Read the opposing arguments from Sports Geek and Bleacher Fan.
I had a feeling this debate was going to bring out the fire in both Tom Izzo’s number one fan (Sports Geek) and a staunch Cleveland Cavalier fan (Bleacher Fan). It’s safe to say that I was right. So, as I watch the Lakers’ postgame celebration while writing this, I will break down the arguments and give my final rendering.
As has been EXTREMELY well documented, both on this Web site and in various conversations over the years, Sports Geek is a huge Tom Izzo fan. Perhaps Sports Geek gets some type of financial supplement every time the word “Izzo” is mentioned! But, he has simply stated that Izzo is a practical coach, and that is something I agree with completely. He recruits good players obviously, or else he wouldn’t have coached six different teams to Final Four appearances. But he also recruits good character guys and good leaders for the most part. Look at all of the team guys he has had over the years… Mateen Cleaves, Morris Peterson, Maurice Ager, etc. The one thing I will disagree with is that Izzo is in the same conversation with John Wooden and Dean Smith. Yes, he’s made six Final Fours and won a national championship. But he’s won just one. And keep in mind he’s only been head coach for fifteen years at this point. Perhaps he is on his way to establishing that type of legacy, but not at this point. However, that “miscalculation” doesn’t have a real impact on the point the argument is making.
The stronger point is that Izzo likes to be in control, and it is highly questionable that he could expect the type of “team control” that he currently has in East Lansing. And I use the word “control” in a completely complimentary manner. Let’s face it, NBA players have the control on almost every team. It’s a player’s league, and dare I say, a selfish league. In the NBA Izzo would have less control over the type of players that end up on his team.
Bleacher Fan takes the opposing view and it’s a highly critical view of Izzo, essentially calling him a coward. What the majority of sports fans seem to agree on is the fact that not knowing who is going to LeBron James’ employer this time next month played a huge part in Izzo’s decision. If Izzo knew for a fact that James would stay with Cleveland, would it have tilted this decision the other way? Maybe… who knows? We’ll never know.
I have never liked comparing other college coaches who made the jump to the NBA to coaches who are considering. Obviously, Rick Pitino and John Calipari were big time flops in the NBA and are much more suited for the college game. But there really is no comparison of the three. Calipari and Pitino, at the time of hiring by their professional teams, appeared to have the style fit for the NBA. They had the “flair” and the “swagger.” When I think of Tom Izzo, I think of the words “grit” and “hard-nosed.” He’s a no nonsense kind of coach.
The bottom line is this – Izzo just didn’t want to take a chance of taking the reins of a LeBron-less team. Bleacher Fan mentions the fact that the Cavs would still be a highly talented team with or without LBJ. Yet, these are the same players that both Bleacher Fan and Sports Geek have personally said provide little help to James on the court. Why would Izzo want to leave the comforts of East Lansing to move to a team that could very well have many unknowns? Maybe the money is better in the NBA. In this particular instance, the money would have been significantly more. But Izzo doesn’t strike me as a guy who necessarily cares about the money. The fact that the money doesn’t appear to be important to him ironically shows me that he just wouldn’t have fit in a league filled with players who quite frankly care about money.
Thus, it should be no surprise that Loyal Homer chooses the side of loyalty and awards the victory to Sports Geek.
Posted by Loyal Homer 
