Bret Bielema (HC Illinois)

[buchtelgrad04]

Coaching is coaching, and players in college are now earning money legally, so essentially they're pro athletes in the minor leagues.

Ripping someone publicly is still ripping them publicly, and many coaches have done it.

We can agree to disagree. But these are men, regardless if you think so or not. And the players are too sensitive to get ripped in the press, then they shouldn't be playing D1 football(or even sports in general). This article is a big nothing burger.

Coaching isn’t coaching. As Urban Meyer is showing you. You can’t handle college players the way you handle pros. You can’t handle high school players the way you handle college players.

Ripping someone in front of the team is not “publicly.” Teams call that in-house. You know that too.

Why would you say “regardless if you think they are or not?” Is that your passive aggressive way to say something else? I CLEARLY stated that a college coach was a leader of men. Did you jump over that on purpose? Having an issue with being disrespected in the media doesn’t make you sensitive. No matter how much your fake machismo tells you so.

 

[pnuts34]

Coaching isn’t coaching. As Urban Meyer is showing you. You can’t handle college players the way you handle pros. You can’t handle high school players the way you handle college players.

Ripping someone in front of the team is not “publicly.” Teams call that in-house. You know that too.

Why would you say “regardless if you think they are or not?” Is that your passive aggressive way to say something else? I CLEARLY stated that a college coach was a leader of men. Did you jump over that on purpose? Having an issue with being disrespected in the media doesn’t make you sensitive. No matter how much your fake machismo tells you so.

We can agree to disagree. But I don't see anything that Bert did as wrong. And if they are leader's of men, then men should be able to take public criticism in the media from their HC. No fake machismo. If they don't like it, then play better.
And coaching is coaching, a number of coaches have shown success at various levels, its called adapting, which Urban isn't very good at doing at the pro level.
If Illinois starts to win games(which they won't), then this makes this article even more irrelevant than it already is. Illinois has a talent problem in a major way, and they need any type of spark to get them wins.

 

[ScriptOhio]

https://deadspin.com/bret-bielema-offers-us-a-crash-course-in-how-to-lose-y-1847894801

"I don't believe we have a player in the 2-deep that they've recruited here over the last 3 years that is really significantly doing anything for us in the playing department, that's a major concern"

Now he is trying to "tap dance" around it saying it was taken "out of context":

“I think the thing that unfolded Monday was overly shocking to me,” Bielema said during a Zoom press conference. “They’re my words. I said them, but they were completely taken out of context through people on this call or people that aren’t here. Unfortunately, that’s the world we live in. I think anybody that knows me — and fortunately for us, our players really know me — those were really taken out of context. Someone had asked me a question about what we did during the bye week, and I was talking to them about recruiting. Another question was asked about recruiting in the future. It was not a question about our current roster when I answered it. It had nothing to do with our current roster.

“It had nothing to do with our roster that I’m currently coaching or working with. That’s why it really was a non-issue with our guys when it was clarified.”

 

[mendensa]

lol. Way to take accountability for your short comings as a Coach, Brett. Regardless of the players you inherited, you should be able to develop and improve some of them. Instead, you throw them all under the bus and say they suck. Going out on a limb and predicting the Illini don't win another game this season.

Maybe NW on Sr. Day, when the older guys who have stuck it out and say "screw u coach", play for themselves and their teammates. But even the Fighting Fitgerald's will play til the last whistle and still probably edge them out in the end.

I don't mind being wrong at the expense of Ped State.

 

[pnuts34]

I don't mind being wrong at the expense of Ped State.

Hell of a W for Bert! Jen may let him get on top tonight!

 

[Bestbuck36]

Made his whole season and then some tonight

 

[MaxBuck]

Oddly enough, I was a big Bert fan today.

 

[Crump's brother]

Oddly enough, I was a big Bert fan today.

My enemy's enemy is a tub of shit.

 

[pnuts34]

https://247sports.com/LongFormArtic...att-Wells-Jeff-Traylor-173856552/#173856552_2

This past week, Bret Bielema made comments about the talent level of his offensive line. While some people got up in arms and took it as something that shouldn't have been said, when I heard it I thought it was exactly what the doctor ordered. Football is a tough game and college football is as tough as it gets. It takes tough men with tough character and tough skin to win at the major collegiate level. His team, mainly his offensive line, responded with a huge nine-overtime win over then seventh-ranked Penn State in the biggest upset of the weekend. The offensive line escorted running back Chase Brown to 223 yards on 32 carries and a touchdown. When I talked to Coach Bielema after the game, he told me this win was the expectation.

“Saturday was an upset to the outside world,” Bielema said. “But in our Illini FamILLy (sic), we expect it to be the standard.”

His players heard him loud and clear. They responded with an upset for the ages.

The players could've given in, and said "FU" to the coach, instead they used it as motivation. I guess Bert's test on his team worked this week. This is a win they can hang their hats on at least this season, because they won't get many more.

 

[cincibuck]

It was an interview, not an article. It was open to the public, and not reduced to sound bites. He clearly threw some of his players under the bus. Unless you believe that NIL and scholies makes college athletes professionals, you don't expect a coach to go into the interview room and blame a loss or a season on a player.

 

[pnuts34]

It was an interview, not an article. It was open to the public, and not reduced to sound bites. He clearly threw some of his players under the bus. Unless you believe that NIL and scholies makes college athletes professionals, you don't expect a coach to go into the interview room and blame a loss or a season on a player.

I essentially do consider them semi professional. I don't expect a coach to do anything, but he blamed part of his team. The team in turn used his words as motivation and won one of the biggest games in their history. If you want to be treated as an amateur and not earn NIL, you can always D2, D3, NAIA, or intramural.

https://law.jrank.org/pages/10435/S... difference between,money and/or other prizes.

The most basic difference between amateur athletic events and professional events lies in their rewards for participation. Amateur events, by definition, do not reward victors with a prize of great value. Professional events, by contrast, reward participants and victors with money and/or other prizes.

 

[buchtelgrad04]

I essentially do consider them semi professional. I don't expect a coach to do anything, but he blamed part of his team. The team in turn used his words as motivation and won one of the biggest games in their history. If you want to be treated as an amateur and not earn NIL, you can always D2, D3, NAIA, or intramural.

https://law.jrank.org/pages/10435/Sports-Law-Amateur-Athletes.html#:~:text=The most basic difference between,money and/or other prizes.

Profiting off your own NIL doesn’t make you a professional.

 

[ScriptOhio]

Illinois football coach Bret Bielema tests positive for COVID-19, will not coach vs. Iowa

Illinois football coach Bret Bielema tested positive for COVID-19 and will not coach in Saturday's game at Iowa.

Bielema said in a statement that he had developed a breakthrough case of COVID-19.

"After developing mild symptoms yesterday, I was tested and unfortunately late Monday night tested positive for a breakthrough case of COVID-19. I'm disappointed that I will not be with our team this week when we travel to Iowa, but I'm grateful that I'm vaccinated and received the booster shot last week," Bielema said. "Going back to last spring and this fall, I have a set protocol for anyone on our staff who may be removed due to COVID, including myself as a head coach. Our players and coaches have prepared for 10 games already this year and today's news will just be a continuation of that process."

Bielema added that he will be "as present as possible" through technology and that assistant George McDonald will lead the team when Bielema cannot.

Entire article: https://www.espn.com/college-footba...ema-tests-positive-covid-19-not-coach-vs-iowa

Anyone think they'll miss him?

 

[Zippercat]

Illinois football coach Bret Bielema tests positive for COVID-19, will not coach vs. Iowa

Illinois football coach Bret Bielema tested positive for COVID-19 and will not coach in Saturday's game at Iowa.

Bielema said in a statement that he had developed a breakthrough case of COVID-19.

"After developing mild symptoms yesterday, I was tested and unfortunately late Monday night tested positive for a breakthrough case of COVID-19. I'm disappointed that I will not be with our team this week when we travel to Iowa, but I'm grateful that I'm vaccinated and received the booster shot last week," Bielema said. "Going back to last spring and this fall, I have a set protocol for anyone on our staff who may be removed due to COVID, including myself as a head coach. Our players and coaches have prepared for 10 games already this year and today's news will just be a continuation of that process."

Bielema added that he will be "as present as possible" through technology and that assistant George McDonald will lead the team when Bielema cannot.

Entire article: https://www.espn.com/college-footba...ema-tests-positive-covid-19-not-coach-vs-iowa

Anyone think they'll miss him?

Whoever caters the post game food spread will be disappointed at the smaller order! That count?

 

[ScriptOhio]

BRET BIELEMA, ILLINOIS FIGHTING ILLINI

Outlook: Trending up

Bielema gets some credit because he is a proven winner in the Big Ten. Plus, he guided Illinois to two wins against ranked teams in 2021, the first of which was a nine-overtime road triumph against No. 7 Penn State. The Illini also finished ahead of Nebraska and Northwestern in the Big Ten West division rankings.

Bielema also brought in former UTSA offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr. The Roadrunners were college football’s darlings and rose in the AP Poll thanks to an explosive offense. Lunney’s unit ranked third in Conference USA in total offense with 439.0 yards per game and were second in scoring while averaging 36.9 points. The Illinois offense was abysmal last year so any change is good change.

Just sayin': OK, Bert may end up being an upgrade over the recent Illini coaches (Smith, Cubit, Beckman, Zook, & Tepper); but the bar really wasn't all that high.