He's not our alma mater's coach, but I like the guy and the program he's built. So when the whispers began that Izzo was a candidate for the Cavs job, I don't think most of us thought anything of it.

MSU fans have heard their coach's name thrown around for different jobs before...they're used to a quick dismissal by the diminutive and dominative coach and everyone goes on with their business...but this one has become more real. When the gigantic piles of money were officially put on the table in front of Izzo, he wisely decided to listen...and today he even went to beautiful Cleveland to interview for the post via a private jet.

I think staying for Izzo makes sense- he's the king of the city, the most-senior coach in the league and widely-respected in the college game as one of the best, if not greatest. But, the last few years, the message boards have had grumblings of Izzo not being completely happy...maybe there's truth to that.

If he goes, he couldn't ask for a better situation...with or without Bron Bron. If 23 stays, they'll win a lot of games and he'll be along for the ride as one of the few college coaches that has actually had success in the pros. If James leaves, no one will be expecting anything out of the Cavs other than a rebuilding effort anyway...so he'll be safe from too many people questioning his abilities for at least a while...and he'll have a mattress full of money to give him a comfy place to lay his head at night.

The chapter after that is the real question, to me. Coach Tom might not want to coach too much longer, so this is one last chance to either bolster his bank account with a mountain of NBA money OR renegotiate one of his final 10 year (or so) contracts- a hefty one no doubt as he inches closer to retirement. He's in the driver's seat in a lot of ways and I think any of us would love to be where he is...but the MSU fans are along for this crappy ride right now, and I feel for them, I wouldn't want to go through what they're going through.

But, what they've been through during the last 15 years has been pretty amazing...that wouldn't be so bad to experience. Hopefully we as Purdue fans are at the beginning of such a run.