Yes, Izzo has been wildly successful as a collegiate coach. According to Wikipedia, "Under Izzo, the Michigan State program has been one of the most successful in the country. Izzo has led the Spartans to the 2000 NCAA Division I National Championship, six Final Fours, and six Big Ten Championships in his first 15 years at Michigan State. The winningest coach in school history, Izzo's teams have been invited to the past 13 consecutive NCAA tournaments, in addition to setting the Big Ten record for the longest home winning streak."
Great. That's fantastic. However, anyone (i.e. who has love for the game) can tell you that success in the NCAA does not equate to future success in the NBA. Must I remind everyone of Rick Pitino's stint as a Celtics coach and P.J. Carlesimo's stint as a Golden State Warriors head coach?!?! I hope not, because I'm almost positive both men would want to forget those career moves.
With management, ownership, season ticket holders, and citizens waiting on LeBron's every sound and trying to read body language ~ if I were LeBron I'd buy one of those old school jackets that has every NBA team's patch and logo on it. For a man who's being enabled by an entire country of basketball fans and has never been recruited, this is the time to go all out. However, it'll all be for nothing, if he never wins a championship.
I'm an Ohio girl. I don't like that the Cleveland Cavs are becoming the Michigan Cavs. If I were a Cavs season ticket holder, I'd seriously consider listing my tickets NOW ~ to beat the rush (i.e. just in case) before the market gets flooded... I really wish my team and the city of Cleveland "good luck", but ) I hate to admit that this ship might be sinking...
Ugh... 2:30... IZNO!!!!! :(
THE WIRK
John Calipari, Lon Kruger, Mike Montgomery, Tim Floyd and Jerry Tarkanian are also notable coaches that failed in the NBA after coaching the college kids.
ReplyDeleteLarry Brown is an exception, but he was a player first, then coached in the ABA before going to coach college and back to the pros.
Chuck Daly is another success story...
ReplyDeleteI don't think you actually need to worry about Izzo taking the job with Cleveland, b/c I really don't see him taking THIS job and leaving Michigan State- esp with his team looking like a lock to be back in the Final Four (just keep Kalin Lucas healthy...)
ReplyDeleteActually, as a Ohioan, you have quite a few reasons not to worry about Izzo even if he was to take this job...
1. Izzo has never been affiliated with that campus that exists in Ann Arbor... I mean THAT would warrant taking to the streets of Cleveland and doing your best imitation of a UMaryland postgame march...
2. Izzo can flat out coach, and I think his personality would translate better to the NBA game and the nature of its players. He's had plenty of practice at Michigan State managing egos of talented, oversized babies.
3. Izzo is from the Upper Peninsula, so that practically makes him Canadian... not even associated with Michigan...and how can you really hate anyone who is Canadian and NOT a hockey player- they are so friendly, they have great beer, and their Miss Universe contestants are constantly getting in trouble for brawling in bars... Something about a hotties who can pound a few cold ones and then kick some ass... Maybe it's the Masshole in me... (Celine Dion excluded, still perfectly acceptable to hate her, as well as the Montreal Canadiens... they might as well wear pinstripes)
4. John Calipari, Lon Kruger, Mike Montgomery, and Tim Floyd never actually won the big one in college...why would anyone expect them to be able to do it in the NBA... (Tark doesn't count... he just recruited a bunch of raw talented athletes who couldn't get into other schools, let them run wild while he sat there with a towel in his mouth... You constantly put together that kind of talent, at some point it wins) One thing you can't say about Izzo is that he can win.
5. Can I start making fun of French Canada again?
I hope you're right, Soup. I think Izzo coming to Cleveland is a lose-lose for everyone potentially affected... I like Mich State bc Magic came out of there, but other than that ~ I couldn't tell you a single thing about Lansing!
ReplyDeleteHappy that you too see that it takes a different personality to coach in the NBA v NCAA. I swear people don't see it as clearly. I believe they are the same people who thought Coach K could be lured from Duke, and they need to be drug tested bc that's straight-up crazy talk :)
Upper Peninsula... Canadian?!?! Haha. Now all I can think of are those Canadian dollars that I should've spent while I was in Montreal/Toronto so I wouldn't have to try to pass them off at the Sign of the Whale and the Page... Oops! Did I realy just type that? :)
If Izzo came to Cleveland, "My heart will go on", but my smile will be gone...
As for you question ~ "Oui" :-P But I must admit, I did enjoy my time in Montreal very much!
Well you have to figure that Izzo wouldn't be stupid enough to take the job without knowing whether the "king" (quotes go away as soon as he distances himself from being the next Karl Malone- great player, great physical talent... needs to win) is actually sticking around or not.. You have to figure that if he leaves you guys go back into a strip-down rebuilding phase.... No way Izzo bolts for that...
ReplyDeleteI've started paying more attention to State due to my current relationship with a State grad (she's from Flint, I didn't have a choice, you do NOT argue with women who made it out of Flint) they are actually pretty harmless and OH fan friendly... They usually a few guys from Ohio too (although that might make them easy to hate since Ohio State bball has gotten a whiff of relevance lately). It seems like it's easy to get along as long as EVERYBODY hates Michigan (esp Rich-ROD)
I didn't realize you actually paid for drinks at either establishment?? haha jk
I actually like Montreal the city... I just hate the Montreal Canadiens, even more so than the New York Yankees... St. Catherine's street is locked in my head (err either one)
I guess we are all going to have to play the waiting game with Lebron... Until then enjoy my Celtics and as for Lebron... "we pray and we pray, and we pray and we pray...everyday everyday... " until then I'll "see you at the Crossroads"...
haha - great comments...
ReplyDeletefirst of all, soup, i never would've pictured you as a bone thugs and harmony guy ~ and i'm sure you did that bc of the cleveland reference. nice pull!
second of all - i never did like karl malone... i know he had great numbers, but there was something about him that rubbed me the wrong way. i think it's the same reaction i get from kobe. there's something there i just don't like...
go celtics! big games tonight with game 3 and i'm also excited to see strasburg pitch (on TV)!!! :)