Tom Izzo being ripped over Larry Nassar comments
In a sport where so many coaches have less-than-stellar reputations, Tom Izzo has always managed to steer clear of trouble.
But comments regarding the abuse of former Olympic gymnasts by Larry Nassar, a former sports doctor for the school, has put the school’s Hall of Fame basketball coach in a negative light.
At a press conference Friday following Michigan State’s win over Indiana, Izzo voiced his support for university president Lou Anna K. Simon, who is being pressured to resign for the school’s handling of the Nassar scandal.
“It’s a woman who dedicated over 40 years and I’ve been here 33 with her,” Izzo said of Simon. “I think I know what she stands for.”
Here is the full statement from MSU basketball coach Tom Izzo on his support for Larry Nassar's victims and for MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon. pic.twitter.com/vFe5bGpf5z
— Chris Solari (@chrissolari) January 20, 2018
The coach said the past seven days — which included dozens of Nassar’s victims addressing him at his sentencing hearing — had been “a very difficult week for me. As a father, it’s difficult to fathom. I hope the right person was convicted.”
Following gymnast Aly Raisman’s courageous victim statement to Nassar, her mother took aim at Izzo for his comments.
Dear Tom Izzo,
I'm sorry it's been a difficult week for you. Did you hear, Larry Nassar also said it was difficult. Since you "hope the right person was convicted" I wonder if you are a complete and total MORON or just a LIAR when you claim you listened to the impact statements. https://t.co/CIdiTPtXa1— Lynn Raisman (@LynnRaisman) January 20, 2018
Lynn Raisman’s comment was retweeted more than 1,200 times, with more than 3,000 “likes.”
Izzo, who’s been the head coach of the Spartans since 1995, was skewered on social media, with many of the comments unprintable.
Sunday, Izzo sent out a new statement, hoping to correct his previous one.
Michigan State releases a statement from Tom Izzo on his comments made on Friday night. pic.twitter.com/i7OGo4hsu4
— Brendan Quinn (@BFQuinn) January 21, 2018
“I used the wrong words when trying to express my belief that Larry Nassar and anyone else who broke the law should be held accountable for their crimes,” Izzo said. “My overall message was, and remains, that I have tremendous admiration for the courage the survivors have shown, and that Larry Nassar has permanently damaged the lives of so many people and deserves all the punishment that he receives.”
Obviously, a case like this has everyone justifiably emotional, but Brendan Quinn, who follows Michigan State basketball for The Athletic had perhaps the smartest take, saying it was pretty obvious that Izzo misspoke.
2 cents: Anyone with common sense understood that Izzo misspoke in that moment — he surely didn't literally mean Nassar bears any innocence.
It's his decision to back Simon and MSU admin that's the real news and surely open to critique/criticism. The other comment was twisted.
— Brendan Quinn (@BFQuinn) January 21, 2018
Victim impact statements directed toward Nassar are expected to continue in East Lansing this week.
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