GopherBulldog
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 5, 2015
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I know two guys that played for the Hawkeyes in the early 90s. One was a high school buddy, the other I've known for 10 years as we work for the same company. He's based in the Northeast and I'm in Atlanta so we only see each other two or three times a year. He knows I'm a Gopher and we've talked about his playing days at Iowa as he played with my high school friend. Gopher. Hawkeye. Yet, somehow, we get along. It's okay. When we get together the discussion inevitably transitions to Big Ten football as most of the crowd, we're based in Atlanta, tend to be SEC rubes. Yesterday we had a company event so he was in town. I'd not seen him since the Fleck hire. Immediately upon seeing me, he begins gushing about Fleck (and he does not tend to be an excitable guy). I'd never seen him so animated. His comments were basically:
- It's great for the Big Ten that Fleck landed at Minnesota
- As an ex player, he has a ton of respect for Fleck's background, philosophy and the way he coaches
- Fleck's energy and enthusiasm are genuine and will inject an energy into both Minnesota football and the Big Ten overall
- Though he's really happy with the hire for the Big Ten -- Iowa, Wisconsin and Nebraska should be very concerned as Fleck is going to disrupt the entire Big Ten West. Recruiting for them just got tougher than they've ever experienced.
This 10 minute discussion made me more excited about the future with Fleck than anything I've yet read or seen. Coming from an ex Iowa player and huge Hawkeyes backer, it could not have been a better endorsement. I hope he is right.
- It's great for the Big Ten that Fleck landed at Minnesota
- As an ex player, he has a ton of respect for Fleck's background, philosophy and the way he coaches
- Fleck's energy and enthusiasm are genuine and will inject an energy into both Minnesota football and the Big Ten overall
- Though he's really happy with the hire for the Big Ten -- Iowa, Wisconsin and Nebraska should be very concerned as Fleck is going to disrupt the entire Big Ten West. Recruiting for them just got tougher than they've ever experienced.
This 10 minute discussion made me more excited about the future with Fleck than anything I've yet read or seen. Coming from an ex Iowa player and huge Hawkeyes backer, it could not have been a better endorsement. I hope he is right.