Indystar blog on Izzo

Coach Ks bad back · 03-04-2008, 03:30 PM

Wow. That's be like us, during our last coaching search, looking at Tressel as a realistic possibility

Servo · 03-04-2008, 03:36 PM

Time to fire up the Believe Train again? Maybe if they believe hard enough....

Kerndaddy · 03-04-2008, 03:38 PM

IU's short list to start should have three names on it...

Rick Barnes
Bruce Pearl
Mike Montgomery

The Dread Pirate Roberts · 03-04-2008, 03:40 PM

I love that we're an elite enough program for our coach to get this kind of attention, but I hate that we're disrespected enough for someone to believe Izzo would even think twice about leaving for Indiana.

His ties are all to the state of Michigan (his entire coaching/playing career has been here), he's a family guy (meaning he wouldn't uproot his immediate family, and he wouldn't abandon his basketball family), he's got a GREAT recruiting class coming in, and WHY WOULD HE LEAVE FOR ANOTHER SCHOOL IN THE BIG TEN??? He's built MSU so that our level of prestige is approaching the level that IU was once on (not now; their program is starting to deal with some serious embarrassments).

I can understand Kentucky fans thinking Izzo might be interested (though he obviously was not), but seriously, Indiana? Their fans are delusional if they think their program is comparable to ours right now, or if they think Izzo would leave an ideal situation for an absolute mess, no matter how prestigious the program or how high the paycheck.

Memo to any non-MSU fans that think they can reel Izzo in: IT'S NOT HAPPENING. He's an MSU guy through and through, and he will be up to, and through, the day he retires. Drop your arrogance, hire a good assistant or mid-major coach, and let it go. TIA.

Sparty2QP · 03-04-2008, 03:43 PM

If I was Izzo, I would be INSULTED that Pearl and Calipari are viewed as better coaches than me.

Seriously??? Slickster Calipari??? W....T.....F???? And Bruce Pearl??

I pray Pearl is only at the top of that list because he has a much more realistic chance of accepting the job.

One Eyed Jack · 03-04-2008, 03:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Dread Pirate Roberts

I love that we're an elite enough program for our coach to get this kind of attention, but I hate that we're disrespected enough for someone to believe Izzo would even think twice about leaving for Indiana.

His ties are all to the state of Michigan (his entire coaching/playing career has been here), he's a family guy (meaning he wouldn't uproot his immediate family, and he wouldn't abandon his basketball family), he's got a GREAT recruiting class coming in, and WHY WOULD HE LEAVE FOR ANOTHER SCHOOL IN THE BIG TEN??? He's built MSU so that our level of prestige is approaching the level that IU was once on (not now; their program is starting to deal with some serious embarrassments).

I can understand Kentucky fans thinking Izzo might be interested (though he obviously was not), but seriously, Indiana? Their fans are delusional if they think their program is comparable to ours right now, or if they think Izzo would leave an ideal situation for an absolute mess, no matter how prestigious the program or how high the paycheck.

Memo to any non-MSU fans that think they can reel Izzo in: IT'S NOT HAPPENING. He's an MSU guy through and through, and he will be up to, and through, the day he retires. Drop your arrogance, hire a good assistant or mid-major coach, and let it go. TIA.

spartya19 · 03-04-2008, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sparty2QP

If I was Izzo, I would be INSULTED that Pearl and Calipari are viewed as better coaches than me.

Seriously??? Slickster Calipari??? W....T.....F???? And Bruce Pearl??

I pray Pearl is only at the top of that list because he has a much more realistic chance of accepting the job.

Does Pearl even do any coaching?

Doesn't he just instruct his guys to come down the floor and jack a three

Thwack · 03-04-2008, 04:00 PM

I agree with the earlier post that many of you are taking this way to seriously. It's a frickin' blog. The writer just picked 25 names that he's heard thrown around by fans/media/whoever, and comments on them. For a lot of them he says a definite NO, so it's not like he thinks these are 25 realistic choices.

And Sparty2QP, he says at the beginning that they are in no particular order. He's not ranking Pearl and Calipari ahead of Izzo as coaches.

IGGcitable · 03-04-2008, 04:01 PM

Quote:

I've heard it from enough people now to believe that if Indiana came calling that Izzo would give the Hoosiers a long look.

Hutchins is the Indy Star (Gannett) beat writer.

Who does he talk to regarding Izzo?

Beat writers and columnists from the Detroit papers (i.e. Freep, i.e. Drew Sharp), who are under standing orders from their bosses to pump up the "Izzo is (thinking of) leaving" bandwagon whenever possible (most especially after a huge 30-point MSU victory).

Unrelated to Izzo, but his list goes right down the toilet at No. 2, Calipari -- if anything is absolutely certain it's that IU must hire somebody who is totally squeaky clean, pure as the driven snow, in both reputation and history. If they were gonna hire Calipari, they might as well have kept Sampson.

Fletch · 03-04-2008, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sparty2QP

If I was Izzo, I would be INSULTED that Pearl and Calipari are viewed as better coaches than me.

Seriously??? Slickster Calipari??? W....T.....F???? And Bruce Pearl??

I pray Pearl is only at the top of that list because he has a much more realistic chance of accepting the job.

Calipari is on there because he's jumped jobs before and because the conventional wisdom is that he'll need to prove that he can cut it in a big time league eventually.

Pearl is still considered an up and comer and is coaching at a football school.

MattR644 · 03-04-2008, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vince of 231

Knight is "available", Pitino is known to jump to other offers, and Donovan did leave--sort of--before returning to UF once already. No matter how unlikely, any one of those would make more sense to pursue than Izzo.

I think there's a better chance of Izzo ending up at IU than for Bobby Knight to go back there. Granted we're talking about .01% vs. 0%.

Thwack · 03-04-2008, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vince of 231

Izzo would NEVER coach at a school that didn't have a football program.

You know, it would be really easy to make a joke about this comment, but I'll refrain.

ISparticus · 03-04-2008, 04:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by I shot Betty Crocker

Enough people = Indy Star reporters and IU fans hoping that if they say it enough, it'll actually have a chance of happening.

Seriously. Izzo turned down the NBA twice, saying "I have a commitment to this program and that is to try to win another national championship". He declined to even talk to Kentucky when that job opened up.

Suddenly he'd rather take over a f-ed up Indiana program facing sanctions and post season bans than continue building something at MSU? No. Even putting my glass of green kool-aid down for a second, I just don't see this happening. I doubt he'd even talk to them about the possibility.

RIGHT ON!

Stang · 03-04-2008, 06:09 PM

Indianapolis Star writer Terry Hutchins believes Tom Izzo is a top-three candiate for the vacant Indiana Hoosiers basketball coaching job.

Excerpt from Terry Hutchins article

3. Tom Izzo -- I've heard it from enough people now to believe that if Indiana came calling that Izzo would give the Hoosiers a long look. And here's my question: If you could get Izzo right now, wouldn't you do that in a heartbeat? He's a great x's and o's coach, he can recruit and he's a good face for the program. He would bring instant credibility back to Indiana University. My question is when push came to shove, though, could he pull the trigger and go from one Big Ten school to another? I find that hard to believe, but again I'm hearing it from enough people to think that he's interested at some level. And like I said, if Izzo is interested, I'd say go get him.

WBill@ · 03-04-2008, 06:12 PM

Rob Parker writes for those guys too ?

J T · 03-04-2008, 06:13 PM

http://www.spartantailgate.com/forum...blog-izzo.html

Gary in Bradenton · 03-04-2008, 06:32 PM

Wow, how absurd can it get? You know one of the major reasons Izzo wouldn't even talk to UK? Because Tubby was a friend. You know why he won't talk to IU. Sampson is a friend. That doesn't even get into all the other logical stuff.

statesgreat · 03-04-2008, 06:39 PM

The real point of this stupidity is distraction of our team by vested interests...Freep?? who else.?? It seems like this happens every year before the btt and ncaa

Heaph · 03-04-2008, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fletch

IU fans are just like fans anywhere else - they have an incredibly inflated and unrealistic self image. Just take a look at some of the names floated around by MSU fans during our recent football searches.

IU is going to end up with a mid major head coach. He might end up being a great fit, but his name ain't going to be Izzo, K, Donovan, or anyone else that is a household name.

Good post and I agree. I remember prior to the Dantonio hiring, many posters were throwing Bob Stoops name in. I was thinking, huh?

Ari Gold · 03-04-2008, 07:00 PM

Thwack · 03-04-2008, 07:01 PM

[quote=Stang;4518739]Indianapolis Star writer Terry Hutchins believes Tom Izzo is a top-three candiate for the vacant Indiana Hoosiers basketball coaching job.[quote]

As was pointed out in the original thread before the threads were merged, the writer states that the coaches are listed in no particular order. He does not state Izzo is a top-three candidate.

Taco John · 03-04-2008, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kerndaddy

IU's short list to start should have three names on it...

Rick Barnes
Bruce Pearl
Mike Montgomery

Pipe dream, pipe dream, and pipe dream.

The Green Apostle · 03-04-2008, 07:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fletch

Is Indiana even considered a good gig any more? Certainly they are convinced they are elite, but on the national stage they've been more of an embarrassment than anything thanks to Bobby and Kelvin. Their facilities are mediocre at best and the coach has to deal with expectations from fans who still think this is the 70s or 80s and IU should be undefeated every season.

IMHO, IU wouldn't even be the best job in the Big 10 right now, much less one of the best in the country.

Don't really agree that your notion that IU was an embarrassment under Bob Knight's watch. Won two titles and had the last wire to wire undefeated team.

IU is definitely still a good gig. IMO, one of the top three jobs in the conference.

meeklay · 03-04-2008, 07:32 PM

Haha I just got my fulfillment of laughter for the day

Toolman · 03-04-2008, 07:34 PM

But scUM could smooth things over and get him to commit.