Oregon plans to offer Izzo largest contract in college basketball

[Blizzard]

No way in hell Izzo goes to Oregon.
--------

The University of Oregon reportedly is planning to offer Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo the largest contract in college basketball, according to a television report out of Eugene, Ore.

A source from the Oregon athletic department told television station KEZI in a report Sunday night that Nike chairman Phil Knight, an Oregon alumnus, would help back the contract.

Kentucky coach John Calipari currently has the largest contract in basketball at eight years, $31.65 million. Izzo currently makes about $2.5 million a year.

Another source within the Oregon athletic department confirmed to the station that Izzo's name is on the list of coaching candidates provided by the search firm Spencer Stuart, but no offer or discussions between the parties have taken place.

Oregon cannot interview Izzo or make any formal offer until Michigan State is finished playing in the NCAA Tournament. The Spartans defeated Tennessee Sunday to advance to the Final Four and will face Butler in the first semifinal on Saturday.

Messages left with Izzo and MSU athletic director Mark Hollis by The Detroit News were not immediately returned.

Izzo was courted by the NBA's Atlanta Hawks in 2000 and reportedly was a candidate for the Kentucky job in 2007 after Tubby Smith resigned. The Wildcats hired Billy Gillispie.

 

[SelectionSunday]

If Izzo didn't leave MSU for Kentucky, he sure as heck isn't going to leave for Oregon, nor will Mark Hollis let him leave. Sparty will pony up the dough, as they should, if that's what it takes to keep Izzo. If any coach has earned the right to be the highest paid coach in the country, it's Tom Izzo. And if he adds a second national title to his resume, the pricetag goes even higher.

 

[centerofmn]

Yeah, I can't see Izzo leaving. He has a good thing going on at MSU and seems very content there.

I mean more money is always an incentive, but why give up a great program when you are already making millions of dollars?

 

[SeemoreButts]

I have been reading all of these rumor boards for quite awhile now...Are there any sane members of GopherHole left?????

 

[akgopher]

Bet the alumni and locals of East Lansing are loving the timing of these reports. At some point, it has to be a poor reflection on Phil Knight and Oregon and actually ending their chances of landing Izzo. Izzo is probably going to have to squash these reports and say "no way am I leaving" for the sake of his team as they prepare for the biggest weekend of their careers. Would Team Knight have been better off putting this one into the vault until next week?

 

[From the Barn]

Tubby isn't going to like being offered $1.5 million less than Izzo. Neither coach is going anywhere, and given these reports, neither is really being considered.

 

[rrjackIII]

Why doesn't Izzo put an end to this kind of talk. This is really detrimental to all MSU Fans and B10 fans of Izzo (not to mention GH fans of Izzo). You would think he would have more dedication to the fans of B10 and MSU. If he wants to go - good riddance. He, like Tubby should somehow prevent this kind of talk from taking place. Perhaps they could hold a joint news conference and respectfully request that Oregon stop talking about them getting Multimillion Dollar contracts. All this does is drive up their own negotiating positions in whatever they want to negotiate. Can we all just boycott NIKE until this thing is settled - or has the NIKE already been boycotted? Somehow we have to stop all this talk (Emoticon optional).