Bielema ordered chop block on Mike Martin
From TheWolverine.com
After the game Saturday, Bielema said his offensive line -- which grinds opposing defenses into dust by pulling its guards and ramming them into linebackers downfield -- was prevented from pulling by Michigan. He used the word "tactics," which is coaching code for "holding," to describe what Michigan's defensive line was doing.
"But we rectified the situation," Bielema said.
When asked how, Bielema recalled a chop-block penalty that went against his team -- and took a touchdown off the scoreboard -- in the second quarter. Wisconsin lost seven points but delivered a message.
So yeah, he's a good coach, and Wisconsin was clearly the better team on Saturday, but this is just wrong.
November 21st, 2010 at 5:53 PM ^
That chop block was illegal, chop blocks are not illegal.
If they were Navy would never get a first down
EDIT: oh wait chop =/= cut block my mistake messed my wording up
November 21st, 2010 at 6:08 PM ^
Yeah, words are hard.
November 21st, 2010 at 6:22 PM ^
Its okay, you went to a shitty school.
November 21st, 2010 at 6:38 PM ^
He didn't actually go there.
November 21st, 2010 at 7:22 PM ^
You can imagine if he did though...
November 21st, 2010 at 8:10 PM ^
He went to Michigan....
November 22nd, 2010 at 7:58 AM ^
Believe that.
November 21st, 2010 at 5:45 PM ^
the game:
As a journo, he's paid to trump up tempests in teapots, but whoa--if true. . . Bulimia is on my all-time shitlist.
November 21st, 2010 at 5:52 PM ^
We got the living shit kicked out of us, and this is what you guys are crying about? Wojo wrote that like it or not, Wisconsin is the team that Michigan USED to be: tough, hard-nosed, physical.
How about the personal foul that Lewan got flagged for a week or so ago? Did RR "order" that, too?
I highly doubt that Bielema "ordered" a chop block. Dennis Dodd is not the most reputable source of information. Who evens reads his column?
Bunch of babies. Stop trying to rationalize why a bigger, stronger, and faster team runs right over us. It happened. Move on.
November 21st, 2010 at 5:52 PM ^
It is possible to simultaneously be upset with the way we played AND mad at Bielema for his team's dirty play. One does not have to contradict the other.
November 21st, 2010 at 5:54 PM ^
It's stupid to worry about the players well being in a football game. How dare I take seriously a coach who blatantly admitted to doing something illegal? I'm not saying we lost because of this, I'm saying it was classless, win or lose.
November 21st, 2010 at 5:55 PM ^
I don't see anyone claiming Bielema's "orders" won the game for them. I think everyone here knows Wisconsin was the better team. Perhaps that is why it's even more baffling that Bielema would go after Martin like that.
Wojo wrote that like it or not, Wisconsin is the team that Michigan USED to be: tough, hard-nosed, physical.
Speaking of whining and crying...
November 21st, 2010 at 5:56 PM ^
I don't think the purpose of this post was to whine and complain about the ass-beating Wisky gave us. The purpose was to highlight how a Big Ten coach, and former Big Ten player ordered one of his guys to execute a dangerous chop block.
Rather than attacking other board member, take your criticism to Dennis Dodd and Rivals; ask them if it's true.
And c'mon son. If Rich Rod was ordering his players to committ personal fouls, you would have heard about it 20,001 times. The only reason this post even popped up was because Bielema seemingly owned up to it.
November 21st, 2010 at 11:01 PM ^
I know this is a de-rail, but...
Yes, that is the team we used to be. And it worked - back in the 70s, 80s and early 90s. From 98-07, we did nothing but call "rock" with our supremely talented, "tough, hard-nosed" players. It got us to the Rose Bowl a bunch of times, where we usually got schooled. Northwestern hung 50 on us, and we got beat at home by App State and Oregon. Most of us got sick of calling rock a long time ago.
Wisconsin is a great team this year, but this is as good as they will ever be. What did Bielema say about Denard? "We don't recruit that way here"?? What, he doesn't recruit fast, athletic players who are good at football? What an absolutely idiotic statement.
They're gonna win the Big Ten at 11-1, go to the Rose Bowl and get embarrassed by Oregon. That is EXACTLY the team we used to be.
November 21st, 2010 at 6:01 PM ^
November 21st, 2010 at 6:05 PM ^
They don't play Wisconsin next year or the year after, as they are in the other division.
http://michigansportscenter.com/football/2011-michigan-football-schedule
Speaking of next years schedule, 5 home games in a row to start the year with teams that include Eastern, Western, Notre Dame, San Diego State, and Minnesota. Can I get a hell yeah!?
November 21st, 2010 at 6:15 PM ^
November 21st, 2010 at 6:03 PM ^
I believe Michigan's schedule is Wisconsin-free in both 2011 and 2012.
November 21st, 2010 at 6:01 PM ^
I hope no one's surprised that Bret Bielema is a douche. He's been displaying that kind of behavior ever since he arrived at Wisconsin (and probably before, although I didn't know much about him then).
This is the same guy who instructed his kickoff team to go offsides repeatedly against PSU in order to run out the clock in the first half.
He's a tool of epic proportions.
November 21st, 2010 at 6:02 PM ^
I KNOW WHY!
It's because if we beat tUoOS, then Michigan State owns the tiebreaker over Wisconsin in the final B10 standings (assuming they win at PSU). If tUoOS stays a one loss team, then we go all BCS
November 21st, 2010 at 6:24 PM ^
A but conspiratorial, but interesting none the less. Wisky benefits from weakening UM thereby improving (the already high) chances that OSU wins.
November 21st, 2010 at 6:10 PM ^
Bielema is just a classy guy, I mean the running up the score against a bad indiana team, going for two against a one win minnesota team, and now this? What a first class guy.
November 21st, 2010 at 6:34 PM ^
He was pretty charitable to us yesterday in the second half only passing once. My theory is that he still has some level of respect for Michigan and realizes we could become very good again.
Indiana probably will never be a threat.
November 21st, 2010 at 6:41 PM ^
That's an attribute that he does not posess. They ran because they could, and because it chews clock. That's it.
November 21st, 2010 at 6:55 PM ^
They knew we couldn't stop the run, so why let Tolzien screw it up? Plus, the way the offense came on, he needed to keep our offense off the field as much as possible...
Ain't nothing charitable about it...
November 21st, 2010 at 6:19 PM ^
Here's how it breaks down for me:
Danny Hope: Brought over one of his players at the postgame handshake to "thank" RR for supposedly getting him suspended. Verdict: douche.
Mark Dantonio: Has, twice, allowed players back on the team after getting out of jail. Repeatedly looks the other way when his players get in legal trouble. Verdict: Big douche.
Brian Kelly: Put Dane Crist back on the field after he took a hit to the head that left him unable to see clearly out of his right eye. Seems to care more about winning than his players. Verdict: Enormous douche, would not feel safe with my kid playing for him.
Bret Bielema: Apparently ordered one of his players to injure Mike Martin; Did not discipline a second player that intentionally injured Steve Breaston. Runs up the score at every opportunity. Is a massive tool. Verdict: Douche is now renamed "Bielema".
November 21st, 2010 at 6:27 PM ^
While I clearly cannot support VileEnema in this endeavour, I am not sure you know the particulars of the Kelly/Crist incident. College coaches at this level are all douches in some way or another.
November 21st, 2010 at 6:49 PM ^
I am not sure you can know that all college coaches are douches. However, let's look at how two coaches responded to similar incidents:
Brian Kelly was told that Crist had difficulty understanding people and had blurriness in his eye after a hit. After Crist's backups had a terrible end to the first half, Crist went in to start the second half, because he "didn't have a concussion".
Rich Rodriguez took out Denard Robinson with Michigan tied against Illinois in the fourth quarter because Robinson took a hit and had some dizziness. Robinson stayed out even after Forcier fumbled on his first snap and Michigan went down a touchdown.
With head injuries, the rule is "Better safe than sorry." We are all still learning about the consequences of concussions, but it is clear that getting a second concussion soon after a first is incredibly dangerous. It is also clear that it is impossible to tell from being "checked out" on the sideline if someone has a concussion. Rodriguez is willing to lose a game to preserve the safety of his players. I don't think you can say the same about Kelly.
November 21st, 2010 at 8:08 PM ^
There is more than one way to be a douche. Like RR throwing his D coaches under the bus saying its not his part of this deal. He only deals with offense and special teams. Douches come in all sizes and scents!
PS: I am so glad that you were on the sideline to be able to hear anyone tell Kelly about what was happening. I agree that he is a douche if that was truly the case, but wild speculation has no roots in the truth.
November 21st, 2010 at 11:02 PM ^
Considering it was in the papers that Crist had vision problems, it isn't wild speculation.
November 21st, 2010 at 6:52 PM ^
Kelly displayed poor decision making to win at all costs, but wasn't a huge douche. I'd put Dantonio in that category, but he did make a short joke about a 22 year old . Hope is a douche.
Bielema is an asshole. He was a douche for saying Michigan's all about individuals, and implying that Laces would not be welcome on Wisconsin's team. He's a douche for running up the score on IU and Minnesota. But he's an asshole for telling his players to break the rules in trying to injure a guy whose playing career will probably extend past college. Even if Martin doesn't make it to the NFL, it's still an asshole thing to do.
Bielema is in a completely different category from Dantonio and Hope.
November 21st, 2010 at 6:29 PM ^
Are only illegal when the player is engaged high by another player. I'm glad to see we have gotten outraged when our player have drawn a penalty for this, which we have this season, and I will guess that the play was drawn up to have the opposing player cut blocked. Bottom line Mike Martin is a good enough player that he has to be cut/chop blocked to prevent him from blowing up the play in the backfield. Frankly it's embarrassing how whiny the fanbase has become over the past few years. Neg me all you like but I will not be reduced to crying that every team that draws a penalty while beating us is dirty and that there coach is a douche.
November 21st, 2010 at 6:38 PM ^
Nobody's upset that the opposing team drew a penalty.
What people are upset about is the apparent fact that the coach put a "hit" on Mike Martin and Michigan's defensive line.
November 21st, 2010 at 6:45 PM ^
This is not that hard to understand. Chop blocks, like grabbing the facemask, horsecollar tackles, helmet-to-helmet, etc, are illegal, and thus draw personal fouls, because they present a real and unnecessary risk to the players. Sometimes they happen inadvertently in the course of play, which is regrettable. But it's really dubious for a coach to instruct a player to intentionally commit that kind of penalty. If that's what Bielema did, it's highly unsportsmanlike, dirty, and whatever else you want to call it. I'd be upset if Michigan's coach did that or even implied that he had.
November 21st, 2010 at 6:47 PM ^
Cut blocks are legal, chop blocks are specifically putting your head at or below a defender's knees while he is engaged high with another blocker. Thats dirty, dangerous, and illegal
November 21st, 2010 at 8:01 PM ^
Technically, the rule says "at the opponent's thigh or below." Found the following on a page summarizing 2008 NCAA Rules Changes:
Chop Block (Rule 2-3-3). The definition of the chop block has been simplified to assist in the understanding of this rule and to encourage more consistent officiating. A chop block is now defined as a high-low or low-high combination block by any two players against an opponent (other than the runner) anywhere on the field, with or without a delay between contacts. The “low” component is at the opponent’s thigh or below. A dangerous action that can lead to serious injury, the chop block is a personal foul that carries a 15-yard penalty.
November 21st, 2010 at 6:51 PM ^
What a douche
November 21st, 2010 at 8:00 PM ^
play that is illegal!
Nobody here is saying wisconsin didn't kick the crap out of our swiss cheese defense. But to go out and call that play to chop block a dlineman on purpose....ummmm he should flat out be suspended....
Heck the bigten should suspend him for 2 games, the second for being a moron and dumb enough to admit it! But that is why I love stupid people!
November 21st, 2010 at 8:16 PM ^
when we get our asses kicked by everyone :\
November 21st, 2010 at 8:33 PM ^
Bielema, pictured at his second job coaching the Wisconsin hockey team (which happens to be made up entirely of players from Iceland).
November 21st, 2010 at 8:34 PM ^
for coaches in our conference
dantonio, hope, beilema
November 21st, 2010 at 9:18 PM ^
He is an ass. Holding (if we were) does not mean he can instruct his players to do something the endangers another players health and future.
Also shame on his players for executing it.
I truly hope that he did not do this and we are simply reading more into this than what was intended.
EDIT: Just re read the articles - no misinterpretation here. FUCK HIM. He is now on my "Fuck him with a jackhammer list".
November 21st, 2010 at 9:37 PM ^
what a dirt ball
November 21st, 2010 at 9:52 PM ^
November 21st, 2010 at 10:00 PM ^
Don't worry, Bielema will pay the price.
First, in the Rose Bowl where he will get tossed by Stanford.
Second, next year when his entire fat ass line graduates.
Get better M&M. We need ya in the Shoe
November 21st, 2010 at 10:28 PM ^
Mike Lucas, "UWBadgers.com Insider", writing the "Badger Rewind" entry at http://www.uwbadgers.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/112110aaa.html
...
Moffitt was also asked about drawing a flag for a chop block which erased a Ball touchdown on the UW's first offensive possession of the second quarter. It turns out that Michigan nose guard Mike Martin was holding up center Bill Nagy preventing him from getting to the second level of the defense.
"Billy was getting held and that's how the high-low came about," Moffitt said. "We don't do that, we don't play like that and we weren't intentionally trying to high-low anybody. Billy was trying to get through and he (Martin) was holding on to him when I came in and cut him (Martin).
"That's the call that they have to make. That's the right call. It was rough on me because I knew that was a touchdown. I'm on the backside of the play, so you can ask, `Is that necessary (to cut)?' I could have done a better job with my techniques, but that's in our game plan."
They know what they want, and they take care of business.
...
November 21st, 2010 at 11:28 PM ^
By the OP is nothing more than an attempt to be a whiny bitch.