Source: Tom Izzo Interviewing with the Chicago Bulls

[Lennys Tap]

A fair assessment would be that the jury is still out.  I think Crean would get credit for cleaning house and recruiting the type of players that go to class and stay out of trouble.  That would probably fall short of being named a savior who turned the team around.  I think the one-line summary would be "he was the right coach at the time but I'm happy with our new coach."   

Your comment sidesteps the real issue.

The issue here for MU fans isn't what Crean will do . . . its what Buzz will do when his name inevitably shows up as a possible domino that will start to fall if Izzo takes the Bulls job.

If Izzo leaves, whether Buzz likes it or not he is going to be whispered as a possible candidate for MSU, along with Crean, and the likes of Brian Gregory, Brad Stevens, etc.

And regardless of whether you think it is likely or not, if Crean were to get the MSU job, Buzz will be whispered as a possible candidate for IU. 

If MU fans such as you, Chicos, 2002, etc are YEARS away from making a determination as to whether Buzz is an adequate coach how could storied programs such as Michigan St. or Indiana even think of him as a possibility?

[wyzgy]

i can just imagine...if the msu job opens up and picture a room full of coaches and msu is looking out over the room-anyone want to coach??  and tommy is  in the mid to back row waving his hand up in the air wildly-pick me pick me and msu is like, anyone at all?  anyone ??   

[ChicosBailBonds]

If MU fans such as you, Chicos, 2002, etc are YEARS away from making a determination as to whether Buzz is an adequate coach how could storied programs such as Michigan St. or Indiana even think of him as a possibility?

Uhm, Lenny, you miss the point again.  In fact, turn the same question on yourself.  How could such a storied program like IU (or Marquette, for that matter) hire Crean if he's as bad as some of you guys make him out to be?     Hmmm.  

I've never said nor would I ever say that Buzz isn't a good coach or isn't capable of being the next John Wooden for all I know.  All I've said, consistently, is to judge a coach's greatness (like so many here have) after two short years, is not what I would call enough body of work to make those proclamations.  I didn't marry the first girl I kissed, some of you did.  That's fine.  I need data and a lot of it to make that proclamation, but that sure doesn't mean I don't think he's doing a great job in the interim.  It just means exactly that, so far he's doing great....whether that will continue remains to be seen.

How this has anything to do with what IU or MSU or anyone else does in hiring a coach is beyond me.  

And I'm curious, say Izzo does leave and MSU hires someone ilke Brian Gregory (a person some of us here championed as our head coach a few years ago).  Does that make MSU's decision better than ours?  You're going down a slippery slope in your logic, which is why I ask the question.  If your claim is that MSU, being a top flight program, would only consider top coaching talent (say Buzz) but hired someone like Gregory, does that not make Gregory top coaching talent, also?

[bilsu]

At this late date would MSU be forced to go with an interim assistant? They could put feelers out there, but they may need a longer time to get the right candidate.

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

If MU fans such as you, Chicos, 2002, etc are YEARS away from making a determination as to whether Buzz is an adequate coach how could storied programs such as Michigan St. or Indiana even think of him as a possibility?

Lenny, please leave me out of this.

I'll let you guys hijack every thread into a pro/anti Crean debate.

I have nothing left to say on the matter. I've moved on.

[Lennys Tap]

Uhm, Lenny, you miss the point again.  In fact, turn the same question on yourself.  How could such a storied program like IU (or Marquette, for that matter) hire Crean if he's as bad as some of you guys make him out to be?     Hmmm.  

I've never said nor would I ever say that Buzz isn't a good coach or isn't capable of being the next John Wooden for all I know.  All I've said, consistently, is to judge a coach's greatness (like so many here have) after two short years, is not what I would call enough body of work to make those proclamations.  I didn't marry the first girl I kissed, some of you did.  That's fine.  I need data and a lot of it to make that proclamation, but that sure doesn't mean I don't think he's doing a great job in the interim.  It just means exactly that, so far he's doing great....whether that will continue remains to be seen.

How this has anything to do with what IU or MSU or anyone else does in hiring a coach is beyond me.  

And I'm curious, say Izzo does leave and MSU hires someone ilke Brian Gregory (a person some of us here championed as our head coach a few years ago).  Does that make MSU's decision better than ours?  You're going down a slippery slope in your logic, which is why I ask the question.  If your claim is that MSU, being a top flight program, would only consider top coaching talent (say Buzz) but hired someone like Gregory, does that not make Gregory top coaching talent, also?

As I stated previously, TC was an above average coach at MU with a solid reputation for graduating his kids. His star was slightly on the wane with only one NCAA win in 5 years when the perfect storm scenario developed for him at IU - a scandal big enough to move cleanliness and graduation rates from the nice but not necessary category to IU's #1 priority.  

I didn't marry the first girl I kissed either, but had I asked her (or any other girl worth asking) to wait 5 -10 years while I decided if she was "worthy", I'd no doubt be one lonely old man.

Don't know what MSU would do if Izzo left. They may prefer a guy like Gregory to Buzz because of his past connections with the program. He's a safe pick. If comfort level/ease of transition is their #1 priority I guess he's as good as any. But he's nothing special. I think Buzz is. If I had to choose between Gregory and Buzz it would be no contest.

[Marquette84]

If MU fans such as you, Chicos, 2002, etc are YEARS away from making a determination as to whether Buzz is an adequate coach how could storied programs such as Michigan St. or Indiana even think of him as a possibility?

Because your question wasn't whether Buzz was an adequate coach--it was whether he had already proven himself better than Crean.

[4everwarriors]

Because your question wasn't whether Buzz was an adequate coach--it was whether he had already proven himself better than Crean.

Buzz has proven himself to be so much better than Crean in so many different ways. That said, Williams wouldn't be coveted by MSU, nor is he going.
Crean, on the other hand, probably couldn't run to East Lansing fast enough due to the cream in his trousers. But then again, the Spartans won't have him on their short list.