Larry Brown Sports

Tom Izzo’s 13-year-old son Steven is not afraid to tell it like it is. Those of us who filled out an NCAA Tournament bracket know that part of the process requires making difficult decisions. Most of you would expect Steven Izzo to pick Michigan State to win the national championship this season, but his bracket says differently.

Earlier this week, Tom Izzo told ESPN’s Mike and Mike in the Morning that his son picked Duke to prevail over the Spartans in their Sweet 16 match-up on Friday.

“My 13-year-old has all the bracket done and he’s got Michigan State and Duke,” Izzo explained. “He didn’t finish the rest of the bracket so I said, ‘Steven, what are you doing?’ He says, ‘Well Dad, I’m just not sure on this game.’ I said, ‘You know what, son? You’ve got to pick with your head, not your heart.’ The damn kid picked Duke!”

“My son’s problem is whether he ever eats at my house again. He’s a big fan of Coach K’s, so I’ve got real problems at my house.”

We all have our teams that we feel good about and not so good about. Apparently Michigan State falls under the latter category for Steven Izzo. On Tuesday, Izzo told CBS Sports Radio’s The Morning Show (via MLive.com) that his son picked Louisville — not Duke — to win the East Region. Steven himself also told CBSSports.com’s Jeff Goodman earlier this month that he picked Miami to win the whole thing.

Does this kid have Division-1 coach written all over him or what? Like his old man, who has made certain comments that show us he is not afraid to speak his mind, Steven is clearly not afraid of making the unpopular decision. The good news is if Michigan State loses on Friday, at least someone in the Izzo household will be winning.

H/T The Dagger

Michigan State looked like it had some chemistry problems when Derrick Nix and Keith Appling got into a towel fight in a team huddle Saturday during the Spartans’ 70-48 win over Memphis, but coach Tom Izzo says he loved it.

“Oh it’s great, isn’t it?” Izzo responded when asked about the incident by CBS’ Rachel Nichols after the game. “It reminds me of [Mateen] Cleaves and them. It’s better when your team’s getting a little feisty a little bit. Keith didn’t want to take anything from Nix and he told him, so, that’s all good.”

Nichols pointed out that Izzo didn’t look too happy about the fighting at the time, but Izzo insisted it wasn’t a bad thing.

“Trust me, in my program, that’s all good. They got after it a little bit and I kind of enjoyed it. That’s the way we are. We’re a blue-collar group, and that’s the way we play.”

When Izzo mentioned “Cleaves and them,” he was referring to his 1999-2000 team that won the national championship. They were led by Cleaves, then a senior, who had a tough, take-charge type of mentality. That team also featured the “Flintstones,” which was comprised of Cleaves, Charlie Bell, and Morris Peterson (Antonio Smith had graduated), all of whom grew up playing ball together in Flint, Mich. Nix and Appling live together and played together at Detroit Pershing in high school.

In postgame comments shared by MLive.com, both Appling and Nix said there is nothing but love between them, and that that sort of petty fighting is typical. We encourage you to follow that link to read more about the relationship between Appling and Nix.

Everyone knows that cheating goes on in the world of college athletics, they just don’t know to what extent. There are some who will tell you everyone does it. Others believe there’s no way their favorite coach could possibly stoop to that level. Whatever the case, the NCAA claims it is aiming to clean up college football and basketball — particularly the influence of sports agents on recruits. According to Tom Izzo, that’s going to require cleaning up about one-fifth of the game.

“I am not saying that cheating is 80% of the game,” Izzo told USA TODAY. “It’s probably 20%. But it’s probably 70% of the top 20% (of player recruitments). College basketball is a business. This (recruiting) is a business now because it leads to ours.”

In other words, most of the highly-sought after recruits wind up where then wind up because of some form of cheating. At least, that’s what Izzo thinks. If you don’t believe that then you need to pay closer attention. Izzo also said he has lost many recruits because he refuses to cheat.

The NCAA is attempting to prevent another Cam Newton scandal by both changing its rules and cracking down on violations. For example, college basketball coaches can now send unlimited text messages to recruits. The truth of the matter is there are always going to be ways to get around the rules. If the NCAA is somehow successful in preventing one form of cheating, another will be born. In the age of technology, we all have to just accept that cheating is a part of the game.

Kentucky coach John Calipari finally won a national championship this past season using mostly one-and-done guys — something many coaches avoid because it makes continuity difficult for programs. That is among the many reasons he is disliked (having Final Four appearances vacated at UMass and Memphis is another). There are some people like Bob Knight who despise the one-and-done system because it ruins the integrity of collegiate athletics. Others dislike it for similar reasons.

Michigan State coach Tom Izzo believes race is a factor in the disdain for one-and-done athletes like the ones Kentucky has. Asked if he thought a highly talented, highly athletic team of white players would be viewed differently, Izzo said yes to William C. Rhoden of the New York Times.

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You can add another person to the list of those who have a beef with Nick Saban’s final regular season coaches’ ballot.  While many have griped about the Alabama coach voting Oklahoma State No. 4 on his ballot, that can’t really surprise anyone.  Although you are supposed to be completely objective in voting, we know one of the perks of the job is being able to help your team’s position.  As it turns out, Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo is also a bit disappointed in the way Saban voted, since he voted Michigan State 17th and their rival Michigan eighth.

“I don’t think it’s anything bad intended against Michigan State,” Izzo said according to The Grand Rapids Press. “I know he and Mark (Hollis, athletic director) have a decent relationship, and I don’t think Nick has any ill feelings to Michigan State, but it surprises me a little bit.”

Saban used to coach at MSU, so perhaps Izzo believes he should have helped them out.  However, the Spartans have three losses on the year and finished 17th in the final BCS standings, so obviously Saban’s opinion is not far off.  They finished 13th in the coaches’ poll behind Michigan who finished 12th, but as the Rapids Press pointed out MSU was well ahead of Michigan in the BCS standings so Saban’s vote did not affect their bowl status.

There are always going to be questions raised after the final votes are in, but the way people are reacting over Saban’s final ballot is is a bit dramatic.  His team deserves the spot they were given anyway, and he voted their biggest threat 4th just to give them an extra kick down the polls.  There aren’t many coaches in the country who wouldn’t do the same if put in a similar position.

College basketball officially made its return Friday night with Midnight Madness festivities taking place all across the country.  This may come as a shocker, but Tom Izzo made himself into one of the highlights of the night with his absurd entrance.  That’s right, the same Michigan State coach who sped his way into East Lansing a couple years ago had a new bit up his sleeve for 2011.  Check out this picture of Izzo’s Top Gun-style entrance, courtesy of our friends at The Dagger who have been tracking some of the best moments from Midnight Madness.

He looks like a natural in that fighter jet.  By making the Top Gun entrance, Izzo is referencing the Spartans Veteran’s Day game against No. 1 North Carolina which is being held on an aircraft carrier.  That should be a fun one to watch.

Michigan State crushed Prairie View A&M Saturday 90-51, getting 25 points from Durrell Summers. The Spartans won the game despite not having coach Tom Izzo who was serving a one-game suspension for a secondary recruiting violation. The issue at hand was that Michigan State employed “an individual associated with a prospect” during a summer camp, a charge that had MSU befuddled.

Michigan State was worried that the punishment — a one-game suspension — would draw so much attention that the issue would not be buried. They were wrong. Because coach Tom Izzo is one of the most well respected, revered coaches in all of college basketball, he has received the benefit of the doubt. Many members of the media have taken Izzo at his word and have questioned the NCAA’s decision rather than the coach. The type of character Izzo displayed when he was courted by the Cavaliers and that he’s shown throughout his career is that of someone who plays fairly.

It’s hard to know what really happened or if Izzo is telling the truth, but he’s built up so much credibility it’s hard not to believe him. Additionally, some research suggests the matter is complete b.s., only confirming Izzo’s honest ways. If this Spartan Tailgate post is accurate, then Izzo was reprimanded for having a former player, Carlton Valentine, coach at the camp. Valentine is a local high school coach and his son happens to have committed to Michigan State. If the post is accurate, Izzo definitely deserves the benefit he’s been afforded.