Answering Your Michigan State Basketball Questions and Emails...

Answering Your Michigan State Basketball Questions and Emails... Hondo, it is fine for you not to worry about MSU basketball but I am. Football is a waste and

Answering Your Michigan State Basketball Questions and Emails...

Hondo, it is fine for you not to worry about MSU basketball but I am. Football is a waste and basketball is now as well. Such promise gone. Mark B. St Johns

The football team is 10-2, top ten in the nation, and headed to the Cotton Bowl. The MSU basketball team has three road losses against good teams when MOST major schools have only played twice on the road and Izzo is still the coach. If that is a waste, I hope every season is. I suggest you re-prioritize your life and fandom.

Hondo, you are a fat nasty pig. How dare you call Javon Bess out and disrespect him saying you expect nothing from him until the tournament. As soon as he get back he’s going into the starting lineup and will be the best player. (Fudge) you fat (butt) and I wish the coaches knew you disrespected him like that. Ken

First of all, even though I have lost 158 pounds I am not a little man, but my (butt) is rather small. It is my midsection in which my fat likes to reside. Secondly, I went to Izzo’s super assistant and a terrific coach Mike Garland and told him about your email and what I said. “Coming back from injury it is unfair to expect anything substantive from Bess before the tournament. There is recovery time, getting in game shape, and the normal adjustment that freshman go through.” Coach Garland said, “Tell that person you are being fairer to the kid (Bess) than they are and I 100% agree with you.” So in short, you aren’t good at analyzing body structure (I hope you aren’t a doctor), and your wishing the coaches knew was brought to their attention and they agree with me. Here is a third strike on your day buddy, Santa reads Spartan Nation. (He left a note telling my son Duffy that last year after I mentioned something he did) and if he reads your letter he may think you’re not being nice. So what do you say we exchange Christmas cards? Signed your skinny (butt) fat bellied buddy? How about we exchange Christmas cookie recipes? Come on…Think about it?

Hondo, you Tweeted that you felt Costello was playing better because Schilling got his job. That makes me think he should be benched. If you need that to motivate you when you are getting the free education and life as a basketball player at MSU maybe you don’t have the love for the game? Chris Key

Disagree. All of us in our life find different ways and times to motivate. Even Bill Belichick who coaches multi-millionaires at the top of their game every day does it. I know it isn’t popular in some circles of America, but I am still a free market capitalist and competition is good.

Hondo, I worry about Travis Trice. He just didn’t look like himself recently. He is my favorite Spartan, is he OK? Tricia L.

Yes. He is fine; a super basketball player and a better kid.

Hondo I am a big IU fan in Michigan. With Crean done at the end of the year who should we hire? Aimee

This is a no brainer. Hate to lose him at MSU, but Dane Fife is the perfect hire at IU. Super man. Great dad and husband and a terrific basketball coach who is an IU alum. I am NOT a guy who says you always go hire an alum. BUT when you have the perfect candidate and he is an alum #WINNING!

Hondo, I love Marvin Clark. Just love him. His story, his game, his demeanor on the court. It has been a long time since Izzo had a freshman that soaked up the knowledge like a good biscuit and gravy. Thanks for telling us about him long ago on the radio show and in the magazine. He is our Spartan for my son and I. Stephen

He is a super person with a great upside on his game.

Hondo, I noticed you and Tom Izzo prior to the game on the bench having a conversation. You both were laughing pretty good. Just curios if you could tell me what you were talking about. Watching both of you, it still has me curious. Meghan Schaeffer

Yes, I could tell you what we were talking about. I am choosing not to.

Hondo, I don’t understand how Denzel Valentine can keep making those wild passes that Izzo hates and never work. Why doesn’t he just stop? His dad didn’t do that. Izzo hates it. His brother didn’t. Please Zell stop. Tom Brewer

First of all, Carlton (his dad and my buddy) and Drew (his brother and my buddy) with all due respect couldn’t do with the ball what he does. Secondly, Izzo does hate it and Denzel needs to temper it, but you don’t want to muzzle the ox that treads the corn. What makes Denzel special is the way he plays the game and sees the game. He is growing. It can be frustrating, but you don’t want him to begin to overthink and lose what makes him great. By the way, I sent you an email back with a question so please check and reply.

Hondo, are you hearing anything from NBA guys about Dawson? Chris F.

Yes. I spoke with one driving back from the Notre Dame game. He told me, “I want to see him do what he did tonight in his next game against whatever nobody you all are playing.” That would be Arkansas Pine Bluff and he did not. His numbers were not good and even took himself out of the game.

The NBA scout went on to add, “In the NBA you play every night and 55 of the games are just games. Not big ones. If you can’t get up and play great against the no names, what am I paying you for? I know what he did last year when he came back and wanted to show off and see if he could leave early. So what, you played well in your tournaments and big games? Great. He has not done it this year and I know he had some injury, but he has not helped himself with us. I don’t feel sad for him because it is his choice, and other guys around the country are stepping up trying to steal his spot. Rodman made a ton of money playing D and getting boards. Dawson has more talent, he could get 15 a night just off rebounds and inside presence and great D, but he has to want it. I guess I just don’t see that want. Great players go off big on the Lakers and the next night in Toronto go off bigger. Don’t see that.”

Hondo, what is Bryn Forbes like as a kid? Christy Welch

Great kid; very personable and mild mannered and loves basketball. He has a strong want to and is just a great kid. Quick to smile and a true gentleman.

Hondo, you said the other day that top to bottom this may be the best group of young men personally on an MSU basketball team since 2007. That stunned me, but I like it. Any ideas why? Scott Mackey

Yes, there are a few, but I will only talk about one. Other than Dawson, this is not a group of monster recruits. They are a group of guys, old school Izzo players, with a chip on their shoulder. Add to that, you have a group of men raised by super people and it reflects in their character. Are they perfect? No, and neither are you and me. This is just a special group of kids and it is a blessing to have a front row seat to watching Izzo having fun coaching again.

Hondo, do you think a reason a lot of seniors struggle at MSU is because they are beat up mentally by Izzo? Randall S.

That is funny. I had a MSU coach who read that and of course thought it was crap and asked me what I thought. Not sure if you read the same thing. Anyways, no. In today’s screwed up modern basketball you have a bunch of young people who attend the elite schools like MSU that think if they come back for a senior year and didn’t leave they stink. So, they are carrying the weight of the world from their families, friends and hanger-ons and they feel like a failure. We hear about the LeBron’s, but why not the Tim Duncan types. I think it is society and the way they handle it and NOT on Izzo. Not afraid to tell you when I think something is on Izzo, but equally not afraid to call something out I don’t agree with. Thank you for asking.

There you go everyone. Another week of your MSU Basketball Q and A in the books. Make sure to send in your questions for next week. Simply email them to SpartanNationMail@yahoo.com and put weekly Q and A Basketball in the subject line.