Battling the Big East bias
Izzo and his Spartans do their part to better the Big Ten's image
INDIANAPOLIS -- For Tom Izzo, don't mistake it, this is a grudge match. His Michigan State team will face Rick Pitino and Louisville today. Winner goes to the Final Four.
So what's the grudge between Izzo and Pitino? What incident led to the bad feelings? Well, actually, these coaches have never faced each other. And Izzo called Pitino for advice a few years ago about whether to jump to the NBA.
But Pitino represents something that Izzo cannot get. Louisville and its conference, the Big East, fly above anything Izzo feels he can reach in the Big Ten.
This is about Midwest vs. East. It's about a perceived East Coast bias that irks Izzo endlessly. The grudge is between Izzo and an image, and Pitino is the image.
Izzo vs. ESPN, which he feels pushes that bias. Izzo vs. Dick Vitale. Izzo vs. Digger Phelps. Izzo vs. the wall he feels blocks his program from being considered one of the game's bluebloods.
''How do I say this without starting controversy?'' he said. ''My favorite subject. You know, we've been in four Final Fours in 10 years. In three of them, we've had two Big Ten teams.
''I didn't hear anybody saying how great the Big Ten was. Case closed.''
A few weeks ago, Izzo was fighting Vitale and ESPN. Closing in on Selection Sunday, Izzo said that while Michigan State probably wouldn't get a No. 1 seed, it did deserve to be in the conversation.
Vitale and ESPN seemed to ridicule Izzo for lobbying for a high seed. Vitale said if MSU got a No. 1, he would grow hair.
Somehow, Phelps has bugged Izzo, too.
Know this about Izzo: He is beloved but hears a tiny amount of criticism. He harps on the criticism and blows it up into the world out to get him.
And that paranoia, mixed with the sudden job opening at Kentucky, one of the elites, might be what finally pushes Izzo out of Michigan State. Izzo said Saturday he wouldn't rule out anything. He also said he has more goals at Michigan State, including having its name always mentioned in connection to the Final Four.
''I've still got a lot of work to do to accomplish that,'' he said. ''We've put a heck of a dent in it.
''But when you look at Kansas, Kentucky, Carolina, Duke in general, we're not at that level yet. And that's the level I'd like to get to.''
Kentucky. I don't think Kentucky is right for Izzo. The spotlight there is far more than anything his thin skin has faced. And with a national title and a bunch of Final Fours, Izzo knows it can be at Michigan State.
Still, reaching the elite would never be an issue at Kentucky.
But just because you're paranoid doesn't mean the world isn't out to get you. ESPN does have an East Coast bias.
Also, though, this year, the Big East is by far the best conference. Four of the final eight teams were from the Big East. The first two to advance to the Final Four, Connecticut and Villanova, are Big East.
Only one Big Ten team is left.
When the Spartans beat Kansas on Friday, Izzo said he was proud of the Big Ten, that you can't look at how far teams go in the tournament. At this point, he said, it's all about matchups.
So I asked Izzo if he felt the Big Ten hadn't had the best matchups in contrast to the Big East.
''Well, not really ...'' he said. ''I think sometimes we anoint a league ... I'm giving my normal hurrah for the Big Ten because I think too many people, especially some on TV, have abused it.''
But with one Big Ten team in the Elite Eight, and four from the Big East, isn't that a fair gauge? Or does that just measure matchups, seeds and bracketing?
He said the Big East had earned ''its mettle.'' And when someone changed the subject, he said, ''That's a lot better question.'' He looked at me and said, ''No insult intended.''
No. But it took paranoia to see those questions as knocking the Big Ten. Instead, they were about trying to understand his point on matchups.
Maybe Big East bias has seeped into the tournament selection committee, which, in turn, gives the bluebloods higher-than-deserved seeds and easier paths?
Whatever, Izzo is here now, with No. 2 seed Michigan State against No. 1 Louisville. Big Ten champ vs. Big East champ. Izzo against maybe the biggest name coach, and Vitale and ESPN.
Louisville has players that primp for the cameras. Michigan State learned to rebound from Izzo's War Drill, a rough crash-the-boards drill that has seen players in football pads.
That's the grudge. Izzo vs. the elite. He wants in.
2007 | Ohio State*
2005 | Illinois*, Michigan State
2002 | Indiana*
2001 | Michigan State
2000 | Michigan State, Wisconsin
1999 | Michigan State, Ohio State
1997 | Minnesota
1993 | Michigan*
1992 | Michigan*, Indiana
1989 | Michigan, Illinois
National champion in bold * National runner-up