Banks: P.J. Fleck Looks to Bring Back Gopher Glory Days of Half-Century Ago

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BleedGopher

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per Banks:

Minnesota Head Coach P.J. Fleck is aiming to restore, and by that he literally said “restoar” with an “oar” the glory of Golden Gophers football. He said so at Big Ten Media Days, while wearing his oar tie clip. Now you may be saying to yourself- don’t the Gophers have to actually have some glory days first? Before they can be restored?

Well, if you’re a Baby Boomer you might have some awareness of when the Gophers were golden, but really the program’s high times happened so long ago that you’d have to be a member of the Silent Generation to remember it.

Fleck, with his roster of Generation Z players, is aiming to make Gopher football national relevance something that Gen Xers and Millenials can experience.

“We’re one of the most traditional powerhouses in college football.” Fleck said to the media at his podium during the breakout session at the Hilton Chicago.

“You guys are all looking at me, like what? Seven national championships, 18 Big Ten championships- that puts us in the top five in the country. Now it hasn’t happened since the ’30s, ’40s, ’50s and ’60s, but we want to be the bridge.”

“We want to the be that restoration bridge, restore with an “oar,” for oar, for the row the boat. We want to be able to connect that from the past to where we are now to into the future and we feel we can.”

“If I didn’t feel that we could win championships, Big Ten, national championships- then I wouldn’t have come here. I wouldn’t have brought my staff here, I wouldn’t sell it to recruits that way.”

https://www.thesportsbank.net/colle...g-back-gopher-glory-days-of-half-century-ago/

Go Gophers!!
 

Aim high and stay focused on the vision
 


Just listen to him lowering expectations...
 

“If I didn’t feel that we could win championships, Big Ten, national championships- then I wouldn’t have come here. I wouldn’t have brought my staff here, I wouldn’t sell it to recruits that way.”

Thank you, Coach Fleck!

Enough with the milquetoast expectations. This forum is called 7 National Titles.
 


It seems like an tough goal to achieve, but I never thought before last year that we would win our last regular season game, and then win a Bowl Game, yet, last year PJ did it in his first Gophers Bowl appearance.

That's incredible. We are doing things now we haven't done ever... in over 100 years of the program.
 

At first, do what is necessary. Then what is possible. Then do the impossible.
 


dpodoll68 said:
Who are you talking to?
Click to expand...

Every poster that asserts P.J. is lowering expectations when he talks about our youth. Instead, he has publicly laid out the highest expectations of any coach in my lifetime.

Just take a look at the other article posted by Chip where he asserts that expectations need to be higher. What coach is he even listening to?
 
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John Galt said:
Every poster that asserts P.J. is lowering expectations when he talks about our youth. Instead, he has publicly laid out the highest expectations of any coach in my lifetime.
Click to expand...

John - not trying to be a troll here. But, that is the paradox of Fleck. On the one hand, he'll talk about winning National Championships. But, in his next interview, he'll come right back with the "2nd youngest team in the country" routine.

So - a serious question - can you raise expectations with one hand, and lower them with the other hand? Or at least temper them by playing the 'youth' card? I think that is part of the reason why Fleck creates such extreme reactions.
 

short ornery norwegian said:
John - not trying to be a troll here. But, that is the paradox of Fleck. On the one hand, he'll talk about winning National Championships. But, in his next interview, he'll come right back with the "2nd youngest team in the country" routine.

So - a serious question - can you raise expectations with one hand, and lower them with the other hand? Or at least temper them by playing the 'youth' card? I think that is part of the reason why Fleck creates such extreme reactions.
Click to expand...


The “championship” talk is clearly a long term goal. The “second youngest” talk is a reminder that it isn’t going to happen over night. Fans can be impatient.

What would you prefer him to say?


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PitinoFan said:
The “championship” talk is clearly a long term goal. The “second youngest” talk is a reminder that it isn’t going to happen over night. Fans can be impatient.

What would you prefer him to say?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

This seems like a reasonable summation

You and your reasonableness do not belong here
 

short ornery norwegian said:
John - not trying to be a troll here. But, that is the paradox of Fleck. On the one hand, he'll talk about winning National Championships. But, in his next interview, he'll come right back with the "2nd youngest team in the country" routine.

So - a serious question - can you raise expectations with one hand, and lower them with the other hand? Or at least temper them by playing the 'youth' card? I think that is part of the reason why Fleck creates such extreme reactions.
Click to expand...

SON - I could speculate on why he keeps bringing up the youth angle, but it would be just that - speculation.

The one thing I do know is that he isn’t doing it to dampen long-term expectations for the team.

Thanks for clearly illustrating your point to those who haven’t been paying attention.
 



short ornery norwegian said:
John - not trying to be a troll here. But, that is the paradox of Fleck. On the one hand, he'll talk about winning National Championships. But, in his next interview, he'll come right back with the "2nd youngest team in the country" routine.

So - a serious question - can you raise expectations with one hand, and lower them with the other hand? Or at least temper them by playing the 'youth' card? I think that is part of the reason why Fleck creates such extreme reactions.
Click to expand...

And why he's so good.
 

Can people here seriously not comprehend the idea that Rome wasn't built in a day?

It's not rocket science.

You have a four year plan, and you try your best to execute it. Long term goals - "win championships, Big Ten, national championships" - are long term goals.

This season has short term goals. And that is acceptable.
 

John Galt said:
Just take a look at the other article posted by Chip where he asserts that expectations need to be higher. What coach is he even listening to?
Click to expand...

Chip’s article wasn’t saying PJ needs to have higher expectations, but that everyone should have high expectations for this season. Not everything is a slight on Fleck. A better case could be made that he was talking to the “7-win” prediction group on GH.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Chip said 8 wins for this season: 7 regular season and 1 bowl win.

His article clearly said "season", not "regular season". So that includes a bowl win.
 

Gophers_4life said:
Chip said 8 wins for this season: 7 regular season and 1 bowl win.

His article clearly said "season", not "regular season". So that includes a bowl win.
Click to expand...

Actually, the exact quote from his article didn’t say season or regular season....

“Factoring returning talent and schedule, anything less than eight wins for the Gophers will be disappointing.”

With mention of “schedule” I would assume he is talking regular season, but couldn’t say for sure.


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Spoofin said:
Chip’s article wasn’t saying PJ needs to have higher expectations, but that everyone should have high expectations for this season. Not everything is a slight on Fleck. A better case could be made that he was talking to the “7-win” prediction group on GH.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

I just went back and looked at the poll. 85% of GHers are expecting 8 wins or more. You’re making up arguments in your head.
 

At least he didn’t lie about the number of titles or the time when we were dominant. [emoji2957]


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John Galt said:
Every poster that asserts P.J. is lowering expectations when he talks about our youth. Instead, he has publicly laid out the highest expectations of any coach in my lifetime.

Just take a look at the other article posted by Chip where he asserts that expectations need to be higher. What coach is he even listening to?
Click to expand...

Tim Brewster wasn't in your lifetime, I guess.
 

John Galt said:
I just went back and looked at the poll. 85% of GHers are expecting 8 wins or more. You’re making up arguments in your head.
Click to expand...

Huh? So no GHers predicted 7 wins or less?
You confuse me.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 


Gophers_4life said:
Can people here seriously not comprehend the idea that Rome wasn't built in a day?

It's not rocket science.

You have a four year plan, and you try your best to execute it. Long term goals - "win championships, Big Ten, national championships" - are long term goals.

This season has short term goals. And that is acceptable.
Click to expand...

So... does this "four year plan" include the championships?

Just a reminder: we're entering Year Three of this four year plan. 'Rome wasn't built in a day,' is a lovely old truism, but... by the third or fourth year I'm betting they had made some very serious progress building the city, yes?

You're right; it isn't rocket science. It's really quite simple: Coaches are hired to win, and they are given a reasonable amount of time to accomplish the goal. If they succeed, they get riches and fame. If they fail, they are sent packing.

I repeat, we're entering Year Three. This ain't Day One. It's Year Three. And I'm no longer a young man.
 
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*Last year* 8 offensive freshmen starters. Fleck: we're young.

*This year* Dumbs***s: How come we're not suddenly OLD?????
 

John Galt said:
Every poster that asserts P.J. is lowering expectations when he talks about our youth. Instead, he has publicly laid out the highest expectations of any coach in my lifetime.

Just take a look at the other article posted by Chip where he asserts that expectations need to be higher. What coach is he even listening to?
Click to expand...
It's all just coach speak.

Sent from my phone using Tapatalk
 

short ornery norwegian said:
John - not trying to be a troll here. But, that is the paradox of Fleck. On the one hand, he'll talk about winning National Championships. But, in his next interview, he'll come right back with the "2nd youngest team in the country" routine.

So - a serious question - can you raise expectations with one hand, and lower them with the other hand? Or at least temper them by playing the 'youth' card? I think that is part of the reason why Fleck creates such extreme reactions.
Click to expand...

Is it a fact that they were the youngest team in the nation last year? Is it a fact they’re one of the youngest teams in the nation this year? Is it a fact that Fleck wants to win Big Ten and National Championships and fully expects to do that!? I’d say yes to all of the above. He’s never said when they’d win the BT or a National Championship. In fact, he’s gone out of his way not to. But bringing the program back to the glory days of yore is something he’s said since he got here.


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Some Day...Maybe said:
Is it a fact that they were the youngest team in the nation last year? <b>Is it a fact they’re one of the youngest teams in the nation this year? </b>Is it a fact that Fleck wants to win Big Ten and National Championships and fully expects to do that!? I’d say yes to all of the above. He’s never said when they’d win the BT or a National Championship. In fact, he’s gone out of his way not to. But bringing the program back to the glory days of yore is something he’s said since he got here.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

I see what you did there.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

PJ Fleck - Making the not likely possible to make the impossible possible.
 

I've never been a fan of motivational slogans and all that stuff.

But Fleck has obviously won the team over. He has them believing in themselves.

And to hear a Gopher head football coach point out that this program has a rich history of winning championships — including 7 National Championships — is music to my ears.

It's high time we stopped shrinking away from our own legacy. To borrow a phrase: Do not be afraid to be a legend!
 

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