The argument was never whether Michigan State coach Tom Izzo was a good coach.
That’s obvious with all he has accomplished at MSU — a national championship and six trips to the Final Four.
But for all of those people out there who honestly believe he’s a great coach — perhaps the greatest coach in the state of Michigan ever — you couldn’t be more wrong.
Greatness is about multiple championships, doing a great feat again.
Anybody can win a championship. The lanscape is filled with guys who were in the right place at the right time. The stars can align and you get lucky. It doesn’t mean you’re great because you win once.
The Spartans’ terrible loss to Butler 52-50 in Indy Saturday night was as bad as it gets.
With so much handing in the balance, a second straight trip to the championship game, MSU basically let Oakland, which plays in the same league as Butler, stop them from playing for the title.
Nobody wants to hear about calls from the refs or injuries. It’s just a part of sports.
MSU got out MSUed. Izzo was supposed to be the master of winning close games this time of the year. It didn’t happen. Worse, the thing that killed them all year, poor free-throw shooting — they were last in the Big Ten — killed them in the biggest game of the year.
If you want to give Izzo and the Spartans a parade in E. Lansing, go right ahead. No one celebrates the losing team.
MSU lost. They didn’t win a thing by going to the Final Four. They get no extra credit regardless of what many want to believe.
In reality, Izzo hasn’t won in a decade. In his last five Final Four games, Izzo’s team is 1-4. Izzo is now 1-5 in Final Fours. That’s not a great stat. It’s still about winning.
It’s not good enough to get to the doorstep of the Playboy mansion, it’s about going in.
Until further notice, Izzo will remain a good coach who has had a hard time winning the big games recently. When — or if — Izzo wins his second championship, we’ll readdress that greatness talk. Until then, case closed.
