Michigan State’s football program grabbed more headlines than it had in years in 2009, but not the way they wanted to.  They battled with the fallout of allowing a convicted criminal, Glenn Winston,  back onto the team shortly after being released from jail.  Winston had just served time for a fight he was involved in where he injured Spartan hockey player AJ Sturges.  Sturges was not actually involved in the fight when he was slugged by Winston, resulting in a fractured skull and a concussion.   Winston would not only be back on the football team with the 2009 season began, but he would end up starting shortly thereafter. Once the dust settled, Winston would end up injuring himself and ending his season.   However, his career would come to an end a couple months later after he found himself back involved in another fight along with several other Spartan football players following the teams year-end banquet.  All players involved were charged.  Most of the players that were known publicly to be involved in the fight were either kicked off or suspended from the team, depending upon the severity of their involvement.  Winston was one of those suspended.

The transgressions of members of the football program are now well documented and brought on even more shame to a football team that had a disappointing season.  Fans and alumni have questioned coach Mark Dantonio, and his control of his team.   Dantonio would rather deal with questions about the teams play on the field, and not their exploits off it, much like his colleague, Tom Izzo.

Izzo was heavily involved in the hiring process of Dantonio.  He bleeds Green and White.  He is the face of Michigan State athletics.  He himself was embarrassed by the arrests that plagued the football team.  He is embarrassed by the notion that the athletes were being given preferential treatment.  Izzo has always stated that no one is bigger than the team. Not even him.  For all the success that he has had with his basketball program, he has always remained grounded, as has his teams.  Rarely has there ever been a peep about players on his teams being involved in any kind of trouble.  Unlike the football team, they have always managed to stay clean.  However this year, Izzo doesn’t seem to be taking chances.

Earlier this season there were headlines made when Izzo sent his star point guard, Kalin Lucas, home from practice.   This wasn’t the first time Izzo did this with a player, but this was the first time it garnered national headlines.   Izzo expected more out of his team leader and didn’t want him on the court until he was ready to grow up.  Lucas would also not start the next game as part of his punishment for not taking ownership of his responsibilities.

A couple months later, backup guard Korie Lucious was suspended for not meeting team academic obligations.  Lucious is a good student, but missed classes the day of a big snow storm. Many students miss classes during big snow storms, one would be lucky to usually find half the class to show up. Izzo wants his student athletes to be exemplary, and no one is exempt from that expectation.  Again, no one is bigger than the team.

The latest news out of East Lansing is that starting shooting guard, Chris Allen, has been suspended for failing to meet team obligations.  It has not been said what it was that Allen failed to accomplish, but from the sounds of it, it isn’t something you would expect a college athlete, especially a teams best 3-point shooter and perimeter defender to be suspended for.  What makes this suspension even more surprising is that it will take place during the Big Ten tournament.

One cannot help to wonder if Izzo isn’t trying to send a message to his team, and possibly members of the football team that they are not above rules and regulations just because they are the stars of the university.  They are privileged individuals that should be proud of what the have achieved, but also carry themselves with dignity, honor and respect.  Izzo is showing that he is willing to sacrifice on-the-court success for his players and others for them to realize this.

/Not a Michigan State Blog

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