Rest Easy, Wisconsin Fans. Bret Bielema Says He's Never Coming Back
Bret Bielema wants fans to know he plans on sticking with Illinois, and Wisconsin fans couldn't care less.
Bielema coached the Badgers to a 68-24 record before cutting and running to Arkansas for a major payday. His time in the SEC ended in absolute disaster.
Bielema was fired after five seasons that saw the Razorbacks go 29-34. After a few years away from college football, Bielema landed at Illinois and has done a reasonably impressive job.
The Fighting Illini are 13-12 through two seasons and trending up.
Bret Bielema claims he doesn't plan on leaving Illinois. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
Bret Bielema bizarrely claims he won't return to Wisconsin.
For reasons that remain unclear, the man running the show in Champagne wanted people to know he won't ever return to Madison......something not a single person in the state of Wisconsin wants to see happen.
"Honestly, in recruiting I get that a lot. 'You’re going to go back to Wisconsin. You’re going to go back to Iowa.' I’m like, 'Well, Wisconsin was already open and I didn’t go there,'" Bielema told the Illini Inquirer when talking about speculation he might leave Illinois.
You hear that, Wisconsin fans? Bret Bielema isn't returning. Rest easy knowing that he's not calling up Chris McIntosh demanding to be the head coach against.
Will Bret Bielema stay at Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Wisconsin fans don't want Bielema back.
This is a truly bizarre comment from Bielema. What a very strange thing for the Illinois coach to say. Wisconsin was already open and he didn't return?
Yeah, no kidding. The national guard would be deployed around Camp Randall in order to stop him from ever entering it again as the head coach of the Badgers.
Is Bret Bielema trying to imply he could have had the job if he wanted? Is he really trying to imply he could have returned to Madison over Luke Fickell?
Bret Bielema seems to imply he could have returned to Wisconsin if he wanted to. The Badgers hired Luke Fickell. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
That's just simply not true. Not only is Fickell a more accomplished coach, but Wisconsin fans would riot if the program ever hired Bielema again. I was in school at Wisconsin when Bielema left for Arkansas. Fans were very excited to see him leave.
Then his wife, Jen, hit fans with the infamous "#Karma" tweet after refs stole a win from the Badgers against Arizona State.
Since then, the Bielemas have more or less been viewed as enemy combatants. Persona-non-grata in the Badger State.
This classic "Eastbound & Down" scene more or less sums up the relationship between Bret Bielema and Wisconsin fans.
The Badgers play Illinois October 21, and revenge is on the mind. See you in a few months, Bret. Until then, stay frosty.