Saturday's game is a "narrative shaping" game for this program and Fleck

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BleedGopher

BleedGopher

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2019 was obviously an incredible season, highlighted by the Penn State and bowl wins, dampened by the missed opportunities after the horrid first quarter against Iowa and the beat down by wisconsin.

2020 was a frustrating season for many, many reasons. Covid was a buzzkill, no fans in stands, no real peak moment, got crushed by Iowa and lost to wisconsin in OT.

2021, we really don't know what to think of this season yet. Injuries in the backfield, inconsistencies and frustration with the passing games, moments of brilliance from the defense, no true milestone win but a very nice 4 game BT win streak, dampened by two bad loses and missed opportunities.

BUT, the narrative of this season and the trajectory of the program will be written following Saturday's game vs uw. A win and we finish 6-3 in Big Ten, one of the best conference records in decades, including a huge win over our rival, keeping them out of the BT Championship, and an opportunity to finish 9-4 with a solid bowl win. A loss tomorrow and we move to 1-9 in rivalry games under Fleck, we lose 3 of our last 4 in the conference, and it's hard to justify that this program is moving in the direction we all want it to be.

This game is huge. It's time to shape the narrative at wisconsin's expense.

Go Gophers!!
 



I agree. I will feel good about the season if we beat Wisconsin to go 8-4. We'll land a nice bowl and have the axe. A respectable 6-3 conference record. Keep Badgers from winning the West. Not exactly what we had hoped for.....but all around a good year.

Lose to Wisconsin and end 7-5 and this season will be a major letdown.
 

Going to disagree. There is a chance it does and we point back to today as a turning point. At the end of the day the narrative of the Fleck era will start to be told in 3-4 seasons and this game will just be 1 part of it,

every game is narrative shaping. This one just a little more:
 


Whos calling the offense today? If its Simon we are ok...if not we lose 24-10
 


Some guy said:
Going to disagree. There is a chance it does and we point back to today as a turning point. At the end of the day the narrative of the Fleck era will start to be told in 3-4 seasons and this game will just be 1 part of it,

every game is narrative shaping. This one just a little more:
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you think the narrative on fleck will just start to be told after year 8 or 9?
 

Good teams don’t create narratives. Lame-O, were supposed to be talked into feeling good about our team? Your season speaks, not some fabricated narrative.
 




Herd said:
Good teams don’t create narratives. Lame-O, were supposed to be talked into feeling good about our team? Your season speaks, not some fabricated narrative.
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1st time i have ever agreed w Herd.

Agreed. Just win the damn game
 

The Gophers might win today but I doubt it. I'm a long time gopher fan and I believe Fleck has improved the program but we're about a good as we're going to get. I just don't believe we will ever reach the level of Wisconsin and Iowa. We'll have a very good year occasionally but not consistently.

I noticed yesterday. Nebraska, having a miserable year, almost filled their 90,000 seat stadium with 86,541 in attendance. If the gophers had that record how many would attend? The recruits notice this and it makes a big difference.
 

PJ being 2-3 against Wisconsin would get rid of this Iowa/Wisconsin rival story line. Sure the demons are still there against Iowa but 2-3 is hardly a story to be mad about against a rival we had not beaten in a long time. Lots to play for today! 23-21 gophers
 



AgedFan said:
The Gophers might win today but I doubt it. I'm a long time gopher fan and I believe Fleck has improved the program but we're about a good as we're going to get. I just don't believe we will ever reach the level of Wisconsin and Iowa. We'll have a very good year occasionally but not consistently.

I noticed yesterday. Nebraska, having a miserable year, almost filled their 90,000 seat stadium with 86,541 in attendance. If the gophers had that record how many would attend? The recruits notice this and it makes a big difference.
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Until this year I thought PJ had changed things for us. I thought this even after the BG game and was thrilled when he signed the extension.

But the games against Illinois and Iowa have sowed the seeds of doubt. In-game decisions I just can’t get my head around continue to resurface. I hope I am wrong, but my eyes are convincing me of something my heart doesn’t want to believe.
 



This is the main thing I can't stand about (college) football: talk.

Talk, talk, talk, talk, talk.


Shush.


Go play the damn game. WIN the damn game. LET'S F'ING GOOOOOOOOO
 

Minnesota sports teams in general just don't win these types of games. I wish I could be more positive but I just don't see any chance of winning this game.

I am 100% convinced that the reason Minnesota does not allow sports gambling is that we would bankrupt the state betting (and winning) against our home teams. This is one I would put big money on Wisconsin winning and I also think the Badgers will cover as well.
 




I feel better about today knowing the division is off the table and we're just playing spoiler.
 

Screw this narrative talk. As Herm Edwards has said, the purpose of playing the game is to win the game. The Gophers are going to win the game today and let the scribes take over while they manhandle the axe!! Go Gophers.
 

Wisconsin is ranked #14 for a reason; we are unranked for a reason. If Wisconsin executes their style game, the one that got them ranked, and we play the style of game that left us unranked, the outcome is pretty certain. We might get "close," as in the Iowa game, but WI will keep the Axe.

Here is the only "narrative" I will look for: do the Gophers play all three phases of the WI game (including special teams) aggressively, "to win," or do they play at key junctures "not to lose?" Playing to win (even if we lose) is a narrative, and mindset, that will carry over well into the next season. If, on the other hand, we play not to lose (and lose nonetheless), that is a negative mindset that will carry over and infect the next season. The goal is to beat WI and IA. Both those teams, regardless of their annual talent level, play big games unabashedly "to win." If we want to attain the WI and IA success level, we will never get there playing "not to lose." We will get tantalizingly close, but never get there. It isn't recruiting and personnel that is the roadblock, it is a coaching mindset.

Playing to win, BTW, includes playing with risk/reward in mind. Going for a 4th and 2 on your own 35 yard line early in the game (instead of punting and pinning WI deep) isn't playing to win--because it is stupid from a risk/reward standpoint. Playing to win also includes making intelligent choices that don't pointlessly handicap your team.
 

I agree with the OP. In a short season only a couple of outcomes in close games can shape the whole thing.

2019, the Gophers could have easily taken a L or two in the non-conference to weaker teams. But they didn't and it ended up being a beautiful 11-2 season. More good luck than bad.

2020, the Gophers disappointed many but if the two OT games had swung the Gophers way we're talking 5-2 with an Axe win and a really strong covid season. More bad luck than good.

2021, a couple of the close ones didn't quite go our way but a couple did and now we've probably got two more to come. Fairly even luck. How a few plays end up going in the remaining games will be the difference between a really strong season and a bit of a let down.

The margin between a great season and a disappointing one at a place like Minnesota is slim.
 

I don't think they win today because WI is peaking at the right time.

Not the year we hoped for but each year we are getting better and deeper despite the wins and loss numbers.
 


stocker08 said:
I agree. I will feel good about the season if we beat Wisconsin to go 8-4. We'll land a nice bowl and have the axe. A respectable 6-3 conference record. Keep Badgers from winning the West. Not exactly what we had hoped for.....but all around a good year.

Lose to Wisconsin and end 7-5 and this season will be a major letdown.
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A few decades went by with lots of sub 7-5 seasons. If this is a disappointment, that's a sign that the program is moving up.
 

Gophergrandpa said:
Wisconsin is ranked #14 for a reason; we are unranked for a reason. If Wisconsin executes their style game, the one that got them ranked, and we play the style of game that left us unranked, the outcome is pretty certain. We might get "close," as in the Iowa game, but WI will keep the Axe.

Here is the only "narrative" I will look for: do the Gophers play all three phases of the WI game (including special teams) aggressively, "to win," or do they play at key junctures "not to lose?" Playing to win (even if we lose) is a narrative, and mindset, that will carry over well into the next season. If, on the other hand, we play not to lose (and lose nonetheless), that is a negative mindset that will carry over and infect the next season. The goal is to beat WI and IA. Both those teams, regardless of their annual talent level, play big games unabashedly "to win." If we want to attain the WI and IA success level, we will never get there playing "not to lose." We will get tantalizingly close, but never get there. It isn't recruiting and personnel that is the roadblock, it is a coaching mindset.

Playing to win, BTW, includes playing with risk/reward in mind. Going for a 4th and 2 on your own 35 yard line early in the game (instead of punting and pinning WI deep) isn't playing to win--because it is stupid from a risk/reward standpoint. Playing to win also includes making intelligent choices that don't pointlessly handicap your team.
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Post of the day!
 

FanSinceTheFifties said:
A few decades went by with lots of sub 7-5 seasons. If this is a disappointment, that's a sign that the program is moving up.
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It is moving up. Fact is that this should have been our best team on paper in a while. Let multiple games slip away. Get the axe back....and those losses are forgiven.
 

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