PJF is not MN football. When he’s gone the program will still be here.
You are absolutely correct, PJF is not MN football.
it is also true, though, that he has been tasked with making the football program relevant again. After FIFTY PLUS years of relative ineptitude, I might add.
What exactly does he have to sell a recruit? "We were great once upon a time"? "Look, we have a cool new stadium". "I know we lost to South Dakota State, but we're better now." "Losing to Iowa 55-0 was a fluke" "Join the rush to beat Wisconsin once every fifteen years". "Seven national titles, last one was before your Grandpa was born". "Eleven coaches in fifty years, hopefully I'll be around when you graduate".
WHAT EXACTLY DOES HE HAVE TO SELL?
He can sell excitement, HIS excitement, even if he is the ONLY one excited.
He can try to sell the vision, we were great at one time and we can be great again. He can try to sell the story, how this is a groundswell movement and you can join it. He can try to sell that 'll teach you how to be an adult, not just how to play football.
NONE of it sells without excitement. HIS excitement. Run up and down the sideline type excitement!
PJF is not selling the "We have been losers for fifty years and we are going to continue down that road without oars on our helmets" package.
He is selling the "This a new Gopher era. We are a different program. We even put oars on our helmets to prove it, because RTB is our mantra, it is becoming our destiny and we are TOTALLY GEEKED about it" package.
Parents, I will turn your boy into a man and not just on the field like everybody else, but in the classroom, in life, in their faith, in their community. Be excited for your boy!
Collars? Yup. Front row of class? You bet. Visiting the hospital? As often as we can. Learning table manners and how to ask a girl on a date? Adulthood 101. Yeah, it's going to be our brand!
PJF has created as much anticipation for this program in the last two years as has been drummed up for forty-six of the last fifty years.
How did he do it? Selling HIS excitement and RTB!
Is it his RTB? Who cares, it's his excitement that makes it work. Without Fleck, RTB is nothing.
There was a point in time there weren't Golden Gophers, there was only Minnesota.
There was a point in time the U didn't own Ski-U-Mah.
There was a point in time they didn't own the rouser.
Pipie wrenches? Oars? More elfin' acronyms than you can shake a stick at? Bring it on!
If thats what it takes to erase a half century of malaise within this community and within this program, sign me up.
Give me the shoulder tat. Paint it on my garage door. Make it a national icon. Start the news with it every night.
If that is what it takes for Fleck to fix this, then do it.
He may sound like the Sham-Wow guy, but that is what this program needs right now. A Sparticus. A champion for the cause.
As far as I am concerned, anybody that isn't on board with it can take a hike, they have no vision.