BleedGopher
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per STrib:
Like many sports fans in Minnesota, P.J. Fleck made sure he was near a TV around 6:30 Friday morning to watch Gophers heavyweight Gable Steveson wrestle for an Olympic gold medal. And like pretty much anyone who watched Steveson's spectacular rally in the final 10 seconds to beat Georgia's Geno Petriashvili, Fleck was amazed.
"We all kind of watched it together as a staff,'' Fleck said. "… You heard the entire staff room, coaches offices, all immediately at the same time. I can't say what we all said, but it was like, 'You have got to be kidding me!' ''
Trailing 8-5, Steveson scored a two-point takedown with 10 seconds left and another with 0.2 to go to edge the three-time reigning world champion.
"What an ending. What an ending,'' Fleck said. "He deserves it. … He had eight points total scored against him. In the Olympics. We're talking the Olympics. We're not talking practice.''
Fleck knew exactly what the next question would be and headed it off at the pass.
"Everybody says, 'Oh, he should be on the football team,' '' Fleck said. "Here's a sound bite: I would love to have him. There's no doubt in my mind. But for him to be here right now, he would have had to miss the Olympics. I don't think anybody wants that guy missing the Olympics after what he just did for himself, his family – that video of his family is priceless. What he has done for the University of Minnesota, for our wrestling program, for Coach [Brandon Eggum], for our brand, is tremendous.
"I can't wait to see what he goes into,'' Fleck added. "He's the next Rock. … He's going to have a tremendous career whatever he decides to do.''
Fleck acknowledged he "talked a little bit here and there'' with Steveson about football, but the Olympics were his priority.
If Steveson — who did not play football during his high school days in Apple Valley — decided to pursue the sport, Fleck has a position in mind for him.
"Oh, he'd be a tremendous three-technique [defensive tackle],'' Fleck said of the cat-quick 6-1, 260-pounder. "In our system, he'd be awesome.''
www.startribune.com
Go Gophers!!
Like many sports fans in Minnesota, P.J. Fleck made sure he was near a TV around 6:30 Friday morning to watch Gophers heavyweight Gable Steveson wrestle for an Olympic gold medal. And like pretty much anyone who watched Steveson's spectacular rally in the final 10 seconds to beat Georgia's Geno Petriashvili, Fleck was amazed.
"We all kind of watched it together as a staff,'' Fleck said. "… You heard the entire staff room, coaches offices, all immediately at the same time. I can't say what we all said, but it was like, 'You have got to be kidding me!' ''
Trailing 8-5, Steveson scored a two-point takedown with 10 seconds left and another with 0.2 to go to edge the three-time reigning world champion.
"What an ending. What an ending,'' Fleck said. "He deserves it. … He had eight points total scored against him. In the Olympics. We're talking the Olympics. We're not talking practice.''
Fleck knew exactly what the next question would be and headed it off at the pass.
"Everybody says, 'Oh, he should be on the football team,' '' Fleck said. "Here's a sound bite: I would love to have him. There's no doubt in my mind. But for him to be here right now, he would have had to miss the Olympics. I don't think anybody wants that guy missing the Olympics after what he just did for himself, his family – that video of his family is priceless. What he has done for the University of Minnesota, for our wrestling program, for Coach [Brandon Eggum], for our brand, is tremendous.
"I can't wait to see what he goes into,'' Fleck added. "He's the next Rock. … He's going to have a tremendous career whatever he decides to do.''
Fleck acknowledged he "talked a little bit here and there'' with Steveson about football, but the Olympics were his priority.
If Steveson — who did not play football during his high school days in Apple Valley — decided to pursue the sport, Fleck has a position in mind for him.
"Oh, he'd be a tremendous three-technique [defensive tackle],'' Fleck said of the cat-quick 6-1, 260-pounder. "In our system, he'd be awesome.''
Gable Steveson's gold medal rally wows Gophers football coach P.J. Fleck and his staff
Fleck admits he "would love to have'' the heavyweight wrestler in his program but that the Olympics were Steveson's priority.
www.startribune.com
Go Gophers!!