ESPN: How Tom Izzo succeeds in March

A guy walks into the Michigan State basketball office with his dog ...

The punch line? He got to see the head coach.

This was back in 2011, during the season when busy assistants congregated outside of Tom Izzo's office, waiting to meet with the boss.

Five minutes turned into 10, 10 into 15 and finally Dane Fife asked Izzo's secretary, Lori, who was in with Izzo.

"She said, 'Well you know, this guy came in and he really wanted Coach to meet his dog because he named it Izzo,'" Fife remembered. "Now I'm a nice guy, so I might say, 'OK, Bob, nice to meet you,' and maybe, 'Hey, Izzo give me a paw shake.' He's in there for 45 minutes with the guy."

DWags wrote:The week Izzo got the job, I was up there with a kid who I coached in football and was deciding to either take a scholarship from Wayne State or be an invited walk on at MSU. I took him to the Brez after he was done with the coaches. Izzo was outside his office, I was shocked to see him and said "Hey coach good luck, just showing a possible football recruit around". He invited us in his office, but what I'l l always remember, he took a chair from behind his desk and sat with us in front of it. Nothing in between us. He talked to the kid about MSU for a bit. He was unbelievably cool. Just blew me away.

I know many people have an Izzo story like that. Thing is, they aren't legend, most are fricken true. He just IS MSU.

Blanch32 wrote:

DWags wrote:The week Izzo got the job, I was up there with a kid who I coached in football and was deciding to either take a scholarship from Wayne State or be an invited walk on at MSU. I took him to the Brez after he was done with the coaches. Izzo was outside his office, I was shocked to see him and said "Hey coach good luck, just showing a possible football recruit around". He invited us in his office, but what I'l l always remember, he took a chair from behind his desk and sat with us in front of it. Nothing in between us. He talked to the kid about MSU for a bit. He was unbelievably cool. Just blew me away.

I know many people have an Izzo story like that. Thing is, they aren't legend, most are fricken true. He just IS MSU.

Sunshine post, did izzo close or what?

InTenSity wrote:

Blanch32 wrote:

Sunshine post, did izzo close or what?

Could you explain what you are trying to say in this post? Its a cool story about Izzo, how is that sunshine, and even if it is, who the f.uck cares?

InTenSity wrote:

Blanch32 wrote:

Sunshine post, did izzo close or what?

Could you explain what you are trying to say in this post? Its a cool story about Izzo, how is that sunshine, and even if it is, who the f.uck cares?

DWags wrote: Kid's parents were split, his step dad and him got in a fight about two weeks later up in Michigan.  Kid never graduated from our school and finished the last 10 weeks out down in Alabama.  Ended up at Jacksonville state.  

But the point of the day was the guy took time out to try to help MSU football with an invited walk on.   My god, he's just willing to do anything.  

SeeRockCity wrote:

DWags wrote: Kid's parents were split, his step dad and him got in a fight about two weeks later up in Michigan.  Kid never graduated from our school and finished the last 10 weeks out down in Alabama.  Ended up at Jacksonville state.  

But the point of the day was the guy took time out to try to help MSU football with an invited walk on.   My god, he's just willing to do anything.  

Yeah, I forgot I was talking to Blanch. Didn't want to usurp the thread with a stupid personal story because I really know many Spartans have these stories and they're real. I just hope someway, when he retires, we find somehow to keep Izzo on as an ambassador. I also know that might be tough as hell on the next coach to have Izzo on campus. If there is one guy with no ego though, who could walk away from basketball and find away to be anonymous while still helping MSU it would be Izzo.

Yeah, I think you're going to have to dumb it down a little still DWags.

Tom Izzo's March mystique has been built on what is now an unshakeable foundation. Outperforming his seed more than any coach in Tournament history. The undisputed King of the One-Day-Turnaround. Three trips to the Final Four as a 5-seed or lower. In the last 18 years, he's been to the Final Four 7 times, the Elite Eight 9 times, and the Sweet Sixteen 13 times.

But there is another angle to his recent success, one that I think has gone a bit under the radar. To avoid burying the lede: Izzo is the only coach in modern history to make multiple Final Fours without a first-round draft pick on the roster. There, if you're content to take me at my word, feel free to stop reading. If you'd like a deeper look at this example of Izzo Wizardry, I'm happy to oblige.

Robert J Sakimano wrote:call me crazy, but I think he needs to now focus a little more on April..

LooseGoose wrote:

Robert J Sakimano wrote:call me crazy, but I think he needs to now focus a little more on April..

You have a point, except without March there is no April.

Robert J Sakimano wrote:call me crazy, but I think he needs to now focus a little more on April..

Watch Out Pylon! wrote:

Robert J Sakimano wrote:call me crazy, but I think he needs to now focus a little more on April..

Underrated post.

Robert J Sakimano wrote:

Watch Out Pylon! wrote:

Underrated post.

are you arguing with me? I can't tell..

Turtleneck wrote:

Robert J Sakimano wrote:are you arguing with me? I can't tell..

Can Izzo go the already?

Robert J Sakimano wrote:

Watch Out Pylon! wrote:

Underrated post.

are you arguing with me? I can't tell..

Watch Out Pylon! wrote:

Robert J Sakimano wrote:are you arguing with me? I can't tell..

Quite the opposite. I'm tired of seeing MSU getting embarrassed by the ACC in the Final Four. I'd vote this post in the top ten in this thread, while others wouldn't put it in the top 25... if there ever was such a thing, which would be silly.

Now I'm rambling... shave your head Izzo!

Robert J Sakimano wrote:

Watch Out Pylon! wrote:

Quite the opposite. I'm tired of seeing MSU getting embarrassed by the ACC in the Final Four. I'd vote this post in the top ten in this thread, while others wouldn't put it in the top 25... if there ever was such a thing, which would be silly.

Now I'm rambling... shave your head Izzo!

okay, cool - just wanted to know where you and I stand..

you're a great American, a fine Spartan and an admirable Izzonian.

Watch Out Pylon! wrote:

Robert J Sakimano wrote:are you arguing with me? I can't tell..

Quite the opposite. I'm tired of seeing MSU getting embarrassed by the ACC in the Final Four. I'd vote this post in the top ten in this thread, while others wouldn't put it in the top 25... if there ever was such a thing, which would be silly.

Now I'm rambling... shave your head Izzo!

Other Teams Pursuing That wrote:

Turtleneck wrote:

Can Izzo go the already?

fail

Turtleneck wrote:

Other Teams Pursuing That wrote:



fail

Do you really want to discuss which post was more of a fail?  Lighten up.

DWags wrote:The week Izzo got the job, I was up there with a kid who I coached in football and was deciding to either take a scholarship from Wayne State or be an invited walk on at MSU. I took him to the Brez after he was done with the coaches. Izzo was outside his office, I was shocked to see him and said "Hey coach good luck, just showing a possible football recruit around". He invited us in his office, but what I'l l always remember, he took a chair from behind his desk and sat with us in front of it. Nothing in between us. He talked to the kid about MSU for a bit. He was unbelievably cool. Just blew me away.

I know many people have an Izzo story like that. Thing is, they aren't legend, most are fricken true. He just IS MSU.

Watch Out Pylon! wrote:

Robert J Sakimano wrote:are you arguing with me? I can't tell..

Quite the opposite. I'm tired of seeing MSU getting embarrassed by the ACC in the Final Four. I'd vote this post in the top ten in this thread, while others wouldn't put it in the top 25... if there ever was such a thing, which would be silly.

Now I'm rambling... shave your head Izzo!