Light reading: Fleck regaling Gophers with pregame kid books
Associated PressMINNEAPOLIS — Starting with his trademarked “Row the Boat” motto that touts energy, trust and optimism, University of Minnesota football coach P.J. “In Minnesota, we’ve got lots of farms, and the poop is actually manure, and it can help with the best crops and fruits and vegetables,” Fleck said. When Fleck first convened the team earlier this fall following the Big Ten Conference’s announcement that the season was back on, he cited “Goldilocks and the Three Bears.” He wanted to encourage the Gophers to strike a balance with their preparation, effort and patience that was “just right,” like the young girl in the story who samples porridge, chairs and beds in an empty house before being caught by the bears who live there. “We learn some of our greatest life lessons from children’s books,” Fleck said, “so it’s a way to get them to almost relax a little, have a little bit of fun, smile, connect the theme with something before they go to bed. “There’s a message in there for everybody,” wide receiver Rashod Bateman said, “and coach Fleck does a good job of pulling that message out and spreading it to our team.” Even for newcomers to the program like offensive coordinator Mike Sanford Jr., who’s in his first season at Minnesota, the purpose of the exercise quickly becomes apparent.
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