What to make of Tom Izzo's comments about his future
Tom Izzo is fed up.
The direction of the NCAA has the Michigan State basketball coach fired up and he took to the media during an event in East Lansing to speak about his concerns.
We already know how he feels about the transfer portal, but he believes that the NCAA, lawyers and agents, and even the coaches, to an extent, have done the system a major injustice. He believes that the direction that college athletics are headed isn't good for anyone.
He didn't mince words when talking about it.
On top of saying that he thinks the money is blown out of proportion, basically setting up bidding wars for players, he also stated that he can't stand the direction it's headed much longer. He hinted at the possibility of him retiring earlier than he'd like to because of the broken system.
So what do we make of these comments?
Izzo has always been outspoken when it comes to NCAA issues and what he believes is best for the players and the sports as a whole. He does look out for the players so his quotes will likely be taken out of context here by some, but he's basically saying that the system is hurting everyone. Players are being poached while they're still part of programs and it's the lack of regulation by the NCAA and agents giving these players bad advice that's leading to this insane transfer era.
And you can't blame him for saying that he can't stand it much longer. There's just no way it's sustainable for a head coach like him who has been in the business for as long as he has to just completely flip the way he does things. He's adjusting, but the changes are why we've see coaches like Nick Saban, Coach K, Jay Wright, and Roy Williams retire in recent years.
If things aren't regulated soon, Izzo may be saying goodbye to the sport -- and school -- that he loves.