Tom Izzo Shares Outlandish Thoughts About NCAA Tournament, Questions Automatic Bids For Mid-Majors

Tom Izzo is making his 26th straight NCAA Tournament appearance as the head coach of Michigan State. Given that reality, most would assume that he wouldn't have any issue with the selection process or the size of the field, but that doesn't appear to the be the case.

Speaking ahead of the Spartans' first-round game against Mississippi State, the 69-year-old made some eyebrow-raising comments about March Madness. Specifically, Izzo isn't sold, at least not anymore, on mid-major teams getting automatic bids into the tournament.

"I just think what’s happening now, everybody likes the upsets in the first weekend, but I’m not sure moving on that’s what’s best for the game. I think it’s got to be looked at seriously," Izzo, who previously coached at the Division II level, said. 

In other words, Izzo isn't a fan of mid-majors earning a spot in the tournament field and then giving high-profile programs like his own a serious scare. That's somewhat understandable from a coaching perspective, but the world's affection for March Madness is centered around the possibility of major upsets.

Izzo noted that he felt bad for regular season conference champions in one-bid conferences who missed out on a tournament bid, and while waiting for the tournament field to be announced hoped that the field could be expanded to 100 teams.

 (Photo by Jamie Schwaberow/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

"I feel for some teams that didn't get in when you have those automatic bids," Izzo continued. "I'm not sure I understand why, but the conference tournament things, you can go, and like Purdue, go 17-3 and dominate the conference then lose. It's okay if it's the second-place team, but I think that makes it hard, why some teams will get left out."

Izzo's comments were a bit all over the place, which is fair given college athletics are as scrambled as ever at the moment. The legendary coach did, however, make perfect sense when talking about the driving factor behind the tournament field inevitably being expanded.

"I don’t know if something could be fixed there. But then the conference tournament wouldn’t be as — it’s all about what is best for the financial part of it, if we were to be very blunt and honest with you, more than it is the player and teams," Izzo stated.

More teams, means more games, which means more dollars.