P.J. Fleck calls out ‘Row the Boat’ critics after Gophers beat Michigan State
Gophers' P.J. Fleck calls out 'Row the Boat' critics
Gophers football coach P.J. Fleck spent nearly five minutes Saturday night talking about his "Row the Boat" culture and hosting family and friends of Annunciation shooting victim Fletcher Merkel for their win over Michigan State.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - It wasn’t pretty, but the University of Minnesota football team beat Michigan State 26-23 in overtime on Saturday to improve to 6-3 on the season.
The Gophers have earned bowl eligibility, and are 4-2 in Big Ten play. They weathered plenty of adversity in the game to get the win, a mantra of P.J. Fleck ever since he’s been a head coach.
Fleck remembers Fletcher Merkel
Why you should care:
Fleck spoke with media after the win, and as part of a five-minute opening statement, talked about how there’s far more to life than football. The Gophers hosted Fletcher Merkel’s brother and some of his friends along with their fathers for the game. The group spent time with Fleck and the team on Friday, got to be on the sidelines pregame and were part of the postgame celebration.
They all got game balls. Merkel, one of the two Annunciation students killed in the Aug. 27 mass shooting, was a big Gophers’ fan and was on the field celebrating last year when Minnesota beat USC, then a top-15 team in the country. The coaching staff wore blue "Team Fletcher" wrist bands for the game.
What they're saying:
"There’s a picture in my office of those boys on our field. I have four kids, it’s the most unthinkable, tragic, catastrophic feeling you could ever have losing your child. They were with us on the sideline pregame, with us in the locker room after the game, they all got a game ball. I know Fletcher is smiling down on his buddies and his brother," Fleck said. "We can’t bring Fletcher back, we can’t make it easier, but I hope for 45 minutes in my office, for pregame to that locker room, they could smile. This goes way bigger than football."
Fleck calls out ‘Row the Boat’ critics
Why you should care:
He brought his "Row the Boat" philosophy from Western Michigan to Minnesota. It's a personal homage and mantra, as Fleck lost a child shortly after birth.
It’s a great message when the Gophers win. When they lose, it becomes an easy punching bag for opponents and critics. He now has 94 wins as a head coach. Fleck knows he’s ultimately judged by wins and losses, but his staple is overcoming adversity, responding and keep pushing forward.
He had a message for those who call "Row the Boat" corny.
"That’s why Row the Boat, people can say it’s corny, it’s 13 years everybody, move on, find a new word. Almost 100 wins with Row the Boat, move on," Fleck said. "If you’re going to call that corny, you’ve got issues and problems."
Gophers get week off
What's next:
The Gophers have their second bye week, so they are off next Saturday. Minnesota is back in action at No. 6-ranked Oregon on Friday, Nov. 14, a game you can watch on FOX 9.