Bret Beliema quote on tunnel incident
I was not oblivious to the fact of what started to get reported on Saturday night and I knew it would have a huge effect on my team,” Bielema said. “I know what Coach Tucker stands for, he’s a tremendous person. … We go to Michigan in two weeks so there’s things that I’m filing away right now that I’ll bring up that week when that moment comes.”
Is this idiot really gonna try to bring up negative shit on Michigan or Harbaugh to try and make light of what happened because he likes Mel?
November 4th, 2022 at 10:48 AM ^
Sorry to hear that. In 1964, the Wolverines defeated the Illini team that included Butkus, but Timberlake was generous in his praise of Butkus. I would have hoped the respect was mutual.
Maybe he resented the sense of superiority displayed by some of our fans? That can be pretty annoying.
November 4th, 2022 at 2:37 PM ^
To be fair, Illinois has a pretty solid academic reputation. Outside of Michigan and Northwestern, Illinois and Wisconsin are probably the next two top academically esteemed schools in the BIG, though that will change when UCLA and USC join.
November 4th, 2022 at 6:38 AM ^
Forget about that fatboy, you better "bring up" a team ready to play.
November 4th, 2022 at 6:45 AM ^
That a threat, Bert?
On a more serious note...
..."huh?"
November 4th, 2022 at 1:12 PM ^
You fucked up too Mel.
November 4th, 2022 at 6:54 AM ^
hey bert, lay off the jelly donuts or you're not even going to fit in the tunnel.
November 4th, 2022 at 7:55 AM ^
The only thing that surprises me about Bret is that he doesn't make oinking sounds when he talks. If I remember right, when he coached Wisconsin, no one's knees were safe.
November 4th, 2022 at 10:07 AM ^
I imagine he make plenty of grunting noises if he has to bend over to pick something up off the floor or tie his shoes. He's a repugnant looking fellow who wants to write checks with his cake-hole that his team has to back up.
November 4th, 2022 at 9:16 AM ^
Can we just start calling him Bert Bulimia? Might do him some good.
November 4th, 2022 at 9:55 AM ^
At least the team doesn't need to worry about sandwiches being thrown at them with bert nearby.
November 4th, 2022 at 11:06 AM ^
And why aren’t you allowed jelly doughnuts, Coach Pyle?
November 4th, 2022 at 12:08 PM ^
Because you are a DISGUSTING FAT BODY!
November 4th, 2022 at 12:21 PM ^
in training to play zero-tech. will take two O-linemen and a front end loader to move me, coach!
November 4th, 2022 at 6:57 AM ^
STFU bert.
November 4th, 2022 at 7:05 AM ^
Not sure what he is going for here. Seems like a weak motivational play if "how dare they get upset when a group of players gang up on and assault one of their players" gets the juices flowing.
Mel Tucker may be a tremendous person, and pretty sure he said the behavior was completely unacceptable and suspended 8 players for their conduct. Seems like the proper response until the investigation is finished. The problem Tucker has is this bullshit goes back long before he came to MSU. It's a culture issue that hopefully he can address.
November 4th, 2022 at 7:14 AM ^
Mel Tucker is a tremendous person who pretended that he knew nothing at the after-game press.
November 4th, 2022 at 9:58 AM ^
Mel Tucker is a tremendous person...
He's just not a good football coach. Kinda like my Uncle Bostock. Only Uncle B doesn't really know the game as he is from Ireland.
November 4th, 2022 at 7:11 AM ^
He probably just means protocol around the tunnel, security, making sure his players follow the rules. Things coaches do when they don’t suck at their job.
November 4th, 2022 at 8:34 AM ^
What’s he gonna “remind” them of? Don’t brutally assault stray Michigan players in the tunnel? Is this where we’re at that players must be reminded of something like this?
November 4th, 2022 at 9:38 AM ^
Might be that he just reminds them they will be in mixed company in the tunnel, and don't act like an ass. Show Illinois has some class, when we lose.
November 4th, 2022 at 10:14 AM ^
Perhaps I'm missing the rest of the quote for context but I view it more as knowing what just happened, he means to alert his team that there will be alot of eyes on them, so if they see a Michigan player in the tunnel don't be like MSU and be stupid and felonious and gang up on players you see in the tunnel when they lose
November 4th, 2022 at 10:31 AM ^
You know cancel culture has reached its peak when you can't even gang assault an opposing player you catch alone after a game
November 4th, 2022 at 10:39 AM ^
'Effin libs...
November 4th, 2022 at 12:11 PM ^
Thanks, Obama!
November 4th, 2022 at 11:25 AM ^
I agree. First half of the quote probably means that he expected lots of suspensions for this week when he plays MSU. Second half probably means he'll remind his players not to jaw with Michigan at the half or after the game in the tunnel. No clue why including the middle part praising Mel, though.
November 4th, 2022 at 7:12 AM ^
Hard to say what he meant here
Maybe he was saying Tucker acted appropriately in the aftermath (tbh I think they have done as good a job as possible so far)
And then you would hope saying he'll bring up stuff to his team means "don't start shit in the tunnel"
November 4th, 2022 at 8:48 AM ^
I don't know what Bret means here. I would like to have seen a link for this, see if I could get a little more context. It sounds really cryptic as it's posted here.
I can't really make sense of some of it, like why it has an effect on his players or why he's even talking about Tucker. Maybe if I heard the full question and quote it would make more sense.
It's hard to believe he would want Illinois to get riled up and try to start some shit. Why would he want his players in a fight, even if he thinks he can get Michigan to "start" it? Maybe he just wants them to get into a verbal and middle finger war like we had with Ohio State, since apparently that was a horrible horrible thing, and he thinks that will cause Michigan more headaches about the tunnel.
Or maybe he just means I will make sure they go to the locker room.
November 4th, 2022 at 8:56 AM ^
Prior to it and after he just talks about the Michigan St team as a whole. This was just a question asked of him and this is how he responded to it.
November 4th, 2022 at 9:06 AM ^
Did he speak with the ellipsis?
Anyway, if context isn't going to add anything, it's meaningless nonsensical drivel.
November 4th, 2022 at 9:04 AM ^
I think it means he's gonna try to get in Michigan and Harbaugh's head by bringing up tunnel security and other issues before the game with the B1G, like demanding changes to the protocol, etc., to make us lose focus on game prep.
November 4th, 2022 at 9:08 AM ^
Sad for him, Nebraska will have already come through the tunnel, so it will be shown once again that it works.
Or, if somehow someone starts throwing tunafish sandwiches, then it will be an issue without Bret saying anything.
He should focus on football.
November 4th, 2022 at 10:27 AM ^
If there are tuna fish sandwiches around ol’ Bert will be shoveling them into his mouth.
November 4th, 2022 at 12:51 PM ^
I read it that way initially as well. Buy after reading the full quote, I don't think that's what he was saying at all. I think he just meant that at the appropriate time, he would be talking to his team about it. I take it as he means he will do what he can to ensure they don't have similar issues.
But he is kind of a POS, so maybe I'm misinterpreting his comments.
November 4th, 2022 at 7:19 AM ^
Bielema is a meathead, always has been and always will be.
He’s also part of the whole bizarre hard-on for Michigan crew of B1G coaches. I don’t get it, never have, but there’s just something about Michigan that sets B1G coaches teeth on edge.
November 4th, 2022 at 8:22 AM ^
This answer will open me up to the "Michigan Arrogance" label, but I think it's obvious why Michigan is always the target.
The fact is that Michigan is the superior institution in the Big Ten.
No other school provides the combination of elite academics, the national and international reputation, the nature of the student body, being top-ranked in almost every field of study, the community in which the university is located, the overall success of the athletic programs, the school spirit, etc.
HS students from all over the country are clamoring to attend Michigan. After Harvard, Yale, Stanford, MIT, and handful of others, Michigan is next on the preference list of most high-achieving students.
Sure, Northwestern is slightly higher ranked academically. You could make an argument for Madison as a college town. Yes, OSU has enjoyed more success on the football field.
But no other Big Ten school offers Michigan's unique combination of excellence in all areas.
That's just a fact. And everyone else knows it. And it pisses them off.
November 4th, 2022 at 8:27 AM ^
There's sure plenty of Michigan arrogance, but I'm not sure whether football coaches on average care all that much about their institutional academic ranking. It's nice to tout, and some coaches care broadly about academics, but I just don't see that being the key.
November 4th, 2022 at 8:35 AM ^
If you re-read my comment, you'll note that I mention more than just academic ranking.
Michigan offers - by far - the most comprehensive and unique combination of overall excellence in the Big Ten.
Not to mention the national and international brand and recognition.
You don't think this bothers other schools and their students and coaches?
MSU thinks they're no longer "Little Brother" because they've bested us on the football field over the past 15 years. Being "Little Brother" has nothing to do with football wins and losses. It's a mentality...one based on the overall feeling of inferiority and defensiveness that emanates from East Lansing. And it really pisses them off that - despite the performance on the football field - Michigan still garners far more attention and prestige than MSU. I think they really thought that winning a few football games would somehow elevate the school in terms of national reputation and attention.
The data supports the point re: MSU especially. Their admittance rate is 75-80%...with 75-80% of the students coming from in-state. Michigan's admittance rate is now about 20%...with about half of the students coming from in-state. MSU is a nice regional/state school. Michigan is an international powerhouse.
The reality is that - overall - every other school in the Big Ten is inferior to Michigan. And this bugs the shit out of the other schools.
November 4th, 2022 at 8:45 AM ^
Ok yeah that’s pretty arrogant.
November 4th, 2022 at 8:47 AM ^
But it's all true.
The facts are the facts.
November 4th, 2022 at 10:01 AM ^
Well, if we're honest, whether it's true or not, would anyone think that your explanation there is in any shape or form likeable? No-one likes to be talked down to, even if there's some truth to it. Nobody wants their wealthier neighbor to show up and detail the many ways in which they are better.
Surely, if someone you know did that, what would quite naturally happen is that rather than going "fair points all, you are superior to me in every single way, and I admire that", you would say "well you might have more money and a better car, and a bigger house, and you send your kids to private school etc. etc. but you're still a f*cking dick" and you would hate them for it.
November 4th, 2022 at 10:08 AM ^
OK, then what you got? Why do so many teams get up for M where they don't for others? If you've got a better explanation I'm glad to hear it.
Every year, no matter if it's up or down, M gets a lot of attention. But so does OSU, yet I haven't observed teams approach OSU the same way as M.
November 4th, 2022 at 11:13 AM ^
BlueMK, my answer might not be "likeable"...but it does accurately and factually answer the question as to why so many Big Ten teams and their coaches seem to dislike Michigan.
Envy/jealousy is a strong emotion...one that drives many of our actions and much of what we do.
I don't make these types of comments to my friends who went to or are fans of the other 13 schools currently in the Big Ten.
But, whether they want to admit it or not, they know what I'm saying here is true.
Let's do a survey of all of the Big Ten football teams' fan bases and ask them to list their team's top 3 rivals. I'd be willing to bet that Michigan would show up on more of those lists than any other team...including OSU.
November 4th, 2022 at 11:17 AM ^
Yes, but if you and your neighbors all bring something to a block party and a dozen media outlets start comparing everyone on the block to the wealthy neighbor, that doesn't make the neighbor a dick. It just irritates everyone else.
November 4th, 2022 at 9:20 AM ^
Why would any kid want to attend MSU over Michigan unless their life's goal was to watch grass grow or stick their arm up a cow's asshole?
November 4th, 2022 at 9:51 AM ^
serious answer: I've known some very smart kids who went to MSU on a full ride vs. paying out-of-state at Michigan or elsewhere.
November 4th, 2022 at 10:13 AM ^
It used to be MSU was simply a fallback school. Now you have to be a top student to get in there as well. Many goofball MSU alums (I use that term endearingly) I know who were just a bit above average students in the day would not be admitted now. Kids have to have at least a 3.75 and good test scores to even be considered now.
My wife works in a school and many of them think their very average kids will be accepted because they were. Nope, not any more.
Funny thing is, MSU had a long rep for having a lot of babes and UM not so much. Well that's evened out recently. The cute bubbleheads have to find a different school now.
November 4th, 2022 at 11:11 AM ^
Sad if true—cute bubbleheads was Sparty’s only saving grace.
November 4th, 2022 at 12:19 PM ^
Kids have to have at least a 3.75 and good test scores to even be considered now.
Maybe if they're out-of-state. In-state students can still get admitted pretty easily to MSU.
Total HS enrollment in Michigan is declining, so there are only so many top students out there. An in-state student with a 3.75 has a solid chance of getting into UM, and is a lock to get into MSU. Their average HS GPA is more like 3.4 or thereabouts.
Out-of-state is another story.
November 4th, 2022 at 7:19 AM ^
Sounds like Bret is walking a fine line given that they play MSU this week (good ploy to compliment Tucker) and then playing us in a couple of weeks. "Things to file away" I take to mean: get to your locker room without stopping to assault the other team's players.