@ClayTravisBGID watch Beilema instegate Cam Robinson, fake like he was shoved, then dance a jig to celebrate. pic.twitter.com/DYSSZdEkOM
— Anthony Jacks (@Coach_Jacks) October 12, 2015
This is so hilarious and so awful and so amazing and so terrible.
First, of course, there's the flop. The main question regarding the "controversy" is whether or not Robinson actually touched Bielema. If he did, this really seems like much ado about nothing. The only outrage should be why Robinson was only assessed a 15-yard penalty instead of being ejected for shoving an opposing coach.
However, you've got to think if Cam Robinson had actually pushed or put his hands on Bielema in some way the situation would have been much more severe, and Bielema would have acted accordingly instead of celebrating a 15-yard flag.
Regardless, watching Bielema stumble backwards was cute. Not as good as if he'd fallen down like an NBA or soccer player, but still cute.
The best part is celebration to the flag. It begins with sort of a cowboy lasso 360 move with a truly fantastic "YEEAAAAHHH", and ends it with possibly the greatest lunging fist pump I've ever seen. It's not so much a traditional uppercut fist pump but more of a thrusting, stabbing pump as if he was wielding the Magical Sword from Zelda.
The video has gone viral Monday morning. It was posted by twitter user Anthony Jacks, who according to his Twitter page is a football coach at Pelham High School in Alabama. I guess he was on the Arkansas sidelines for some reason, or someone he knew was there. (UPDATE: "Jacks told AL.com he got the video from a friend whose camera was rolling on the Arkansas sideline." Now, who was "his friend" right there on the Arkansas sideline who would have leaked that video?)
This is just the latest way Bielema has made himself the most beloved college football coach in the nation. A nation, it should be noted, absolutely reveres flopping as the pinnacle of sportsmanship.
UPDATE:
Bo Mattingly was able to find an alternate angle to the video above. Here it is:
Was able to get another video angle that shows Cam Robinson's personal foul. Doesn't look like a Bret Bielema flop. pic.twitter.com/nCilLLbsWz
— Bo Mattingly (@SportsTalkwBo) October 12, 2015
The video doesn't show the celebration, but it does clearly show that Bielema didn't flop. However, it does show Bielema with his arm on Robinson instead of his own player, and Robinson shoving Bielema's arm off of him, causing the backward stumble.
I doubt anything significant comes from this other than years and years of replaying Bielema's celebration dance.
I think it's clear there's nothing malicious here, although it probably is fair to criticize Bielema for seeming to clear out Robinson instead of JaMichael Winston.