Tom Izzo opens up about what makes Michigan State special

Few people earn the title “larger than life” in sports. The cliche “champ on and off the field” is one thing, but to be revered as an ascendant figure to people who don’t follow your sport is the next level. As we may know we have one such man on campus, and he happens to coach the basketball team. Even when he is not at the Bres leading his Spartans, he’s all over campus. He talks to students, talks to other Michigan State teams that barely anyone cares about, and does things he really doesn’t have to. Recently, one of the biggest names in hockey came to tour MSU Hockey’s new facilities and naturally bumped into Tom Izzo and his team during practice, and he took time out of his day to help make a case for MSU hockey, talked about being the basketball coach, and he might’ve stolen the whole show.

“So, coach, you’re like Jesus Christ around here??” said Mike Grinnell, producer of Barstool’s well-known Spittin’ Chiclets podcast.

Izzo immediately fired back telling him he didn’t feel like any sort of god after the loss they (must’ve recently) had just taken. Classic.

Tom then went on to make the case for any recruit that he had a direct hand in making sure that the new facilities had exactly what they needed for the modern game. As you may have noticed, half of these new buildings are getting his name on them. While that may not seem like a big deal, some names transcend their sport. Tom Izzo has certainly gained that level of clout for a hockey guy like Grinnell to be star-stuck to meet him. The young man from Boston knows nothing about MSU and instantly picked up on Izzo’s knowledge of the history of the hockey team. He also noted the chemistry he had with Adam Nightingale of the hockey team.

When asked why he jumps around campus to different teams, Izzo said, “I always want to rub up and down with people that are champions… that have done it right. It helps make me better.”

He noted that when other programs win, it helps his program, and vice versa. He told a great story of taking a young Draymond Green to his first-ever hockey game in 2007, which happened to be MSU’s last national championship year.

To some, Izzo is the only knowledge some have of Michigan State, and the one guy fighting that harder than anyone is himself. Naming every other new building isn’t just a shrine for the man (which would be fine, too). Instead, it is a tactical move to associate his greatness with any MSU experience, sport, or academics.

For a tour of the MSU hockey facilities, a run-in with Coen Carr, and a meeting with Izzo, check out the video.