This guy has got to go now! Throwing more players under the bus...

[Piggfoot]

It's not hard to ask questions like this.

You don't have to be pissy and call him Bert.

Just say straight forward:

"We are in year 5 coach.  Every single one of these offensive linemen are your recruits.  What is causing the problems?"

If he gave a fluff answer then quickly ask again.

"Do you think you mis-evaluated when you recruited?  Do you think it's our strength and conditioning?  Why are we not able to get any push or the line?"

The media at the press conferences never never ask hard and to the point questions. They are afraid they will lose their press passes. On Second thought maybe that is why the questions are mumbled or poorly heard, giving Bielema a chance to answer politically. The reporters don't want the fans to know who ask what. You can tape a press conference and play it every week its the same spiel.

[Jim Harris]

The media at the press conferences never never ask hard and to the point questions. They are afraid they will lose their press passes. On Second thought maybe that is why the questions are mumbled or poorly heard, giving Bielema a chance to answer politically. The reporters don't want the fans to know who ask what. You can tape a press conference and play it every week its the same spiel.

No one is afraid to "lose their press passes." That has been the biggest joke response about Razorback media coverage forever. I can tell you, having been a beat reporter in the Hatfield and Crowe years in Fayetteville, when you are around these coaches and players on a daily basis, it's pretty difficult to go at it combatively from press conference to press conference. No one wants to be "that guy." This isn't an NFL team they are covering, those are professionals playing. Yeah, it means the world to you as a fan and you want every question asked by the media and answered by the coaches and players, but those are still students attending the UA and playing football too, a lot of them for the last year they'll ever play it. Asking the question the way Factchecker notes is the proper way to ask, and those type questions do get asked. The guys up there now are asking about Brian Wallace and why he isn't playing on a weekly basis now. They're asking "why isn't this working." Bielema is trying to answer it the fairest way he can. I don't see him throwing people under the bus with the answers today.
What is different from today than 25 years ago is, nobody in the media sees practices anymore. We knew everything going on in practice back then, and we knew who wasn't cutting in on the practice field. We'd know if "favorites were being played over better players," that sort of thing, and they weren't then. It's not as easy for the media now that they don't see practice, and now there are 5 times the media up there covering press conferences there trying to get something different while not seeing practices or having immediate access to players and all the coaches and trainers after practice. I wouldn't want to be doing it now, being a daily beat man up there under the current administration/conditions. I would love for Mike Irwin to chime in on this thread since he's lived it all for 38 years or more up there.

[Silver Hog]

I thought Bobby was supposed to be a bad recruiter?

[Hogwild]

Hell, he's not even wrong.  This is a much different team with a competent OL.

Yes it would be helpful to have a competent OL, we still have a whole lot of issues.

Through 4 SEC games how many points to you think we will have been scored on us?  O/U 200  (Through 2 games we are at 98 points allowed)

[MuskogeeHogFan]

No one is afraid to "lose their press passes." That has been the biggest joke response about Razorback media coverage forever. I can tell you, having been a beat reporter in the Hatfield and Crowe years in Fayetteville, when you are around these coaches and players on a daily basis, it's pretty difficult to go at it combatively from press conference to press conference. No one wants to be "that guy." This isn't an NFL team they are covering, those are professionals playing. Yeah, it means the world to you as a fan and you want every question asked by the media and answered by the coaches and players, but those are still students attending the UA and playing football too, a lot of them for the last year they'll ever play it. Asking the question the way Factchecker notes is the proper way to ask, and those type questions do get asked. The guys up there now are asking about Brian Wallace and why he isn't playing on a weekly basis now. They're asking "why isn't this working." Bielema is trying to answer it the fairest way he can. I don't see him throwing people under the bus with the answers today.
What is different from today than 25 years ago is, nobody in the media sees practices anymore. We knew everything going on in practice back then, and we knew who wasn't cutting in on the practice field. We'd know if "favorites were being played over better players," that sort of thing, and they weren't then. It's not as easy for the media now that they don't see practice, and now there are 5 times the media up there covering press conferences there trying to get something different while not seeing practices or having immediate access to players and all the coaches and trainers after practice. I wouldn't want to be doing it now, being a daily beat man up there under the current administration/conditions. I would love for Mike Irwin to chime in on this thread since he's lived it all for 38 years or more up there.

I agree with you about Bielema's comments. He wasn't intentionally throwing anyone under the bus. He might have phrased those things differently but he isn't wrong. It isn't just the responsibility of the staff to develop players, it is also up to the players to dedicate their effort to doing everything they can and develop habits that help themselves develop as players. You can lead a horse to water...

At this point no one wants to think anything but the worst of Bielema or this staff. That is just easier to do. I suspect that there is fault to be found on both sides of the equation but ultimately, the majority of blame falls on the coaching staff in terms of initial evaluation, recruiting and development over time. Whether entirely accurate or fair it doesn't matter, the buck stops with the staff.

[DLUXHOG]

I agree with you about Bielema's comments. He wasn't intentionally throwing anyone under the bus. He might have phrased those things differently but he isn't wrong. It isn't just the responsibility of the staff to develop players, it is also up to the players to dedicate their effort to doing everything they can and develop habits that help themselves develop as players. You can lead a horse to water...

At this point no one wants to think anything but the worst of Bielema or this staff. That is just easier to do. I suspect that there is fault to be found on both sides of the equation but ultimately, the majority of blame falls on the coaching staff in terms of initial evaluation, recruiting and development over time. Whether entirely accurate or fair it doesn't matter, the buck stops with the staff.

wise comments........... WPS!!!

[hogcard1964]

Yes, you are on point and have shown the irony in his admission: Bielema's revelation shows more about him than the player and it isn't good.

We've seen this a few times this season.  First it was going public on Hedlund with the "juvenile" comment, which made no sense at all and now this garbage today.

He's been backed into a corner, he's in trouble and he's lashing out. i.e. we're starting to  see his real character.

[UA1985]

If he had nothing but 3-star OL recruits across the board, he and his staff should be able to develop them into a reliable, solid o-line by the time they are juniors and seniors. But he has a few 4-star players sprinkled in the mix and still cannot produce a reliable o-line.

Give him credit for Ragnow, but even with an all-america center, he can't produce a reliable o-line. That's inexcusable.

[Bebop]

We've seen this a few times this season.  First it was going public on Hedlund with the "juvenile" comment, which made no sense at all and now this garbage today.

He's been backed into a corner, he's in trouble and he's lashing out. i.e. we're starting to  see his real character.

You are right, but I was thinking his comments shows his deficiencies as a coach.

[Roaringboar]

It's from SEC Country, and I just want to make sure everyone has a chance to actually read what the head-hog had to say about his players.....sure it's a few days old......but most people didn't notice because we suck so bad right now anyways it's almost meaningless........

https://www.seccountry.com/arkansas/arkansas-coach-bret-bielema-kurt-anderson-offensive-line

[factchecker]

but most people didn't notice because we suck so bad right now anyways it's almost meaningless........

https://www.seccountry.com/arkansas/arkansas-coach-bret-bielema-kurt-anderson-offensive-line

That is a lie.  This press conference was already discussed:

http://www.hogville.net/yabbse/index.php?topic=639648.0

[Roaringboar]

That is a lie.  This press conference was already discussed:

http://www.hogville.net/yabbse/index.php?topic=639648.0

That right? Because you sure were asking about "Did Bret really say this" "Where did that come from" "When did this happen" in another thread.............maybe there was a thread on it, but some people obviously haven't seen the article.......maybe we should keep looking at it to remind what our coach is actually worth.......

[factchecker]

Because you sure were asking about "Did Bret really say this" "Where did that come from" "When did this happen" in another thread.............

More lies.

I asked you where this quote was from:

A coach is only gonna coach when a coach is gonna coach.  If the players aren't around when a coach is coaching, then the players don't get coached.  And, again, if we just had recruited well the last four years.  Anyway, I like the guys' attitude."

I never said :

"Did Bret really say this"

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[JaketheSnake]

http://www.wholehogsports.com/videos/2017/oct/09/13700/

Listen to the actual press conference and the questions asked rather than going off the exquisite journalism of Eric Bolin and Trent Shadid at the SEC Country blog.

[3kgthog]

What's that old bumper sticker say, my kid will beat up your honor student? I think it applies to BB's recruiting. Sure, he's gotten a few good apples that were SEC level players, but most have been so unathletic they'd get run over helping the old lady cross the street.

[Darren DeLoach]

/\ /\
This is a LOAD OF CRAP.

The coaches are paid professionals, and the state of the program IS ON THEM and the PEOPLE THAT HIRED THEM.

The players as they are today are just a symptom of the underlying problem there for everyone to see.  Your deflection attempt in defending the poor sensibilities of these fragile youths is *** pathetic.

The Arkansas sports media is the most spineless group of losers in your business.  You would be chewed up and spit out in any other SEC market.

Losers. 

Can I come by your place of employment and ridicule you?

[jgphillips3]

Can I come by your place of employment and ridicule you?

If you'll pay me $4 million a year, you can come to my office and sling Pig feces at me every day.

[Darren DeLoach]

If you'll pay me $4 million a year, you can come to my office and sling Pig feces at me every day.

Ha. Well, yea, but I was referring to the state media that the gentleman was defacing.

[Darren DeLoach]

Really! Cool deal. I rarely make it south while in California. But, would love to meet BRS.

[Darren DeLoach]

Surfing, though I rarely agree with the way you "voice" your opinions, I will say that you were one of the first and loudest naysayers of this hire. I wanted you to be wrong so badly, but clearly you were correct. Hope we do better next try.

[factchecker]

Sure, can you afford a ticket to San Diego?

You'll have to go catch our baseball team in the Tony Gynn Classic.

I think we are loaded for a good season.

[BoynamedWooPigSooie]

If this is the kind of fun that Jeff Long says Bielema brought back to the BAC.  Then please bring back a maniacal obsessed overbearing coach that can win and get us ranked in the Top 10 b/c that was kinda fun for the fans.

[Rzbakfromwaybak]

Well,  is he throwing players under the bus,  or is he just telling the truth?  There does not seem to be a lot of talent and play makers on this team.

Then the truth is....he recruited the wrong players.  He had 5 years to recruit better...."talent & playmakers".....& develop them.  This all falls on the HC.

[Pork Twain]

Well,  is he throwing players under the bus,  or is he just telling the truth?  There does not seem to be a lot of talent and play makers on this team.

He made a similar comment earlier in the season and it was at that point that he completely lost me.  Old leadership lesson I learned early in the USAF, praise in public, punish in private.  A leader that will cut down his troops or his players in public is not wroth a darn in my book.

Even if he is 100% correct, those are still the players he chose to recruit and that recruiting and subsequent lack of development falls directly on him and his coaches.

[smb]

He's had his 5 years.

[clew]

Here is the litmus test: if you brought back Hootie and the MSM to coach this season's team, would we have a better record?  I despise just about everything related to HDN, but he would have been able to motivate these guys into at least one more win (aTm) to date. Not looking forward to starting over, again, but what choice do we have?

[JaketheSnake]

Here is the litmus test: if you brought back Hootie and the MSM to coach this season's team, would we have a better record?  I despise just about everything related to HDN, but he would have been able to motivate these guys into at least one more win (aTm) to date. Not looking forward to starting over, again, but what choice do we have?

The problem with motivator coaches like HDN is we still lose games we shouldn't. We probably win a couple games we lost, but we would still lose games that we shouldn't.  We do that now as Well, but I think it evens out.

[Kevin]

No one is afraid to "lose their press passes." That has been the biggest joke response about Razorback media coverage forever. I can tell you, having been a beat reporter in the Hatfield and Crowe years in Fayetteville, when you are around these coaches and players on a daily basis, it's pretty difficult to go at it combatively from press conference to press conference. No one wants to be "that guy." This isn't an NFL team they are covering, those are professionals playing. Yeah, it means the world to you as a fan and you want every question asked by the media and answered by the coaches and players, but those are still students attending the UA and playing football too, a lot of them for the last year they'll ever play it. Asking the question the way Factchecker notes is the proper way to ask, and those type questions do get asked. The guys up there now are asking about Brian Wallace and why he isn't playing on a weekly basis now. They're asking "why isn't this working." Bielema is trying to answer it the fairest way he can. I don't see him throwing people under the bus with the answers today.
What is different from today than 25 years ago is, nobody in the media sees practices anymore. We knew everything going on in practice back then, and we knew who wasn't cutting in on the practice field. We'd know if "favorites were being played over better players," that sort of thing, and they weren't then. It's not as easy for the media now that they don't see practice, and now there are 5 times the media up there covering press conferences there trying to get something different while not seeing practices or having immediate access to players and all the coaches and trainers after practice. I wouldn't want to be doing it now, being a daily beat man up there under the current administration/conditions. I would love for Mike Irwin to chime in on this thread since he's lived it all for 38 years or more up there.

you guys are scared, just admit it. you ask softball questions & write fluff pieces.