Time to move on from Bret Bielema

[hoglady]

They should have told him days ago, and given him the option to stay.  Being the man he is, he would have stayed for the last game.  This made them look bad because they handled it so poorly.  A bad start for the GOBN.  If you believe they didn't decide until today, then maybe you could be interim AD, too.

I can hear it now if they had done that.
How unfair to the Seniors on the team to fire him before their final game - they could have waited until after the game and let the Seniors have their day.

[Jimbob111]

Look at the reactions from his current and former players on twitter. They believe he deserved better. They don't seem to agree with the multitudes of you that were convinced he played favorites and had off the field issues. They believe he's a man of great character that cared about them and did what was best for them. It provides some good perspective. I believe he should have been fired, no doubt. But he left this program and these kids better off than when he got here, whether the record this year shows it or not. He made an impact on these players not only as athletes but as people. That's not a guess, that's straight from their own statements. They're not happy with the way it was handled and they love their coaches. So I believe it's inportant to remember that over the next few weeks.

I don't care what they believe or what they feel. If they wanted him to receive better, maybe they should have won some games.

His record is atrocious. No one can state that his conference record is anything but disastrous. Worse that both McElwain AND Butch. He SHOULD have been fired long ago when it was revealed that he was the absolutely worst hire that could have been made, which I predicted from the start.

[Wild Bill Hog]

They should have told him days ago, and given him the option to stay.  Being the man he is, he would have stayed for the last game.  This made them look bad because they handled it so poorly.  A bad start for the GOBN.  If you believe they didn't decide until today, then maybe you could be interim AD, too.

He should have figured it out long ago.  Surely he wasn't that blind.  If he was that blind Long's  termination should have made it apparent.

[Wild Bill Hog]

Exactly!  Most of these guys hate Bret because he's not Bobby.  And all they care about are football games because they're like children.  They want the Razorbacks to win because it makes them feel good.  They live vicariously through 18 - 22 year old boys.  When those boys don't win. . .neither do they.  They are failures in their own lives and so they need something to make them feel successful. In this case, it's the Razorback football team.

A bit whiney aren't you.

[rude1]

Exactly!  Most of these guys hate Bret because he's not Bobby.  And all they care about are football games because they're like children.  They want the Razorbacks to win because it makes them feel good.  They live vicariously through 18 - 22 year old boys.  When those boys don't win. . .neither do they.  They are failures in their own lives and so they need something to make them feel successful. In this case, it's the Razorback football team.

What's more puzzling to me is someone who is OK with losing. Show me a person ok with losing and I will show you a loser.

[hogsmash12]

What do they believe he deserved? To coach 2018 and see what happens? I don't twitter but if true I do find it unfortunate players embrace the current culture that is Razorback football. We won 4 games this year. Bielemas record here is the worst we have had since WW2.

It's almost scary to me that our current culture is literally that of embracing everything the past 6 years as something awesome and positive. Twilight Zone type stuff. I'm looking forward to the change of culture we will undoubtedly will see.

Boom! Twilight Zone indeed!!!!!!!

[Hog Milanese]

Snowflakes

[Farmer Hogget]

A bit whiney aren't you.

So, the explanation of facts is whiney to you, eh?  The you're probably one of the these people.

[snoblind]

So, the explanation of facts is whiney to you, eh?  The you're probably one of the these people.

LOL,  those weren't facts.  Maybe you ought to run along and find yourself a nice Sooner board.

[Farmer Hogget]

You are so far off the mark it's ridiculous.

If it's just about character, getting the "kids" to class, and coddling their precious little feelings, then go get a Boy Scout leader and let him coach the football team for 100k a year.

Bielema is a classic example of how it ultimately doesn't matter without the wins. I want a coach that runs a clean program. But if that coach can't win, it makes no difference. The last five years were a complete waste for the Razorback football program.

I'm sure Bert's players think he's great and that he's their best friend. But they only see this team and this staff. Most of them don't see big picture and probably don't care. By some of their reactions, they seem to be just peachy at 4-8 at the bottom of the SEC.

That's not acceptable and never will be regardless of their feelings or anyone else's. You don't pay big money for coaches, expand a stadium, have top notch facilities, and charge high prices for tickets without the expectation of a winning product on the field.

This is a perfect example of one of these people.  They resort to calling him "Bert" as if the name "Bert" is some sort of insult.  There are perfectly amiable people I know named Bert and they most likely find it offensive that their name is being used as an insult to Bret.  But, I digress.  Children do this when they last out at people because they don't make them happy.  They call these people names and insult them.  They make up all kinds of rational for their own behavior in order to justify it to themselves.  This is a classic example of this type of behavior.

[regi]

Bert is easy to like,  I am sure the players liked him,  most people like him.  If they had done better than 11-29, he would still be here for them to like. I mean,  this was not a hard  decision to make.  11-29, says it all.  There is nothing that needs defending for his firing.

[Farmer Hogget]

LOL,  those weren't facts.  Maybe you ought to run along and find yourself a nice Sooner board.

They are facts.  And, I will most likely leave soon enough.  Arkansas is proving that the only thing that will matter is wins no matter how they are achieved and I do not find turning the University of Arkansas into Auburn, Ole Miss, or Baylor appealing in the least.  I might as well support the Sooners. 

[Wild Bill Hog]

So, the explanation of facts is whiney to you, eh?  The you're probably one of the these people.

Didn't see any "facts" in your post.  Certainly didn't spot any kind of "explanation".  All I saw was whimpering.  Maybe you thought you posted something else.

[greenie]

I can hear it now if they had done that.
How unfair to the Seniors on the team to fire him before their final game - they could have waited until after the game and let the Seniors have their day.

They let the Srs have their day by letting him coach the last game.  They knew that they had to hurriedly fire him after the game. That's why they had the press release ready to go.  This was an amateur move.  The grownups around the conference knew how to take care of it.  And to top it all off, they rolled this "AD" out there to tell us she's going to take care of it on her own.  Ridiculous.  Reminds me of the Alexander Haig press conference.

[Wild Bill Hog]

They are facts.  And, I will most likely leave soon enough.  Arkansas is proving that the only thing that will matter is wins no matter how they are achieved and I do not find turning the University of Arkansas into Auburn, Ole Miss, or Baylor appealing in the least.  I might as well support the Sooners. 

Gee, another low count poster threatening to leave.  How many times have we seen this?  LOL

[Jimbob111]

Bert is easy to like,  I am sure the players liked him,  most people like him.  If they had done better than 11-29, he would still be here for them to like. I mean,  this was not a hard  decision to make.  11-29, says it all.  There is nothing that needs defending for his firing.

Sure, he's easy to like. But it would be better if he were easy to call a good coach, which he is not.  So I don't worry about what the players think because when I watched them quit last season and again this season, I realized that what they are SAYING isn't what is inside them.

Sure they like him. But in high school, I liked the janitor and hated my football coach. Liking somebody doesn't make them good at their job, doesn't make them competent, and doesn't make you an evaluator of whether or not they are good at that job.

Was Brett done wrong? No. He should have been fired over a month ago.

Brett was done better than an employee of his caliber should have been done.

[HawgnCorona]

We should not be surprised, he is players coach but what more could give him doesnt already have to be successful here?

[leroyhawg]

Look at the reactions from his current and former players on twitter. They believe he deserved better. They don't seem to agree with the multitudes of you that were convinced he played favorites and had off the field issues. They believe he's a man of great character that cared about them and did what was best for them. It provides some good perspective. I believe he should have been fired, no doubt. But he left this program and these kids better off than when he got here, whether the record this year shows it or not. He made an impact on these players not only as athletes but as people. That's not a guess, that's straight from their own statements. They're not happy with the way it was handled and they love their coaches. So I believe it's inportant to remember that over the next few weeks.

when a Coach is let go there is usually a few days where the players go through the grieving process, mad at everyone that fired or says not so nice things, then reality sets in and the sun keeps coming up and life goes on, some will be happier with a new Coach, a few will leave but at the end of the day this is just another life lesson, making men out of boys, Bret was a nice guy.

[hawginbigd1]

If you don't think this program is better than what he took over you a. Are clueless b. Have an agenda driven hatred, or c. Not very bright.  This has nothing to do with him being fired, i got on the bus weeks ago but our program is solid and a good coach can be successful quickly based on what he built

[jabberjawls]

If you don't think this program is better than what he took over you a. Are clueless b. Have an agenda driven hatred, or c. Not very bright.  This has nothing to do with him being fired, i got o

[Wild Bill Hog]

0-8 year one, and 1-7 year five.  Maybe you are answer c.

LOL. +1

[leroyhawg]

They should have told him days ago, and given him the option to stay.  Being the man he is, he would have stayed for the last game.  This made them look bad because they handled it so poorly.  A bad start for the GOBN.  If you believe they didn't decide until today, then maybe you could be interim AD, too.

Don't fool yourself he knew it was going to be his last game as Head Coach for the Hogs, if he didn't know, you 2 were the only ones in the State that didn't and indicates he should've been paid about 9 bucks an hour to prepare him for the real world. It's going to be rough out there if he really didn't know, that's sad makes me want to cry for Bret!

[hawgball40]

If you don't think this program is better than what he took over you a. Are clueless b. Have an agenda driven hatred, or c. Not very bright.  This has nothing to do with him being fired, i got on the bus weeks ago but our program is solid and a good coach can be successful quickly based on what he built

Ah, the old either/or logical fallacy.

#45 on the masterlist of logical fallacies at UTEP. took me a while to find it, but maybe try a new argument, since you also didn't provide any supporting evidence for your claim. http://utminers.utep.edu/omwilliamson/ENGL1311/fallacies.htm

Either/Or Reasoning: (also False Dilemma, False Dichotomy, Black/White Fallacy, False Binary): A fallacy of logos that falsely offers only two possible options even though a broad range of possible alternatives, variations and combinations are always readily available. E.g., "Either you are 100% Simon Straightarrow or you are as queer as a three dollar bill--it's as simple as that and there's no middle ground!" Or, "Either you're in with us all the way or you're a hostile and must be destroyed!  What's it gonna be?"  Also applies to falsely contrasting one option or case to another that is not really opposed, e.g., falsely opposing "Black Lives Matter" to "Blue Lives Matter" when in fact not a few police officers are themselves African American, and African Americans and police are not (or ought not to be!) natural enemies. Or, falsely posing a choice of either helping needy American veterans or helping needy foreign refugees, when in fact in today's United States there are ample available resources to easily do both should we care to do so.  See also, Overgeneralization.

[Hawgzinbowlz]

Stockholm syndrome:
Stockholm syndrome, or capture-bonding, is a psychological phenomenon described in 1973 in which hostages express empathy and sympathy and have positive feelings toward their captors, sometimes to the point of defending and identifying with the captors.

The decent man and poor coach is gone...It's a good evening in the Ozarks as there is room for hope in our program.

" GO HOGS "

[HawgnCorona]

Exactly!  Most of these guys hate Bret because he's not Bobby.  And all they care about are football games because they're like children.  They want the Razorbacks to win because it makes them feel good.  They live vicariously through 18 - 22 year old boys.  When those boys don't win. . .neither do they.  They are failures in their own lives and so they need something to make them feel successful. In this case, it's the Razorback football team.

What a bunch of BS! Most people on here didnt hate BB because of Petrino. He got a good hardy welcome when he Jen came here. YJMSU! BB did this to himself just like Petrino. Both given "keys to the city" but in there own sweet way screwed the pooch. With a highly paid coaching staff. How about the fact that we just want cheer on a winner? I think what most of us felt was embarrassment thru all of this! But obviously you dont see that way...

But if you and those like you want a loser go ahead knock yourselves out...

[leroyhawg]

Bert is easy to like,  I am sure the players liked him,  most people like him.  If they had done better than 11-29, he would still be here for them to like. I mean,  this was not a hard  decision to make.  11-29, says it all.  There is nothing that needs defending for his firing.

Bingo!

[leroyhawg]

They let the Srs have their day by letting him coach the last game.  They knew that they had to hurriedly fire him after the game. That's why they had the press release ready to go.  This was an amateur move.  The grownups around the conference knew how to take care of it.  And to top it all off, they rolled this "AD" out there to tell us she's going to take care of it on her own.  Ridiculous.  Reminds me of the Alexander Haig press conference.

I don't know if you've ever fired anyone or not but it's never easy, I have found over the years that most people fire themselves. Bret's performance fired him, I still like Bret and wish him nothing but happiness but in the end Bret fired himself.

[leroyhawg]

Again, your personal conjecture is not fact.

Who said anything about Arkansas becoming like those programs?

Bielema was expected to produce a winning product on the football field and failed to do so. His 5 year record is abysmal. Can you not wrap your mind around that?

Wins are the #1 measurable on this job description

[Hogwild]

Bert is easy to like,  I am sure the players liked him,  most people like him.  If they had done better than 11-29, he would still be here for them to like. I mean,  this was not a hard  decision to make.  11-29, says it all.  There is nothing that needs defending for his firing.

You are right, he was well liked. But a 11-29 speaks for all.

[leroyhawg]

Stockholm syndrome:
Stockholm syndrome, or capture-bonding, is a psychological phenomenon described in 1973 in which hostages express empathy and sympathy and have positive feelings toward their captors, sometimes to the point of defending and identifying with the captors.

The decent man and poor coach is gone...It's a good evening in the Ozarks as there is room for hope in our program.

" GO HOGS "

I was thinking the exact same way

[Torqued pork]

Bielema will never have to work another day in his life unless he chooses. How many have that option?

Hopefully,  no Hog coach will ever be paid so much while producing so little. He would've already been fired at some SEC schools if not most.

Save the tears for people in the real world.

[twistitup]

No time for good guys that don't win- we can find that type of coach on the cheap

[Kevin]

can some of you not see the forest for the trees.

They did not fire him on the field or in that room afterwards. It was already done, before the game. He was taken in the room to let them pass out the statement, and for someone to tell the players. Then, in a professional manner they let him go talk to his players one more time as a team, and let him go address the media.



you cannot believe everything they tell you, you have to be smart enough to see through it.

Yes, they could have waited till today, fired him, told him to keep it quiet till Monday, and then tell the team, the have the release. And how long would that have been kept secret. They did not want the players to find out on social media.

some of you guys will gripe about everything.

as he said he gets to move on

[PygmalionEffect2]

OP's point is well taken and cause for second guessing the process.

I've seen 100's of college coaches get fired but this is the first time I can remember any of them getting comments of support from their players.


It's extremely unusual to the normal laughing and ridicule you hear expressed by players immediately following the firing of their coach.


Great point Pork Rinds. 

[Dirty]

They will get over it or they can leave

[dfwalumdad]

If you don't think this program is better than what he took over you a. Are clueless b. Have an agenda driven hatred, or c. Not very bright.  This has nothing to do with him being fired, i got on the bus weeks ago but our program is solid and a good coach can be successful quickly based on what he built

sorry my man, but there is nothing quantifiable that you can point to suggesting this team is better today than when bert took over. not by record, not by roster, not a single thing you can point too.

his best two years were with petrino's players.

we just won 11 conference games in 5 years. that's the worst record of any coach since joining the conference.

that's quantifiable, that's something you can point too, that's something you can touch, that's real.

[RexMentor]

In the 800s, local factions in Rome staged a serious battle for the position of Pope. In 897, a member of what I'll call faction A got the job. He so hated his predecessor, a Pope from faction B, that he called a synod, had the dead Pope's body dug up, put on trial and the dead Pope was found guilty. It actually happened.
I think there's something like this going on with CBB. The man showed an ton of class after being told he's being fired. Some who wanted him gone aren't able to muster that kind of class.

[SemperFi]

They're kids and Bret Bielema was a players coach, so of course they love their coach. Once the new coach is in place and he establishes himself the vast majority of these kids will get on board. For those that don't I wish them well. 

[PharmacistHog]

Half the posters around here have been chirping all season about how the players had quit or how they didn't like bielema. Obviously you were wrong and THAT is part of the op's point. But its done now and bielema seemed to go out classy with nothing but good words about arkansas. Ya'll should move on now. Go direct your misery somewhere else.

[code red]

Look at the reactions from his current and former players on twitter. They believe he deserved better. They don't seem to agree with the multitudes of you that were convinced he played favorites and had off the field issues. They believe he's a man of great character that cared about them and did what was best for them. It provides some good perspective. I believe he should have been fired, no doubt. But he left this program and these kids better off than when he got here, whether the record this year shows it or not. He made an impact on these players not only as athletes but as people. That's not a guess, that's straight from their own statements. They're not happy with the way it was handled and they love their coaches. So I believe it's inportant to remember that over the next few weeks.

They like him because he was soft.  He did them no favors.  He instilled poor work ethic and his physic demonstrated his lazy ethic.  For goodness sake I haven't seen him in anything but sweats this year.

[dfwalumdad]

They like him because he was soft.  He did them no favors.  He instilled poor work ethic and his physic demonstrated his lazy ethic.  For goodness sake I haven't seen him in anything but sweats this year.

amen!

[Martygit]

Look at the reactions from his current and former players on twitter. They believe he deserved better. They don't seem to agree with the multitudes of you that were convinced he played favorites and had off the field issues. They believe he's a man of great character that cared about them and did what was best for them. It provides some good perspective. I believe he should have been fired, no doubt. But he left this program and these kids better off than when he got here, whether the record this year shows it or not. He made an impact on these players not only as athletes but as people. That's not a guess, that's straight from their own statements. They're not happy with the way it was handled and they love their coaches. So I believe it's inportant to remember that over the next few weeks.

I think that it's important for you to remember that the opinions on Hogville and the multitude of experts on here are much more important than a mere football player - Geesh!! (sarcasm for those with limited resources)

[HogBreath]

A bit whiney aren't you.

Cut her some slack, lil' Hoggette has been bawling her eyes out.

[shown006]

they'll love Norvell more. They'll really love winning.

WPS

Truth!  What are the players supposed to say, "I really hated playing for CBB.  They know what they're supposed to say, and don't want to come off as having not supported the HC."  If they liked CBB so much, they would've won more games so he could've stayed.

[EastexHawg]

Even Bret said he preferred it the ACTUAL way it went down, ya'll keep glossing over that too.

Doesn't fit the desired narrative.  Plus...once you have painted yourself into the "classless" corner it's tricky getting out.

[Porkys Revenge]

And all the players loved Johnelle because he ran around practice playing patty cakes and getting everyone's piss hot. Guess you don't remember how that turned out 

[Meatman]

Life is full of bumps and bruises. I wish Brett well and I believe he will be just fine. It's just that he was in a little over his head in the SEC. No shame in that. I suspect that if he continues to coach he will be a winning couch, with a high percentage of wins.

As a side note: It is always good to treat people with dignity and respect. It is natural to be disappointed from time to time. Such is life. But don't throw stones at people. Leave that to the barbarians.
We could all do better in this regard, seems to me.
Best wishes Brett........and.....Go Hogs!

[jkstock04]

Stockholm syndrome:
Stockholm syndrome, or capture-bonding, is a psychological phenomenon described in 1973 in which hostages express empathy and sympathy and have positive feelings toward their captors, sometimes to the point of defending and identifying with the captors.

The decent man and poor coach is gone...It's a good evening in the Ozarks as there is room for hope in our program.

" GO HOGS "

A variation of this is what we have going on....gotta be.

[ballz2thewall]

Look at the reactions from his current and former players on twitter. They believe he deserved better. They don't seem to agree with the multitudes of you that were convinced he played favorites and had off the field issues. They believe he's a man of great character that cared about them and did what was best for them. It provides some good perspective. I believe he should have been fired, no doubt. But he left this program and these kids better off than when he got here, whether the record this year shows it or not. He made an impact on these players not only as athletes but as people. That's not a guess, that's straight from their own statements. They're not happy with the way it was handled and they love their coaches. So I believe it's inportant to remember that over the next few weeks.

exactly how many current players?

and does that really matter?

no; it does not.

[DeltaBoy]

1-7 in conference and nearly losing to Coastal Carolina in year 5 = failure. No room for argument there.

Well if they loved him so much , why didn't they win more games for him?