It said, “As my 2-year-old son and I pulled into the parking lot of an Okemos grocery store for some midday shopping, a text from Tom Izzo popped into my phone.

It conveyed a simple message.

‘(Expletive) you.’

So I immediately called him on his cell phone, my young lad listening patiently in his car seat. Izzo answered and my first words were: ‘What’s your problem?’”

She looked at me and said, “What about it?”

I gave her a definitive response. “That’s what I want. That’s who I want to be,” I said.

Joe was the most welcoming journalist I met at my first press conference. Granted, I was there for Cathy George, MSU’s head volleyball coach, who preceded MSU football coach Mark Dantonio. I introduced myself to everyone in that room, and I think Joe was the only one who remembered my name.

I continued going to press conferences for The State News, talking to Joe a little bit here and a little bit there. I observed him, how he asked questions, how he managed his Twitter during Dantonio’s comments, how he worked after.

Now for background, Dantonio has a pretty strict policy when it comes to talking about injuries and suspensions. The one thing that always stood out to me with Joe is that he, without fail, slipped in a question regarding Montez Sweat’s status with the team. Every time Dantonio would reply with one or two words.

He still asked the tough questions. The first time I asked Dantonio a question, my hand was shaking holding the microphone. I couldn’t fathom a 20-year-old kid asking Dantonio about the status of a suspended player.

As I watched him conduct post-game interviews and ask questions at press conferences, all I could think was, "He makes it look so easy." 

Time went on, and the MSU football season was coming to a close. It was Nov. 25, 2015, and I got an email from Joe asking me to help him cover the MSU vs. Penn State game that Saturday. I was home for Thanksgiving that weekend, but it was too good of an opportunity to pass up.

So I woke up early Saturday morning, got a Christmas tree with my family and booked it to East Lansing to write a fan story before the game. I was so ecstatic to be there that I got my quotes, walked to the stadium, and marched up to the credential table with my chest puffed out.

“I’m here to pick up my credential," I said confidently. "Nathaniel Bott with the Detroit Free Press.”

The employees seemed happy for a bright-eyed journalist making his way to the press box for the first time and simply asked to see my identification.

At that moment, I turned my ass right back around. I left my wallet in my car parked all the way across campus.

I came back only slightly embarrassed and met Joe up in the press box in Spartan Stadium, which was my first time being there. We sat and saw a sluggish MSU team in the first half, only lifted up by a long fumble return touchdown by Demetrious Cox, turn into a high-powered offensive juggernaut in the second half, capped off by a touchdown run from senior lineman Jack Allen on senior day.

That was an experience I won’t forget. From rushing down in packed elevators at the conclusion of the game to get seats for the post-game press conference, to just having the opportunity to freelance for the Detroit Free Press. Joe gave me that chance, and for an aspiring sports journalist, it was incredible.

Moving forward, the MSU basketball season finally arrived in East Lansing and Izzo and his team had MSU’s campus buzzing. They were ranked No. 1, and raced to an undefeated non-conference record. I helped out on basketball, but it wasn’t my beat.

I still decided to write an article on Austin Thornton, MSU basketball’s graduate assistant and former player under head coach Tom Izzo. I thought it was the best story I have ever written, far and away. I sent it to all my professors, family members and co-workers. Every reply had something to do with “great job, Nathaniel” or “You have blossomed into a fine young man, Nathaniel.”

I was pretty clear in my message that I wanted some constructive criticism, even though every comment made my ego swell. Finally, I got someone to bring me back down to Earth. That person was Joe.

My whole life I have been a sports fanatic and writing about my passion for it is what I have always wanted to do. Journalistically speaking, my sister Celeste Bott, a previous editor-in-chief at The State News, has always been my mentor and role model.

Well, now I have two, and Joe can keep a sports conversation better than Celeste, trust me. As I sit in the same sports editor position Joe held for some time, I can’t help but think of how I will fill those shoes.

I cannot speak for the numerous coaches and athletes you have covered. I cannot speak for all the other colleagues and journalists you have grown strong relationships with while covering MSU.

I can speak for the student sport journalists here at The State News. Every time someone here writes a sports article that picks up some viewer traffic, we are “writing like Rexrode.” You aren’t just my mentor, but one for every Spartan who wants to be in the position you are in.

I mean, who wouldn’t want Tom Izzo to text them, “(Expletive) you.”