Well the Minnesota Gophers hired a new coach and the fans are excited. I may be jaded but I think the guy is a snake oil salesman with a million slogans. IF he does manage to build and improve the program he will be long gone to the next school with boosters willing to buy out his current contract. Why do all Minnesota sports teams suck?
I am not a fan of the University of Minnesota but they are ok at other sports just cant take their head out of their *** in football or basketball. I dont see this changing!
The basketball team is actually looking pretty good so far this season. They will for sure be ranked in the top 25 if they win at home this weekend. I like the Fleck hiring. Anyone who can go 13-1 at Western Michigan is much more than a snake oil salesman as Sota put it. He has proven himself as an effective recruiter and players love him. I guess only time will tell if this will work out.
Honestly, I was hoping my Irish if they really did boot Kelly would call him up...I don't see this as a huge step for him, but if he can get Minnesota back to relevance he'll be elsewhere in 5 or so years.
Ty, becoming coach of UM may not seem like a huge step but Fleck will be making more than 4 times his previous salary and is the youngest Power 5 head coach in the country. Big difference between the MAC and Big 10.
I had lunch today with my son on the U of M campus he is a season ticket holder he obviously has learned under a great coach and he thinks it is just a stop gap and he told me he blew it off in the press confrence when TJ said he always wanted to coach the Golden Gophers. Yeah right a kid growing up in central Illinois dreamed of coaching a failed Minnesota football program.
Sounds like your son inherited your positive attitude Fleck said something about growing up dreaming about playing or coaching in the Big 10. He also said he and his agent (going back to before he was a head coach) had discussed schools he would like to coach at someday and that the U of M was always on that list. Fleck probably had interest in most if not all of the Big 10 schools. Sure he could be gone in 4 years. But, you could say the same thing about most of the other coaches in the country. What is the U of M suppose to do...try to hire coaches who have no chance of success?
The U of M will find a way to screw up the football program every time, that or it is just bad luck not sure.
It's definitely not easy for me to be a Gopher fan but I've always followed them. So, I'm stuck with them. It's just the way it is.
Yeah next season will not be pretty, Michigan and Michigan State, Iowa, and the Badgers all on the schedule, would love to see the Gophers be competitive against teams like that. Problem is if PJ builds the program to that level he will move on to a bigger stage. PJ already had promo spots taped and playing on KFAN yesterday, he just got to town Friday guess he hit the ground running.
You never know for sure what someone will do. I remember when the Badgers sucked as much as the Gophers. Then Alvarez turned them around and remained their head coach for 15 years. I guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens.
Cooter if you think I was skeptical about PJ you should read the comments on the Star Tribune website, they are ripping the crap out of him.
Sota, this poll on Star Tribune indicates way more fans like the hire than do not? You can find negative comments about anything if that's what you are looking for. Poll: How do you like P.J. Fleck's hiring by the Gophers? - StarTribune.com
Not looking I just read the comments after one of the stories, people are pretty negative in general about Gopher football they never got over Lou Holtz leaving.
Honestly in Reality if PJ can take this team and go 1-3 vs those 4 and lose just 1 game outside of them, HUGE success...mountains cannot be expected to move in the first year, but he'll sure motivate em to try. :D
