I was eating lunch when I heard a rumor out of East Lansing that Michigan State head basketball coach Tom Izzo is a realistic candidate for the position left vacant by John L. Smith.

I was listening to Izzo's weekly press conference when it dawned on me: he isn't bullsh%tt*ng.

Only in East Lansing.

Only in the place where I spent the best times of my life could one sorry program affect a thriving one.

Only in the place that's home to the school I'll be paying until I die could a college basketball deity commit career suicide by taking over what I have deemed a cursed program.

Think about it. I'm not saying it will, but what if all this comes to pass? What happens to our sick '07 recruiting class? Where do Durrell, Kalin and Chris go if the guy who ate their mom's sweet potato pie decides he'd rather roam a sideline than a baseline?

I text messaged my best friend from State right after I heard the "news." He called me maybe five minutes later. That was the quietest phone conversation we've had in the seven years we've known each other. Utter disbelief.

I've been through the Izzo to the Hawks and Izzo to the Pistons rumors. I always knew there was nothing to those because coach eats, sleeps and breathes MSU. Hell, he named his son after guys on his national championship team.

But that's what makes this so scary. It's his love for State that could bring him to believe he can do for Lou Anna what he (indirectly) did for M. Peter.

Who knows. This could work. Izzo could lead the football team to a string of 8 and 9-win seasons and New Year's Day bowl appearances. Tom Crean, Marquette University head basketball coach and Izzo disciple, could come in and pick up where his Yoda left off.

But where would I draw that optimism after what has transpired the last five seasons?

We've had more arrests, suspensions and slaps than wins.

Fans and alumni have had more heartbreaks than New York from "Flavor of Love."

Seriously, I have no idea why Izzo would not just tell reporters, "I'm the head coach of the MSU basketball team and nothing else." Why give writers, talking head and radio hosts more subject matter?

I've heard in the past that he wants to coach (high school) football when he's done with hoops, but how can someone with as much experience as me take on a Big Ten football program. A STRUGGLING one at that.

You can't deny Izzo's track record, though. Four Final Fours. Three National Coach of the Year Awards and a national title.

But that's in a completely different arena.

Please, coach, be as much a part of the search as it warrants. Hop on planes, trains or anything else to make sure we get the best guy for the job. Because that guy isn't you.

Sure, you could light a fire under anybody and make them play until they couldn't walk anymore. But what about the X's and O's part?

Hopefully, when it all comes down to it, Izzo picks the triangle and 2 over the cover 2.

 

It was announced at 12:33 p.m. today that legendary University of Michigan head coach Glenn "Bo" Schembechler passed away at the age of 77 while taping a weekly show with a Detroit sports anchor.

Last month, the 77-year-old Schembechler, born April 1, 1929, had a pacemaker and defibrillator installed after he had dizziness and other symptoms while taping the show.

This make tomorrow's hugely hyped contest between Ohio State and Bo's Wolverines not as important as it was 15 minutes ago.

Schembechler was a living legend in Ann Arbor. When he arrived at UM after coaching at his alma mater, Miami, Ohio, in 1969, he took the campus by storm by amassing an 8-3 record and taking his squad to the Rose Bowl. That would put the rest of the college football world on notice because while at Michigan, Schembechler became one of the greatest college football coaches of all time. He won a school-record 194 games, lost only 48, and tied five for a winning percentage of .796. His Michigan teams won or shared 13 Big Ten titles and made 10 Rose Bowl appearances.

Schembechler led the Wolverines to 17 bowl games in 21 years, placing him ninth in all-time bowl appearances, while never posting a losing record. He was voted national Coach of the Year during his first season as a Wolverine.

I'm sure he would have been on his way to Cloumbus to take in tomorrow's game with the hopes that his team could pull out a win and have a shot at a possible national title.

I'm not sure what kind of an affect this will have on the roster or the coaching staff, though. If this were a Disney film, Chad Henne would complete 75 percent of his passes, Mike Hart would rush for 175 yards and LaMarr Woodley would have six sacks. But I don't know what this is going to do to the group.

I'm going to put my Spartan allegiance aside and say that this is a big loss for college football. And, honestly, this has me pulling for the Maize and Blue now. It's a bigger loss for the Michigan family, though.

One of the things I first read about Bo took place when he served as Michigan athletic director from 1988-1990. Just prior to the start of the 1989 NCAA basketball tournament, head coach Bill Frieder announced that he would be taking the vacant head position at Arizona State University. Bo fired Frieder almost right on the spot, saying, "A Michigan man is gonna coach Michigan." The squad went on to take its only basketball title.

I know a lot of people say they bleed a certain color. But I'm sure that whenever he fell, whenever he got a paper cut, Maize and Blue blood dripped from his body.

Yea, I know I said I'm a Spartan through and through. And I stand by that. But how bad it is that this had to happen the day before the biggest game in the biggest rivalry in ALL of sports?

Ohio State-Michigan.

1 vs. 2 for the first time in the 103-year history of this match-up.

Winner take all.

His school against his most hated rival.

He'll still be watching. And, hey, maybe him and Woody Hayes can watch together now and exchange a few pleasantries.

They gave up 70 points in the paint in an opening night home loss to Milwaukee.

They culminated a Western trip with a 32-point L at Golden State.

They're 26th in the league in offense with 93.7 points per game.

And they're 13th in the L in defense, allowing 96.4 ppg, behind defensive stalwarts such as Atlanta and New Orleans/Oklahoma.

No, I am not talking about some middle of the road team like Orlando or Denver. These are the Detroit Pistons. This is the team that has gone to the last four Eastern Conference Finals. This is the same squad that has been in two of the last three NBA Finals, winning the chip in 2004.

I'll admit: I thought getting rid of Larry Brown and Ben Wallace leaving would be beneficial to this group. But I'm not so sure now.

With both Brown and Wallace, Detroit had an identity. The Pistons were thought of as the roughest, toughest "team" in the League. They "played the right way" as Brown, the traveling man, used to say. Detroit was able to grind out games and get key defensive stops whenever they needed them.

Then something happened.

They won the title. Detroit toppled the heavily-favored Lakers in five games to bring a third championship to Motown-the first in 13 years. The Pistons were able to play the "no respect" card throughout the playoffs. And the chip on their shoulder wasn't heavy enough to deter them from the ultimate goal.

Goin' to work continued to play the no respect card even after they won the title. They felt that they weren't getting respect nationally, what with only one all-star (Wallace) making the 2005 squad. Detroit was nine minutes away from back-to-back titles.

Then something happened.

The Pistons finally got their respect. They earned it, too, going 35-5 to start the 2005-06 season. Four of their five starters flew to H-Town for the '06 mid-season classic, even putting their stamp on a 122-120 East win. But that respect brought about a certain arrogance that wasn't there before.

Rasheed "T" Wallace and crew continuously b&tch#d and moaned about foul calls. Arms flailed and groans were heard after every whistle. The defense went down a  few notches-which I refuse to put on new coach Flip Saunders. They struggled to outlast a young, non-playoff tested Cleveland team in the East semis. Then Miami ran roughshod over them in the conference finals.

The bad vibes continued as Wallace was wooed away by the Windy City Bulls.

$60 million over four years. Yea, Detroit offered $48 mil; and, yea, Big Ben was the King of Motown. But, you work hard early to get paid later on. And that's what Wallace did. As Mike Epps says, "Get ya money, mane." That's what Wallace did.

Pistons point man and Finals MVP Chauncey Billups appears to be on his way to doing the same thing. Billups is reportedly being courted by the Bucks and his hometown Nuggets. But he and his mates are playing far from wanting to get paid.

Detroit went 1-3 on its recent Western swing. The only close game was a two-point loss at Utah. They lost in Arco by 15 and 111-79 to the Warriors. The team that played 81 of 82 games last season with the same starting line-up has already played a game without two-guard Rip Hamilton (22 ppg) who is nursing an elbow injury.

Things are bad right now in Detroit.

If the playoffs started today, The Pistons would be on the outside looking in. People are even beginning to call them Etroit, as in "no D." But things could be on the upswing. Eight of Detroit's next 11 games are against 2006 lottery teams, with the remaining being against Miami and two with Washington.

The 3-4 Pistons could be 12-5 before the first real snowfall. But judging by body language and play on the court, they're more inclined to finish the swing at 10-7 or 9-8. I figured they wouldn't be able to duplicate their 64-win total from a season ago, but, damn, I didn't see this happening.

It's still early, but maybe Chauncey and his mates need to put an APB out on those chips.

Disclaimer: I graduated from Michigan State. You know, the first power conference school to fire its head coach this season. So I could give 28 @&*!# about Michigan or Ohio State. However, I do realize the ginormousness of their impending battle on Nov. 18, so I took the liberty of sending an e-mail to both head coaches before their games this week against Northwestern (OSU) and Indiana (UM).

To: Lcarr@umich.edu, Jtressel@osu.edu

From: Jason Davis

Subject: Don't screw up

Hey, guys,

 

I know you're busy with getting ready for those EXTREMELY tough games this weekend, but I feel the need to make you two fine gentlemen aware of something.

 

I hate both of you. I hate your schools, your cities, those stupid winged helmets and that overgrown, cheap peanut butter cup you call a mascot. I'll admit, my vitriol may seem unwarranted, but my alma mater is 0-8 against you two %^#(* the last four years. I guess that's not all bad, since you helped get that caricature of a football coach fired, right? Right?

 

Anyway, even though I'd probably siphon gasoline out of someone's car and pour it on both of you if you were on fire, I love football. I realize that next week's game is exceedingly important to you two and a host of other people. Myself included. Whoever wins the "big game" will most likely be a heavy favorite no matter what team opposes it in the BCS title game Jan. 8.

 

I'm sure both of you know what winning this game means. Especially you, Sweatervest, since you've beaten Jimmy Stewart 4 of 5 times. But it also means a lot to our conference.

 

It's been said that the Big Ten has been "down" for a few years now - basically since O$U bought, I mean won the '03 national title. A classic contest next week, coupled with a national title win, would bring some respect back to the Big Ten.

 

But first things first, fellas. You both have to hold up your end of the bargain by beating Northwestern and Indiana Saturday.

 

And I can say, from watching my beloved Spartans battle both the Wildcats and Hoosiers earlier this season, those are some tough teams. You better not overlook them the way you did Ball State (Lloyd) and Illinois (Jim).

 

A loss by either of your teams - or even worse yet, both- and your game next week goes from being one of the most highly anticipated games ever regardless of sport to just another Saturday afternoon game between rivals. Sure, it'll mean a lot to the NASCAR psychos in Ann Arbor and some humpbacked people in Columbus, but nobody else'll care.

 

Tressel, if you lose to Northwestern, which happened the last time your group played in Evanston, then follow that up with an L to the Wolverines, you go from Penthouse to Champs Sports Bowl.

 

If you lose to Indiana, Mr. Carr, and follow that up with your fifth loss in six games versus Tressel - UM lost 37-21 in its last trip to The Shoe - Go Blue goes from possibly holding that shiny ball to playing in El Paso, TX on a Wednesday night. For the second year in a row.

 

Losses by both of you, coupled with a Michigan loss to the Bucks, would put Wisconsin the Rose Bowl and send you both to purgatory. It would also ruin a perfectly good fall Saturday for millions and MILLIONS of college football fans.

 

So, please, don't mess up. I already put the deposit down on my keg and a 12-foot party sub.

 

Thank you both for your time

P.S. If either of you ever want a change of scenery, you'll be welcomed with open arms in East Lansing ;-)

 

 

 

 

 

 

I've never been a fan of the Boston Celtics. Lets get that out of the way right now.

But I am a fan and avid studier of basketball history, so I understand how important this storied franchise is to the game I love.

That's why I can't stand to see the organization with the most championships in league history-16-mired in the sorry state it's currently in.

Yes, I realize Boston won a division title in a (bad) Atlantic Division in 2004-05. But before that, the Celtics hadn't won a division crown for 13 years. Boston hasn't been to the Finals in a score. And they haven't won a title in 21 years.

It could be a little early to be saying this, but Red Auerbach has to be spinning in his grave. A week into the season, and a little more than week after his fatal heart attack, Red's Celtics are 0-3 and allowing 105.3 ppg-good for 25th in a 30-team league. Swingmen Paul Pierce and Wally Szsklsdklfhsiak average a combined 50 points a night, while the other 10 guys who suit up score 47.3 ppg. Pierce, a small forward, is currently second in the League with 13 boards a night, while the C's two big men-Kedrick Perkins and Michael "I can't BE-LIEVE I was the first overall pick" Olowokandi-combine for 7.2 rpg to go along with their robust 3 ppg.

I like the youth movement Boston has implemented with guards Sebastian Telfair, Rajon Rondo and Tony Allen and forwards Perkins, Gerald Green and Al Jefferson. But how is this fair to Pierce-a top-five guard-who goes out and goes hard each and every night?

Yes, it's early, but when you combine that youth movement with one of the worst in-game coaches in the League and a seemingly clueless GM, Doc Rivers and Danny Ainges, respectively, you get the ugly situation the Celtics have had since Reggie Lewis passed away.

Who knows what would have happened had those ping-pong balls fallen in Boston's favor in '97. Tim Duncan could be donning a green and white 21 jersey instead of his silver and black. Boston had two lottery picks that year and used them on Chauncey Billups and Ron Mercer. Billups lasted in Beantown for half a season, while Mercer played two under his coach at Kentucky-Rick Pitino. That draft is admittedly one of the thinnest in history, but, if they had it to do over again, I'm guessing Boston brass would have selected Tracy McGrady and, I don't know, Brevin Knight?

Almost 10 years later, all the Celtics have to show is a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2002.

I don't claim to know everything about basketball, but Ainge needs to do one of two things: trade Pierce and Sczerbiak for more young guys or picks and go full on with the youth push, or trade some of those young horses for gritty vets-a la Pat Riley in Miami-and get his team back to the playoffs.

No, Ainge wouldn't be able to bring a huge name on board since his young guys are still on their rookie deals. The money wouldn't match up. But I'm guessing Donald Sterling would at least listen to a Pierce to the L.A. Clippers for Shaun Livingston and Corey Maggette deal. Or to Denver for J.R. Smith and Eduardo Najera.

I'm hoping something gets done before the Atlantic Division becomes home to two of the worst-run franchises in the League.

And New Jersey, Toronto or Philly isn't the other one.

Good job, Zeke!!