A Sea Of Red

IMO there isn't a hotter coach right now than Izzo. Roy, Coach K, Calipari, Pitino, are all GREAT coaches, but I don't think anyone would argue that Izzo has done more with less than these guys have the past decade or so. Even if he doesn't win tonight, I think he is the BIG name among coaches at this time.

I've grown up in Michigan and knew some guys that played for Izzo, but I don't know much about Izzo personally, so perhaps his heart is in East Lansing and he is a lifer there, but he is in the tail end of his prime now. Being 54 years old, if he wants to make a profession run, he needs to probably make his move in the next year or so.

I'm going to predict a change for Izzo. In the next two years, he will take the HUGE payday and coach in the NBA. If he has pro aspirations, there would be no better time to do it than now IMO!

What do you think? Does anyone think he will coach the rest of his life and retire from MSU?

Nope. He cut his teeth under Jud at MSU. He will retire from MSU. He will be a HOF coach.

I agree with the last guy. Tom Izzo seems to be a fit for Michigan State.

- Big names have a tendency to fail when they move up to the NBA (sure there are exceptions, but still). The last one I remember from college b'ball to make the jump was Mike Montgomery with the Warriors, and he flamed out pretty quickly.
- They also come at a high price (Izzo is probably pulling down at least a million per; if he went to the NBA I could see him making 2.5 to 3 million), I can see why NBA teams, two-thirds of which are losing money, would be reluctant to spend that kind of cash, when an NBA assistant with no prior experience could be signed for what Izzo is making now).

he'll never go pro

If he wins tonight, there is a VERY strong chance that he takes the money from a lousy NBA franchise and then retires in a couple of years.

I don't see it. He's built MSU up to one of the top programs in the country. There are maybe two or three jobs (UCLA, UNC or Kentucky) that might be a step up from where he is now.

Next stop: Liberty.

ToTheLeft wrote:Next stop: Liberty.

WRONG...Dean Smith will be here taking that spot

Ed Dantes wrote:I agree with the last guy. Tom Izzo seems to be a fit for Michigan State.

- Big names have a tendency to fail when they move up to the NBA (sure there are exceptions, but still). The last one I remember from college b'ball to make the jump was Mike Montgomery with the Warriors, and he flamed out pretty quickly.
- They also come at a high price (Izzo is probably pulling down at least a million per; if he went to the NBA I could see him making 2.5 to 3 million), I can see why NBA teams, two-thirds of which are losing money, would be reluctant to spend that kind of cash, when an NBA assistant with no prior experience could be signed for what Izzo is making now).

I see Izzo getting more than $3 million per year. Two years ago Billy Donovan signed a 5 year $27.5 million contract with Orlando before backing out of it. Perhaps Donovan was worth more coming off of two championships, but I think most people would like Izzo as much, if not better, due to his long track record.

Tom Izzo makes $1.735 M annually and has also received a one-time bonus of $9.8M, along with several other Final Four/Big Ten Champion bonuses, but I REALLY don't think that money is the issue here. I personally think Izzo has done all he dreamed he would do at MSU. He will leave a legacy there, and he will have enough time to perhaps leave a legacy in the NBA. If not, he can retire and have a NICE retirement package from what an NBA team will pay him to come and coach.

Hold My Own wrote:

ToTheLeft wrote:Next stop: Liberty.

WRONG...Dean Smith will be here taking that spot

I'm not sure Jr would like a staff member smoking outside the basketball arena.

It seems like he loves MSU and wants to retire there...but you never know

I think Izzo will stay. He has the best recruiting pitch in the country. "stay with me all four years and you'll be in the final four"

Every Izzo recruit that has stayed in East Lansing all four years has gone to the Final Four at least once. That's incredible selling power when you're sitting in the living room of a high school kid you're trying to persuade to play for you.

for life

ToTheLeft wrote:Next stop: Liberty.