Instead of complaining about his team’s spot in the NCAA Tournament, MSU men’s basketball head coach Tom Izzo should be a positive force for the Spartans as they head back to Bracketville this year.
Izzo was right to predict he would “get ripped for crying over spilled milk” by complaining about the team’s No. 10 seeded tourney berth - that is precisely what he did.
The annual March tournament brackets were announced Sunday. The 10th-seeded Spartans will play seventh-seeded North Carolina State University in the tourney’s East region opening round Friday in Washington, D.C.
After learning of his team’s future, Izzo smiled sarcastically and later went on to criticize the NCAA Selection Committee’s standards for not being consistent year after year with his understanding of the rules.
Instead of complaining, Izzo should go into the 2002 tournament with the excitement of a freshman bench warmer who has never played in the Big Dance - no matter how he feels about the NCAAprocess. That argument can be debated another day.
While it is hard for all green-bleeding Spartans to see their favorite basketball squad fall from grace after three straight No. 1 seedings and Final Four appearances, the facts remain hard, cold and can’t be argued - the team didn’t step up to its past caliber of play this year.
To get a lot of respect from the selection committee, a team has to win the big games. The Spartans (19-11 overall, 10-6 Big Ten) couldn’t get that done this year and they probably got a low ranking because of it.
But despite finishing fifth in the Big Ten - due to a four-way tie for first - and a seeding fall in the tournament brackets, Izzo and his squad have not failed their fans.
After losing two of its best scholarship players early to the NBA, many fans expected the basketball team to be subpar of its standards set in past seasons.
If anything, the team’s finish this year is a testament to Izzo’s leadership abilities and the talent of his players.
It’s hard to see our favorite college hoops team struggle. But the 2001-02 season was expected to be a rebuilding year.
Complaining about the situation at hand is not what Izzo and his company should be doing this week. Instead, they should prepare themselves to upset some of the favored opponents that stand between them and the Final Four.
Izzo has become one of the most highly respected college basketball coaches in the NCAA during his tenure. It’s once again time for him to prove that he’s earned it.
We are proud of our young basketball team for earning a place in the NCAA Tournament. And we look forward to the good things its talent stands to earn for the university - such as a possible third National Championship.
Go green.
