Fletcher Merkel

[GophersInIowa]

Apologies if this was posted somewhere else but thought it deserved its own thread.

 

[BTChamp]

Awesome. Thanks for posting

 

[MNVCGUY]

I know Fleck rubs some people the wrong way with his slogans and personality. But he sees the big picture better than most people and is truly genuine with stuff like this. Very cool.

 

[GringaGopher]

I know Fleck rubs some people the wrong way with his slogans and personality. But he sees the big picture better than most people and is truly genuine with stuff like this. Very cool.

Yup. I can’t count how many times I’ve had this conversation. It usually ends with me saying wether U like him or not I believe he genuinely cares for his players and is authentic in his belief about being a positive force in these young mens lives.

 

[UpAndUnder43]

One of the rare instances of Fleck defending his mantras and beliefs. Usually goes unaddressed. But it’s 13 years. He is wired differently. I know of dozens of personal moments he’s shared with people that have never and will never be public.

He’s an outstanding person and he cares. He’s also been the most successful coach here in many decades.

 

[JZABR]

Got a little teary-eyed listening to him talking about Fletcher and the idea of losing a child. He is a genuine person who cares about the well-being of his players.

 

[Spaulding!No!]

love is unlimited.

 

[50PoundHead]

Got a little teary-eyed listening to him talking about Fletcher and the idea of losing a child. He is a genuine person who cares about the well-being of his players.

PJ and his first wife did lose a child, so this hits home for him. All involved in setting this up did a wonderful job of providing comfort after a horrific experience.

 

[gopherbadgerman]

This is one of the many things I do admire about PJ.

 

[SeaBee_Gopher]

I loved his defending his "Row the Boat" mantra at about the 3:30 mark. It's so much deeper to him than just football. It's so easy to criticize when you're not the guy trying to lead 108 young men. We get so many fly-bys on here where people don't take much time to understand things at a deeper level, but so many of you do. Glad you're on here with me!