Izzo's 'guarded optismism' a bit much

Posted: Thursday, October 15, 2009 2:37 PM
Filed Under: Big Ten, Coaches

A plethora of teams held their annual media day this week, which means two things:  Features on pretty much every important team are circulating from the AP – casual fans, pay attention! – and Midnight Madness is right around the corner. Tomorrow, in fact.

That sound you’re hearing? Me cheering.

Anyway, the features are the usual standard stuff. Jim Calhoun’s excited about UConn’s young roster, UCLA is playing without Darren Collinson for the first time in ages, the Sean Miller era begins in Arizona, Wake Forest gave Dino Gaudio a contract extension and Michigan State coach Tom Izzo is driven to win another title.

That last link’s interesting for how much Izzo is trying to downplay a team that’s pretty much a consensus Top 5 team entering the 2009-10 season.

Jim Mone/AP

Sure, MSU lost Travis Walton, but it's not the end of the world.

“I enjoy the expectations, but I’ve got to remind myself and you (media) what we lost,” Izzo said Wednesday. “I am concerned about living up to them, but I like the challenge of living up to them.

“I speak with guarded optimism.”

Guarded optimism is fine, but the realities are these:

• The Spartans return 3 starters, including the Big Ten player of the year, Kalin Lucas.
• They feature one of the country’s deepest backcourts and Raymar Morgan – after a bout of mono last year – is finally 100 percent.
• And experience should count for plenty on an Izzo team, right?

OK, that’s all generalizing crap that anyone can throw out. But even the MSU hoop heads and tempo-free gurus back me up.

The Big Ten Geeks think Sparty’s headed for another fine season. After all, any holes found on the Michigan State résumé are just nitpicking. Sure, Travis Walton is gone, but the defense shouldn’t fall apart. Sure, Goran Suton was a skilled post player, but there’s enough frontcourt depth to replace him. And the wings are bound to better, Lucas included.

And the defense should be just as good. Long-term analysis from KJ at The Only Colors shows that the defensive tendencies during the Izzo era don’t rely on any one aspect. They don’t force a ton of steals or block a lot of shots. They just force opponents into perimeter shots and grab the rebound. Walton isn’t around to man-up the best opposing guard, but that’s not MSU’s game (or at least doesn’t have to be).

Bottom line, don’t listen to Izzo’s downplaying. The Spartans are stacked. Again.