Tom Izzo has been one of the best basketball coaches ever. Not only has he earned the respect from the basketball world with his utmost dedication and passion, but he has time and again shown why he has been able to maintain such high standards.
Izzo has been coaching for about 40 years now. He started with the Michigan State Spartans as an assistant coach. In 1995, he became their head coach. In his fifth year in charge, he showed why he was promoted to head coach when he won the national championship in 2000.
In 2022, Tom Izzo surpassed Bob Knight for the most wins (663) by a men’s basketball coach with a Big Ten team. With eight Final Four appearances, six Big Ten tournament wins, and numerous records, Izzo has shown why his words have a high value in the college basketball world.
However, if there is one team that might hate his guts and what he says, it is the Michigan State Spartans’ arch-rivals, the Michigan Wolverines. And that is something Tom Izzo is well aware of.
As the two teams gear up to face each other on Friday, Izzo expressed his feelings about the Wolverines, and it was a mix of positive and negative, but a totally honest response.
“You guys are awesome too, because every year you want me to tell you how much I hate them. So I will say it again, I hate them. Of course, I hate them. They hate us. You know, you got friends down there, you think I am getting valentines day cards or birthday cards. I mean, it’s the way it is, guys. It’s no different than any rivalry in America,” Tom Izzo shared.
“Keyword is respect. And I do respect them a lot. So that’s all that matters. But I die, I don’t care anybody likes me or not, but they respect me. So that’s the way I look at the rivalry now. I had my time when I hated them and didn’t respect them and it cost me. So I got smarter in younger days. So if the day comes when you like your rival, it’s time to get out. That’s for anybody in any sport. But if the day comes when you don’t respect your rival, shame on you. And I do have great respect for them,” he added.
Fans React to Tom Izzo’s Honest Statement Before Facing Michigan
Fans online were fired after Izzo’s fiery but honest take on Michigan State and the Wolverines’ rivalry.
“Sportsmanship,” one fan commented.
“Best coach ever,” one fan remarked.
“Yea no need to ask again in March,” another fan said.
“State by 10. Not a fan of either but never bet against Izzo in a rivalry game,” another predicted.
“As a Michigan fans it’s so hard not to like Izzo,” one fan admitted.
“This game will be epic,” another showed excitement.
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