Tom Izzo Watch 2010: The Saga Continues Monday Edition

 

As the Tom Izzo watch 2010 continues the drama goes to another level. Photo courtesy of Bill Marklevits.

Tom Izzo has to be disappointed that news of the Cavs job leaked out of Cleveland over a week ago. Prior to the leak, he was looking at this from all angles and life was easy as he did his due diligence and asked a lot of questions. 

 

I know some close to him are acting like until last Thursday he didn’t have any tangible info. Not true. He got more details while in Cleveland, but he knew long before this broke nine days ago. 

 

Life has changed.  It has now become a circus. Last Friday afternoon he met with his players for a brief meeting. Some heartfelt words were exchanged and the players left. Mike Garland, his assistant coach, left in his car, drove down the Breslin tunnel, picked up Izzo, and he left for a weekend at his cottage.

 

The media sat outside waiting for him, and in fact, I felt bad for some standing outside while he had already arrived at his Lake Michigan cottage. Such is the life of the best basketball coach in the nation.

 

Like so many things, I have a lot I will write when the times of Tom Izzo are done as a head coach at MSU. There are many funny stories and anecdotes that will put a lot of the madness over the years in perspective, but speaking for the entire Spartan Nation I hope those stories are a long way away.

 

Many are asking if there will be a new contract for Izzo. Mark Hollis has said publicly prior to this that the athletic department simply doesn’t have the money. If you read my Big Ten expansion series you know why. If you didn’t, shame on you, but here are the MSU pertinent articles to this point. CLICK HERE FOR PART SIX and then when you are done CLICK HERE FOR PART SEVEN.

 

Spartan Nation has said and we maintain that this should be done by Wednesday. Mark Hollis has handled this as best that he can. I know that he is looking everywhere and under every rock to see what he can do, but ultimately he is handcuffed.

 

What MSU can do and needs to do is simple. Lou Anna K. Simon, MSU President, needs to rescind the additional 1% of athletic revenue mentioned in the above articles that you already clicked and read or more importantly read when I posted them because your life revolves around Spartan Nation, and make it clear that Tom Izzo for as long as he is the coach at MSU will be AT LEAST the highest paid coach in the Big Ten. At least.

 

MSU can’t and should not attempt to compete with an NBA team. MSU should compete with the Big Ten and it is an embarrassment that he isn’t the highest paid coach in the conference. This isn’t about money, it is about respect and that is a slap in Izzo’s face.

 

Without giving a lot of details (those will come when this is over), I can tell you that Mark Hollis is doing all he can. George Perles said on Spartan Nation Radio last week that the board was meeting this week. That meeting should say a lot. If the President doesn’t bring the proposal of making Tom the highest paid coach, the Trustees must. They are the elected caretakers of the University. Elected by the people.  Izzo is the face of MSU and they must act on the wishes of the people.

 

Spartan Nation, since last Tuesday, has not wavered that we expect Izzo back. That doesn’t change that making him AT LEAST the highest paid coach in the Big Ten is the right thing to do. It is a shame it hasn’t already been done.

 

In case you are wondering, I will not be at camp today. Izzo is going to give no new information. I know that for a 100% fact. That is in no way a slam on my colleagues who are there. I know that many were told they had to be by their bosses. I am not going because he isn’t going to say anything to do with this situation, and frankly I won’t waste my time if he will give no new information.

 

There will be hype today, but it won’t be from Izzo. He could end it, but frankly with all that he has done he deserves to take his time. I still expect him back, but he isn’t generating the hype. Let’s be clear his silence feeds it, but it isn’t his creation.

 

Let the saga continue, like sand through an hourglass, as this is the days of Izzo’s life. We will have a lot of talk about it tonight on Spartan Nation Radio 6-9pm EST including two former players and Jud, so don’t miss it.