I had an interesting conversation last week with an Arkansas fan and a Wisconsin fan. We had a corporate training session that broughtin folks from around the country, including a Razorback and a Badger.
FYI I was under the impression Bielema had performed very poorly so far at Arkansas and that despite "playing up" in a few games this year his lack of wins in the SEC would have him on the hotseat in 2015. Also, from reading this board I was under the impression he was a world-renknowned A-Hole.
Well, Razorback fan says the Arkansas faithful are head over heels in love with him. She said they feel he has Arkansas good enough to compete with anyone in the SEC and they expect to win their division in 2015. When i gagged she pointed out they are ranked 14 in the preseason polls (I never bothered to confirm this). Also they were (in the eyes of Razorback fans) very competitive despite all the losses and they feel he has installed outstanding offensive and defensive systems. Basically she said they were closer to building a statue for Bielema than firing him.
When I asked about him being a world class jerk, she was taken aback. He is a SAINT in their eyes. She rattled off two or three stories about community outreach programs he has started along with his status as a noble father figure for the young men on the team. When I brought up all the rumors of problems he had getting along with folks at Wisconsin , the Badger fan jumped in to say that Alvarez was the problem, and that Badger fans would take Bielema back in a heartbeat and that they feel Alvarez ran off a great coach and had basically taken the program hostage as a cranky old man who cant let go. She also said there were never any rumors of problems with Bielema in Madison before he left.
Not sure that this is anything more but a different perspective on the same set of facts. But it did give me pause. Maybe Bielema isnt the giant D-bag I had been told he was... or maybe Arkansas fans are morons .
Time will tell all, I suppose.
FYI I was under the impression Bielema had performed very poorly so far at Arkansas and that despite "playing up" in a few games this year his lack of wins in the SEC would have him on the hotseat in 2015. Also, from reading this board I was under the impression he was a world-renknowned A-Hole.
Well, Razorback fan says the Arkansas faithful are head over heels in love with him. She said they feel he has Arkansas good enough to compete with anyone in the SEC and they expect to win their division in 2015. When i gagged she pointed out they are ranked 14 in the preseason polls (I never bothered to confirm this). Also they were (in the eyes of Razorback fans) very competitive despite all the losses and they feel he has installed outstanding offensive and defensive systems. Basically she said they were closer to building a statue for Bielema than firing him.
When I asked about him being a world class jerk, she was taken aback. He is a SAINT in their eyes. She rattled off two or three stories about community outreach programs he has started along with his status as a noble father figure for the young men on the team. When I brought up all the rumors of problems he had getting along with folks at Wisconsin , the Badger fan jumped in to say that Alvarez was the problem, and that Badger fans would take Bielema back in a heartbeat and that they feel Alvarez ran off a great coach and had basically taken the program hostage as a cranky old man who cant let go. She also said there were never any rumors of problems with Bielema in Madison before he left.
Not sure that this is anything more but a different perspective on the same set of facts. But it did give me pause. Maybe Bielema isnt the giant D-bag I had been told he was... or maybe Arkansas fans are morons .
Time will tell all, I suppose.
