MSU head coach recipient of "Patrick McInnis Community Hero Award"
FLINT -- Tom Izzo has had plenty of accolades come his way during his illustrious career, and Wednesday night came one more. The Michigan State head basketball coach was named the recipient of the 2010 Patrick McInnis Community Hero award, named after the Flint native and Fathead CEO who has contributed time and financial resources towards the Boys & Girls Club in his hometown.
The city of Flint obviously holds special memories for Izzo, with Mateen Cleaves and the "Flintstones" giving him a national championship back in 2000.
Fundraising efforts are helping to restore the Boys & Girls club to its former prominence, and Izzo recalled his many visits to the area when he was building the Spartans into one of the elite programs in the nation.
"The job they've done here at the Boys & Girls Club is tremendous," said Izzo. "And now they're opening a new building, I remember going by that building many times when I was here recruiting those guys, Burston was the place where everybody played, had some great memories of that place. You know, I saw a lot of players I got, but I saw a lot of players that I didn't get."
"So, it's just such a neat city to me, and I'm glad everybody's trying to get it back. You've all gone through some tough times here, as we all have. But it hits places like this even harder. And yet, if there's any place that, to me, can fight back and get back on its feet, it's this place."
