STrib: Big Ten media has modest expectations for P.J. Fleck's first Gophers team

BleedGopher

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per Joe:

Hiring P.J. Fleck hasn’t ratcheted Gophers football expectations across the Big Ten, at least for this season.

Minnesota was picked to finish fifth in the Big Ten West on Friday, in the seventh annual preseason media poll released by Cleveland.com. A panel of 38 voters who cover the conference picked Wisconsin, Northwestern, Nebraska and Iowa to finish ahead of the Gophers, followed by Purdue and Illinois.

The Gophers also were picked fifth in the West last season, under then-coach Tracy Claeys. Minnesota went 5-4 in conference play, finishing behind Wisconsin (7-2), Iowa (6-3) and Nebraska (6-3). Northwestern also went 5-4, but the Gophers defeated the Wildcats at TCF Bank Stadium.

http://www.startribune.com/big-ten-...for-p-j-fleck-s-first-gophers-team/435811163/

Go Gophers!!
 

A long time ago I think it was Steve Young said something on an NFL pregame show like I'll never pick the vikings to win a superbowl until they show me they can.

So far he has been right... and he would be right had he done that from the start of Vikings history.

I think that applies to the Gophers and the media. Until the Gophers do something like win the West there won't be any large sum of people picking them to do anything like that.
 

A long time ago I think it was Steve Young said something on an NFL pregame show like I'll never pick the vikings to win a superbowl until they show me they can.

So far he has been right... and he would be right had he done that from the start of Vikings history.

I think that applies to the Gophers and the media. Until the Gophers do something like win the West there won't be any large sum of people picking them to do anything like that.

What if the Vikings and Bills play against each other in the Super Bowl?
 

Questions to ask the 14 Big Ten schools at football media days - Chicago Tribune

"The coach who generates the most heat at Big Ten media days might not be the pioneer who took his team to Italy (Jim Harbaugh), the guy with a ridiculous 39-2 mark in regular-season conference games (Urban Meyer) or the one whose team made the Rose Bowl after starting 2-2 (James Franklin).

The Big Ten has a new straw that stirs the drink. Or in this case, moves the lake.

"Row the boat" is the mantra of P.J. Fleck, the 36-year-old former Northern Illinois wideout who transformed Western Michigan and now vows to do the same at Minnesota. ESPNU will air a four-part, documentary-style series called "Being P.J. Fleck" that debuts Aug. 2.

Fleck's hyper-aggressive recruiting style already has yielded 19 verbal commitments for the Class of 2018 and a dig from Iowa offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz, who said: "What does an offer really mean? The new guy in Minneapolis seem(s) to have no problem throwing things out early."..

Minnesota (33-1): Can you please repeat the answer? Fleck's Western Michigan players bought into the coach's lingo, which includes, "I'm doing elite" and defining "real" as "Remarkable Effort Applied to Life." Fleck's tenure at Minnesota promises to be real interesting.


http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/college/ct-big-ten-14-questions-greenstein-20170723-column.html
 

What if the Vikings and Bills play against each other in the Super Bowl?

nuclear_explosion_01.gif
 



5th in the West? How can that be? Been told right here on GH that the squad has a wealth of talent and is simply reloading.

Big Ten media must not get it.
 

5th in the West? How can that be? Been told right here on GH that the squad has a wealth of talent and is simply reloading.

Big Ten media must not get it.

That's where they picked them last year too. Much like yourself, they must expect a season similar to last year....
 

5th in the West? How can that be? Been told right here on GH that the squad has a wealth of talent and is simply reloading.

Big Ten media must not get it.

The other teams must have gotten more better than we get since we get better every year!
 



That's where they picked them last year too. Much like yourself, they must expect a season similar to last year....

Well they weren't wrong last year either we finished tied for 4th with Northwestern. If a similar season means 8 wins is the expectation, most on this board believe we will win 6-8 games anyway so that's nothing new
 

Something to consider. let's say, for the sake of argument, the Gophers do wind up 5th in the B1G West, which would likely mean about a 6-win season.

All the Fleck boosters had better realize that, in that case, the media will immediately begin a raft of stories on how Fleck is not living up to expectations, or "Fleck doesn't live up to the hype." Now, I understand that the Fleck boosters will have a gazillion reasons why no one should expect Fleck to win right away, and how this is all part of the master plan. But, the Fleck boosters need to understand that the National Media - and some of the local media - will be only too willing to throw some cold water on the Fleck bandwagon.

So, everyone who is trying to lower expectations for the next few years - be careful what you wish for. you might not like it.
 

Something to consider. let's say, for the sake of argument, the Gophers do wind up 5th in the B1G West, which would likely mean about a 6-win season.

All the Fleck boosters had better realize that, in that case, the media will immediately begin a raft of stories on how Fleck is not living up to expectations, or "Fleck doesn't live up to the hype." Now, I understand that the Fleck boosters will have a gazillion reasons why no one should expect Fleck to win right away, and how this is all part of the master plan. But, the Fleck boosters need to understand that the National Media - and some of the local media - will be only too willing to throw some cold water on the Fleck bandwagon.

So, everyone who is trying to lower expectations for the next few years - be careful what you wish for. you might not like it.

If the expectation from the media is for the Gophers to finish 5th in the West and they do finish 5th in the West how is that not living up to their expectations?

In your scenario sounds like the Fleck skeptics will be throwing the he doesn't live up to the hype cold water on the bandwagon.
 

Something to consider. let's say, for the sake of argument, the Gophers do wind up 5th in the B1G West, which would likely mean about a 6-win season.

All the Fleck boosters had better realize that, in that case, the media will immediately begin a raft of stories on how Fleck is not living up to expectations, or "Fleck doesn't live up to the hype." Now, I understand that the Fleck boosters will have a gazillion reasons why no one should expect Fleck to win right away, and how this is all part of the master plan. But, the Fleck boosters need to understand that the National Media - and some of the local media - will be only too willing to throw some cold water on the Fleck bandwagon.

So, everyone who is trying to lower expectations for the next few years - be careful what you wish for. you might not like it.

I don't think the media will hit him that hard for 6-6 after year one for the same reason we get stuck with low expectations... because that is the expectation even with PJ.

Folks here will freak out, but the media largely won't care.
 



Well they weren't wrong last year either we finished tied for 4th with Northwestern. If a similar season means 8 wins is the expectation, most on this board believe we will win 6-8 games anyway so that's nothing new

Good points and all true.

His being surprised was the only outlier in the bunch.
 

If the expectation from the media is for the Gophers to finish 5th in the West and they do finish 5th in the West how is that not living up to expectations?

+10000 I was thinking the same thing
 

5th in the West? How can that be? Been told right here on GH that the squad has a wealth of talent and is simply reloading.

Big Ten media must not get it.

I'm confused. I have been told right here on GH that there are very few (4-5) people that think that and everyone else knows better.

"Can't expect (enter anything here) in the first year. "


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Given Wisconsin's favorable schedule I don't think there's a chance in hell that the Gophers wins the B1G West this year.
I think second place is achievable.
I'm thinking more around 3rd or 4th behind Wisconsin for sure and maybe 1 or 2 of Nebraska/Iowa/Northwestern.
Anything below that would be... displeasing.
2nd would be a phenomenal season.
 

5th in the West? How can that be? Been told right here on GH that the squad has a wealth of talent and is simply reloading.

Big Ten media must not get it.

Obviously the rest of the Big Ten Media is tainted and doesn't see things as clearly as those here who expect 8 or more wins.
 

I don't think Fleck nor Fleck-fans like myself are going to worry about what haters say after he wins 4 or 5 games this year.

You need to change the culture and establish buy in. The existing players didn't come here for Fleck so they might not all buy in.

Also, everyone wants results. But you need to change the process to support results. Wins are a bi-product of a process that supports results.
It takes a few years, not just a few months to do this.
 

Obviously the rest of the Big Ten Media is tainted and doesn't see things as clearly as those here who expect 8 or more wins.


F-the Facts? They picked them to finish 5th last year. They ended-up 9-4
 



If the expectation from the media is for the Gophers to finish 5th in the West and they do finish 5th in the West how is that not living up to their expectations?

In your scenario sounds like the Fleck skeptics will be throwing the he doesn't live up to the hype cold water on the bandwagon.

So if we finish 5th every year and the media continues to pick us 5th year after year then PJs performance will be judged by you as fine since he meets "expectations"?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Things don't go immediately into the toilet and never emerge. Look at out bball team under Rick P. Two years ago, given up for dead. Last year, WOW! This year a great recruiting class here and a second one coming in. The point is, if this year is crappy, it's just the first step by the new staff.
 

Anyone in GH write musicals? Instead of "Forever Platt", change it to "Forever Fifth". Then in the second half of the musical, have the messiah come into town and rev up the chorus to something like in "Jesus Christ Superstar!".

I bet that will be a hit in Gopherland.
 

Things don't go immediately into the toilet and never emerge. Look at out bball team under Rick P. Two years ago, given up for dead. Last year, WOW! This year a great recruiting class here and a second one coming in. The point is, if this year is crappy, it's just the first step by the new staff.

How many games did Pitino win his first year here?
 


How many games did Pitino win his first year here?

25.

They went 25-13, 8-10 in the Big Ten and won the NIT.

Tubby in the previous season went 21-13, 8-10 in the Big Ten and 1-1 in the NCAA Tourney.
 

Beat your main rivals this year and no one will be picking you to finish 5th next year. Simple as that.
Of course it's not simple since Sconie has owned the Gophs for the last 5,000 days as Johnny so painfully pointed out! Let's go PJF...shock everyone!
 

25.

They went 25-13, 8-10 in the Big Ten and won the NIT.

Tubby in the previous season went 21-13, 8-10 in the Big Ten and 1-1 in the NCAA Tourney.

Yep...was waiting for someone to try and use that comparison.
 




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