Tom Izzo had strong words for University of Illinois’ Athletic Director Mike Thomas, who earlier today announced that Bruce Weber would no longer be the coach of the Fighting Illini.
Speaking as not only a close friend with Bruce Weber, but also as the president of the coaches association, Izzo was not at all happy with what precedent Thomas’ move may set for the coaching profession.
“I’m sick about it. I’m sick about it. And I’m sick about it — and make sure you understand the reason why.
They beat us early in January and I beat Ohio State, and so I have three problems. Bruce is a friend of mine. He’s been here since the Gene Keady days. He’s done it the right way. He doesn’t cheat. He man’s up to his own responsibilities. Incredible, incredible person. I’ve recruited against him and lost and I’ve recruited against him and won, and hasn’t changed things.”
Izzo did not stop there, as he essentially laid the disappointing end to the 2011/12 season on Mike Thomas, who was asked in early January to give a vote of confidence in Weber, and conspicuously declined.
“Number two, we have to understand that we blame kids for a lot of things. Kids have changed. Now we have administrators that are pulling the rug under ourselves in the middle of January when you’re 16 and 6 or 7 or whatever it was, and we publicly talk about — we’ll make decisions at the end of the year.
I don’t know what you guys think of kids because they haven’t changed much, but if there’s one place they’ve changed, they’re a little more fragile. Not as many two-parent homes.
Not as good a school systems that are holding kids accountable and demanding. And so now we put that on those poor kids?”
The full five minutes of audio can be found at Illinois blog Hail to the Orange.
Izzo even had some choice words for the media, regarding their role in (what Izzo describes as what’s happened to the profession)
“I can’t figure out how you guys allow it. You guys are always figuring out the negatives of things. I can’t figure out how you guys allow it.
And my wife and I shed a tear this morning over it, and it was half for Bruce and half for my profession.
But unless there’s things?? and I will publicly state this?? that I don’t know, but when I heard those comments back in January, it made me sick and I said there’s a problem.
And so I hope the administrators that made those statements have a good game plan, but you guys lost a good guy, we lost a good guy, and I think?? I just hope he gets another job. And I’m going to do everything in my power to help him.
And I guess that’s all I’ll say because I’ll probably put my foot in my mouth because if it was HBO, we could get at it right now and I’d really be fired up about it, because I just think?? I can’t believe?? I can’t believe nobody’s looked at when those comments were made and where that team went.”
Wow Izzo gets deep, covers all of society with this one.