Tom Izzo demands fans 'quit the Twitter wars' after player transfers

Aspects of college sports now, namely the transfer portal and name, image, and likeness, are already difficult enough for some programs and players to handle. That’s why Michigan State’s Tom Izzo doesn’t need fans making that process any harder through social media.

Izzo had much to say about the state of collegiate sports at a press conference this offseason in East Lansing. That included discussion of the portal with him wishing fans would turn their attention from players and those related to them and put it on the powers that be where the root of these issues are.

“I’m more worried about, really, now, like I have my whole career, the kids,” said Izzo. “I’m asking you to ask the people that are your readers, that are your listeners and everything else – quit the Twitter wars, you know. Quit getting into these people’s family’s minds and what they’re doing. It’s not helping anybody. Spend more time, maybe, calling the NCAA, commissioners, our government, Washington D.C. to try to figure out how to help something that has gotten a little bit out of control.”

Again, Izzo thinks fans are directing online criticism towards the wrong people. Players, coaches and their programs are just making decisions based on the circumstances they’re in within the NCAA. To that, fans are sending those posts at the wrong people in his opinion and, because of that, hurt the players unnecessarily in the process.

Izzo clearly isn’t big on social media, or the culture of it, anyways. That said, if it’s necessary, he just hopes they’ll learn to use it in a more productive way whenever they share something online.

Izzo shreds fan behavior on Twitter: ‘I think it’s disgusting’

There have been major changes in how fans interact with athletes thanks to social media. That fan behavior can often cross the proverbial line, which is something that Tom Izzo has noticed and finds disgusting.

Following the season, Izzo explained that his goal is to protect his players. Twitter, and other social media platforms, make that a very difficult job to do, though.

“I am going to protect,” Izzo said. “So, if you want to know about players that have left, players that — [I] have discussions with everybody, and I’m going to try and protect all of them. I hate Twitter. So, I don’t think I’ll be getting any NIL deals with Twitter. Okay? I really don’t give a damn. I think it’s disgusting what they do to these human beings.”

“I just want us to be different at Michigan State,” Izzo said. “If we can’t be, that’s your prerogative, but I’m going to be.”