The 3 best things Tom Izzo said on Pardon My Take podcast

Tom Izzo appeared on the Pardon My Take podcast this week and the Hall of Famer had plenty of interesting things to say.

Tom Izzo has never been shy to speak publicly about his team or the college basketball landscape in general. However, he has never been someone to go on many shows or podcasts other than those of mainstream media like ESPN.

That changed on Friday morning when an episode of the Pardon My Take podcast featured Izzo as the episode’s guest. This is one of the biggest sports podcasts in America and is wildly popular.

You can watch the full episode on YouTube here, but here are the three best questions and answers Izzo gave during the podcast.

Note: For those of you watching the full episode, Izzo joins the show at the 35-minute mark.

1. What’s different about coaching the NCAA tourney vs. the regular season that makes you so successful?

• The Players

Tom Izzo is one of the few coaches in college basketball history who has repeated success in the NCAA Tournament over multiple decades. So why can he have so much tournament success while other great coaches aren’t able to translate to the tournament?

In true Izzo fashion, he initially gave all the credit to his players. He was very upfront about that, saying if it wasn’t for the players he’s had, he wouldn’t be able to have the success. But Izzo took it a step further, saying those former players are still helping to this day.

Izzo spoke about their annual alumni reunion and how that helps create a championship mindset. The current team gets to speak with former players and learn about their experiences and what the expectations at Michigan State are during this reunion. This isn’t the only time MSU players get to speak with alumni, though. Former players also reach out during the tournament and speak to the team to help mentally prepare them.

• Scouting

Izzo also spoke about how they prepare during the NCAA Tournament as well. He said their mindset going into the tournament is to “win the weekend.” This means they aren’t interested in winning just one game, but both they would play on any weekend.

It’s extremely difficult to scout your opponent in the second game with such a short turnaround. But Izzo has found success breaking it down by having 20-minute incremental film sessions to not overwhelm the team. He also has assistants preparing for both teams they could face later in the weekend before they even find out who they’re playing.

This combination of scouting and the current/former players is what has led Izzo to become Mr. March. This answer is also why I think Izzo will get Michigan State back on top again soon.

2. Are you actually an angry guy or are you a teddy bear?

We all know Izzo has a reputation in the media for being an angry coach who gets after his players too much on occasion. This was brought up because Izzo was recently voted the fifth-angriest coach in college basketball.

Izzo was quick to see that he’s Italian and wears his emotions on his sleeves. But he dove in further, sharing how coaches have a strict line to walk when it comes to their players. Izzo said they have to be demanding enough to get their point across but not over the top. They also have to care about their guys enough to keep their spirits up as well.

Izzo believes he has done an excellent job walking this line. And the proof is right there in front of us whenever the media is attacking Izzo for getting after a player on TV. All of Izzo’s former players immediately come to his defense. Even his current team will come out and say they don’t want to be coached any other way.

So it’s clear that Izzo knows what he’s doing, and that’s why the culture at MSU is second to none.

3. Are you going to use the portal this offseason?

This is the million-dollar question for the program right now. Spartan fans are praying Izzo uses the transfer portal this year. Unfortunately, Izzo didn’t give us a clear answer.

“I might” is all that we got.

However, the conversation took a turn and he ended up talking about why he doesn’t like the portal. And I have to agree with most of what he said.

Izzo shared that he thinks it won’t work out for the majority of players who enter the transfer portal. Nearly 2,000 players are going to enter, and it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to realize that many of them will struggle to find a new school to play for.

He also spoke about how if the portal always existed, he would’ve had many players leave MSU after one year. But those players ended up being his biggest advocates. So this shows that sticking it out at your program, in Izzo’s opinion, is the best option for many players.

But regardless of his feelings about it, Tom Izzo needs to use the portal this year. Michigan State desperately needs help down low, and the only chance they have at competing for a Big Ten title next year is by getting some extra help from the portal.