It was some December or another in the late 1990s, and a certain kind of chaos that all major-college football coaches know swirled around young Bret Bielema. Then an Iowa assistant in his 20s, Bielema was always going hard at the job, plowing ahead, churning for any edge. Christmas? Who had time to think about Christmas?
But the 23rd of the month arrived, and Bielema, on the recruiting trail in Los Angeles, flew to Cedar Rapids and drove the two hours from there to Prophetstown, Illinois, to do what a dutiful son does: visit Mom and Dad for the holidays.
