HOOVER, Ala. -- Bret Bielema made Alabama's Nick Saban share the spotlight.
There is supposed to be only one headliner in the SEC, and that's Saban, who is probably the most powerful coach in college football.
When he shows up for his yearly droning at SEC media days he draws the biggest crowds -- it helps that the news conferences are in Alabama -- and the most applause and attention.
Due to the rotation, it was Bielema'a turn to share the morning slot with Mr. SEC, and the Razorbacks coach danced on the Crimson Tide stage.
Bielema was exactly what every member of the media was hoping for -- a replacement for Steve Spurrier. The guy with some wit and funny lines.
In the third day of this event, with one to go, everyone needed a laugh.
Bielema is an unconventional guy in a league filled with conventional followers.
Saban arrived with security. Bielema brought his wife, Jen, to the meetings.
Mostly the head Hog was himself: unflappable and unfazed. He respects his peers, but he doesn't worship them.
He raised eyebrows his first year at Arkansas when he boldly claimed coming to the SEC and having a chance to beat Alabama were good things. Bielema loves challenges. This is the nose guard who walked on at Iowa and worked his way to captain.
He still has that mentality.
The schedule is brutal, but most teams in the SEC West have that problem. He also has to replace six veteran starters on offense, but Bielema believes the winds are blowing toward 8-0 in conference play, maybe not this year, but that's the direction the program is going.
When Bielema came to Arkansas, the Razorbacks program was in disarray, lacking discipline and shorter on talent than anyone suspected. Bobby Petrino's attitude about recruiting had taken a toll, and the year under John L. Smith saw all the discipline disappear faster than the last mimosa at a Mississippi Delta wedding.
Wednesday -- minutes before Saban would blow up at Paul Finebaum during a break of a SEC Network program -- Bielema raised a few eyebrows when he said people don't have to worry about who is going to be suspended for the first game in his program.
That will be retweeted thousands of times when Arkansas has a player get in trouble, but the year before Bielema arrived there were 11 Hogs arrested. After almost four years under Bielema, there have been four.
That was just the warm-up. He said when he was in Europe, Jen told him there was a story about a Big Ten team canceling a game with a SEC team, and he told her he didn't know anything about it. She said, "Really? Your picture's right here."
That set the tone. If he could be self-effacing, he could take a shot or two, and he did.
"At Arkansas, we're not built very sexy. We need a lot of time in the bathroom to get ready and come out and look great," he said, drawing laughter.
When talking about Michigan, he said of Jim Harbaugh, "I love a guy who speaks his mind."
Obviously, Bielema speaks his mind as well. He's honest and candid, and while Saban was throwing a tantrum about being asked about the non-suspensions of two players, the Arkansas coach was winning the news conference.
The media laughed, and they tweeted about Bielema so much he was the No. 1 subject trending.
By the time Bielema finished in the big room, there were two headliners in the SEC.
Sports on 07/14/2016