Gophers are land animals but a certain buck-toothed rodent will soon take to the water in solidarity with the U of M’s new football coach.
The design of a new bobblehead featuring Goldy Gopher rowing a boat was unveiled Friday.
It’s being made by the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum. They’re expected to be available in July but you can pre-order one now for $40.
What’s with the boat?
In case you missed it, “Row the Boat” is the catchphrase used by P.J. Fleck, who became the new Gopher football coach last month.
Fleck has explained that the rowing metaphor helped him carry on after his infant son died of a heart condition. He began using it to inspire his team in his previous job at Western Michigan University (they went 13-1 this past season).
“Row the Boat” was even trademarked by Western Michigan. But don’t worry, they recently released that trademark to Fleck. So Goldy can row the boat upstream to Stadium Village this summer and maybe even see some tailgaters with his bobblehead.
There’s a Bobblehead Hall of Fame?
Sure. Sort of. You can’t actually go to it. But some folks in Milwaukee have put together bobblehead exhibits and a website. They even have drawings of what their museum might look like, once they find a location for it.
Until then, they’ve got some rowing to do, too.
