O'Donnell: Fleck could make big week even happier by reconciling with Joe Novak

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per O'Donnell:

If Fleck's flock flashes to victory -- even with Penn State a 6½-point favorite -- his stock on a Minnesota scale rises up somewhere toward Prince, Dairy Queen and Babe the Blue Ox.

Now, if only the 38-year-old rocket man would make one conciliatory phone call.

That would be to Joe Novak, the NIU head coach who gave the small and slow son of an exterminator from west exurban Sugar Grove a chance as a wide receiver not all that many years ago.

"We haven't communicated in a couple of years," Novak, 74, told The Daily Herald.

"It's unfortunate.

"The Big Ten Network did a four-part series on him when he took the (Minnesota) job and sent a crew down to interview me about him. "They filmed for about 90 minutes and used one 30-second sound byte from me in the whole thing.

"And in that byte I said, 'I wish he'd tone down the rhetoric.'

"That was it. None of the good things I said made the final cut. And what was left in wasn't all that negative.

"I meant what I said and what I meant was that all the gimmickry and flashiness that he used after he left my staff to get the head job at Western Michigan and then Minnesota could be put away now.

"Now the fact that he can coach and that he can recruit at a very high level can be the main focus.

"But P.J. sent a pretty direct response voicing his unhappiness with me and I, knowing me, declined to respond.

"You get to that level and you've got new people in your ear.

"So, that's been it."

And that is extremely unfortunate.

https://www.dailyherald.com/sports/...pier-by-reconciling-with-niu-mentor-joe-novak

Go Gophers!!
 

Oh dear, that is unfortunate. Sounds like a big misunderstanding. I thought I saw some really nice quotes from Novak in that Washington Post story somebody posted yesterday. Perhaps I'm mistaken...
 

A lot of good stuff ends up on the cutting room floor.
 

If this is true, sounds like the director of the special kind of did him dirty by just using a single 30 second soundbyte to create some narrative drama or conflict.
 

BilldGopher said:
A lot of good stuff ends up on the cutting room floor.
Click to expand...

Especially when there is an agenda by certain individuals that feel they need to create the news rather than report it fairly. Another reason why people trust the media less than politicians.
 


Let me get this straight, Novak said uncomplimentary things about Fleck. PJ reached out and Novak instead of explaining as above, chose not to respond or explain himself. Two years later, on the eve of the biggest game of Fleck's career, he goes to the press and the slant is PJ should reach out to Novak again? Seems backwards to me.
 

The entire article is an interesting read. PJ is just wired differently than 99.9% of the population. If he coaches how he played, it explains a lot.

___

Because without Novak's keen instincts, the 5-foot-10, 175-pound Fleck would probably never had gotten an opportunity to climb the gilded ladder that has led to Saturday's national showcase.

Fleck had a star career at Kaneland High School in Maple Park, including a 100-reception season his senior year.

But colleges weren't beating the bramble to the threshold of the prairie.

Then, at a summer football camp in DeKalb, Novak took note of the ferocious tynamo.

"We did drills on AstroTurf and I noticed this kid refusing to quit on anything.

"He dove to catch balls. He dove to try and catch balls he had no chance of catching.

"His knees were skinned raw by the AstroTurf.

"And P.J. kept flying all over.


"I later told my assistants, 'I'm gonna offer that kid a scholarship.'

"And they all told me I was crazy.

"But I did."

Fleck starred as Novak's Huskies soared, absolutely defying all odds by beating Alabama, Maryland and Iowa State in 2003.

He continued to defy probabilities through a two-year run with the San Francisco 49ers, a year as a graduate assistant under Jim Tressel at Ohio State and then a return to NIU as Novak's wide receivers coach and later recruiting coordinator.

Saturday, disconnected and distanced at his coastal home in North Carolina, Novak will continue to root for his protégé.

"That's not going to change," the Northern star said.

"I'd love to see P.J. go 13-0 and wind up in the (College Football Playoff).

"He's an unbelievable competitor.

"And as far as him and me, who knows?"
 

No, to me it reads that, twice now, media types are creating a narrative that they think sells the best.

First, the BTN piece only included that one negative bit from Novak.

Now, the Chicago Daily Herald (the, what?) did this piece, to get clicks.
 

Winnipegopher said:
Let me get this straight, Novak said uncomplimentary things about Fleck. PJ reached out and Novak instead of explaining as above, chose not to respond or explain himself. Two years later, on the eve of the biggest game of Fleck's career, he goes to the press and the slant is PJ should reach out to Novak again? Seems backwards to me.
Click to expand...

unless my reading comprehension is way off (which is a strong possibility) but thats what I got out of this too. You (novak) declined a chat before and now you want to reconcile? maybe you (novak) should be the one reaching out here.
 



Guys, come on. Think just a little bit harder than that.

Novak didn't go to anyone and beg to get a story in a newspaper (a small one, at that). They (the newspaper) came to him, looking to do a story to cash in on Fleck and Minnesota's publicity.

Second, PJ didn't simply "reach out to him". The piece says: "But P.J. sent a pretty direct response voicing his unhappiness with me and I, knowing me, declined to respond." That's a little bit different than what you are implying, don't you think?
 

Sounds like a "difficult conversation" is on the breakfast menu.
 

MnplsGopher said:
Guys, come on. Think just a little bit harder than that.

Novak didn't go to anyone and beg to get a story in a newspaper (a small one, at that). They (the newspaper) came to him, looking to do a story to cash in on Fleck and Minnesota's publicity.

Second, PJ didn't simply "reach out to him". The piece says: "But P.J. sent a pretty direct response voicing his unhappiness with me and I, knowing me, declined to respond." That's a little bit different than what you are implying, don't you think?
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I think this is a pretty dopey spin on it. You need to reach out to me and set things straight.
 

Winnipegopher said:
Let me get this straight, Novak said uncomplimentary things about Fleck. PJ reached out and Novak instead of explaining as above, chose not to respond or explain himself. Two years later, on the eve of the biggest game of Fleck's career, he goes to the press and the slant is PJ should reach out to Novak again? Seems backwards to me.
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No, you haven't got it straight. That isn't what Novak said.
 



highwayman said:
I think this is a pretty dopey spin on it. You need to reach out to me and set things straight.
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I don't read it that way, at all. I read it as, the newspaper went to Novak because they were looking to do a story. Novak told them what had happened, and that is all. There are no quotes from Novak demanding or even suggesting that PJ should be the one to reach out.

The suggestion that it would be great if PJ initiated the reconciliation is entirely the newspaper's opinion and the writer's opinion, O'Donnell.
 

MnplsGopher said:
I don't read it that way, at all. I read it as, the newspaper went to Novak because they were looking to do a story. Novak told them what had happened, and that is all. There are no quotes from Novak demanding or even suggesting that PJ should be the one to reach out.

The suggestion that it would be great if PJ initiated the reconciliation is entirely the newspaper's opinion and the writer's opinion, O'Donnell.
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Agree 100%. I love PJ, but think he might have dropped the ball on this a bit. He'd probably feel terrible if Novak passed and they hadn't cleared things up. Do think it's more of a misunderstanding that started it. 2 stubborn and prideful men.
 


Winnipegopher said:
Yes, it is. At least from the information in the article.
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"And in that byte I said, 'I wish he'd tone down the rhetoric.'

"That was it. None of the good things I said made the final cut.

Yeah, I'm sure Novak called up "The Daily Herald" to get the big interview.
 

I think its odd that he is so against the rhetoric, which is what PJ is and what he preaches. Why does he care how PJ runs his program? It isn't offensive to anyone. Yes, it can be annoying, but he is consistently annoying with it. Let it go Novak. He said it, even if he said other stuff too. Also, he declined to respond to PJ...seems to me like he dropped the ball and let this manifest into something bigger.

If I was Fleck, I'd reach out. Coaches are a huge part of life and helped turn you into the person you are.
 

fan of Ray Williams said:
"And in that byte I said, 'I wish he'd tone down the rhetoric.'

"That was it. None of the good things I said made the final cut.

Yeah, I'm sure Novak called up "The Daily Herald" to get the big interview.
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Ok take what I said and change from he "goes to the press" to he "is in the press". He is still in the press whining about PJ.


I am surprised there are people defending Novak. This is what we know. Novak was negative about PJ in a BTN special. PJ reached out to Novak. Novak chose not to reply and apologize/ explain.
 

Winnipegopher said:
Ok take what I said and change from he "goes to the press" to he "is in the press". He is still in the press whining about PJ.


I am surprised there are people defending Novak. This is what we know. Novak was negative about PJ in a BTN special. PJ reached out to Novak. Novak chose not to reply and apologize/ explain.
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According to Novak, he gave a largely positive 90 minute interview in which he made one negative statement. The negative statement is the only thing they used - everything else was discarded. PJ sent an angry message and Novak didn't respond.

Now a couple of years later someone asked Novak about his relationship with PJ and he explained that they don't talk anymore, this is why, and it's too bad.

That's what I got from it. Why are you so worked up about it?
 
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everybody knows my name said:
According to Novak, he gave a largely positive 90 minute interview in which he made one negative statement. The negative statement is the only thing they used - everything else was discarded. PJ sent an angry message and Novak didn't respond.

Now a couple of years later someone asked Novak about his relationship with PJ and he explained that they don't talk anymore, this is why, and it's too bad.

That's why I got from it. Why are you so worked up about it?
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This is correct. Only thing I'd add to your summary is that the newspaper's writer then put his own touch on, that it would be great if PJ reconciled. That is the writer's opinion, not Novak's opinion.

WG is clearly reading what he wants to read, in my opinion.
 

Why is this PJ's thing to do?

Like he made that comment. He's sticking to it ... PJ already reached out to him. Dude chose not to respond.

So PJ is supposed to take time this week to what? Reach out to him again?
 


I wonder how much of Novak’s comments were cut in this article.
 

I'm confused by this.

If you have a long relationship with someone, then years later you hear something, wouldn't you take it with a grain of salt until you actually talked to the person to understand the context?
 


Face The Facts said:
I'm confused by this.

If you have a long relationship with someone, then years later you hear something, wouldn't you take it with a grain of salt until you actually talked to the person to understand the context?
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Well, it's not like it was second hand. It's not like a mutual friend said "Hey, Novak said you should cut down the rhetoric". The man said something that basically implied the rhetoric was fictitious and insincere and should be eliminated. From what I've seen with PJ, that couldn't be further from the truth. Like his schtick or not, it is who he is. To call him out for it when you know who the person is really probably strikes as a big insult. I mean, if I say it, I don't know PJ personally, so he can just shrug it off. But when your former coach essentially calls you a phony, I think you have a right to be upset.

The part that gets me is PJ responded (I'm assuming calling him out along those lines) and Novak chooses not to respond. If PJ was misinterpreting what Novak said or missed the context, then explain that. Don't just choose not to respond. You're basically admitting PJ is correct.

As others have said in the PJ vs. Kill argument, there is probably more history there than we are aware of.
 

Lakeville Goldy said:
Well, it's not like it was second hand. It's not like a mutual friend said "Hey, Novak said you should cut down the rhetoric". The man said something that basically implied the rhetoric was fictitious and insincere and should be eliminated. From what I've seen with PJ, that couldn't be further from the truth. Like his schtick or not, it is who he is. To call him out for it when you know who the person is really probably strikes as a big insult. I mean, if I say it, I don't know PJ personally, so he can just shrug it off. But when your former coach essentially calls you a phony, I think you have a right to be upset.

The part that gets me is PJ responded (I'm assuming calling him out along those lines) and Novak chooses not to respond. If PJ was misinterpreting what Novak said or missed the context, then explain that. Don't just choose not to respond. You're basically admitting PJ is correct.

As others have said in the PJ vs. Kill argument, there is probably more history there than we are aware of.
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Yeah I don't get that.

The story is PJ should reach out to this guy. He did...

Apparently PJ is supposed to do it again?

Like how many times until this guy responds...?

This is like some weird dating article where they suggest someone play hard to get. Like wut?
 

It sounds like it is just a case of two stubborn people that need to go out for a beer and talk about beating Alabama.

It's sad when these things happen in life. It does not sound like Novak was being malicious but I am sure it is a subject that is soft spot for PJ. It's his biggest criticism and it probably doesn't feel great hearing it from a friend in a documentary meant to celebrate the crowning achievement in your career (until that point of course).

The world is full of people who will root for your failure, it's always important to stay connected with those that root for your success.
 


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