1-2 liner middle school posts. Maybe you ought to take it to a different forum like Mlive, you'd fit in better there and probably be more welcomed.

Super tight...old school Dr Tre...I missed ya. Way to not have a sense of humor...and you wonder why you are SO LOVED on MB's.

I think Jickboy is funny. But this is tourny time, which has pretty much become MSU time so I'd let Tre have his sunshine. No doubt Izzo is the shit.

Izzo is great, but my definition of ELITE means winning your conference or at least conference tournament (to be a true CHAMPION) once in a while. It's been A WHILE.

Izzo is great, but my definition of ELITE means winning your conference or at least conference tournament (to be a true CHAMPION) once in a while. It's been A WHILE.

That may be your definition but others might include Final Fours every other year in their definition as well. They might include holding the #2 winning percentage in the NCAA tournament in their definition too. I don't know, just a guess. Izzo has won a Championship year before last, its not his fault that Michigan fans don't want to recognize a Regional Championship as one. And prior to this 5 year drought of conference titles, Izzo won 4 straight BT titles so I think its okay that 1 or 2 slipped away.

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn316/yourmom8581/tom-izzo.jpg

Izzo's going to get a letter from PETA for dressing up the cow on the left in makeup.

I wonder how young Mateen ended up with blonde hair?

Do milkmen still exist?

Any word on whether or not Rogers and Smoker were firing up a bowl in the van?

What kind of man lets his teenage daughter wear fishnet stockings? Maybe instead of being an elite basketball coach he should worry about his daughter so she doesn't end up like Urban Meyer's young one!!!

What kind of man lets his teenage daughter wear fishnet stockings? Maybe instead of being an elite basketball coach he should worry about his daughter so she doesn't end up like Urban Meyer's young one!!!

mmmmmmmmmm...

By the way, Izzo was on the HUGE show (please, help me) the other day and it was practically synchronized masturbation over State's roster and Delvon Roe. Izzo said they can't underestimate the loss of Neitzel, but they are deep and loaded everywhere (he wouldn't actually say that, but HUGE did and Izzo wouldn't disagree). Izzo started naming names and you could hear the nut slushing in the background.

Therefore, if this team does not make it to the Final Four, is it Izzo's worst coaching job ever for the 2nd consecutive year?

What kind of man lets his teenage daughter wear fishnet stockings? Maybe instead of being an elite basketball coach he should worry about his daughter so she doesn't end up like Urban Meyer's young one!!!

are there pics of her in stockings?!?

That's Izzo's daughter?

I don't think he has anything to worry about......and couldn't they find his kid a spartan basketball to carry

By the way, Izzo was on the HUGE show (please, help me) the other day and it was practically synchronized masturbation over State's roster and Delvon Roe. Izzo said they can't underestimate the loss of Neitzel, but they are deep and loaded everywhere (he wouldn't actually say that, but HUGE did and Izzo wouldn't disagree). Izzo started naming names and you could hear the nut slushing in the background.

Therefore, if this team does not make it to the Final Four, is it Izzo's worst coaching job ever for the 2nd consecutive year?

Tre? Knockout? What do you guys think?

Tre? Knockout? What do you guys think?

Gold.

Every year is Final Four or bust in my opinion. Last year was a disappointment but we ran into a buzzsaw in Memphis. This year we should be doing the buzzsawing.

State needs a Final Four appearance in the next 2 years to remain relevant among the talk of elite basketball programs.

Gold.

Quit being a LDB hanger onner

Every year is Final Four or bust in my opinion. Last year was a disappointment but we ran into a buzzsaw in Memphis. This year we should be doing the buzzsawing.

State needs a Final Four appearance in the next 2 years to remain relevant among the talk of elite basketball programs.

I seem drawn to the E word. One Final Four appearance in the last 7 years. You're looking for one in the next two years (often an indicator that people think they may get there this year but they may not, thus buying a 2nd year to meet the mark). So they could go 1 for 8, but as long as they hit on the 9th they're elite.

I just like to quantify it. How much time would that appearance buy them? Another 4-5 years? So one appearance every 4.5 years = elite? Can we call that the standard? How far do you go back? UM haters often say you can only measure the past 10 years, or some even limit it to 5. Is that the rule? I've always wanted to make a standard that everyone can agree on so we can measure what is or is not elite.

I think elite means that you have a consistent level of excellence. In basketball, that is measured by Final Four appearances and National Championships. To stay relevant in the discussion of elite, you must make a Final Four every few years. Every 4-5 years seems good but there are programs that seem to go back to back every so often which maintains their relevancy to the topic as well.

I see no reason why State can not make a Final Four in the next 2 years.

now?

Apparently, Oregon noticed, too.

I wonder if you'll still find Nike to be so ballin' if The Izzo bolts to Eugene?

Apparently, Oregon noticed, too.

I wonder if you'll still find Nike to be so ballin' if The Izzo bolts to Eugene?

Maybe you should start a thread about it. You haven't missed one Izzo rumor in the last decade. It'll give you something to jerk off to. That is if you aren't already jerking off to the fact that I'm here, which coincidently raises the views/visitors.

Maybe you should start a thread about it. You haven't missed one Izzo rumor in the last decade. It'll give you something to jerk off to. That is if you aren't already jerking off to the fact that I'm here, which coincidently raises the views/visitors.

Which doesn't make you want to jerk off at all, right?

Maybe you should start a thread about it. You haven't missed one Izzo rumor in the last decade. It'll give you something to jerk off to. That is if you aren't already jerking off to the fact that I'm here, which coincidently raises the views/visitors.

Like a yeast infection increases vaginal insertions.

The rumor would spread to all 18 of us.

I hope we can get a DrTre11 exclusive on Glan's jerking status.

How's his hand doing, Tre?

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/andy_glockner/03/30/tom.izzo/index.html


In one corner, there's Izzo with his six-in-12. In the other, there's Butler's Brad Stevens, who looks like he's 12. Izzo's national title team in 2000 was built around the Flintstones. Stevens' TV watching schedule in 2000 was built around the Flintstones.

http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2010/04/report-tom-izzo-rumors-to-nets/


Recently, rumors swirled that the University of Oregon was going to make a strong play for Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo. The rumors were quickly shot down by Izzo himself and speculation quickly turned towards Minnesota coach Tubby Smith as choice #1 for the Ducks.
But just because Izzo isn’t packing his bags for the West coast doesn’t mean that he won’t pack his bags and leave East Lansing…if his Spartans win the National Championship.
According to sources close to Izzo, the New Jersey Nets have made clandestine overtures too attractive and convincing for Izzo to ignore. And, the source explains, if Izzo wins his second title — on the heels of making the Final Four in six out of his last 12 seasons — he will have little else to prove at the college level and will be ready for a new challenge, among many reasons why he’d leave.
If the Spartans win, it’s a “done deal,” says my source.

Speculation about Izzo’s possible move to the Nets will intensify once a recent statement new Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov gave to Belarus Sports Magazine gains traction in the U.S.
According to the most recent issue of B.S. Magazine, the billionaire has had his sights set on Izzo ever since acquiring the team.
I have given immense study to basketball and what makes successful basketball player and team. Often I have heard about the, what you call it, “izzone” that players credit for good performance. “I was just in the izzone that night,” they say. In the Nets, we want to have this izzone on nightly basis. Money is no concern.
While Prokhorov is careful not to explicitly state his desire to pry the Michigan State coach away from the Breslin Center, not wanting to create a distraction for the coach during the Final Four, the inference is clear.
My source for this story, who did not want to be identified for obvious reasons, has said that the initial contract offer for Izzo is $10 million per year plus perks like unlimited corporate jet use. The source explained that it will not be an easy decision for Izzo because of his Michigan roots and affinity for Michigan State University, but that the money and opportunity simply may be too good to pass up if he can win his second title.
Plus, Izzo knows that the Nets will be actively courting the NBA’s best free agents and will likely get one or two of them. Previous college coaches have failed in the NBA because they often went to terrible teams. The Nets are awful this year but could be turned around immediately with the addition of one or two superstars and a competent coach.
Additionally and on a related note, I was given a tip regarding documents floating around the Nets marketing department that are rather interesting. These documents reveal that work is being done for a remix of a song first recorded by Prokhorov’s Nets co-owner Jay-Z in 2000. The song, called “Izzo (H.O.V.A.) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Izzo_%28H.O.V.A.%29)“, would obviously have new relevance and be purportedly be given an eponymous second life as the official theme song of the Nets and their new coach.
The next obvious question for Spartan fans and Big Ten fans is who would take over at Michigan State in the event that Izzo leaves. When I posed this question to my source, he answered almost before I get the question out: Tom Crean. In fact, the ability to hand the job over to Crean would be a motivating factor in Izzo leaving.
Remember, Crean was hired by the Spartans (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Crean_%28basketball%29) in 1989 as a graduate assistant by Jud Heathcoat based on Izzo’s recommendation. That hire led to this awesome picture:

Once Izzo got the head job in East Lansing in 1995, he immediately hired his tan friend to be one of his assistants and the two built Izzo’s national title team together before Crean left to take the Marquette job.
Now, Crean is coaching at Indiana and mired in a two-season stretch during which he’s gone 16-46 and is already feeling heat from petulant, impatient, unrealistic IU zealots. Izzo apparently feels that Crean is in a no-win situation and would love to help his friend out by turning over Michigan State’s well-oiled machine to Crean. Considering the hand Crean had in getting the program to where it is today , Izzo feels — according to my source — that he owes him and that it provides further impetus and justification to leave for the Nets.
And that’s where this story gets really interesting.
The name I am hearing whispered as Crean’s possible replacement in Bloomington? You’ll think I’m making this up, but it’s Bob Knight.
The university is reportedly ready to offer Knight a blank chank, rename Assembly Hall after him, replace the statue in Showalter fountain (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/10/IUB-Showalter_Fountain.jpg) with one of Kent Benson boxing out, and give him final say over everything basketball-related, as well as a 50-tolerance policy in place of his previously mandated zero-tolerance policy — meaning he can engage in 50 blowups, assaults, profanity-laced lambastes, etc., before the university will consider action…like how things were in the 80s.
Okay, fine. Indiana isn’t ready to give Knight all of that. I take it back. April Fool’s! Ha, ha. But…for obvious reasons he would be the #1 choice should the Izzo-Crean dominoes fall as described above. And why not? The Indiana fan base has had nothing to feel good about in over two years while reports have circulated ever since he left Texas Tech that Knight still wants to coach. Knight would reportedly want to bring his son Pat with him and then hand the program over after 2-3 years.
We’ll have to wait and see on that one. IU fans shouldn’t get too excited yet as a lot still has to happen for the Red Sweater to be back roaming the IU bench.
Now the question for Michigan State fans is this: knowing that Tom Izzo will probably bolt East Lansing if the Spartans win the title, do you want them to win it all and then have Tom Crean take over next year? Or would you rather the Spartans fall just short, as they did last year, but keep your coach and the expectation of a Final Four once every two years?
Chime in below.


Which scenario would be better for Michigan State?


For no one to have read this because it's April 1st and none of it is true (even though you're silently admitting to yourself that, other than the Knight stuff, it's actually not that implausible.)
Spartans lose title game but keep Izzo.
Spartans win the national title, even though it most likely means that Tom Izzo will leave for the Nets and be replaced by Tom Crean.

"B.S. Magazine" on April 1.

lol

It was a bit tl;dr so I missed the disclaimer at the bottom, lol.

CHEATER

Lucious dismissed from team

article was tl;dr

Lucious dismissed from team

article was tl;dr

Izzo on Twitter:


The Lucious situation needed to be dealt with so we dealt with it. Korie knew the consequences of his actions. No further comment.

Plus he might get to play on Battleship this year. Best year ever.

At least MSU is going to make the NIT, UM fans!

12-8?

Really?

http://www.bdwf.net/forum/images/smilies/bump-animated%5B1%5D.gif

^ Thats nice right there.

Lucious dismissed from team

article was tl;dr
http://www.freep.com/article/20130917/SPORTS07/309170115/Korie-Lucious-Marijuana-got-him-kicked-off-MSU-basketball-team-Tom-Izzo-didn-t-respect-his-skills

Really feeling good about this upcoming season.

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/18129711/michigan-state-coach-tom-izzo-apologizes-spartans-schedule

THEY'RE BUILT FOR MARCH, NOT NOVEMBER

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/18129711/michigan-state-coach-tom-izzo-apologizes-spartans-schedule

Playing Duke tonight, loooool

So disappointed to find out that Tum Tum is a nickname.

??

I'm going to say yes!

Still thinking yes.

The #1 seed loses!

NOT the Virginia coach's best coaching season ever!

The #1 seed loses!

NOT the Virginia coach's best coaching season ever!

https://www.abc15.com/sports/sports-blogs-local/it-happened-virginia-loses-to-umbc-becomes-first-ever-1-seed-to-lose-to-16-seed-in-ncaa-tournament

"IT HAPPENED"

MY Retrievers!!!

Uh oh!

POOR SPARTY

Best coaching job? PROLLY NOT!!!

Ha!

Twitter is so good right now.

Unequivocally the sweetest.

Probably not gonna be this season -- Izzo has COVID-19

https://www.freep.com/story/sports/college/michigan-state/spartans/2020/11/09/michigan-state-basketball-tom-izzo-has-covid-19/6226275002/

Bump?