People thought Izzo and Mariucci were more than just friends

If you’ve ever watched a MSU basketball game or are at all familiar with college basketball, you know that Tom Izzo and Steve Mariucci are good friends. A point Brent Musburger and ESPN have hammered home to the viewers for years.

Well tonight, in a HBO special about MSU basketball, Tom Izzo jokes about his relationship with former Lions coach Steve Mariucci. Back in college at Northern Michigan, several people thought they were just a bit “too close”.

“I think our parents wondered if we ever were going to go our separate ways,” Izzo said, light-heartedly, in an interview with HBO correspondent Jon Frankel.

Said Mariucci: “I swear to God, yes. People thought we were a little bit too close.”

…Mariucci told Frankel he and Izzo were so close, they often were each others’ dates at team awards banquets.

“Well, I would bring him, he would bring me,” Mariucci said. “Free meal, right? So people started wondering a little bit about us.”

This segment is exactly why people, especially journalists love Tom Izzo. He’s a genuine interview and can laugh at stuff like this. I can’t imagine a Bobby Knight or even a Coach K discussing rumors that they might be gay. Given Knight’s history with the media, that interview would end with a few f-bombs, a game face tirade, and maybe a hunting accident.

I will say this for Izzo though. I am almost positive he regrets this haircut and the European man bag he’s rocking in this picture.

Relationship between Tom Izzo, Steve Mariucci raised eyebrows in college {USA Today}

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