Bret Bielema's Mother Passed Away This Morning
"Coach Bielema is going through a difficult personal matter," the Illinois statement read. "Early this morning he received a call that his mother had passed. Please be respectful of his family’s privacy at this time."
November 17th, 2022 at 12:32 PM ^
I'm very sorry to hear that. Although we will all expire eventually, losing a loved one is very sad.
November 17th, 2022 at 12:35 PM ^
Are you a bot? That is a weird way to express sympathy. Not questioning your motives, just such a weird pragmatic sentence to express an emotion.
That said, sad to hear for him. Their team will probably come out and play some inspired football for him/her.
November 17th, 2022 at 12:39 PM ^
Live feed of Duke analyzing your response. If you read Duke's message in a robot voice, it's actually kind of funny.
November 17th, 2022 at 12:41 PM ^
that's kinda what i meant. very spok-like. (i KNOW that's not spok.)
November 17th, 2022 at 12:46 PM ^
I believe I'm a sentient being, but perhaps you're a brain in a vat and I'm just a figment of your artificial reality. Who knows? Although I (fortunately) haven't lost a parent yet, I have lost all my grandparents and several friends. I loved them all, and felt acute sadness upon their passing. Any more questions?
November 17th, 2022 at 12:51 PM ^
All of that may be true. If my calculations are correct, that is a perfectly reasonable feeling to have.
I do have some additional questions.
Can you please click on all the squares that contain ladders?
Who was your childhood best friend?
What street did you grow up on?
Once completed, please enter the 11 digit code sent to your phone to properly multi-factor authenticate. The phone number we have on record for you is ***-***-3***
November 17th, 2022 at 12:56 PM ^
Sadly, I only have one upvote to give to this. But I offer you my admiration. Hopefully that provides a bit more mileage.
November 17th, 2022 at 1:11 PM ^
Haha, nicely done. Would you settle for some original poetry I composed about my cat?
November 17th, 2022 at 1:47 PM ^
I absolutely would like to read your original poetry about your cat please.
November 17th, 2022 at 1:54 PM ^
Poetry about a cat is something a bot could easily be programmed to create. Just saying...
November 17th, 2022 at 1:56 PM ^
Seconded
November 17th, 2022 at 2:56 PM ^
Ode to Malcolm, the finest of cats
You won't find one better - and that is a fact
There were so many traits to admire
His beauty and grace could not rank any higher
A Persian with soft, white fluffy fur
Always affectionate - he did not demur
Playful and fun inside the house
Around the grounds you'd find nary a mouse
Though he's been gone for many a year
To think of him now brings me great cheer
November 17th, 2022 at 3:03 PM ^
I might as well stick with the Star Trek theme in this thread so... well done, Duke, well done.
November 17th, 2022 at 3:53 PM ^
Ain’t no bot purring that one off!
Catastic!
November 17th, 2022 at 4:10 PM ^
I clicked on this thread to send sympathies to Bret's family and got cat poetry instead. God I love this blog so freakin' much.
November 17th, 2022 at 5:19 PM ^
I totally expected
Felis catus is your taxonomic nomenclature,
An endothermic quadruped, carnivorous by nature;
Your visual, olfactory, and auditory senses
Contribute to your hunting skills and natural defenses.
I find myself intrigued by your subvocal oscillations,
A singular development of cat communications
That obviates your basic hedonistic predilection
For a rhythmic stroking of your fur to demonstrate affection.
A tail is quite essential for your acrobatic talents;
You would not be so agile if you lacked its counterbalance.
And when not being utilized to aid in locomotion,
It often serves to illustrate the state of your emotion.
O Spot, the complex levels of behavior you display
Connote a fairly well-developed cognitive array.
And though you are not sentient, Spot, and do not comprehend,
I nonetheless consider you a true and valued friend.
[source]
November 17th, 2022 at 2:11 PM ^
This is still forthcoming right? It has been an hour!
November 17th, 2022 at 2:31 PM ^
Robot test: https://youtu.be/ZRwn-8QVFl0
November 17th, 2022 at 2:07 PM ^
All those memories... washed away.. like... cat turds... in the... rain.
November 17th, 2022 at 2:39 PM ^
Is Duke Mark Zuckerberg? Kidding aside, I'm sorry to hear about that for Coach Bielema. While players/fans/coaches rip each other over these rivalries and competitive environments, in the game of life we are all blood brothers. Thoughts with his family.
November 17th, 2022 at 2:40 PM ^
Is Duke Mark Zuckerberg? Kidding aside, I'm sorry to hear about that for Coach Bielema. While players/fans/coaches rip each other over these rivalries and competitive environments, in the game of life we are all blood brothers. Thoughts with his family.
November 17th, 2022 at 3:46 PM ^
perhaps you're a brain in a vat
It's possible
November 17th, 2022 at 12:52 PM ^
I hate sympathy cards because it’s hard to not sound trite and sometimes I end up making awkward condolences. I don’t usually get attacked for it, though. Usually people have more grace in that situation.
November 17th, 2022 at 1:05 PM ^
I just tell them what they want to hear (great person, up in heaven, etc.). That's really all most are looking for. But yeah, hard not to sound like it's just a perfunctory condolence.
"So sorry your dad died. At least all those Commies can sleep easy tonight" only lands in some groups
November 17th, 2022 at 1:26 PM ^
On the other side of it, when you've lost someone, it can be frustrating in the weeks that follow as everyone feels compelled to bring up the death when you're often trying to not think about it. People mean well, but they end up forcing you to re-live it over and over.
When this happened to me, what I really wanted was for people to just act normally around me. Everyone was on eggshells.
It's just a very awkward time for everybody.
November 17th, 2022 at 1:36 PM ^
So spot on. That was my experience when my mom passes away while I was in college.
November 17th, 2022 at 1:45 PM ^
And are there words that are right and truly comforting? I always think I sound insincere when I express my condolences, especially if I didn't know the person who died. Then I'm just using the same words I use for everyone in that circumstance, rather than some authentic personal anecdote. It never feels like, "I'm sorry for your loss" is enough.
November 17th, 2022 at 2:23 PM ^
There really are not. The people who you need are already around you. The rest it just creates uncomfortable interaction. I appreciated the sentiment when my dad passed away, and would have been irked if not thought of or reached out to...
Yet... I'd say the worst is, once things settle a bit, you're just left with the depressing sadness and everyone else (rightfully so) is back to their lives. You lose a bit of yourself.. and that's wh you need close family and friends.. to extend that warmth/kindness past the funeral
November 17th, 2022 at 2:16 PM ^
Absolutely. It didn't help that fucking Facebook sent out reminders for their birthday, either, or that several of their friends hadn't heard about the death until I told them months later.
I'd add that, depending on who the person was, you're often in some form of shock for a period after they die. I know I was--it didn't really hit home for a while.
November 17th, 2022 at 6:02 PM ^
It's weird still getting LinkedIn work anniversary notifications for a good friend who's been gone almost a decade now.
November 18th, 2022 at 7:12 PM ^
Sorry Vlad, but I don't think Alex Litvinenko considered you a "friend".
:)
November 17th, 2022 at 2:27 PM ^
After my dad shot himself, I sent my brother the scene from The Simpsons where Homer tells Mel Gibson that "Lethal Weapon taught us that suicide is funny." Holy shit am I glad that he laughed at that.
November 17th, 2022 at 2:39 PM ^
That ... that was a risky move.
November 17th, 2022 at 3:50 PM ^
Seems like there are some circumstances that are so grave, having the appropriate correlating emotional response might do you in so you laugh instead. Self-preservation.
November 17th, 2022 at 1:14 PM ^
BALLS!
RIP Bret's Mom.
November 17th, 2022 at 7:42 PM ^
Maybe he’s the kid from What About Bob?
"you are going to die, i am going to die…we are all going to die"!
November 17th, 2022 at 12:34 PM ^
Prayers. Losing a parent is hard.
November 17th, 2022 at 6:05 PM ^
Yeah. My dad died in September. I had been talking to him pretty much daily the last 6 months, and then suddenly I wasn't. It sucks.
November 17th, 2022 at 10:20 PM ^
Lost mine in May. Hugged him the last time I could in 2020. Said the mushy stuff when he called me in February with the dementia dx. There is probably a Bo lasting lesson about seizing the moment to make the gesture, say the words out loud.
Told him it was ok to go when I came to hospice, but I think Elvis had left the building already.
The vacuum remains. I still have the urge to call, but then have to stop myself and remember that all that end of days stuff wasn't some awful nightmare.
November 17th, 2022 at 10:41 PM ^
Sorry for your loss. Peace be with you, brother.
November 17th, 2022 at 12:39 PM ^
Dang. That's very, very, sad. Prayers going up for the Beilema family.
November 17th, 2022 at 12:39 PM ^
RIP Mrs. Bielema 🙏
November 17th, 2022 at 12:40 PM ^
Thoughts and prayers to the Bielema family. May she rest in peace and realize the love she shared in the world.
November 17th, 2022 at 12:47 PM ^
That sucks. Condolences to Bret and his family.
November 17th, 2022 at 12:48 PM ^
Truly sorry for him. Things are never the same when Mom is gone.
November 17th, 2022 at 12:55 PM ^
Condolences to Bielema and his family and friends.
November 17th, 2022 at 12:56 PM ^
I lost my dad in 2009 and my mom in 2010. And while both were in their late 80's when they passed it was still very hard.
Not a day goes by I dont miss them terribly. And dad frequently makes an appearance in my dreams (although almost never mom for some reason).
Thoughts and prayers Bret.
November 17th, 2022 at 1:24 PM ^
She'll get there eventually. It will be worth waiting for.