Schnauzer
Pretty Sure You are Wrong
- Joined
- Jun 4, 2009
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I think it is okay to be overall happy with Fleck and optimistic about the future of Gopher Football, and be disappointed in the overall result of this season at the same time. In the black/white world of twitter, it doesn't work that way. Any time something good has happened this season, the twitter trolls have been out in force to remind everyone about Bowling Green. They imply Bowling Green was so egregious that Fleck should never have been extended, which further implies perhaps he shouldn't be the coach.
I see so many things that remind me of the 2019 season, but in a weird alternate universe. The 2019 team struggled with early season cupcakes and nearly lost to a couple of them. The 2021 team struggled with a couple early season cupcakes and did lose to one of them. What if CrAB hadn't caught that 4th down TD against Fresno State? What if the Gophers hadn't converted third and a mile from deep inside their territory against Georgia Southern? Meanwhile, what If the 2021 Gophers had simply taken care of business against Bowling Green and Illinois? What if the second half of the Ohio State game had played out to a shocking upset and Mo hadn't got hurt? If so, with a healthy Mo, could even the Gopher squad that came out flat against Bowling Green or Illinois lose those games on any planet? Lots of meat left on the bone this year and lots to be thankful for recalling 2019.
The Gophers beat Iowa in 2010 and 2011 when Iowa was clearly the better team. Now, the Gophers have lost to Iowa in 2019 and 2021 despite having the better team. Plenty of regrets there too.
Fleck is still young by power 5 coaching standards and by definition, still learning. But, I have this weird confidence in him that I have only had in other notable MN coaches like But Grant in the regular season or Tom Kelly in the post season. I hope Fleck learns from what has transpired both in 2019 and 2021, both the good and the bad, and is a better coach in the future for it.
The simple fact is the team should have won the west in BOTH seasons and failed to do so, but some of the hordes on twitter can't separate the fact that if it weren't for Fleck's overall body of work, it is likely both teams never would have been in contention in the first place. None of this stuff happens in a vacuum. It's okay to be impressed with Fleck's accomplishments and hold him accountable for failing to win the west twice, at the same time.
I see so many things that remind me of the 2019 season, but in a weird alternate universe. The 2019 team struggled with early season cupcakes and nearly lost to a couple of them. The 2021 team struggled with a couple early season cupcakes and did lose to one of them. What if CrAB hadn't caught that 4th down TD against Fresno State? What if the Gophers hadn't converted third and a mile from deep inside their territory against Georgia Southern? Meanwhile, what If the 2021 Gophers had simply taken care of business against Bowling Green and Illinois? What if the second half of the Ohio State game had played out to a shocking upset and Mo hadn't got hurt? If so, with a healthy Mo, could even the Gopher squad that came out flat against Bowling Green or Illinois lose those games on any planet? Lots of meat left on the bone this year and lots to be thankful for recalling 2019.
The Gophers beat Iowa in 2010 and 2011 when Iowa was clearly the better team. Now, the Gophers have lost to Iowa in 2019 and 2021 despite having the better team. Plenty of regrets there too.
Fleck is still young by power 5 coaching standards and by definition, still learning. But, I have this weird confidence in him that I have only had in other notable MN coaches like But Grant in the regular season or Tom Kelly in the post season. I hope Fleck learns from what has transpired both in 2019 and 2021, both the good and the bad, and is a better coach in the future for it.
The simple fact is the team should have won the west in BOTH seasons and failed to do so, but some of the hordes on twitter can't separate the fact that if it weren't for Fleck's overall body of work, it is likely both teams never would have been in contention in the first place. None of this stuff happens in a vacuum. It's okay to be impressed with Fleck's accomplishments and hold him accountable for failing to win the west twice, at the same time.
