Like It Is

Bielema's rule: Use some common sense

Bret Bielema talks with the media during the Razorback Football Signing Day event Thursday, Feb. 5, 2015, in LIttle Rock.

Arkansas Coach Bret Bielema is old school and isn't changing, at least not when it comes to discipline.

He recruits athletes to play football, go to class and follow the rules.

No ifs, ands, or buts.

When defensive lineman Tevin Beanum was arrested for suspicion of driving under the influence, Bielema made one call and then basically grounded the redshirt freshman.

The call was to Beanum's mom, Sandra, who apparently agreed with the punishment.

Bielema was quoted nationwide about limiting Beanum's use of his car.

"I think a lot of today's problems can be solved by an old-school way of thinking," Bielema said. "So I picked up the phone and called his mom. We talked about different things. He has to go through the court system, and obviously he'll have ramifications. But I've basically banned the use of his car for any time other than when he's coming over here or going to academics.

"His car is to remain parked. If he gets pulled over for running through a stoplight at 10:30 at night, then he's violated my rules and there's going to be an even bigger consequence."

Apparently Bielema also suspended JoJo Robinson, but that was only for a week, and an unnamed player was suspended because he wasn't attending class as regularly as Bielema expects.

Bielema raised some eyebrows back in January at the American Football Coaches Association convention when he said: "I love when coaches have five rules in their locker room, and No. 1 is no guns. Well, no s***."

That caused a little controversy in Austin, Texas, because Charlie Strong, the Longhorns head coach, speaks proudly of his five rules, but no guns isn't No. 1. It's No. 3. No. 1 is no drugs, No. 2 is no stealing and the final two are no earrings and treat women with respect.

More than likely don't drink and drive isn't written down anywhere in Bielema's camp. It is understood that you don't break the law, and drinking and driving is breaking the law.

That doesn't make Beanum is a bad kid. It makes him a college kid who made a mistake and has a chance to fix it. He'll just be walking for a while as he goes about straightening out his problem.

...

Bobby Ampezzan, editor of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette's High Profile section, which will have coverage of the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame Banquet this Sunday, sent me the following email about one of that night's inductees.

"You know, about a year ago I arrived at 6 a.m. at the LR airport," Ampezzan wrote. "I got my ticket and headed for the full body scanner. Behind me I heard, 'Yo, what's up?' It was a guy extending his hand to another guy directly behind me, and I looked and saw Pat Bradley. All the way through the line for the scanner and even the TSA guys had high-fives for him. Bradley was like a celebrity.

"Everybody knew him, and you know what? Bradley acted gracious and interested in everybody. He was all smiles. He asked them questions or made small talk. Nobody who recognized him felt ill at ease saying, 'Yo, what's up?' He rewarded that reaction.

"I sat at my gate just marveling at the graciousness Bradley exhibited, and he didn't have to. It was 6 in the morning! He would have been perfectly polite saying, "Hey there! Good to see you," and then moving on, but he didn't. It was like everyone he met was someone he knew when he was a kid. Like he was happy to see them. I'll never forget that."

Bradley, who arrived in Fayetteville telling people he was a "shooting god" (think Boston accent) embraced this state and made it his home, and he treats everyone like they are family.

Sports on 03/04/2015