OT: Henning on Izzo
I can just imagine The Only Colors going non-linear over this Lynn Henning column.
http://www.detnews.com/article/20100614/OPINION03/6140383/It-s-too-late…
that Henning is legitimately brain damaged and not just toward us.
Pretty sure this piece is the only thing this dolt has ever written that could even remotely be considered anti-Izzo. So I say the Only Colors can simmer down.
I saw this and said "Hey, I didn't post anything" Turns out, just the same avatar
1) Like State won't keep him if he stays.
2) Like Izzo won't put his all into it if stays, particularly with the talent he has coming back.
I get the point, sick of recruiting, been there and done it on the college level etc. But Izzo isn't the kind of guy to do anything halfway.
...all this hemming and hawing (not Henning) shows that he probably feels like he's ready to move on and he's tired of it all. He's dead wrong that Izzo can't step right back in, be beloved, and even if his heart isn't in it, can coast to a nice successful run to retirement.
The guy is just stupid, even towards the team he apparently gushes over.
This is what Duke dealt with when Coach K was being recruited to the NBA for Kobe's Lakers. Coach K came back from even more of an abyss than Izzo is at now, and oh yeah, Coach K totally lost focus and the players don't respect him anymore..... or they just won a national title, I forget which.
It's a bit overblown and melodramatic, but I agree that Izzo has basically fucked up his deal in EL with his drama queen/diva routine. I wonder how the two seniors he talked out of leaving early could ever take him seriously again?
Izzo has been a great (and this adjective is really hard for me to say in reference to any Spartan) college basketball coach. However, I feel that his true greatness has been his ability to get individual players to buy into everything he says a hundred percent, thus allwing them to subjugate their egos in favor of the team.
I just can't see how any player will ever believe in Izzo a hundred percent again, and I can't imagine any recruit doing the same, either. That will bring severe problems down the road. For reference, notice what Billy Donavan has done at Florida after signing with the Magic, changing his mind, and going back to Florida.
Donovan hasn't had anything close to the recruiting class he had that liked winning an NCAA Championship under him so much that they decided to skip the NBA for one more year of college. Florida is still a good program, but not a great one anymore. That is what I see happening at MSU if Izzo decides not to take the Cavs' job.
The only question in my mind is this:
"How fast can Michigan take advantage of this situation?"
I agree that Michigan could definitely stand to benefit from this situation. Several recruits/ current players have already talked to the press about the possibility to not go to/ staying at MSU should Izzo leave.
People have short memories and if UM beats MSU this year it will be viewed the end of an era. High school players who were too young to remember Michigan's success in the 80’s and 90’s will begin to see Michigan basketball as a program that will return to glory.
If Izzo decides against going to Cleveland, it would take him two or three sentences in a press conference to set all the recruits and fans' minds at ease. There's no way anyone holds this against him for more than a week.
I don't think anyone would hold this current episode against him, but it will likely hurt future recruiting. If recruits believe Izzo is actively searching for an NBA job, I can't see as many kids wanting to commit to an MSU team where Izzo potentially wouldn't be coach.
I think "I've been offered twice my pay to have the possible opportunity of coaching one of the top few players in the NBA on a team that had the most regular season wins last year and turned it down" would probably put most kids at ease. This type of chance doesn't come up all that often.
Izzo had said in the past that he wants to coach in the NBA. The things you've said might put kids at ease temporarily, but other coaches will be sure to remind them. Either way, I see this having at least some negative impact on recruiting.
You dance with the devil and the devil wins.
Is a pompous ass.
Ever dance with the devil by the pale moonlight?
Do you ask that to all your prey?
Maybe this was a make up article for us after all the garbage he's written about us. He can't honestly believe this can he? MSU won't just take Izzo back, they'll rename the city after him if he doesn't leave.
So is Izzo announcing today after all? I thought this was his self-imposed deadline.
Yeah, I'm stuck living/working in East lansing, and It's ridiculous the outpouring for this guy. I get it, he's good, he's a good coach, but he's really holding a lot of people's futures in his hand. I get that he's got to do his due diligence.. but still. This is pretty ridiculous.
They are handing out free I Heart Izzo posters all over town. Local TV commercials are running advertisements.... straight up commercials asking Izzo to stay. I can't imagine anyone paid for that, but yeah, it's true.
I hope he leaves.... but mostly I hope this saga ends soon.
Electric fences, guard towers and dog patrols around your yard yet to keep the rioters off your lawn in the event he leaves?