Tom Powers: Fans' justifiable hatred of Vikings coach Brad Chil...

Can't find a more accurate piece of journalism than this! Nice work Tom.

Powers is right on, but I think the tendrils of this dissatisfaction run in other directions as well. First, the man is unlikeable; this makes it hard to root for him to succeed and easy to root for him to fail. Tice was quite the opposite. Second, he acts as if he is a seasoned, successful coach when he was essentially a scrub assistant at Philadelphia snd little else. This arrogance is an invitation to derision when he fails. Third, we know we have a gem in Adrian Peterson and Childress is wasting him. Fourth, he set up the "I'm smarter than everyone in the room" scenario with his drafting and cultivating of Jackson and now refuses to man up and say that he was wrong. We have to infer it from the benching, when a real man would step up and say it. Last, you can feel the team's indifference and even animosity toward him, and it's not the animosity of a team that hates a successful but rigid coach like Tom Coughlin. It's the animosity of a team that knows they have a loser leading them. It oozes out in their pathetic "damn with faint praise" endorsements as well as body language when discussing him. We fans love our team, and when we can sense that our team dislikes the coach and feels that their talent is being wasted, we get angry. Sadly, Mr. Wilf, like Big Red, has a feel only for his investment and not for the connection of the team to the city and state. He can't understand what all this is about, so he won't do what is necessary to correct it. Remember, the ghost of Bud Grant is over everything here. Until we have a coach who towers (rhymes with Cowher) over the team like Grant did, there will be dissatisfaction. An arrogant, semi-competent coach wannabe isn't going to cut it. Give us someone with honest fire (like Tomlin), character (like Dungy), or coaching gravitas (like Cowher), and we'll accept bad teams for a while. Right now we have one more unlikeable coach who hides in the bunker, and we've been there before. We don't like being there again.

While I don't disagree with Powers' view. I am really hardpressed to agree with the fans that are calling for Childress' firing. As I have said over and over, the players are have to show some consistancy before Childress can truly be evaluated. Berrian/Sciancoe/Wade/Williams on/Rice has two steps on his man, the ball isn't caught (whether a bad throw or a drop), how is that the fault of the coach? The defensive back releases his guy to a safety that isn't in position and gives up a 75 yard pass play, is that the coaching, or the player performance?
Now, following 2 ugly wins there should be reason for optimism. Teams that can win ugly frequently are rewarded in the post season (NYG 2007, Ravens 2000), whereas the "pretty" teams seem to not do so well (98 Vikes, 07 Pats, 06 Chargers, and 02-05 Indy). Teams (and people) need to learn to overcome tough times, how to be successful when things aren't going to plan.

Naw. It's a pretty lame article, really. There isn't a damn thing in it that hasn't been said by just about everybody that posts here. In fact, most of the "dump Klink" posts are far superior to this article. Tom Powers isn't doing anything here but throwing more wood on the already burning fire.- The ONLY thing that I see that could even possibly save Childress' butt is kickin' Chicago's *$$ big-time, and then doing the same to GB. THAT, plus into the play-offs by at least a game or two.(I personally STILL wouldn't like him. But it'd be easier to tolerate him)

The hard truth wrote:

Powers is right on, but I think the tendrils of this dissatisfaction run in other directions as well. First, the man is unlikeable; this makes it hard to root for him to succeed and easy to root for him to fail. Tice was quite the opposite. Second, he acts as if he is a seasoned, successful coach when he was essentially a scrub assistant at Philadelphia snd little else. This arrogance is an invitation to derision when he fails. Third, we know we have a gem in Adrian Peterson and Childress is wasting him. Fourth, he set up the "I'm smarter than everyone in the room" scenario with his drafting and cultivating of Jackson and now refuses to man up and say that he was wrong. We have to infer it from the benching, when a real man would step up and say it. Last, you can feel the team's indifference and even animosity toward him, and it's not the animosity of a team that hates a successful but rigid coach like Tom Coughlin. It's the animosity of a team that knows they have a loser leading them. It oozes out in their pathetic "damn with faint praise" endorsements as well as body language when discussing him. We fans love our team, and when we can sense that our team dislikes the coach and feels that their talent is being wasted, we get angry. Sadly, Mr. Wilf, like Big Red, has a feel only for his investment and not for the connection of the team to the city and state. He can't understand what all this is about, so he won't do what is necessary to correct it. Remember, the ghost of Bud Grant is over everything here. Until we have a coach who towers (rhymes with Cowher) over the team like Grant did, there will be dissatisfaction. An arrogant, semi-competent coach wannabe isn't going to cut it. Give us someone with honest fire (like Tomlin), character (like Dungy), or coaching gravitas (like Cowher), and we'll accept bad teams for a while. Right now we have one more unlikeable coach who hides in the bunker, and we've been there before. We don't like being there again.

VERY GOOD POST! In fact, excellent in my opinion. Prettier than my nasty Celtic temper can muster-up, boy-o.

Bud Grant. The one coach in Vikings history (and mine) who never was urged at some point in his coaching tenure to move on. Who, really, is available to coach the Vikings. I also agree that with the dollars paid some players, they have been woefully unproductive. Finally, I, too, can see a dejectedness in players attitudes and behaviors, and I live a couple hundred miles away from the team. To me, a "team" attitude of losing has pervaded the Vikings... Leaders of the team should be stepping up. Are there any leaders on this team, coaching or otherwise?

As I recall Clink said We have to teach Adrian how to be patient and rub the ball correctly. It seems as though his coaching may also be the cause of Adrians lack of production compared to last year.
Without Clink's coaching Adrian set the league on fire and with his coaching as good as he is his production is down.
I believe in watching the games that had Tavaris
started against the last two defenses he more than likely would have done as well and most likely better as he is more mobile and athletic. I think T Jack was used as a scape goat by Clink as reason for the lack of production in his kick ass offense.
The numbers don't reflect a big increase in yards, Td's and running yards with Ferrote. More sacks and a couple more interceptions. Maybe the receivers held on to a few more balls. Yes I know Gus had 1 game with 300 yards. There was a long run during a defensive breakdown after catch against the worst overall pass defense in the league. But lets be real. The defense has had more to do with the wins than Ferrote. However T jack may have looked just as bad in those games because of the terrible play calls and the horrible coaching.
But he may have done much better as he at least can move in the pocket and run if he has to. Right now with Gus we are padding the other teams sack stats.
And still (less the breakdown defenseive play for the long TD by Berrian) we are still in the low 200's for passing yards. If we are to use the term Kick Ass it should be used for Childress and followed by OUT.

It is his arrogance that rubs fans the wrong way. To make a bonehead decision (2 pt conversion), have the offense play miserably, to barely win because the refs gave you favorable (blown) calls, but then call it a "great win"? It is insulting to fans! He thinks we should blindly believe the bland crap that comes out of his mouth instead of our own eyes! Note to Childress and Ziggy: The fans know a LOT more than you give them credit for.

Let me weigh in again with something that may be an objectifiable measure of Childress' competence or incompetence. He determined that Brad Johnson could no longer play. Brad, classy guy that he is, said nothing, but implied that he was kept from calling audibles at the line because he was supposed to execute the game only as it came from Childress' brain. Good soldier that he was, he tried to do it Childress' way, and he looked like a washed up quarterback. Now he'll be starting in Dallas. If he plays well and executes smartly, we will have our answer. Brad Johnson is the best objective measure we will ever have of the competence of the other Brad. I will be watching closely. I hope Mr. Wilf will, too. By the way, this will be the first time in my entire life that I will be rooting for a Cowboy's team. And that speaks volumes about my feelings for Mr. Childress.

To "The Hard Truth": Your post is 100% right on. Childress' arrogance is the icing on the cake that is his incompetence.

As a bears fan, I love Brad. His game calling sucks at best. He may be a great football mind (choke snort laugh cough), but the man has no interpersonal skills, his way or the highway. I would bet he has little to do with his players on a level beyond this is what I want you to do. I guess one would call him a dictator.

What pisses everyone off is knowing without a solid QB the prospects are not good. Where are we going to come up with one and when? 2 years or more down the line? Which wastes the talent we currently have as they grow older. Look at New England, no Tom Brady and suddenly they are an average team. This jackass wasted years of players careers trying to "mold a piece of clay" into a starting QB, in actuality he spent 3 years polishing a turd only to find it was still a turd. Childress needs to go for that mistake.

Ah Powers, here you go again. While I agree with many fans displeasure with the play of the Vikings, I only blame this in part on the coach. So, what is going to happen when this team starts to win? Will you shut up like you did regarding Coach Brewster? Where have you been? Now that the Gophers are 6-1? You must be hiding. If the Vikings win will you promise to go into permanent hiding? Maybe witness relocation?

What TJax lacks is "Veteran Poise". And I hate like hell to admit it, but Klink was right on one crucial point: You really COULD see that Jackson lost a pretty big $h!tload of aggressiveness & determination after his injury.- There's no doubt that he has the physical tools. But you could see that he didn't wait for the entire play to develop before he got rid of the ball. Plus, it was always plainly obvious where he was going to throw the ball. Thanks to constantly improving film coverage, you could see panic in his eyes as the pocket started collapsing. It didn't exactly help his cause that one of the most hated guys in MN was trying to cram him down the fans' throats. Childress "liking" you can be almost like the kiss of death.
Alot of Childress' problem could've been solved, if he actually "owned up to" mistakes. 1) Jackson. He pushed him too much, and too soon. Result: "I could see that he wasn't being aggressive enough". 2)$h!tty play-calling. Result: "The players just don't execute correctly". 3) A player hints that it might be play-calling, & maybe player input would help. Result: Player sent packing. 4) A seasoned veteran hints that he'd like to "try-out" for the job as QB. Result: Childress insults him, publically, for no reason. 5) A very good punter has a bad day. Result: Childress publically insults him.- Further result: After people point out that it was a mean & classless thing to do, he says that he MIGHT have made a mistake.

Childress is a jack**s. An arrogant, low-capacity, jack**s. I know that sometimes it's players that f**k-up, but when THEY do, they admit it. AND they feel bad about it. Klink blames others.- The Officer that orders a failed charge is the one responsible for the outcome. NOT some private infantryman. "Accountability" my a**!

dan in PHoenix wrote:

<quoted text>yea Archie , TP is a hack alright but ya gotta admit the taoster ides was funny and a damn fine idea. as far as beating Chicogo calming things down i disagree. the guy can't coach. he S U C K S period and i'm done with him and you should be too. changing our minds and giving him another chance if he wins a couple games makes as much sence as forgiving and marrying your ex wife again. sorta like taking a second bite out of the same turd. it's time to run his @$$ out of town and move forword. GO VIKINGS FIRE CHILLY NOW

Yeah, I am done with him, Dan. The a**hole's a $h!t sandwich. And the bread's even moldy.

I think the results are already surprisingly depressing. Two games given away to Green Bay and Indianapolis and a grand total of 10 offensive points (3 of those a gift from the officiating crew) against maybe the worst team in the NFL. One decent game in six certainly isn't cause for dancing in the streets or printing tickets for the Super Bowl. Childress is probaly a decent man, but he's a lousy head coach. The Wilfs need to acknowledge they jumped the gun and made a huge mistake with this guy.

the hard truth wrote:

Let me weigh in again with something that may be an objectifiable measure of Childress' competence or incompetence. He determined that Brad Johnson could no longer play. Brad, classy guy that he is, said nothing, but implied that he was kept from calling audibles at the line because he was supposed to execute the game only as it came from Childress' brain. Good soldier that he was, he tried to do it Childress' way, and he looked like a washed up quarterback. Now he'll be starting in Dallas. If he plays well and executes smartly, we will have our answer. Brad Johnson is the best objective measure we will ever have of the competence of the other Brad. I will be watching closely. I hope Mr. Wilf will, too. By the way, this will be the first time in my entire life that I will be rooting for a Cowboy's team. And that speaks volumes about my feelings for Mr. Childress.

Got that right, pal. I said almost the identical thing yesterday.

I'm not a fair-weather fan, but I can't root for Childress. His arrogance sickens me. His public deriding of Kluwe was the final straw. His offense is boring to the point of unwatchable, and his know-it-all attitude caps it off. Go Bears.

Kevin in the East wrote:

While I don't disagree with Powers' view. I am really hardpressed to agree with the fans that are calling for Childress' firing. As I have said over and over, the players are have to show some consistancy before Childress can truly be evaluated. Berrian/Sciancoe/Wade/Williams on/Rice has two steps on his man, the ball isn't caught (whether a bad throw or a drop), how is that the fault of the coach? The defensive back releases his guy to a safety that isn't in position and gives up a 75 yard pass play, is that the coaching, or the player performance?
Now, following 2 ugly wins there should be reason for optimism. Teams that can win ugly frequently are rewarded in the post season (NYG 2007, Ravens 2000), whereas the "pretty" teams seem to not do so well (98 Vikes, 07 Pats, 06 Chargers, and 02-05 Indy). Teams (and people) need to learn to overcome tough times, how to be successful when things aren't going to plan.

Sorry Kev - that logic might fly in VA but not here in MN - three years of this crap is three years too many.

I don't believe that Childress's even keel, emotionless, passionless approach is the correct way to approach the game of football. It may work for baseball, but football is a physical, emotional game. This approach really shows in the way his teams play and continue to underachieve. His overall coaching record is about .500 and that is what we see in the Vikings. Offensive coordinator Bevell is nothing to write home about either. That attack has little imagination.

Say what you want about Tice, but his teams outperformed this current bunch and he wore his heart on his sleeve, and he was substantially hindered by McCoombs.

And what is this obnoxious fascination with bringing in former Eagles? Last I checked, for all their success, they have not won a super bowl in a very long time. I wish he would broaden out his selection process.

Lastly I don't like the Vikings focus on winning the division. "We have an average record, but we can still win the division!" Big deal! Winning a crappy 4 team division is not a big feat, especially when your going to get beat in the first round of the playoffs. I wish they would set their sites higher.