That's a similar take to Souhan in the paper today. This is more directed at Jim than you since your take is significantly more nuanced than his, but in my opinion it's just looking for the negative in what was meant to be a positive statement. Like a middle schooler overthinking everything their boy/girlfriend says. We know - and I'm sure the team knows - what he means and we don't need to search for some unintended insult in it. PJ always talks about wanting players with a chip on their shoulder. I don't think any player or recruit like that would find anything negative in saying that because of the development and culture within the program they're able to play better than and beat those widely seen as their "betters". Because on paper they are better, just look at the recruiting rankings.
Souhan beat him to it.
You hit it right. Frost is a child mentally that just wants to "out man" the other team. Fleck wants his team to "out charachter" the other team. His athletes - put in the right positions and right circumstances are winners on and off the field. One team learns how to push through adversity by higher standards and the other knows how to fold when confronted by adversity.
I’d bet Money, that was aimed at recruiting. As was Frost’s dig earlier. They operate in the same recruiting circles.
I think his comment was two-fold. This comment for sure. This is partly a recruiting stance he’s taking. I also believe the “sloganeering” pot-shot bothered Fleck and this was his way to run in that Fleck’s methods are better than Frost’s.
Maybe we are expecting to much from 2 & 3 star players.
Yeah, I didn't love the "over skill" part of it. It just seems a little too much like he's saying that culture turned chicken shit into chicken salad. I love the culture, but I thought the boys looked pretty f'n skilled out there on Saturday too.
I simply took it as Fleck’s culture and approach gets more out of recruits. Fleck knows where his classes rank and that Minnesota isn’t Nebraska. He’s working overtime to change that narrative. He was flat out recruiting with his comments.
Well stated.
Those aren't the guys he's recruiting. He gets good football talents who will also do the hard work to be good men outside of football.
I'm going to bet nobody wearing our uniform took it as coach putting them down.
That's fine if they didn't, we all do some mental gymnastics for people we like. It's also incredibly intoxicating for people to think they were the underdogs. You hear big time programs say things like "everyone doubted us" or "prove all the naysayers wrong". It is what it is. It isn't a big deal. I'm just saying that if anyone else said it, we'd be annoyed. I turned off the Big 10 post game because they were talking about us like the little engine that could and Nebraska like they were a talented juggernaut that blew the game.
No, we were the most skilled and the better team. I have no idea what Fleck really meant by his comment and I don't think anyone else does either. Everyone, including morons like Souhan, will make of it whatever they like.