Bret Bielema Finally Embraced At SEC Media Days

Razorback fans accepted Bret Bielema almost immediately when he was hired in December 2012. It wasn't hard and, frankly, it didn't take much. After nearly a year in football purgatory, we craved any semblance of stability and positive trajectory, which he instantly provided.

It didn't hurt that he also said nearly all the right things. Bielema seemed to take to Arkansas and all of our traditions and culture as much as fans took to him. That's not to say some fans weren't a tad hesitant during that tortuous 2013 season, but by and large there was faith things would get better.

Outside the state, however, Bielema faced doubt and skepticism at nearly every turn and often was in a position in…