O
ne by one, the assistant coaches trickled out of the Wisconsin football offices in Camp Randall Stadium, most of them beating the noon deadline imposed Fri- day by head coach Bret Bielema.
With Sunday's reporting date and Monday's opening of training camp, Bielema wanted to make sure his assistants got some quality time with fam- ily and friends before the grind begins anew. So he sent everybody home. This was the equivalent of taking a deep breath; a 48-hour hall pass; the calm before the storm. Bielema took advantage of the furlough from football in his own way. Friday night, he cooked dinner for his mom and dad, Marilyn and Arnie, who made the 100-mile drive from Prophetstown, Ill.
His parents, who celebrated their 52nd wed- 26 » VARSITY AUGUST 9, 2012
ding anniversary in June, spent the weekend in Madison with Bret and Jen, his bride of 21 weeks and counting. Who's counting? Bret. But he's only spoofing — playing to the crowd — maybe to break the monotony of getting asked repeatedly about his decision to abandon bachelorhood. At Big Ten Media Days in Chicago, he responded
to a question on how marriage is affecting things with a countdown: "(It's) nineteen weeks and five days that we've been into this relationship.'' He then deadpanned, "It's because I get reminded on a daily basis, not that I knew that stat.'' Later, he said, "Hopefully it's going to make me
a smarter and wiser and more mature coach.'' He was talking about his marriage, not his cooking, which is also a settling influence in his life. "It does relax me, I've always enjoyed it,'' he said.
"I always used to help my mom in the kitchen with the cooking and I had a sister who baked and that
