Reusse: I’m not a Gophers football hater. I’m an old-timer with standards.

The construction of athletic facilities between the Bierman Building and the new Siebert Field has made finding “the right door” more difficult in the occasional quest to interview a Gophers subject.

First, we irregulars must find a place to park on those streets north of Dinkytown, then make the walk toward the athletic buildings and practice fields.

Wander around a bit after doing this in August with an uncrowded campus and an old-timer can get a lesson that he looks even more helpless than he imagined.

I was walking down 15th Avenue S. and not certain as to which left turn to take to get to the football building’s Hall of Fame area. There was a solid young man in sweats coming in my direction.

His status as a football player was confirmed, and I asked where to make the proper left. He gave directions and then added: “Could I walk with you there, sir? That would be no bother.”

I passed on that offer, thanked him and headed the couple hundred yards to the proper entrance. It was a small indication of the helpful nature that head coach P.J. Fleck is said to instill in his athletes.

This was a media event for the start of fall camp, and a sizable number of athletes came in for interviews with a gathering of reporters. I was there to find Derik LeCaptain, a linebacker and special teamer entering his seventh season for the Gophers.

We had a 15-minute interview after he left the microphone. If you wanted an example of the Fleck Effect on a player, LeCaptain offered it. There was talk of playing, practicing, but also of “service.”

After LeCaptain’s high praise for Fleck, I did offer this lighthearted observation: “I do think your coach looks like an idiot when he crowd-surfs the players in the locker room after beating Rhode Island.”

He looked at me as if I was a fat guy from ICE there to harass one of his teammates because he had a complicated last name.

(Note: ICE wasn’t around in August, but any time you can take a shot at ’em being predominantly out-of-shape it shouldn’t be passed up.)

That was a worthwhile visit to campus to feel firsthand — even if slightly — the impact Fleck has on what seems to be a large majority of his players:

Or, LeCaptain: “We celebrate every victory as a successful week on Saturday, then go back to work on the next game Sunday.”

Clearly, Fleck has created loyalty from a high percentage of players. They have lost an occasional asset as a transfer (Bucky Irving, the most significant), but the numbers in the portal have been comparatively small.

Fleck has stayed around longer than anticipated. Overall, he’s done a good job as Year 10 beckons next fall.

Here’s my problem: On the field, he hasn’t done nearly as much as Gophers acolytes give him credit.

Last week, when honesty forced me to offer a derogatory opinion on this Fleck season, there was a reference to me as “Gopher Hater.”

A 9-year-old kid kneeling in the end zone where Bob McNamara brought back the kick to beat Iowa in 1954?

Me? Thrilled beyond belief when Murray Warmath’s No. 3 Gophers beat No. 1 Iowa 27-10 in November 1960; and then back-to-back Rose Bowls in January 1961 and 1962.

Me, who could put Bobby Bell, the all-world, two-way tackle (turned Pro Hall of Fame linebacker) at No. 1 on his list of all-time favorite athletes to compete for a Minnesota team (pro or college)?

I protest. I’m not a Gopher Hater. I’ve merely been around long enough to have standards.

Fleck won eight games this season and won another bowl game. The Gophers won eight games in 1960 and lost the Rose Bowl. This generation of Fleck faithful probably feels that makes it Advantage: Fleck.

The only bowl game in which a Big Ten team could play was the Rose. That was true for Warmath’s entire career here (1954-1971).

The Gophers went to their first after the 1960 season and were upset by Washington. The excitement was like reaching the World Series in 1965. The Gophers went back after 1961 (when Ohio State declined) and beat UCLA.

Revenge.

Now, Fleck’s Gophers have joined the 60%-plus power conference teams annually that reach bowl games and have won seven in a row (one Outback vs. Auburn; six third-rate affairs) — and the brainwashed want to put him on a pedestal.

Then again, for an old-timer with standards, this was a lousy season:

Gopher Hater? Not me.