Brad Childress apparently not players' favourite
Although the Vikings recently waived embattled and outspoken wide receiver Randy Moss, all is not well in Minnesota.
According to a report made by the Chicago Sun-Times on Wednesday, 10 November, a number of players and team sources anonymously told the newspaper that they are not on board with head coach Brad Childress.
"We know that [Brad] Childress doesn’t have our backs, so why should we have his?" one player told the newspaper. "We’re playing for us, and we’re winning despite him."
Apparently, there are various members of the Vikings’ team and staff that disagree with the coach’s methods, unhappy with the fact that Childress often questions his team’s effort while calling out certain individuals. "He has absolutely no people skills,"
a team source told the Chicago newspaper.
Even quarterback Brett Favre has not been exempt from Childress’ criticisms this season, as the coach singled out his play-caller after a 24 October loss to the Green Bay Packers.
A 20-year veteran of the league, Favre, who threw three interceptions in the 28-24 defeat, was probably aware of his mistake, but was still torn into by his head coach following the poor performance.
Favre, however, bounced back in last week’s contest, a 27-24 overtime victory over the Arizona Cardinals in which the QB threw for 446 yards, a career high. The effort, which may have saved Minnesota’s season, was apparently not lost on his Vikings teammates.
"This week I’ve seen in Brett what I haven’t seen since last year, when it comes to energy that comes across from him," tight end Visanthe Shiancoe told reporters after the game. "It definitely showed."
Nonetheless, a total of six Vikings players told the Sun-Times that although they would like to see Childress relieved of his duties, they will not quit on their teammates or this season. The newspaper even quoted one player as saying, "As much as
I hate Childress, I will keep playing."
At the season’s midway point, the Vikings sit at 3-5, but are just two and a half games out of first place in the NFC North.
"We got too many good football players, and we won’t lay down like Dallas," one player told the newspaper, in reference to the Dallas Cowboys (1-7), who have apparently given up on the 2010 campaign.
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