I am pulling for the Goofs as much as anyone but I am also a realist, anyone want to bet me that they finish the season 2-2?
Even if they did wouldn’t the season be considered a success? Wouldn’t you say that the program is going in the right direction??
Briefly watched some college football rankings last night and just even to be recognized on the national level is hugely positive. I’d like to see what Fleck can do with another couple seasons of recruitment.
So what I’m reading is that Fleck’s credibility is solely based on the next 4 games. No?
Typical MN sports attitude. Outlook based on a handful of games. Keep your hand near that fire button.
PJ’s contract brings him up to the middle of the Big 10 coaches, and hopefully keeps him here a little longer, maybe forever if he has continued success and the state starts to really embrace CFB and the U for the first time in 50+ years. As for the remaining schedule, they are 6.5 point underdogs at home so using Penn State as a metric for his contract is silly. He’s doing things that haven’t been done at the U in decades, and it’s not like this is the first year the U has had an easy schedule. I know it’s difficult for MN fans, but it’s ok to be cautiously optimistic! 
I swear some people just live to be miserable
I agree they likely finish the last four with a 2-2 record but 10-2 is a pretty amazing feat looking back at the year. If they beat WI they are going to win the West and then get crushed by OSU but that’s nothing the be ashamed of. OSU looks like the best team in the country.
This weekends game is gonna be close I think. With the Gophers run game and improved defense I think they can hang with Penn State.
I swear some people just live to be miserable
They’re called Minnesotans!
I swear some people just live to be miserable
Isnt that the truth! The Gophers go 8-0, “they played terrible opponents”. Coach gets a raise and an extension “paid too much, too early hasnt proved anything”. Good Lord. Cant even enjoy the fact that while their schedule was soft early, that they still manage to win ALL of the games. History has proven that the Gophers would have normally last probably 3 or 4 of those games and under similar circumstances there is no way they come back to beat Georgia Southern in the fashion they did under prior administrations. None.
There are more top recruits coming to MN than ever before. People are starting to get excited about this program and its getting “on the map”. These last 4 games will be tough, but it will be fun to watch this team because they have come so far.
LOL relax guys. Just pointing out facts and records!! Didn’t mean to pee in anyone’s Wheaties here.
We shall see. This must be why I scored high on Logic and low on Feeling in the most recent personality test I took!
GO GOPHERS!
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>moustachesteve wrote:</div>
I swear some people just live to be miserableThey’re called Minnesotans!
To be fair, there is nothing in Minnesota sports history to even remotely suggest this success will last or dare I even say win a national championship
My comments are directed towards Fleck and the current state of the program, which as others have stated is the best it’s been in decades
Looks like Saturdays game will be on ABC! Which means I can watch out in the shop while doing garage stuff… nice!
Looks like Saturdays game will be on ABC! Which means I can watch out in the shop while doing garage stuff… nice!
They havent had a nationally televised game in years. I believe that was OSU which of course we got throttled.
I bought a rowing machine. Just wanted to feel more connected.
Saturday is going to be a lot of fun!
15730640228978903892647989988881.jpg
Saturday is going to be a lot of fun!
I’ll swing over so we can take shifts rowing, and bring the (Mich) Golden Kool Aid
As one of Minnesota’s leading snake oil skeptics…
I have to admit that this is going to be the most interesting and fun to watch 4 games of Gopher football for as long as I can remember. Running the table may be unlikely, but this is by no means 4 un-winnable games either.
Even if they lose the first 3, the capstone game STILL offers the potential to torpedo Wisconsin and help them gain a place in the Lysol Toilet Bowl game on a Tuesday at 10:00 AM, so who in MN can’t get fired up for that? That’s going to be one crazy day at the Bank and who can’t like that?
And you never know. Penn State could decide to take the day off because, hey, it’s just Minnesota. That’s why they play the games.
So Fleck gets a nice raise and a one-way contract that binds the U to everything and him to nothing as soon as he wants to leave. Nothing to see here, then. The problem is you can’t pay a coach for performance anymore because by the time they actually perform, it’s the NEXT school that pays them for it when they recruit him away. So we are now in the position of paying for hoped-for performance.
I think more interesting to me is does 1 season, even if it ends up being 8-4 or 9-3 or whatever translate into any significant bounce in recruiting quality? Is this a one-off or the start of something?
Grouse
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>belletaine wrote:</div>
Saturday is going to be a lot of fun!I’ll swing over so we can take shifts rowing, and bring the (Mich) Golden Kool Aid
You gotta bag your buck right away in the morning to free up your day!
So Fleck gets a nice raise and a one-way contract that binds the U to everything and him to nothing as soon as he wants to leave. Nothing to see here, then. The problem is you can’t pay a coach for performance anymore because by the time they actually perform, it’s the NEXT school that pays them for it when they recruit him away. So we are now in the position of paying for hoped-for performance.
I think more interesting to me is does 1 season, even if it ends up being 8-4 or 9-3 or whatever translate into any significant bounce in recruiting quality? Is this a one-off or the start of something?
Grouse
A lot has been made of the terms of the contract, especially the buyouts. The buyout prior to December 31, 2020 is $10MM, but after that it falls to under $5MM and drops each subsequent year. What I think this sets the stage for is re-upping again in a year or two. Fleck is betting on himself I think.
Regarding recruiting, I dont know how much difference it will make how they perform down the stretch here, but its dramatically better already than it has ever been.
So I dont think it would hurt it too much but you certainly could see a bump if they go 3-1 or heck, now some of these potential recruits wherever they live could actually watch a Gopher Game on National TV this weekend.
A lot has been made of the terms of the contract, especially the buyouts. The buyout prior to December 31, 2020 is $10MM, but after that it falls to under $5MM and drops each subsequent year.
Who does this “buyout” apply to, though? Is that what the U pays to get rid of him?
That would be would I’d think of in a typical buyout clause, the coach can walk away from any deal to take another job, but the U has pay him if they want to get rid of him.
Grouse
I can understand the perspective that common sense and logic, at least as far as most of us view our jobs, lives and households, makes the sudden push for Fleck seem insane because, while his trajectory is upward, his resume isn’t real full yet.
However this move really does follow the logic and common sense of college football. And actually with current or likely job openings at USC, Notre Dame, and Florida State, this is prime time if someone wanted their chance at a major school. A friend even told me that the Vegas odds for either the FSU or USC job were 6 to 1 for both Fleck and Urban Meyer. Urban…freaking…Meyer. This is how college football works for the most part.
Who does this “buyout” apply to, though? Is that what the U pays to get rid of him?
That would be would I’d think of in a typical buyout clause, the coach can walk away from any deal to take another job, but the U has pay him if they want to get rid of him.
Grouse
It’s the opposite of that — If USC or Notre Dame or whoever wants to snipe Fleck from Minnesota, PJ has to pay $10M to buy out his commitment to MN. (I think the other team typically picks up that tab if they want the coach badly enough?) So there is *some* protection in the short term.
What I think this sets the stage for is re-upping again in a year or two.
I think this hits the nail on the head.
Per the Daily Gopher:
“Athletic director Mark Coyle has since confirmed that Fleck’s base annual salary will be $4.6 million, and the buyout is $10 million if he leaves in the first year of the new contract. That buyout decreases to $4.5 million after his second year, then $3 million for the next two years, $2 million for the two years after that, and $0 in his final year. If terminated, Minnesota would owe Fleck 65 percent of his remaining contract”
We’re getting better recruits than recent history and even flipping some kids or getting transfers from programs like Notre Dame and Michigan. Can’t be a bad thing to have an exciting “head of state” from a recruiting perspective, even if he annoys the crap outta me.
Kind of torn, if the goofs win out it looks great for the Buckeyes in BIG title game.
PJ Fleck can urine up a rope for all I care. Him or Urban will be coaching Notre Dame in two years.
I heard on KFAN that the game against Penn State, arguably the biggest home game in 15 years, isn’t even sold out yet.
I heard on KFAN that the game against Penn State, arguably the biggest home game in 15 years, isn’t even sold out yet.
Well, that’s great news! Might have to pick up some tickets.
Im sure it has nothing to do with the fact that thousands of would be gophers fans are already on their way to deer camp for opening weekend. I told the old lady if she wants help with a deer Saturday morning she better shoot one right away cause my arse will be home at kickoff time.
They jack up ticket prices for the better opponents. Take a look at the price of the tickets still available. I’m sure the scalpers are happy.
What sect of MN sports fan are you in?
Some of you are loud and proud members of this sect.
The third group has now grown to 42.4% (by coincidence, Jeff Johnson’s runner-up showing in 2018) and is having a spectacular run in recent months. This is the Prove-It-To-Me sect, with the mantra, “They haven’t played anybody.”
Pffft, Penn State is no Ohio State. That’s for sure.
I think I saw an empty seat.
Yup!
I was wrong about PJ Fleck. I am officially a boat rower.
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