You gotta love a coach that goes about and beyond when it comes to charity. Such is the case with Tom Izzo, who is putting himself through the rigors of a Broadway musical in order to raise money for cancer research.

Izzo is the men’s basketball coach at Michigan State and starred last night on the MSU campus in “Izzo Goes to Broadway,” a one-night-only engagement at the Wharton Center.” Izzo will sing and dance for two-hours in a production that tell his life story. Over $135,000 is expected to be raised.
Image: Newscom

Can you really call it a challenge if one conference just annihilates the other year after year?
Here is my preview of all 11 games from August 15th. It’s so good I figured I wouldn’t revise it at all.
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The Atlantic Coast Conference has dominated the Big Ten in each of the 9 years of this yearly Challenge. The last two years the ACC has recorded 16 wins versus just 6 losses. The ACC’s total record is 56-30.
The Challenge tips off on the first of December with Wisconsin visiting Virginia Tech.
After the opening day game, 5 games on each of the …read more

Sunday, October 26 was Big Ten Media Day.
No surprises on the top three picks (Big Ten only releases top three teams). For 1-11, click here.
2008-09 Top Three Preseason Picks
Team, 2007-08 Final Records (Finish)
1. Purdue …read more

The Spartans are again wickedly athletic, versatile, deep and, yep, a likely good tease as well.
Losing Drew Neitzel won’t be as catastrophic for the Spartans as it would be for quite a few other quality teams in the country. Izzo had some depth to work with last year and that allowed fellow guard Kalin Lucas, now a sophomore, to really gain a wealth of experience. As one of the fastest players in the country, Kalin often does not need anyone to accompany him on a fast break. He’s an up tempo player of the A grade variety. …read more

The Atlantic Coast Conference has dominated the Big Ten in each of the 9 years of this yearly Challenge. The last two years the ACC has recorded 16 wins versus just 6 losses. The ACC’s total record is 56-30.
The Challenge tips off on the first of December with Wisconsin visiting Virginia Tech.
After the opening day 5 games on each of the next 2 days will take place. There are some salivating matchups for sure.
Duke at Purdue
UNC vs. MSU at Ford Field– ok, UNC at MSU
Ohio St. at Miami
Eh, I guess know “salivating” is more of …read more

It’s never too early to start pontificating about the upcoming season.
My crystal ball I dust off every July or August is acting abnormally insane, as, for the very first time, the Northwestern Wildcats have scratched their way to the front of my lopsided prediction formation… via the crystal ball.
I need to listen to the ball.
You can’t not listen to the ball.
It’s like the Tommyknockers.
Apparently Kevin Coble and his band of international scholars, not so much ballers, are going to be getting some help of the vertically gifted variety this next season. Four 6’8 or taller players are …read more