And I had no idea that you were at one time roommates as well.

Oh, yeah, we were roommates.

And then, of course, when I got the job and he was in marketing shortly after, and then he became the AD.

And, and I always said, I think Mark and I built our program together, you know? We...

He was the one that invented all those crazy games on war- war ships and on, you know, Detroit here at Ford Field, and I was the one dumb enough to play 'em.

And so together, we, uh, we got a lot done at Michigan State.

This time around, maybe a little bit more opportunity for you, uh, head coach at Michigan State, the host institution, uh, to sort of embrace what this is gonna mean, not only to you personally, but to Michigan State alums, residents of the state, residents of the city of Detroit.

Yeah, you know, I, I, I think this is one of those things, and, you know, Paul W., being a good Michigan guy, I, I, I really mean this.

This time around, maybe a little bit more opportunity for you, a head coach at Michigan State, the host institution, uh, to sort of embrace what this is gonna mean, not only to you personally, but to Michigan State alums, residents of the state, residents of the city of Detroit.

Yeah, you know, I, I, I think this is one of those things, and, you know, Paul W., being a good Michigan guy, I, I, I really mean this.

I, I think this is something our whole state has to embrace because everybody, um, there's nothing like the chance.

I mean, we have six schools in our state or so, seven schools that are playing for a chance to get here.

But I think when you see what an impact it had last time, not only an economic impact, but Kalin was talking up there about, you know, when he, uh, little kids now can watch, and they can see, and he related when he was a little kid.

And I think this is so fabulous for our city, guys, and so important for our city and state, and it is important.

Michigan State is the host school, but, uh, all in all, I'm happy for every single member of the, uh, state of Michigan here that we can help make this a great event.

Well put

What was it like to see some of his outbursts?

No, I watched my own film and I said, I took it too far.

But to be honest with you, I just always felt like Nick was a winner when he came here.

I mean, I followed his career a little bit when he left as an assistant, went to the pros, went to Toledo, went to Cleveland.

And then as you said, we came back at the same time.

I never left, he came back.

And he had a chore to rebuild our program.

So where does your football fandom lie now? Because if I remember correctly, you grew up a Packers fan, but now being a through and through Michigan guy, you tend to look at the Lions a little bit more too.

Okay

...

if I was to be honest with you, but I, I saw him a little bit like my kid Mateen Cleaves, you know? Same kind of body, same kind of toughness, and he was very good defender.

And he, you know, when he got hurt, then it kinda changed a little bit, and then the road was a little tougher, you know? And he's in the best shape.

He's, he's grown with his shot.

He's grown w- he was b- always a great passer.

I think he's a better defender and, uh, and most of all, I think he's matured a little bit.

Just, um, when somebody asks Tom Izzo, "What do you think the solution is to get us to a better place?" What's the answer?

... and you have more time.

I, I, I think this next two weeks is very important, and yet what'll happen is because we have big exhibition games, you know, win or lose those games matters a lot, matters none, you know.

And I can't make sure that the guys or the fans are so worried about, 'cause we got some hellacious games early and, uh, you know, that, that's gonna have something to do with the season, but not everything, uh, because our freshmen are still freshmen, and most of our, most of our subs right now are all new guys, you know.

I mean, you even look at, uh, Caleb, you know, he has ...

Kerr was out a lot last year.

So most of our subs haven't played much either.

So that'll be the big thing, but it, it's gonna be fun to...

[laughs]

But what is your earliest memory of working alongside Saban?

Well, ironically, we came as assistants at the same time too.

So, um, I did get to know Nick from an early stage.

And I, I laugh at people who kinda see the Nick Saban on the sidelines and, uh...

First of all, I love what he does on the sidelines.

But people don't understand the passion he has for players.

Yes, he has passion for the game, but he has passion for players.

[laughs]

Can you tell us a little bit about the power of relationships and how it affects our industry?

Yeah, I mean, I, I think it's the number one issue.

Uh, last night I slept out with 6,000 members of our student group, and it was all about relationships, you know? Uh, you can't ask people to do something if they don't trust who you are.

Y- they aren't gonna trust you if you don't have a relationship with them.

You know, I don't know what the hell's wrong with our country right now, but it is getting to be totally transactional, and I don't think it's fair.

You know, we blame these kids for all these things.

We're the adults in the room that aren't doing our job, 'cause relationships take time.

Can you share a little bit of what you told our coaches today about appreciating them?

One network, every topic, everywhere.

You know, you saw a freshman are freshmen.

Um, thought they bounced back, but it was a struggle there for a while, and...

But I was pleased with most of the game.

I mean, I told you some guys that have gotten better.

I said Jervis Scott has gotten better.

I said that, uh, Jesse has gotten a lot better.

How do you think it went with the fans and everything, with that speech afterwards?

What does it mean for you to show up for a cause like this?

Well, I do it for a lot of reasons.

Friends.

I do it for friends in Hollis.

I do it for myself.

I mean, I know somebody.

Somebody.

What would you want the golfers here today to understand about the difference that their support makes?

What does it mean for you to show up for a cause like this? Well, I do

it for a lot of reasons.

Friends.

I do it for friends in Hollis.

I do it for myself.

I mean, I know somebody.

Somebody.

What would you want the golfers here today to understand about the difference that their support makes?

Coach, you've gone through it all, and you've held strong and kept your moral standing high.

Well, I did try to hang strong, and I don't say strong as, because I believe that I don't want to change.

I mean, I make adjustments, but you're so right.

I mean, some of these changes, we're going to find out years to come, aren't going to be such good changes.

And, you know, it's a mess right now.

I mean, it is a cluster out there, and we all know it.

Coaches know it.

You really understood early on you were their life

Coach, you've gone through it all, and you've held strong and kept your moral standing high.

Well, I did try to hang strong, and I don't say strong as, because I believe that I don't want to change.

I mean, I make adjustments, but you're so right.

I mean, some of these changes, we're going to find out years to come, aren't going to be such good changes.

And, you know, it's a mess right now.

I mean, it is a cluster out there, and we all know it.

Coaches know it.

You really understood early on you were their life

Give me your initial thoughts on what the Spartans look like in 26-27.

My assistants don't screw them up.

I think we got a chance to be pretty good.

Since I blame me for the first half, I got to start blaming somebody else, I was told.

But you know what, John? We got, I think, a really good team.

I mean, we've got a lot back.

We've got guys back from the Elite Eight the year before.

Can you imagine a life without coaching right now?

So what do you tell your team to do in that moment?

Yeah, I'd want them to give it to my best free throw shooter, to be honest with you.

And, uh, I, I thought that Duke did everything right.

It's...

You know, you got a freshman that just dribbled, and, uh, you know...

I listened to Jay Bilas talk about what Duke does at their practices, turn and face.

And you know what? Easy to say that, when you, you get in the moment.

[laughs]

So what do you tell your team to do in that moment?

Yeah.

I'd want them to get it to my best free throw shooter, to be honest with you.

And, uh, I, I thought that Duke did everything right.

It's...

You know, you got a freshman that just dribbled and, uh, you know...

I listened to Jay Bilas talk about what Duke does at their practices, turn and face and...

[laughs]

So what do you tell your team to do in that moment?

Yeah.

I'd want them to give it to my best free throw shooter, to be honest with you.

And, uh, I- I thought that Duke did everything right.

It's, you know, you got a freshman that just dribbled, and, uh, you know, I listened to J. Billas talk about what Duke does at their practices, turn and face.

And you know what? Easy to say that, when you- you get in the moment...

And by the way, that freshman was unbelievable.

[laughs]

it just doesn't matter? Like new tournament, new everything? What'd you say to them?

Yeah, that's, that's kinda what I did.

I mean, uh, you know, we're not as talented a team as you've seen us over the years, uh, the last two years, but we've been maybe a more together team.

Uh, very connected, pretty tough.

We've gotten better offensively.

But, but on...

Our margin for error, Rich, is, is pretty slim.

Where does Fears rank for you, Tom?

[laughs]

I got fired at halftime.

I've been fired more than anybody in captivity.

But what I loved about the guy is I never went home wondering how he was feeling because he was upfront, transparent, something we don't do anymore.

There's no transparency.

And number two, he never asked me to do something he wouldn't do himself.

Now, that's a pretty good trait to have, you know? And I did think, if I took a third, he cared more about the game than he did his own team sometimes.

What happened to the transparency?

Yeah

... yeah, that's a, that's a good question.

I don't worry about it.

You know, I'm at the point in my career where I don't need to worry about it.

But, you know, y- I've had the privilege of being, you know, around guys like Magic Johnson or, you know, watching the NBA.

I've had some chances to go there.

And I think they all think the same thing, you know.

When you look at your Michigan games, do you look at them and go, "Oh, if we could just have this back or this back"? Or are they just, Tom, a team capable of winning it all? They're just so damn big for a college team.

Do you feel like the top is better?

Well, veteran coach doesn't mean you have as much money.

As you know, the discrepancy, if you look at the NBA, the NFL, the money is everybody has a cap.

We have no cap.

So that part, Colin, is completely different.

And, uh, even though, you know, our, our program is doing fine, and I think we've won more with, uh, togetherness and connectivity and guys that have played together than actual brute talent, 'cause I've had better talent other years.

But I kinda like this team in that respect.

I mean, it, it's, when you look at your Michigan games, do you look at them and go, "Oh, if we could just have this back or this back," or are they just, Tom, a team capable of winning it all, they're just so damn big for a college team?

What's it been like coaching a young dude who you've been candid about saying, "You know, he's gotta grow up a little bit," after doing some pretty ill-advised stuff on the floor, but you know at some times he can carry that team by nailing critical shots from all over the floor? What's that experience been like for you?

Well, the best thing I can say to you, Jim, 'cause I know you understand it, ah, there's an ill-advised...

You know, everybody does something wrong, but not, not at all like some of it's getting made- was made out to be.

So I look at this kid, what he's done in school, he's a great student, what he's done off the court, and, uh, he's growing every year, you know? Now, he is doing a heck of a job getting to the foul line, getting to the free throw line.

He's making 92% of his free throws.

But the other thing he's done besides scoring, you know, he's one of, him and Smith from Purdue, who's a hell of a player, one of the best assist men in the country.

They're one, two, uh, most of the year so far.

Do you feel like the conference might join the conference in football, and might this be the year you get back into the winner's circle, somebody in the conference?

(laughs)

On the first week of the season, Cam Cameron gave to me.

A loss to the Skins by three.

On the second week of the season, Cam Cameron gave to me.

Two TO touchdowns and the Cowboys kicking our bleep.

On the third week of the season, Cam Cameron gave to me.

Onside kicks a-flailing, Trent Green a-flailing.

(laughs)

You know, Coach, you lost your top three leading scorers from last year's team, so when you look at this year's team so far, what has stood out? What are some of the things that you've had to adjust to trying to bring in new scorers for your team?

Yeah, I'd say that's the number one issue we have right now.

Um, you know, we lost one kid, uh, Chase Richardson, a little later at the end of May, so couldn't just go out and get somebody.

The portal was already, uh, changed.

But, um, I think our bigs are better.

I think we have a couple good freshmen, uh, w- both of 'em from out east, and specifically Virginia and from Baltimore.

And, uh, and that's been a positive.

Like, how have you as a coach, how have you been able to evolve how you go about coaching th- the players today and just building your roster seemingly every off season?

Right.

So they tried to make, uh, it right for everybody, but I, I, I...

Again, a lot of these things, for me, I, I just think of how I would feel about my own son and, and, um, you know, I know it's competitive, but there is a reason there was the amateur, there was the pro, there was...

And if it's gonna change and everybody's going pro, then let's be pros.

I mean, you know, let's have, uh, salary caps, let's have contracts that matter, and, uh, everybody will be pros, I mean, if that's what they want.

I would struggle with that, but, uh, you know, who am I? I, I would do whatever they want, and yet, uh, that's not been very clear, and that's disappointing.

So, um, have you heard from any of your colleagues to say, "Let's band together and ask the questions," or has that happened, Tom?

Yeah, I did- Yeah, I have.

The balance of coaching this week and the transfer portal, how do you, how do you focus on one when you need to and the other one when you need to?

Yeah, you know, I, I, I'm putting everything towards my team.

I owe them to that.

I think, uh, you know, recruiting's very important.

Transfer portal to me isn't as important yet.

But, uh, recruiting is very important, and yet, uh, my old boss used to have a theory.

He says, "Problem with young assistants, they spend so much time getting the next player, they forget to take care of the one they got." And I think there's some validity to that, you know? There's a happy medium.

How do you coach differently in March than November?