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Tom Izzo gives amazing speech at Michigan State vigil (Video)

By Connor Muldowney

COLUMBUS, OH - FEBRUARY 12: Head coach Tom Izzo of the Michigan State Spartans stands on the sideline during the game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at the Jerome Schottenstein Center on February 12, 2023 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images)
COLUMBUS, OH - FEBRUARY 12: Head coach Tom Izzo of the Michigan State Spartans stands on the sideline during the game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at the Jerome Schottenstein Center on February 12, 2023 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images) /
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Tragedy struck the Michigan State campus on Monday evening as we all know and three lives were lost. For days, students, faculty, and alumni were all searching for the right words to say and nothing truly felt like enough. And then Tom Izzo spoke on Wednesday.

Staying in the background in the days after the tragic events, Izzo spoke at the candlelight vigil that Michigan State held on Wednesday.

And he did a fantastic job.

Izzo, known for saying anything and everything on his mind with no script, took the podium in front of thousands of vigil attendees and wrote out his feelings.

Everything he said brought a calmness to an otherwise chaotic situation.

I mean, this speech was just what the Michigan State community needed. The campus needs a strong voice and leader and Izzo proved to be just that — again.

“I don’t like this place. I don’t love this place. I live this place.”

That line is going to be echoing across campus forever. It’s just a true testament to his love for the university. Everything he does is with Michigan State in mind.

Tom Izzo feeling all the emotions

Like Izzo, we are all angry about what happened and are sick of it continuing every day in our society and he addressed that at the end of his speech. But he also has a little more emotion built up regarding this situation than some of us alums who are watching from a distance.

For one, Izzo and his family live in East Lansing so this obviously hits home for him. But his son, Steven, was on campus right after this happened. I can’t begin to imagine how he felt.

Izzo is a parent to a Michigan State student and also a leader of a team of student-athletes, including his son, so he had to have been sick to his stomach trying to make sure all of his guys were OK during the events that unfolded on Monday.

Despite this horrific week that had to have made him sick, he got up in front of thousands and spoke his mind, and brought calm to a grieving crowd.

This man is Michigan State.

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