Fleck is showing team video clips from the Miracle on Ice and other big upsets

BleedGopher

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per Randy:

Believe in miracles?

The Gophers haven’t won at Ohio State since 2000 and are 2-38 in their past 40 meetings against the Buckeyes. They are 29½-point underdogs for Saturday’s game against a team with College Football Playoff aspirations, and Fleck is dipping into his motivational bag of tricks. He showed his team video clips from the Miracle on Ice, the U.S. Olympic hockey team’s legendary upset of the Soviet Union in the 1980 Winter Games, and has plans for more clips of upsets.

“The majority of it is coming tomorrow,” he said. The message: He wants his team to see what upsets look like.

“That’s why you play a game,” he said. “Doesn’t promise you anything because you watch a bunch of people do it … but it gives you a perspective.”

http://www.startribune.com/400-poun...ing-spot-on-gophers-offensive-line/496412641/

Go Gophers!!
 


Normally a big Fleck guy, but I don't like this approach... If you want your team to believe they can compete with the big dogs, talk about them like you would any other team. Don't send the message that it will take a 'miracle' to beat them.
 

Normally a big Fleck guy, but I don't like this approach... If you want your team to believe they can compete with the big dogs, talk about them like you would any other team. Don't send the message that it will take a 'miracle' to beat them.

I don't think it is news to the players that it would take a miracle...
 

I don't think it is news to the players that it would take a miracle...

Had a JV basketball coach at my HS who took the Brooks quote to the next level by saying "if we played that team 100 more times, they'd beat us 100." Thanks coach...
 


The miracle connection is that Shannon Brooks will get some motivation from Herb Brooks. Other than that (potential bloodbath), it is prepping the team to have the mentality that they have nothing to lose by trying.

If they play respectable and not get blown out terribly, maybe it will motivate the team against their next opponent. The Gophers have a chance to be 0-9 in the B1G. If they can fight and play to finish to the whistle even in losing, it bodes well for next season.

Learning through failure.
 

Normally a big Fleck guy, but I don't like this approach... If you want your team to believe they can compete with the big dogs, talk about them like you would any other team. Don't send the message that it will take a 'miracle' to beat them.

Not Herb Brooks fan, eh?
 

I'm not big on this either. And I am a Fleck fan. One thing on the "con" side of the pros and cons balance sheet for me is Fleck's Gopher teams don't seem capable of springing big upsets. Perhaps it is because everything is always so intense as he yells and runs his way around the program that there isn't that extra gear required to spring a big upset. When he arrived, I got the impression he was the kind of coach that would captivate a pregame locker room and get kids to run through walls, leading to some meaningful upsets. But in reality everything about his program has been about culture and a slow rise through recruiting leading (hopefully) to a much better team at the end. His teams just haven't shown the type of personality to shock the world.
 




I'm not big on this either. And I am a Fleck fan. One thing on the "con" side of the pros and cons balance sheet for me is Fleck's Gopher teams don't seem capable of springing big upsets. Perhaps it is because everything is always so intense as he yells and runs his way around the program that there isn't that extra gear required to spring a big upset. When he arrived, I got the impression he was the kind of coach that would captivate a pregame locker room and get kids to run through walls, leading to some meaningful upsets. But in reality everything about his program has been about culture and a slow rise through recruiting leading (hopefully) to a much better team at the end. His teams just haven't shown the type of personality to shock the world.
Part of it is in game coaching. My biggest concern staff is they've beaten the inferior teams up so far, they get taken to the woodshed by better teams, usually to be expected, but with the exception of Fresno it's concerning to see us lose the toss up games all the time. Flecks staff hadn't shown the ability to win the chess match on a consistent basis yet when talent equal and to pull upset on top of making guys believe, once the rubber meets the road you have to out scheme the guy with more talent. Even at Western, his 13-0 team, I'll give him credit for the NW upset, but that Illini team was garbage and he had more talent than the rest of the MAC

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk
 

Normally a big Fleck guy, but I don't like this approach... If you want your team to believe they can compete with the big dogs, talk about them like you would any other team. Don't send the message that it will take a 'miracle' to beat them.

Except in this case, where it will take a miracle...
 





Every once in awhile the right message; said in the right way; by the right person; might just work.


Inspired by Olympian, Vikings power through for victory

The Minnesota Vikings took only two healthy defensive ends to Philadelphia, a true test of conditioning and determination for Danielle Hunter and Stephen Weatherly at a position where backups frequently rotate in for breathers. Rookie defensive tackle Jalyn Holmes made his NFL debut by taking a handful of turns at end, but Hunter (55 of 59 snaps) and Weatherly (54 of 59) rarely left the field after preparing all week for the probability they’d get a strenuous workout.

Last week proved to be the perfect occasion, then, for a pep talk from Olympic gold medalist cross-country ski racer Jessie Diggins. “She said coming in she doesn’t know much about football. She definitely doesn’t know what it’s like to go out there and try to maul someone, especially on defense,” Weatherly said.

“One thing she does know is preparation and what it’s like when you’re in your moment for your sport, and it’s that crucial time and you’ve given everything you have up until that point but you need more. Everyone has felt that at every position, when we feel like we’ve given it all and now that crucial point is coming up. What will you do? And she really hit home with that.”

Coach Mike Zimmer brings in guest speakers from time to time, and Diggins, a native of Minnesota, was the celebrity visitor on Friday. “She did a great job of talking to the team, and honestly, as you’ve probably seen the race and some of the video she had, it was very emotional,” Zimmer said. “But basically she talked about, ‘Anybody can do anything for 10 things,’ whether it’s 10 push-ups. She said, ‘Now I had 10 kilometers, but I count 10 strides.’ Who knows if any of that stuff is a big factor in winning, but it gets you to think about what’s important and how you can overcome when you’re tired.”

Diggins posted a picture on her verified Twitter account after her presentation in the team auditorium, with quarterback Kirk Cousins, wide receivers Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen and Joseph. Against the Eagles, Cousins completed 30 of 37 passes for 301 yards and a touchdown to Thielen. Diggs and Thielen combined for 17 catches and 207 yards. Joseph had a sack and the touchdown return. Coincidental, most likely, but they all took the message to heart.

Read more at: https://www.washingtonpost.com/spor...e01efba3cc1_story.html?utm_term=.f50eff222230
 
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Part of it is in game coaching. My biggest concern staff is they've beaten the inferior teams up so far, they get taken to the woodshed by better teams, usually to be expected, but with the exception of Fresno it's concerning to see us lose the toss up games all the time. Flecks staff hadn't shown the ability to win the chess match on a consistent basis yet when talent equal and to pull upset on top of making guys believe, once the rubber meets the road you have to out scheme the guy with more talent. Even at Western, his 13-0 team, I'll give him credit for the NW upset, but that Illini team was garbage and he had more talent than the rest of the MAC

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

A big chunk of that is their top player Rodney Smith is gone for the season. And then Antoine Winfield the defensive leader. The biggest deficit is the Offensive Line. Maryland and Iowa exploited the weakness on the line.

Maybe Faalele starting can stabilize the line. Hopefully, his presence will reverberate and make everyone else better.

We can't have Annexstad go down for the season due to injury. That extra beef will help protect his blind side. He is young, and needs that extra protection even for one extra second. He has to learn not to telegraph by looking at the receiving target and not back pedal into hi throws.

The pass rush can possibly be contained better with Faalele anchoring. Maybe now they can have a semblance of a rushing attack.
 

At halftime he can show Animal House.

Nothing is over until we decide it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

I hope he shows them the Gophers upset from 2000. I just watched this tonight and I was impressed by how much pressure the Gopher D Line put on the OSU Qb and also how the offense moved the ball (balanced) https://youtu.be/OCp_fgWVbpc
 

Wish Shannon Brooks would play t hi game. He could Cath check down passe' s and exploit middf Buckeyes defense. That's pick up blitzes from secondary and linebackers. Need Brooks physical maturity and vision for this game if he is able.

Sent from my SM-J327P using Tapatalk
 


per Randy:

Believe in miracles?

The Gophers haven’t won at Ohio State since 2000 and are 2-38 in their past 40 meetings against the Buckeyes. They are 29½-point underdogs for Saturday’s game against a team with College Football Playoff aspirations, and Fleck is dipping into his motivational bag of tricks. He showed his team video clips from the Miracle on Ice, the U.S. Olympic hockey team’s legendary upset of the Soviet Union in the 1980 Winter Games, and has plans for more clips of upsets.

“The majority of it is coming tomorrow,” he said. The message: He wants his team to see what upsets look like.

“That’s why you play a game,” he said. “Doesn’t promise you anything because you watch a bunch of people do it … but it gives you a perspective.”

http://www.startribune.com/400-poun...ing-spot-on-gophers-offensive-line/496412641/

Go Gophers!!

So you are telling me there's a chance.
 

At halftime he can show Animal House.

Nothing is over until we decide it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The Twins used to show part of the Animal House speech during rally time, fun stuff.
 

You can only go to the well so many times with motivational ploys before your team tunes you out unless you are successful. PJ isn't concerned with outcomes...only the process so this seems out of character from that aspect too?
I like Zimmer's choice much better. Choose your battles, I can't even imagine the Gophers losing close to Ohio State and I think they might win most every game, including Wisconsin, but I don't have any vision based on the first 5 games how we'd possibly rise up and beat the Buckeyes. Okay, maybe Seth playing the majority of the time at QB and Shannon running effectively to control the ball but other than that ....
 


You can only go to the well so many times with motivational ploys before your team tunes you out unless you are successful. PJ isn't concerned with outcomes...only the process so this seems out of character from that aspect too?
I like Zimmer's choice much better. Choose your battles, I can't even imagine the Gophers losing close to Ohio State and I think they might win most every game, including Wisconsin, but I don't have any vision based on the first 5 games how we'd possibly rise up and beat the Buckeyes. Okay, maybe Seth playing the majority of the time at QB and Shannon running effectively to control the ball but other than that ....

Zimmer's choice so far resulted in a good regular season, and a lot of underwhelming playoff performance.... did he not pick the playoffs as one of his battles?
 

Maybe Meyer will inexplicably pull Haskins in the 2nd quarter like Tikhonov pulled Tretiak. Yeah, that'll do it.
 

Zimmer's choice so far resulted in a good regular season, and a lot of underwhelming playoff performance.... did he not pick the playoffs as one of his battles?

I'm only endorsing the win and performance over the Eagles last Sunday. No idea how he usually goes about it. Vikings defense has been awol for about the last 6 games, until this past week.
But speaking more to the voice of a guest speaker versus the voice of the coach. Who says it, how it is said, timing of what message when etc are all factors.
I'd certainly like whatever PJ and Zimmer choose to do, to work.
 

Wish Shannon Brooks would play t hi game. He could Cath check down passe' s and exploit middf Buckeyes defense. That's pick up blitzes from secondary and linebackers. Need Brooks physical maturity and vision for this game if he is able.

Sent from my SM-J327P using Tapatalk

One too many last night?
 

Every once in awhile the right message; said in the right way; by the right person; might just work.


Inspired by Olympian, Vikings power through for victory

The Minnesota Vikings took only two healthy defensive ends to Philadelphia, a true test of conditioning and determination for Danielle Hunter and Stephen Weatherly at a position where backups frequently rotate in for breathers. Rookie defensive tackle Jalyn Holmes made his NFL debut by taking a handful of turns at end, but Hunter (55 of 59 snaps) and Weatherly (54 of 59) rarely left the field after preparing all week for the probability they’d get a strenuous workout.

Last week proved to be the perfect occasion, then, for a pep talk from Olympic gold medalist cross-country ski racer Jessie Diggins. “She said coming in she doesn’t know much about football. She definitely doesn’t know what it’s like to go out there and try to maul someone, especially on defense,” Weatherly said.

“One thing she does know is preparation and what it’s like when you’re in your moment for your sport, and it’s that crucial time and you’ve given everything you have up until that point but you need more. Everyone has felt that at every position, when we feel like we’ve given it all and now that crucial point is coming up. What will you do? And she really hit home with that.”

Coach Mike Zimmer brings in guest speakers from time to time, and Diggins, a native of Minnesota, was the celebrity visitor on Friday. “She did a great job of talking to the team, and honestly, as you’ve probably seen the race and some of the video she had, it was very emotional,” Zimmer said. “But basically she talked about, ‘Anybody can do anything for 10 things,’ whether it’s 10 push-ups. She said, ‘Now I had 10 kilometers, but I count 10 strides.’ Who knows if any of that stuff is a big factor in winning, but it gets you to think about what’s important and how you can overcome when you’re tired.”

Diggins posted a picture on her verified Twitter account after her presentation in the team auditorium, with quarterback Kirk Cousins, wide receivers Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen and Joseph. Against the Eagles, Cousins completed 30 of 37 passes for 301 yards and a touchdown to Thielen. Diggs and Thielen combined for 17 catches and 207 yards. Joseph had a sack and the touchdown return. Coincidental, most likely, but they all took the message to heart.

Read more at: https://www.washingtonpost.com/spor...e01efba3cc1_story.html?utm_term=.f50eff222230

Imagine how bad the Vikings would have beaten the Eagles if they had showed the Miracle movie?
 

Imagine how bad the Vikings would have beaten the Eagles if they had showed the Miracle movie?

Maybe so, but my guess is that almost every Viking's player has seen the Miracle movie at least once, and probably multiple times. I think you can only go to the well so many times with a particular motivational gimmick. If you are going to use them you need to keep them fresh. Diggin's gold medal race is not only fresh it is one the most emotional and inspiring athletic performances I have ever watched.
 
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Maybe so, but my guess is that almost every Viking player has seen the Miracle movie at least once, and probably multiple times. I think you can only go to the well so many times with a particular motivational gimmick. If you are going to use them you need to keep them fresh. Diggin's gold medal race is not only fresh it is one the most emotional and inspiring athletic performances I have every watched.

I’m not sure if many Vikings players have watched Miracle.
Sounds like I need need to watch this Diggins gold medal race. What made it so special?
 




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