Sunday Stats & Conversation, Izzo Style

And just so we’re clear, understand that I’m not trying to diminish Michigan State’s roster; it’s a fine roster. But I’m not sure how many future NBA players are on that roster, and I am sure it’s not a roster as good as Connecticut’s roster.

But MSU’s roster just beat UConn’s roster of pros by nine less than a week after it beat Louisville’s roster of pros by 12, and hey, Big East fans, aren’t you glad Tom Izzo isn’t in your league? If not, you better be.

Why?

Because Tom Izzo is a badass, that’s why.

It is an off day at the Final Four and the country is ablaze with love for Tom Izzo. As well they should be. Gary Parrish lavished praise on Izzo in this piece that I think many of you will find very interesting.

At least it won’t be hard for NC State fans to yell “Go State” during Monday night’s National Championship game. But, I do not do this without any pain. MICHIGAN State surpassed NORTH CAROLINA State as the country’s ubiquitous ‘STATE’ about ten years ago. It’s very sad. What in the world does that land grant institution in one of the countries most depressed states and worst climates have over NC State? I will let you answer that on your own.

If you have some free time, I would welcome anyone interested/willing to share some information and links about the history of Michigan State’s program in our comments section.

I can’t help but recall that Ford Field’s previous match-up of Carolina vs Michigan State is the site that provided us the comments that Bobby Knight shared in the video below.  If you want to discuss that topic, simply click here.

How about the following interesting statistics to wow your friends?

  • EVERY player that has ever worn a uniform for Tom Izzo at Michigan State and has stayed all four seasons has played in at least one Final Four.
  • Tom Izzo is an astounding 14-2 in the NCAA Tournament on second games of weekends.  If Izzo wins the first game of a weekend (1st round; Sweet 16; or national semi-final) he is 14-2 in the next game.
  • ACCNow reminds us that a title game in a crappy city against the Big Ten in 1981 was the last time that Carolina made lost in a championship game.
  • Lee Fowler claims to ‘know basketball’, but in his decade at the helm of the NC State athletics department UNC-CH has attended Four Final Fours and could win their second national championship of his tenure.  Conversely, NC State has managed to win only five NCAA Tournament games.  One more F4 for the Tarheels and they’d have as many F4’s as we’d have tournament victories under Fowler.  Does anyone really wonder why?

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08-09 Basketball AD & Department General Stat of the Day

49 Responses to Sunday Stats & Conversation, Izzo Style

  1. buttPACKer 04/05/2009 at 3:23 PM #

    GW,

    Why is it that when anyone on this blog calls someone, or an entire admin, out for NOT DOING THEIR JOB, you tag it as HATE??

    You have absolutely no insight into my soul, and therefore are completely ill-equipped to judge whom I *hate*–if anyone at all. Your supposition that well-founded critique=HATE is curious. . . And that several people agreeing that a certain person–or two–aren’t performing to a certain standard is *mob violence.*

  2. buttPACKer 04/05/2009 at 3:29 PM #

    honestly, GW, I think YOU are the one who enjoys stirring up controversy, since you post so many seemingly contradictive remarks. . . then you blast anyone who calls you on them.

    Are you just bored, and need to get a little rise out of someone. . .

  3. WV Wolf 04/05/2009 at 3:32 PM #

    Back on the Michigan St topic

    Life Magazine picture of NC State vs Michigan St in the 1959 Dixie Classic

    Gotta love the State vs State jerseys.

  4. redfred2 04/05/2009 at 3:45 PM #

    X

  5. TOBtime 04/05/2009 at 3:57 PM #

    GW,I said they were a STRONG team that were extremely resilient and had a refuse to lose attitude. All the overtime wins back that up as did the ACC tourney that year. If you mean they were packed with future NBA’ers as was Houston then no, I didn’t mean that. The ’83 team WAS, however, much more talented than they are generally given credit for by the media. To address the famous air-ball comment, if Houston was so much better then why were we still that close?

    Wulfpup, do the teams of Izzo and the early losses remind you of another Italian guy?

  6. redfred2 04/05/2009 at 3:59 PM #

    X

  7. turfpack 04/05/2009 at 4:07 PM #

    Don’t mean to be off topic but I attend the NCSU scrimmage Thursday and 3hr practice on Saturday.
    All I can say is I was surprised by the defense-its personnal and speed.
    The offense was more polished in practice than I thought it would be.
    Players-offense #9 Barnes(Damn!!!what talent!)#22Baker(starting to look like the old #22)#84(caught alot of passes-damn big kid)#13Owen- looks faster than last year-caught some nice pass in practice.The O-line working their asses off- is going to be a beast,#8 Gennon(Has all the throws-also a alot quicker than I imagine-look very good)
    #16(thursday only)knee not bothering him-1st play form srimmage completed about a 35yd pass to Spencer-Raining -offense looked a little rusty(or defense looked that good?).
    Defense-#56LB Nate(Damn!JUST DAMN!What a good player!)#7LB Sterling(looked very good-big kid)#35Manning(Had some problems covering-maybe knee related-got fustrated few times-but working hard)D-Line Big and quick- very impressed #90Mageo#11Augustin#49Cash#91Kuhn#98Mckeen.Secondary-really good players-#28 Byers#20 Ellis#21Morgan#4Walker#32Simmoms-Coach Reed working their ass hard.
    Overall was impressed with this team in spring practice-THINGS LOOKING GOOD BOY-READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL!

  8. Wolfpack_1995 04/05/2009 at 4:51 PM #

    I’ll be cheering for MSU…The are very similar to us in being a land grant univeristy and also having to compete with a snob neighbor in Michigan(us it’s UNC).

    From what I’ve been told the MSU life is very similar to NC State and I will have no problem yelling “Go State!” tomorrow.

    Again, MSU mirrors NC State in many ways.

  9. packbackr04 04/05/2009 at 5:19 PM #

    i wish sid(anyone) would get the guys wearing just “STATE” on the jerseys again

  10. Rick 04/05/2009 at 5:58 PM #

    “ButtPACDKed, the thing with me is, 1. I don’t enjoy mob violence even when the victim is guilty of some crime so I occassionally make a few sarcastic remarks 2. I have no problem giving credit where credit is due. And YOU have to be a moron not to see that. 3. I believe that hate is a cancer on the human soul. No thank you. I pass on that. Don’t let me stop you, click on the ads, the hate campaign needs the money.”

    Based on your name I assume you are a little older. If so you should know enough that
    1) Calling people morons will not get you anywhere
    2) Sarcasm is the respite of someone that has already lost the argument
    3) Saying you “pass on hate” loses credibility when it is coming on the heels of you calling others morons
    4) Thinking someone is doing their job is not “hate”. Any half wit can tell the difference.
    5) If you do not enjoy reading something you should not read it.

  11. 61Packer 04/05/2009 at 6:03 PM #

    “Gotta love the State vs. State jerseys”

    AMEN, WV Wolf and packbackr04!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Is there any chance the Wolfpack could bring back their old “State” jerseys? Just take the damned NC off the jerseys! Just plain State was good enough in the 50s, 60s, 70s and in ’83. Folks knew who we were. I just hate the NC being added to the jerseys because it breaks us from our past (successful) history to our present (miserable) history. We’re now compared as the “other NC team” (that always loses).

    If we can’t get rid of the AD and the REAL shitheads, our BOTs, then at least maybe we could change SOMETHING that might make us feel good about ourselves again. And right now, with our sports in general being flushed down the crapper, especially basketball, it would be nice to have a little pride again.

    Tomorrow night it looks like Wolfpack nation will hit a new low. Tuesday morning we’ll wake up and most likely UNC, our arch rival, will AGAIN be on top of the basketball world. And Lee Fouler will still be our AD and Sidney Lowe will still be our basketball coach, with NO change in sight.

    If you’re a Wolfpack fan, it simply cannot get any worse.

    Whoops, sorry. Wait until next year!

  12. VaWolf82 04/05/2009 at 6:32 PM #

    If that idiot Fowler wasn’t so concerned with such inconsequential crap as:

    Selection of a new Women’s BB coach
    Title IX Compliance
    Volleyball wins
    operating costs of non-revenue sports.
    new playing surface in Carter-Finley Stadium,
    renovation to the east stands in Carter-Finley Stadium
    renovation of the outdoor tennis facility,
    press box and new entrance to the Soccer Stadium,
    video scoreboard for Doak Field
    video scoreboard for Reynolds Coliseum.

    I love sarcasm as much as anyone, but I’m not even sure what your counter point is. Are you claiming that LF is personally working on each and every issue you list here….or is that a list of things that the athletic department is working on? Are you claiming that he is so busy, that he doesn’t have time to look at on-court/field results?

    I truly believe that LF’s mouth and his love of the limelight is his own worst enemy. He makes a fool out of himself nearly every time he opens his mouth. His last search for a BB coach turned the entire university into a laughing stock and the butt of jokes on the sports news each night for nearly a month.

    If you are claiming that a person so incompetent in public is actually a good manager in private….then sorry, I’m not buying it.

  13. Sweet jumper 04/05/2009 at 7:47 PM #

    I just saw a show on FoxSportsSouth about NCAA tournament history with major emphasis on the 83 Pack. They showed the highlights of the late season run and all NCAAT games with comments by V and Billy Packer commentary. Wow–great to relive that. Sidney was money throughtout the run and had some great comments.
    Go State(Michigan State tomorrow night and STATE forever)!

  14. Packster 04/05/2009 at 8:54 PM #

    You think he would want to come coach at NC State one day?

  15. redfred2 04/05/2009 at 8:57 PM #

    X

  16. Greywolf 04/05/2009 at 11:13 PM #

    I just spent about 3 hours reading some old threads and I have to say that I am wrrrr, rrrrr, rrrrong about the hate thing. (Gracious, I have trouble saying the “not right” word.) A poster with the username Cardiff Giant posted in 2006 “Again, please provide an example of significant Fowler-bashing that took place PRIOR to the “lunatic fringe” comments.” I am wrong and I apologize to all I was offensive to. I can’t promise it will never happen again but I can promise to do everything I can do to cut it out.
    `
    Another member with the user name Buddy Green said, “There’s a difference between stupid man and stupid comment. Maybe Fowler (is) smart. Maybe he (is) setting up a public perception of the Wolfpack fan base to cover his own firing so he like Sendek can land a job somewhere else, and blame their short comings on others.”
    `
    The speculation is fair, although I suspect that there is mental quirk, something like crossed wires, and he just cannot help himself.
    `
    More of my being wrrrr, rrrrr, rrrrong. The vast majority here does NOT hate Fowler and doesn’t say they do. It’s just a few wannabees trying to fit in by saying “I hate Fowler” or words to that effect.
    `
    I may be off in my take on Fowler but I’d guess he is actually very smart and being smart doesn’t have anything to do with his gaffes. Again I’d say he actually cannot help himself. I’d also say that the BOT and Chancellor are against a rock and a hard place. If you have ever tried to get construction work done, you know that it is next to impossible to get it done on schedule. Using this as an example my gut feel is that contrary to doing a poor job, Fowler is doing a great job in the hidden areas of his job and is going to be extremely difficult to replace in that regard.
    `
    Given that he has not been fired for his media gaffes, I am guessing that he is absolutely brilliant in the day to day operation of his department especially regarding facilities and funding for them. Except for SID/Associate or Assistant AD accountable for SID, (we all know her name and she does have her good points, if you know what I mean) our AD has some very good men and women working with him. That’s to his credit.

    Last of an already too long a post, I have the same issues that Fowler has with the “crossed wires” I.e., saying shit that I painfully regret after I say it. It has cost me dearly in my business life. Maybe that’s why I am so sympathetic with Fowler even though I know he has really fucked up. This is more than any of you needed to know. I just needed to say it because the truth can possibly set me free if I am willing to confront it. Right now all it is doing is humbling me.
    `
    Greywolf

  17. Greywolf 04/05/2009 at 11:18 PM #

    Corrected^
    Last of an already too long a post, I have the same issues that Fowler has with the “crossed wires” i.e., saying shit that I painfully regret after I say it. It has cost me dearly in my business life. And it has cost me in my personal life as well.

  18. JasonP 04/06/2009 at 8:03 AM #

    Isn’t it wonderful to watch this Michigan St underdog team do the fundamental things so well and beat all of these ‘superior’ teams with NBA talent?
    Defense, rebounding, point distribution and most of all COACHING have gotten them this far.
    Izzo completely worked Pitino over in the Great 8 and did it again with Calhoun in the Final 4.
    There are no superstars on the Spartans, they just work hard and aren’t afraid of anyone. I love it!

  19. LKNpackfan 04/06/2009 at 8:19 AM #

    Grey, we all have said things that we later regret, but Fowler produces thought-out prepared statements that backhandedly disrespect his employer and the Wolfpack family. Its almost as if he says things only because its what he’s paid to do,
    and not because he personally likes NC State himself.
    As a reminder, Fowler has also said:

    * Chuck Amato was in strong standing less than a month before he was fired.

    * A lot of Duke fans want to get rid of Coach K.

    * He liked the idea of Steve Lavin as the head coach of NC State.

    * That Sidney Lowe would not coach NC State for a month before hiring Sidney Lowe to coach NC State.

    * That Herb Sendek had to leave NC State for safety concerns for his family.

    * That only 50 crazy people on the internet didn’t like Herb Sendek.

    * That it isn’t fair to hold our coaches accountable until they get brand new facilities.

    * That we should aim to finish in the top 3rd of a 9 team conference and the top half of a 12 team conference

    * That wolfpack athletics can be just “real good”

    Most of these statements were just plain stupid, but some actually reveal a seeming contempt for the fans and the program.

  20. old13 04/06/2009 at 9:42 AM #

    ^ Don’t forget his chastising letter to the fans about booing!

  21. LKNpackfan 04/06/2009 at 10:04 AM #

    The asterisks are copy/paste from the link, but that’s another great example

  22. inhoc... 04/06/2009 at 10:15 AM #

    whats the latest on fowler, BOT?

  23. bradleyb123 04/06/2009 at 12:05 PM #

    I haven’t heard anything new. But my source and I both still believe something is going down with Fowler and we just don’t know it yet. I’ve heard it suggested that they’re negotiating LF’s buyout, but I just read that in a blog post, not from a reputable source.

    I also believe the delay is because of LF’s charity golf tournament (April 13th, I believe). That would make sense. Our athletics department would take a black eye for hurting a charity by not waiting another week or so. Makes sense to me to wait another week or so.

  24. Greywolf 04/06/2009 at 6:21 PM #

    bradleyb123
    April 6th, 2009 at 12:05 pm
    I haven’t heard anything new. But my source and I both still believe something is going down with Fowler and we just don’t know it yet. I’ve heard it suggested that they’re negotiating LF’s buyout, but I just read that in a blog post, not from a reputable source.
    `
    This would be consistent with Fowler’s unusual comment about “being under contract until April 2013” or something like that. That has a “They’re going to pay my ass one way or another” ring to it.
    `
    “I also believe the delay is because of LF’s charity golf tournament (April 13th, I believe). That would make sense. Our athletics department would take a black eye for hurting a charity by not waiting another week or so. Makes sense to me to wait another week or so.”
    `
    My thought on an earlier thread, but we shall see. I’ve been wrong about Fowler so much that I am suspicious of my own thoughts. My earlier crap on this thread is embarrassing enough to have me just wanna drop out of sight.

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