Why Bret Bielema's Trashing of the SEC Is off-Base

Sports can be foolish at times, with so many unwritten rules. You have so many in baseball and as the years go by, some of these laughable antics are beginning to become a part of college football.

It's really sad to see and it needs to stop.

Urban Meyer became the head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes a little over two months ago. He's one of the greatest coaches in the sport and has always put together fantastic recruiting classes. With the Buckeyes it's been no different, as he's landed several 5-star and 4-star players as Ohio State seems to make a run for plenty of BCS National Championships in the future.

But you know somebody was going to hate Meyer for loading up on the top talent in the country. Everybody hates people that are successful at what they do and since they can't do a better job, they get upset and throw a temper-tantrum.

This time it happens to be Wisconsin head coach Bret Bielema. He is accusing Meyer of 'illegal' recruiting tactics and hopes to address it to the Big Ten commissioner as well during a meeting later today.

“I called Urban and we spoke about it,” Bielema said. “We talked about it, and he said it would stop and it did. I’ll let our commissioner deal with anything else. That’s not who we are (in the Big Ten). We settle things among ourselves as coaches.”

He also went on to take a shot at the SEC, a conference that has won the last six BCS National Championships.

“I can tell you this,” says Bielema. “We at the Big Ten don’t want to be like the SEC—in any way, shape or form.”

Obliviously he doesn't want to become like the SEC because he's too busy crying over another coaches recruiting instead of trying to prepare his team for next season. Which by the way, Wisconsin isn't exactly killing it this year in recruiting, as they've only landed a total of 12 recruits. Ohio State has more 4-star or 5-star players than the Badgers have total recruits.

According to the report Bielema complains about Meyer still trying to recruit players that are verbally committed to a Big Ten team. This is perfectly legal under NCAA rules, but the Wisconsin coach says that there has been a longtime “gentlemen’s agreement” amongst coaches in the conference that this wouldn't happen.

Apparently Meyer didn't get the memo and the Big Ten coaches will have to explain these made up rules that the conference has decided to just make up. Maybe that's the reason why a Big Ten team hasn't won a national championship since 2002. They're too busy trying not to step on each other's toes.

“There’s a common thread in this league,” Bielema said. “Every time we walk into a coaches meeting in the offseason, there’s a mutual sign of respect.”

Meyer who has taken several players from Big Ten schools this season, including defensive end Noah Spence (who was heavily considering Penn State) says there is no such thing as this make believe rule.

“If they’re interested, absolutely (you recruit them)—especially from your home state,” Meyer said. “Is it gratifying to take a guy from another school? Not at all.”

Meyer is not one of the highest paid coaches in the country for no reason. He was brought to Ohio State to win Big Ten Championships and BCS National Championships. That's not going to happen if you don't recruit well and don't bring in talented players. The SEC has some of the most loaded recruiting classes in the country every season and that has a lot to do with why they're the most successful conference in the country.

Coaches a lot of times don't let rules that are actually in the rule book stop them from snagging a few top players. I can assure you that Meyer won't let an unwritten rule affect his recruiting class and get in the way of chasing national championships.

Randy Chambers is a B/R Featured Columnist that covers College Football and the NFL. You can contact him @Randy_Chambers or [e-mail]