Would P J Flecks go back to his words

Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck walked to the dais at Big Ten media days armed with a gray manilla folder and a tone he wanted to set.

Written with a black Sharpie on the inside of that folder were 10 topics ranging from drugs to clapping to injuries. Under each category were meticulously scribed sentences also in his handwriting. Fleck, who enters his seventh year with the Gophers, was ready for battle.

And 9 minutes, 40 seconds into his news conference, Fleck sprung into action.

A story published by Front Office Sports on Wednesday quoted several anonymous players accusing Fleck of several offenses. Among them was allowing players who performed enough community service to collect “coins” to be used at the “Fleck Bank” and get out of positive drug tests. Fleck’s environment was described as toxic and intimidating, and the anonymous players labeled his heavy use of acronyms and phrases as “brainwashing.”

Other reported criticisms included his overuse of the word “elite,” forcing players to clap when he entered the room and making one player drink enough protein shakes to change the color of his fecal matter.

In a three-minute response Thursday, Fleck outlined the reasons why he took offense to the story. The coach vigorously defended his program, reputation and team culture. He was even more forceful in a side interview with The Athletic.

“Each year this story, from a source that used to be connected to the university, has been peddling the story pretty much every summer,” Fleck said, “and looking for anybody to grab it and hold on to it.

“They’re baseless allegations, and it’s a similar story every single year told a little bit of a different way.”

Fleck recognizes he isn’t for everyone. He talks fast, runs ahead of his players on game days and rattles off more slogans in 30 seconds than corporate executives on a retreat. But he said he’s the same way in his initial impression with prospects and the program “selects” players rather than recruits them. If players have concerns, they can go to the campus leadership council, the Student Advisory Committee, Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Office, athletic director Mark Coyle and other outlets.

“Our players, when they’re on campus and playing for us, have six anonymous avenues, that if there’s an issue, you can go without anybody ever finding out,” Fleck said. “We encourage our players to always use those avenues.