OT: Tom Izzo PSA

Submitted by Qmatic on

The strangest thing I have heard all week has to go to this. Being a school social worker in a high-poverty and high-needs school district I unfortunately have to report suspicion of abuse and neglect quite frequently to CPS (about half a dozen a week). It has gotten to the point where I have pretty much memorized the state of michigan annoucements that play while you are on hold. There is usually a couple from the DMV on renewing your license or becoming an organ donor, and a couple of Tim Allen Pure Michigan ads are sprinkled in their too.

However, today I was surprised there was a new annoucement being played. This one went "Hello, this is Tom Izzo basketball coach at MSU. With the threat of violence is something that affects everyone and needs to be taken seriously. Ok 2 Say is a place where you can report anything that you feel threatens your safety or the safety of others. You can be the one who can stop a tragedy by just speaking up."

And here I thought playing Pure Michigan ads while you waited to report abuse or neglect was a bit odd. I was speechless after this one.

Commie_High96

March 15th, 2018 at 12:43 PM ^

This web site once sold Brendan Gibbons themed t-shirts so maybe hold onto your stones. Lots of programs have had problems with this issue, I don’t think we get some award for being that different, but obviously I believe our current coach is better on this issue than Hoke.

East German Judge

March 15th, 2018 at 5:45 PM ^

While it is one thing for players to have these issues - and wish they did not, but for coaches - who ae to be leaders of men and women - they should NOT be doing the shit that izzo has by covering things up.  Remember that pedophile enabling ass called joepa???

He deserves all the shit and outcomes that will hopefully happen to him eventually!  BTW, he is a whiny big bitch!

Ramblin

March 15th, 2018 at 5:57 PM ^

Dantonio and Izzo have blood on their hands.  Period.  Is it only Michigan fans that shouldn't talk about that little fact?  Or is it everyone?  Should the media just take the high road and give it a rest?  Maybe the FBI should start playing nice as well?  Fuck Dantonio, Izzo, the BOT, the apologists, Engler.  I hope the house burns with them in it.  It is that bad.  This needs to be talked about...  

Boulderine

March 15th, 2018 at 12:47 PM ^

For voicing an opinion you disagree with?

I’m not defending how Izzo handled accusations of sexual assault, so don’t conflate that with me saying he was trying to do something good with the PSA referenced in the OP.

Seriously, you need some thicker skin if you can’t handle opinions different than your own.

Crootin

March 15th, 2018 at 1:41 PM ^

a PSA about doing the right thing and reporting violence from Tom Izzo?!  Hard pass.  It's blatant hypocrisy.  Doing the right thing would be running a clean program and not sweeping sexual assault under the rug, not recording a PR message months/years later.  He gets ZERO credit

ijohnb

March 15th, 2018 at 11:18 AM ^

take this down mods.  We all know what has transpired at MSU, what is being investigated, and how most here feel about Izzo.  Today is not the day.  Let's just talk hoops. 

In reply to by ijohnb

MGlobules

March 15th, 2018 at 11:26 AM ^

Paraphrasing Izzo's take on the remainder of the season, I guess? "We'll talk about the rape and violence that my players, with my help, have gotten away with after we win an NC."

If you had critiqued the OP for a lack of clarity, said that this was a relatively minor matter, that would be fine. But why attempt to shut down the conversation? Feel free to say nothing, go on your merry way. . . 

ijohnb

March 15th, 2018 at 11:33 AM ^

I can say whatever I want.

For the last two months, this blog has unsparingly critiqued everything about the situation at MSU.  Today is the first day of the NCAA tournament, and this thread was created only to spark "put him in jail" takes from the masses.  It has been covered.   

Whatever, I will just exit the conversation, but does this really need to be a thread?  Why?

ST3

March 15th, 2018 at 12:01 PM ^

Some folks, or maybe just me, think that the media has been saving MSU-related stories precisely for the start of the tournament when more people will be paying attention. If I am right, this is only the start of the Izzo stories. (Actually, tomorrow may be the day the dam breaks.)

WAR_DAWG'S_RETURN

March 15th, 2018 at 2:24 PM ^

Are'nt there several different threads. Why even come on here with your sanctimonious bullshit. If you don't want to read about Tom Izzo getting ragged on don't click on the thread about Tom Izzo. Oh Ya you thought it was something positive about him on a Michigan Blog. Even if the fuck didn't cover up for rapers I would talk shit about him. Uh duh he is an msu coach.

Izzo and Dantonio and msu are 100% in damage control. They are not good guys, so ya we dog them out....so what they deserve it. If your to sensitive just click on the thread about sunshine and lolipops and the ncaa tournament.

I love reading the comments about Izzo and others like writing them. Who are you to say what we can and can't talk about. It is the dog Izzo thread so take your ass to the I don't want any negative talk about anything thread.

Someone please write a ncaa tournament is here and everything is going to be sunshine thread for this guy. He's upset.

Hab

March 15th, 2018 at 11:24 AM ^

Having been a mandatory reporter in the past, I struggled to get past this line:

 

I unfortunately have to report suspicion of abuse and neglect quite frequently to CPS (about half a dozen a week).

Hab

March 15th, 2018 at 12:16 PM ^

The trick is managing how to live in such a state.  Add in a bit of survivor's guilt and you've got a hellova emotional cocktail.  You run from the emotions for any prolonged period of time or try and quell them and they just come back to consume you and you're out of the game.

BOX House

March 15th, 2018 at 12:29 PM ^

this has everything to do with being obsessed with our little brother. can't imagine many fanbases who could find fault in a simple, standard psa announcement (that some random mgoblog user heard on a phone call) that probably every college coach is asked to do.

 

OK2Say is about gun violence and violence in schools. Tom Izzo may be a dirtbag, but I have no problem with him advocating for students using a resource to prevent gun violence. 

 

ST3

March 15th, 2018 at 12:52 PM ^

Part of the "Little Brother" thing is the obsession MSU has with us. They are obsessed with us because they admire us and want to be like us, but they don't want to admit that. A "little brother" looks up to his "big brother." Do you think ANY Michigan fan wants to be in Sparty's shoes? So while we may be obsessed with our rivals (witness all the Izzo posts,) we are in no way acting like "little brothers." Our obsession with them is based on repulsion. At the rapes and their toxic culture. Their obsession with us, whether they care to admit it or not, is based on envy. Hence, they are different. They are not two sides of the same coin.

BOX House

March 15th, 2018 at 1:07 PM ^

and finding fault with a coach doing a psa announcement for ok2say (gun violence-related, remember) is not obsession? 

it makes our fanbase look terrible. be repulsed by the rape investigations, the cover-ups, the incompetency of the administration, not a voice-over announcement about violence in schools.