This is why Izzo believes he needs another title to validate time at Michigan State
Michigan State coach Tom Izzo’s resume stacks up well with some of today’s elite college basketball coaches.
The Spartans will be making their 10th appearance in the Final Four and Izzo has coached eight of those teams. He was the coach when Michigan State won the 2000 national championship, one of the school’s two NCAA men’s basketball titles.
Since taking over in 1995, Izzo’s teams have advanced to the Sweet 16 on 14 occasions, and he has 52 NCAA Tournament victories. Just five other coaches have ever had more Tourney wins.
To think Izzo’s career accomplishments are lacking may seem odd. But on Tuesday, Izzo was asked at a news conference what he thought about critics who say the Spartans need to win this year’s NCAA title to validate his time in East Lansing, Michigan.
Some coaches might scoff at the suggestion, but Izzo agreed .
“I’d say they’re right because I need to validate it for me,” Izzo said. “I don’t need to validate it for them. I have my own goals. And I have my own aspirations of what I want to do. And what I want to do is put Michigan State University in rare air — two national championships by the same school starts to separate you from the 40-some that have won one.
“Three national championships with the same school validates it. The more I keep talking about it, puts you in a smaller fraternity.”
Izzo, 64, admitted his attitude has changed over the past few years.
“But you know what? Listen, I’ve learned that people that question you are going to question you. The haters are going to hate you,” Izzo said. “All I’ve got to make sure I do is what’s best for my team and the university I work at. And I’m going to do that each and every day.
“And, really, five years ago fire and brimstone in me would have wanted to fight that person. Now I want to say, you’re right. I don’t want to say it to get them off my back, I want to say it because if that’s your goal for me, I promise you my goals are bigger than your goals for me, just like, I’m sure, your goals for yourself are bigger than the ones I have.”
While Izzo said his players don’t need to win the NCAA Tournament to validate what they’re doing, he relishes the opportunity to help his players reach their full potential.
“What’s neat about my job is I get to take things that are players’ goals and I get to push them past what they even dreamed they would be because they’re not experienced,” Izzo said. “They’re not as old as us. They’re just starting their dreams and their journey. And I get to help mold that journey. And hopefully if you demand a lot and you get a lot, that’s going to improve that journey as that individual goes on in life. And maybe he’ll be a better president of a company. Maybe he’ll be a better NBA player. Maybe he’ll be a better father.
“So my goal is to win as much as I can win the right way. My goal is to make as many people happy that are fans and my goal is to make sure my players understand that to do great things, it’s going to be very, very, very difficult.”
Izzo hopes to win a few more times, because he’s not ready for a break from basketball just yet.
“I said [it’s] great to be working this week,” Izzo said. “Most people want a vacation. I would like to work some more. Next week I’d like to have a damn vacation.”
