Izzone: Prove Breslin Center rep holds true
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Chris Vannini
Prior to last week, the only Big Ten arena I had been to — other than Breslin Center — was Crisler Arena.
Needless to say, Crisler is not an intimidating venue.
One week after visiting Wisconsin’s Kohl Center and Illinois’ Assembly Hall, I can say I was completely blown away by those two environments. They were electric and, in my mind, have put some pressure on Breslin Center.
Don’t get me wrong, when there’s a big game in East Lansing I would put Breslin Center up with any arena.
But the gap that Breslin Center had on the rest of the Big Ten is slimming, and something that hasn’t escaped men’s basketball head coach Tom Izzo.
Video: Tom Izzo Press ...
“There is no question that Michigan State had the toughest place to play in for a lot of years,” Izzo said Monday. “There’s no question it’s not at that level right now. But our team hasn’t been at that level the last two games either, so I’ve got my own job to do. But I always urge and say that we don’t win games just because of our team.”
Something that Kohl Center and Assembly Hall have better than Breslin Center is the participation of nonstudents. Every play, it seemed the Kohl Center crowd would get to its feet and add to the noise of the Wisconsin students. At Illinois, members of the Orange Krush moved to different parts of the arena and urged the crowd to stand up and cheer — something to which the crowd didn’t object.
It has been hard for the Izzone to get the rest of the arena to cheer, but it’s something that needs to be done — especially tonight with No. 6 Purdue rolling into town with first place in the conference on the line.
“The truth of it is, my team has to play better, I have to coach better and maybe they have to cheer better,” Izzo said. “If the three of those happen, we have a team that can go a long way, we have a team that can win the Big Ten championship, we have a team that can be playing late in March, and if they don’t happen — all three of those — we have a good basketball team, but unfortunately those are a dime a dozen.”
Tonight has been declared a White Out. Make it happen. These special games don’t happen very often, so everyone going to the game needs to be encouraged to wear white.
And to the Izzone: You might be considered one of the nation’s best and most-storied student sections, but the effort really needs to be turned up. No more texting during the game (especially during play!) and every single one of you needs to be bouncing up and down and screaming your lungs out all game — especially the side that is seen on TV. It looks bad when the only visible part is just standing.
With a national TV audience, Breslin Center has the opportunity to reassert itself at the top of the nation’s toughest places to play — a place it deserves.
“I don’t care about the snow (tonight), our place has to be like these other two places we’ve played at,” Izzo said. “We played in front of two incredible crowds, so our place is going to have to jack their game up along with our team jacking our game up.”
Make it happen.
Chris Vannini is a State News men’s basketball reporter and former Izzone member. He can be reached at vanninic@msu.edu.
Commentary
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student
(02/09/10 2:00am)Report
You can’t compare the Izzone with the crowds at Illinois and Wisconsin. Illinois and Wisconsin were not in the same context. Wisconsin was hosting the only undefeated team in the Big Ten and Illinois had Game Day and the entire show down there. So, put things in context.
alum
(02/09/10 3:02am)Report
Re student:
You’re probably don’t remember but when the Izzone was first starting out, the Izzone was the loudest thing around and we were only playing Oakland. Students now don’t care and don’t know hat an elite student section is like. Maybe it’s time for a change, it’s sad to watch on TV.
also an alum
(02/09/10 8:34am)Report
Couldn’t agree more with alum. The Izzone has looked really weak all season. Kids are just standing there with their arms folded, not doing anything, texting, talking. It’s like the crowd at a high school football game.
recent alum
(02/09/10 9:37am)Report
Completely agree with the other alums here. STEP IT UP TONIGHT!!! Tired of only seeing the first 5 mins of each half and the possession after a dunk.
alum#4
(02/09/10 9:53am)Report
I am so happy i’m not the only one that has noticed all this. If these kids need to be motivated to cheer then the izzone needs some serious reform.
MSU ALUMN
(02/09/10 10:45am)Report
I agree with the rest of the posts. My dad (who is also an alumn) and I were watching one of our home games and were saying the same thing. I am sick of everytime the camera pans to the student section, at least half of them are texting or surfing the web on their phones! We look like a joke compared to our reputation as one of the toughest places to play in America! New rule, turn the cell phones off during the game! Those that do their part in the Izzone need to police their section when they see this going on around them.
Go State!
Al
(02/09/10 1:08pm)Report
You guys have obviously not been to Mackey before.
KO
(02/09/10 4:04pm)Report
I would agree the crowds can be better. But I do get a little tired of this “Things were better when I was there sentiment.” I think for the most part the Izzone is just as effective as it ever was, at least in my time there. I can’t speak to the late 90s so maybe there was a significant difference then.
But I started at MSU in 2002, and after graduating have continued to live in the Lansing area and typically go to quite a few home games each season. I can’t say that the crowd is significantly different now than it was 5 or 6 years ago. Yes, even the izzone members lose interest in blow outs or when we’re playing a lower level team. But that was true when I went to games my freshman year.
In general the izzone is engaged. I would agree with the assessment that some of the general admission folks could help by cheering more. Nobody expects them to be jumping up and down but it would be nice for a little cheering.
The last game I went to was when they honored Greg Jones at halftime, my friend and I stood to take part in the standing ovation for him and the guy behind us asked us to sit down. That was great.
IZZONE Alum
(02/09/10 4:05pm)Report
Sorry to say but the IZZONE is WEEEEAAAAAAKKKKK!!!!! Get rowdy. Current members are ruined our reputation. The reputation that I worked so hard for. Where my legs hurt the next day in class. My voice was nowhere to be found. Seriously, if you are just watching the game, stay at home because you are a waste of space. Lets get the W!
Jbru
(02/09/10 4:09pm)Report
KO, I think Tom Izzo has been to a few more home games then you have and he said it is weak. You can’t blame the team for losses at home if the crowd isn’t cheering up to IZZONE standards.
Scott Munn Political Theory '97
(02/09/10 9:49pm)Report
To the IZZONE members who go all out for every game – keep it up. To the rest of you – this is your chance – it is time to STEP IT UP! I was in town to watch the Northwestern game and felt disappointed in a large portion of the student section . . . texting, sitting down . . . leaving 10 minutes early.. .
Those that came before you laid the foundation screaming and cheering for Carleton Valentine, Larry Pollak and Pig Miller, without apology. Current students who can’t do their part to support today’s elite players need to make room for real Spartans.
Man up.