Former Wisconsin Badgers and current Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Bret Bielema entertained the Chicago Cubs faithful on Tuesday night with a rendition of ‘Take Me Out To The Ball Game.’
He led the seventh-inning-stretch tradition during the Cubs’ eventual 6-4 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies.
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Bielema was the head coach for the Badgers for seven highly successful years from 2006-2012. He finished with a 68-24 overall record (0.739 win percentage), including three Rose Bowl trips in 2010, 2011 and 2012.
The controversial figure took the head coach job at Arkansas toward the end of the 2012 season, which did not sit well with much of the Badger faithful.
So not only do many remember Bielema’s headline-grabbing exit, but he is also currently the head coach at Illinois — one of Wisconsin’s regional rivals. He is only 18-19 overall in his first three seasons at the helm. One of those wins, however, effectively ended the Paul Chryst era in 2022.
.@BretBielema. American treasure. pic.twitter.com/s7Y0iqlNc0
— Matt Fortuna (@Matt_Fortuna) July 3, 2024
Somehow, the Bielema vs. Wisconsin story seems to never reach its end. The Badgers and Fighting Illini are not scheduled to play in 2024. It will not be until 2025 when Wisconsin gets another shot at a win over its former coach.
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