The First Day of the Rest of the MSU Basketball Program's Life
by KJ@theonlycolors on Jun 16, 2010 10:36 AM CDT
in Michigan State Spartans Basketball
Email
PrintI thought Mr. Brennan summed things up nicely last night:
Something of a spectacle here, wherein everyone's right and everyone's wrong at the same time. Can we just talk about hoops, please?
Running through the rights and wrongs:
- Mark Hollis was right to criticize the media for being more focused on being first than on being right. The media outlets that picked up the WFNY "report" should be particularly embarrassed of themselves; that one didn't even pass the smell test.
- Hollis was wrong to imply that the media picking up blog/twitter/online reports was the only problem here. There were plenty of reports from unnamed "sources" originating directly from the mainstream media that now look highly dubious.
- Tom Izzo was right to question the way many in the media went about their business over the 9 days this was a major news story--particularly those that don't cover the basketball program on a regular basis but then emerge with strong opinions when a big story happens (see my complaint about this phenomenon here).
- Izzo was wrong to throw all the media into the same category. And he shouldn't have been so shocked at the high level of interest in what was going on. That's part of being an "elite" program (as he conceded at the end). Was he really shocked that a text message sent to a news reporter would end up being reported in the media?
- Generally, I thought Izzo's opinions about the media were fine--they reflect his view of the world right now--but he should have made his point forcefully and then moved on, instead of coming back to the same theme in many of his responses.
- Lynn Henning was right to say that it was wrong for Simon/Hollis/Izzo to offer blanket indictments of the media.
- Small problem: Henning was clearly one of the media members who deserved to be indicted--the #1 example of a sports columnist who doesn't cover the team regularly but fancies himself an expert on Izzo's thoughts/feelings. Henning pretended to read Izzo's mind (and heart) and tell him what he should do, and was then dumb enough to try to serve as the media's public defender. Obviously, that didn't work out well for him.
(Personal note: I trust that when Izzo complained about "bloggers," he was actually complaining about "message boards," since TOC is, you know, the most widely-read independent MSU sports blog [admittedly not a stupendous achievement given the state of the Spartan blogosphere]. The fact that he specifically referenced the "Red Cedar" [Message Board, presumably] is reassuring. I did my darndest to cover this story comprehensively over the last week and a half, consistent with the magnitude of the impact Izzo's departure would have had on the program, without spreading unsubstantiated rumors along the way. I need to go back and read everything I wrote; I hope it holds up well.)
Overall, it was refreshing to see the Tom Izzo we all know and love back in the public eye, offering honest and direct answers about Dan Gilbert (major factor in considering gig), LeBron James (ditto), and the conversations he had with his family and former players (major factor in staying; thank you, again, Raquel Izzo for your devotion to MSU). Unfortunately, the university-vs.-media stuff overwhelmed the other portions of Izzo's comments.
In a few months, last night's events will all be a footnote in the history of the Michigan State basketball program. Izzo sounded as hungry as ever to add to the successes he's already had, talking specifically about winning a championship next year. (Note: One key piece in the quest to do that, Chris Allen, was in the room but not on the stage. Hard to know exactly how to read that. Probably a slightly positive indicator, given that all signs had been pointing to him having already departed campus for parts unknown.)
In the end, the process Izzo went through was largely consistent with what we thought in our rational moments amidst all the worried-fan-angst-driven uncertainty: He felt obligated to explore what was probably the best NBA coaching opportunity he would ever be presented with (he called it "once-in-a-lifetime"), but ultimately the uncertainty of the situation in Cleveland and the passion for what he's built in East Lansing kept him at Michigan State.
To the extent Izzo dragged this out an extra 24 hours beyond the optimal announcement point, he more than made up for it with his "here for life at Michigan State" statement (his spoken comments fully backing up the written statement that was issued before the press conference). That's exactly the kind of reassurance MSU players, recruits, fans, and supporters needed to hear. And, to me, it came across as entirely genuine. If he didn't make the leap to go work for an NBA owner he obviously admires and potentially coach the most talented basketball player in the modern NBA, he's never going to leap.
Onward and forward. Tom Izzo is still, and always, a Spartan. Go Green.
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Excellent coverage throughout
The media probably deserved those comments last night but maybe not in such a public forum. But Izzo is known for his honesty, and he’ll ultimately make sure that things get worked out.
With all the unsubstantiated rumors swirling around all day, two papers reporting opposing “facts” on a regular basis, it was reassuring to see some level-headed rationalization throughout this tumultuous week at TOS. The insights you’ve provided have been precise and never not over the top. Thank goodness I need look no further than TOS and Joe Rexrode’s blog to get all the news that’s fit to print.
Looking forward to your future posts, and thank you!
by driveonparkways on Jun 16, 2010 10:56 AM CDT reply actions
Razzafrazzin' WILX
’ILX cut away from the presser two questions in. By the time I found it on BTN, the whole exchange was over.
KJ, you’re in the clear as far as I’m concerned . . . but it almost doesn’t matter. This whole episode was a black eye on sports blogs as a whole, yet again. Sigh.
Peace
Ty
http://www.thelionsinwinter.com
by ty@thelionsinwinter on Jun 16, 2010 11:06 AM CDT reply actions
Lynn Henning's explanation for his bird cage liner was ...
that Izzo did not call him back. What a pompous arse!
I did my darndest to cover this story comprehensively over the last week and a half, consistent with the magnitude of the impact Izzo’s departure would have had on the program, without spreading unsubstantiated rumors along the way. I need to go back and read everything I wrote; I hope it holds up well.)
KJ, I think your coverage was the most reasonable of the bunch. Speaking for myself, I thought things looked pretty bleak starting around last Thursday and I was constantly reassured by the unworried and grounded analysis to be found here at TOC. Kudos to the entire staff, you all were my first resource during this period.
Fantastic job throughout
KJ, you did great. Thanks for being a source of steady objectiveness throughout all the panic and hand-wringing.
Izzo’s angry reaction last night to the media came across, to me, as his taking the opportunity to give the press what they’d been wanting. They’ve been complaining about his uncharacteristic silence. They wanted him to talk? All right then, let’s talk. Henning’s article raised some interesting questions but was overblown and ignorant given this is not his beat. I’m glad Izzo took him to task and forced Henning into mincing his words and looking even more stupid yet. Izzo also seemed to jab at Rosenberg (or whomever), whose made line through this whole thing was how much Izzo loved the attention generated by stretching this out as much as possible.
His comments about having the desire and effectiveness to continue to do what he’s done at the level that he’s done it seemed genuine to me as well. He does not appear to be someone who was basking in the glow of all the fuss that was created, or someone whose fire has been compromised by the last week and a half.
It's going to be a good night.
by Spartalytical on Jun 16, 2010 11:17 AM CDT reply actions 1 recs
Izzo was certainly threading the needle
castigating the impatient media for not giving him room to make a tough decision, while apologizing to impatient fans who were angry at the lack of information coming from the Izzo camp as the days dragged on. It’s in large part because of impatient fans that impatient media do what they do.
Maybe, but
The professional media shouldn’t be lead around by the nose by the non-professional public. There must be some sense of responsibility there. Just because the public is eager to hear something, anything, there doesn’t exist a green light for members of the media to grasp at straws or report something that’s not there just because there’s an audience that will lap up anything that’s printed.
It's going to be a good night.
by Spartalytical on Jun 16, 2010 11:34 AM CDT up reply actions
That's entirely correct.
I really did mean that not as an excuse for the gross overreaching of Henning et al., but rather to illustrate that while Izzo can go round-for-round with reporters, he has to pull his punches with a fan base that can at times be just as hyperbolic and exerts as much pressure.
I understand why that is, and I’m glad that Izzo did get a jab in at tRCMB. For myself, Iwould like to believe that the MSU base is comprised of a better type of fan. If that’s true, it’s in large part because we’re led by a better type of coach.
Isn’t it fun when the media would rather create a big story/be first than actually make sure they get the story right?
Signed,
Michigan Football Fans
Seriously though, this shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone that the media is full of hacks these days and is easily manipulated by those with an agenda. I’m sure some of these “sources” were angling for a specific result and planted these stories in an attempt to achieve that result. Media members, in a desperate attempt to break a story and get their name everywhere, fall for it hook, line and sinker. Good work on trying to wade through the BS, lord knows there was plenty of it out there on this story.
by Yinka Double Dare on Jun 16, 2010 12:41 PM CDT reply actions
Chris Allen
Since I can’t go from panicked back to 0 immediately, I’d like to nominate the Allen situation for media over-analysis. It’s like a nicotine patch for worriers.
Don't expect daily posts on that situation
Fight for The Only Colors: Green and White!
by KJ@theonlycolors on Jun 16, 2010 3:36 PM CDT up reply actions
Not sure I could take daily posts
But as news becomes available. Hoping him at least being at the presser was a good sign. I’m not crazy about the prospects of him leaving because successful Spartan teams always have that solid, lock-down perimeter defender i.e. Walton, Cleaves/Bell
Durrell consistency
It’s not as if Durrell was a model of consistency these past 3 years. Having Allen for his good offensive days is a very important x-factor for the team, and to hedge against Bad Durrell give Bad Durrell can’t make it up with D.
Amen
Maybe there’s a chance Lucious could step into that role if Allen takes a walk in his ability as an offensive sparkplug to account for Durrell’s off days. Who knows, KL2 can learn how to lock down, too, with a full summer of conditioning under his belt without having to worry about an injury.
Not sure he has the height
to be a “lock down” defender. Most wings could shoot right over him. Don’t get me wrong, he was clutch in the tournament and I think he’s got the potential to be a fantastic PG, but he’s never going to be a lock down defender of shooting guards, because most of them will have 4 inches plus on him.
by TheCrestedHelm on Jun 17, 2010 9:58 AM CDT up reply actions
assistant coaches
I agree the Allen situation preoccupies me.
Also, did anyone else not think it weird that no one seemed to thank the assistant coaches or praise them in any way at last night’s presser? I thought their absence from Izzo’s comments when he praised just about everyone else repeatedly suggests he is just not that close to them.
I kind of
thought that when all the news reports of his former assistants commenting on the story came out. A whole lot of “good for msu and the players”. Only a few mentioned Coach. Maybe thats just his personality. I’ve had head coaches like that. The head coach takes all the blame, but also gets all the credit… just the way it works
Oh well, so much for this Michigan fan's Pitino-esque pipe dream
You know, the one where Izzo went to the pros, flamed out, and then took over at the in state rival?
Despite it being bad news for Michigan’s and the rest of the Big Ten+2andcounting’s fortunes, speaking as a college basketball fan, I’m glad Izzo’s sticking around.
Official BYB Juju Consultant...now accepting rally creature applications!
And at some level
you guys don’t want to get better because we’ve fallen, but because of what you do.
Light a man a fire, he'll stay warm for a day.
Light a man afire, he'll be warm for the rest of his life.
The bloggers comment
while directed at trcmb holds true to this site as well. Izzo’s point was media members, in the absence of information from Izzo himself, turned to websites which are merely supposed to be a reflection of the media and then personal opinion on events and ran with that as gospel. TOC and TRCMB do not break news, and do not represent the pulse of the MSU fanbase as a whole, just a segment of it. This site did a good job of cautioning that “this is what these specific people are saying” while containing the proper amount of skepticism towards said people.
That said, the only things really worth mentioning during this whole ordeal were the first day it was known the cavs had interest in Izzo, the day Izzo flew down to cleveland for a tour, and yesterday when Izzo announced he was staying. Every other day should have just been “nothing new to report”, and media members and blogs/message boards alike should not have attempted to play arm-chair psychologist/fortune teller.
by Not a Gunslinger on Jun 16, 2010 4:53 PM CDT reply actions
One problem
Reports like WFNY’s are not “nothing new to report”. Frankly, I think this site has an obligation to take on the rumors by stating the concerns about the sourcing of said reports. Lack of refutation is often mistaken for credibility; the way to combat bad information is not to stay silent but to provide good information, even if the best information available is “your guess is as good as mine”. Give the best information you have, just don’t make anything up (unless it’s very clearly stated as opinion) and don’t act more confident in the information than you actually are.
Perhaps it was taken too far trying to read into every snippet of news, every quote that got out, but the degree of clarity in the information here – what we’d heard, where we’d heard it, how reliable it was likely to be, what was writer opinion and speculation vs. dubious sourced info vs. official info – was far more worthwhile than pretending the unofficial sources didn’t exist.
That all makes sense in a perfectly rational world
In our world, a lot of people care an awful lot about the future of MSU basketball. It was only natural to speculate, in as an informed manner as possible, about how the process would play out. Calling it “playing arm-chair psychologist/fortune teller” is a pretty uncharitable way of describing it.
Fight for The Only Colors: Green and White!
by KJ@theonlycolors on Jun 16, 2010 8:38 PM CDT up reply actions
Since he asked
Izzo asked what he could have done to make the process better. I believe this would have taken on less of a circus atmosphere had he along the way done what he did in his press conference. He could have said – “My daughter is in the middle of finals so I’m not going to be making any decisions until sometime after they end.” He or the university could have said that it is likely that fact gathering and the weighing of factors may take several days to a week. Izzo could have said, “I’m speaking to many people. They are sharing their thoughts on the pros and cons of staying and leaving. If things get out in the media that I am doing one or the other, that is merely speculation. I am consulting, gathering, and speaking with my family. I know this is hard for many of you. Please allow me the space to do this. As soon as I finish this process, I will make an announcement.”
Had there been clearer communication as to the process and the length of time the process might have taken, much of what came out that was totally unsubstantiated rumor may have be avoided.
Do you really think that would have stopped speculation and rumors from leaking? Granted, it might have made it easier to sort out those who wanted to get it right vs. those who wanted to get it first, but people would still have been reading the tea leaves one way or another. For the largest part of this, the information that leaked out (WFNY excepted) was “sources indicate he’s leaning this way”, not “sources say he’s decided”. And news outlets with an interest in being first (and all of them do, the question is how to strike the balance and what confidence level they want before they commit to a story) will still go after those rumors if they reach whatever credibility threshold they set because it gets readers (short term if they’re interested in the story, long term if the news outlet demonstrates a tendency to get the information right and first).
It might have cut off the WFNY “report” at the knees. But it wouldn’t have done much else.
With a little hindsight
The anti-media things said by Dr. Simon and Hollis were pretty far off. You have every right to release as much or as little information as you choose. If you choose not to release information, you have to understand that the gap will be filled by something. Media of all types is created to be consumed. If there is an appetite to consume information about a topic, there will, one way or another, be information to consume about that topic. Which is fine. No point in being angry about that content when you made no attempt to create or even shape it.
Henning hijacking the press conference to express his personal butthurt, on the other hand, was so incredibly unprofessional that a 12 year old commenting on MLive would feel a little weird about doing it. The gall of him to show up after having directly questioned Izzo’s heart and loyalty and categorically deny having said any such thing was incredible. I don’t understand how a guy who is paid to write opinion pieces about sports can immediately disagree with everything he has written and still have a job. I don’t take what I’m about to say lightly: Rob Parker would never stoop that low.
Part of the job...
….of the media is to eat a lot excrement (I’m a newspaper reporter, non-sports) from the people we cover and smile about it, because that’s what it takes to do the job. When the media sticks up for itself in the manner Henning did, my impression is that readers don’t much want to hear it. On Sean and Terp yesterday, Henning used the phrase “trained journalists” which just sounds pompous to me. And I say that as someone who did his hitch at the SNews and got a journalism degree from MSU. (My advice to aspiring reporters is to go to MSU, major in something else, minor in journalism and work at the SNews) He also offered a bunch of happy talk about checking sources and credibility, generally eliding the fact that he was being ripped because of his mind-reading opinion column that could have just as well be posted on the RCMB, with worse grammar and spelling.
The media is not supposed to be puffed up and self-important about itself. Ideally, we’re an inanimate object, like a drainpipe. As much creativity, good thinking and hard work might go into that, those are just means to an end.
This is also not the first time Coach Izzo has whined about the media and he seems about as sophisticated about online stuff as the average 55-year-old. That seems to be part of his makeup to be a little over-sensitive to criticism of him and his players. If that’s Tom Izzo’s worst sin, (his worst sin is actually turnovers and appearing on the Huge Show) than he’s a pretty good guy. It also might be, at least partly, a calculated effort to work the refs, but Izzo being the heart-on-the-sleeve guy he comes off as, I tend to think not.
by witless chum on Jun 17, 2010 9:36 AM CDT up reply actions
On Media
I think there is some blame to go around. I tend to think that if Izzo had publicly said even a little bit it would have made things better not worse over the last week. Even releasing a simple statement acknowledging the Cavs interest and saying he was going to gather information and would announce his decision publicly when he made it would have done a little bit to ease speculation. Although, he could argue that shouldn’t be necessary because a number of reporters were telling that story anyway. Joe Rexrode did a great job of sharing what he knew without jumping to any conclusions, Eric Lacy also did a nice job in my opinion, although he appeared to be getting a little punchy via twitter at times. I got several tweets from him that acknowledged that he had no idea what Izzo was going to do and that anyone who claimed to know was probably just speculating
by trivialstuff16 on Jun 17, 2010 10:47 AM CDT reply actions
I'm not sure any announcement from Izzo other than "I'm staying" or "I'm going" would have helped
If there’s a market for the information (and there was), someone will provide. And those who felt that being first was more important than being right would not have been deterred from speculating or casting runes (at best it would have toned WFNY’s report down from certainty to probability).
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