REALLY special opening statement by P.J. Fleck (worth the ENTIRE listen):
- Wore this blue wristband, our community has been through a lot, that’s why Heather and I love it here so much…today was a special win, we had Fletcher’s 3 buddies, and his brother join us yesterday from the Annunciation shooting. Fletcher (Merkel) was one of the young people that lost his life. Their Dads came and spent a lot of time with us yesterday.
- One of Fletcher’s greatest memories was the USC game last year, which was talked about his funeral.
- It’s the most unthinkable, tragic, catastrophic feeling you probably could ever have, losing your child.
- @MikeWierzbicki did a tremendous job of hosting them, and bringing them into our family
- They all got a game ball, kids are really resilient, but we don’t know how that will really impact young people
- This is what Row The Boat is all about. Can’t bring Fletcher back, can’t make it easier, but I hope that for 45 minutes in my office, for pre-game, to that locker room, they could smile, and I thought they did.
- This goes way bigger than football, everybody. I get paid to win, but I understand my role as a head football coach, I understand the obligation I have, the job I have to do and who I represent.
- People can say Row The Boat is corny, it’s 13 years everybody, move on, find a new word, almost 100 wins…corny? It’s never give up. It’s what we just talked about with Team Fletcher, if you’re going to call that corny, you have issues and problems.
- What our team showed tonight was resolve and the resiliency of what RTB is all about. I’m so darn proud of them. I don’t know if I’ve been a part of a win like that, that meant so much, and you didn’t even know it.
- Coming off of a loss like that, they found a way to win.
- #1 reason I love being a football coach is changing lives.
@GopherHole Coach Fleck and his entire team of coaches and players went so far above and beyond the past two days to reach out to our kids and us and make us feel welcome - none of it was necessary. He is an A+ person
What we got today is one of the most unique items so far... and it's for ROWING THE BOAT!!
These Golden Gophers in Minnesota will come at you all game long and never EVER give up, it's why I like 'em so much!
Thank you Coach Fleck and @GopherFootball for this, RTB!!!
P.J. Fleck and the Gophers have landed the last four No. 1-ranked high school players to come out of Minnesota
Roman Voss (2026)
Emmanuel Karmo (2025)
Koi Perich (2024)
Jaxon Howard (2023)
A serious statement made by Fleck and his staff.