Arkansas coach’s shoes fit for a Cinderella

HOOVER, Ala. -- Bret Bielema made the biggest splash of SEC football media days, and it had almost nothing to do with the Arkansas Razorbacks.

It was his shoes.

He wore tennis shoes that sparkled like slippers in a beauty contest. He called them his bling.

Bielema can get away with wearing whatever he wants because he was, is and always will be a nose guard.

A guy who is fearless. Respectful, but fearless.

When he looks at the glass of water, it is about to be overflowing because he's going to pour until it happens. That's his mentality.

He's positive, upbeat and unafraid.

Bielema didn't scream, pull his hair out or even complain Wednesday while talking about the Razorbacks' schedule. Following three nonconference games, Arkansas plays Texas A&M in Arlington, Texas, and then it's off to Tennessee and Alabama before the Razorbacks get a week off before hosting Auburn.

He did say he'd like to see the computer that makes the schedule, but only after describing the schedule as a "tremendous challenge, but one we are excited about."

Bielema is part of the reason there is a lot of enthusiasm about where the Arkansas Razorbacks football program appears to be headed.

Another part is the way the Razorbacks finished last season, which included back-to-back shutouts of LSU and Ole Miss and beating longtime rival Texas at the Texas Bowl in Houston.

The Rebels and Tigers were legit. So was losing three games by a touchdown or less, including a one-point loss to SEC champion Alabama.

"Mississippi State [a 17-10 loss] and Alabama [a 14-13 loss] may have been more defining for us," Bielema said.

Texas? Not so much. The only similarity to that team and any powerhouse Longhorns team was the burnt orange in the uniforms.

Still, there is no comparing where the program is now to where it was during that very long season under John L. Smith, who compared with Bobby Petrino seemed to have found an antidote for discipline.

After 4-8 and 3-9 seasons, 7-6 was like manna from heaven for Hog fans. So after losing only one starter from the offense and seeing the defense grow into one good enough to throw shutouts, it's understandable there is some optimism among the fans.

That's also true here at media days, as countless reporters have asked, "How about the Hogs?"

Those same reporters fed off Bielema's enthusiasm and energy Wednesday. There are always some coaches who lighten the load when they take center stage, just as there are those who drone on and on (not mentioning Nick Saban by name), but Bielema was just real.

He talked almost as much about the graduation rate as he did the progress on the field, and about having a team of character instead of a team of characters.

"You recruit your headaches," he said.

A group of reporters who were tired as they wrapped up their third day at the event -- the Razorbacks were their 11th team and last on the day's schedule -- seemed to like what they heard. Bielema received some laughs from those guys and even more comments like "You gotta like that guy."

While the Razorbacks Nation seems overjoyed to have Bielema, he seems just as happy to be in Arkansas. He has embraced the state and the flagship program.

Last December when the bowl bids went out, as soon as it was suggested Frank Broyles would like to know, Bielema immediately told Kevin Trainor to get the former athletic director on the phone.

For media days, he brought three seniors because he believes everyone has to earn their way.

He also brought his wife, Jen.

Maybe the fact the news conferences were held in a hotel attached to the Galleria had something to do with it, but she would have been hard-pressed to find shoes that drew as much as attention as Bret Bielema's.

Sports on 07/16/2015