Minnesota Vikings and Brad Childress

I would like to open with this: I am not a Brad Childress fan nor will I be addressing Sunday's game in this post (it is simply too depressing). I am a Brett Favre fan. In addition, until further consideration and research, I was in support of every "Fire Chilly" poster, tee, and bumper sticker out there (read my previous postings and see for yourself, I'm not lying). Now, I'm not so sure.

The Minnesota Vikings are a team with an immense amount of talent that is simply unaware of how to use it. After a record slip to 3-7 via the 31-3 loss to rivals Green Bay Packers, the Minnesota Vikings, in a desperation move, fired Brad Childress.

A week ago, the Dallas Cowboys pulled the same fast one over Wade Phillips and now they are on a two-game winning streak. Can we hope for the same result? No. The Cowboys new coach is young and experience with success as the offensive coordinator and plenty of years to study under Phillips.

Here is one side of the Favre-Childress fiasco:

This was the wrong move for the Minnesota Vikings. Before you gasp in outrage and file grievance against me, hear me out.

Childress took the Vikings to the NFC Championship last year and they were nearly Super Bowl participants. Of course, typical of Minnesota fair-weather style, we have lost all memory of that playoff rally. We also forgot who lost the game for the Vikings that year. Brett Favre. The turnover king, who is No. 1 overall in interceptions in NFL history. Favre threw that pass straight to the Saints. A big "your welcome" from us to you Drew.

I guess I just can't fathom firing someone who almost led us to the Superbowl a year ago. All I can assume is the team has turned on him. Following suit, so did the fans. When did this start?

I guess a better question would be... Who. Who put the anti-Childress ball in motion? Favre.

Favre and his "me-only" mentality has slowly infected the Minnesota Vikings like cancer to the bone marrow. In one of his many post-game press conferences, Favre talked about how he was "playing for himself" while everyone else on the team was "fighting for themselves". From there on out, the Vikings have fallen apart. The players lost all respect for and faith in Childress and it has turned in to a "me-only" football team.

Favre has successfully turned all the players and fans against Chilly (I am guilty too). Frustration levels for the Vikes must be skyrocketing as they are, as I said before, insanely talented. While I promote individuals questioning the wrongs and rights of society, we should still maintain a chain of command and respect those who have earned authority. In the case of Childress, he almost led us to a Super Bowl last year and now we are burning him at the stake.

It seems to me that Favre has found a way to blame anyone but himself for the team's failures. Instead of taking the fall for the Vikings losses, he threw his head coach under the team bus.

There has been no team faith for a while now. No team faith on a well-established squad that should be looking for a Super Bowl instead of a new head coach. Brett Favre stands in the way.

Here is some statistical support of what I'm saying:

QB Rating: 69.8

Passing Yards: 2,274

Touchdowns: 10

Interceptions: 17

Sacked: 19

These are the stats of the 2010 Brett Favre, not the legendary Brett Favre we know and love. Like I said, I am a fan of Brett Favre, but his time has come. While I have a hard time accepting his career is over, it most definitely is. We should give him his due respect, but in light of the firing of a head coach that had so much success in Minnesota highlights the instability of the Minnesota franchise.

In all honesty (I owe you, my readers, that much), I am not entirely sure how I feel about this post, how I feel about Childress, or how I feel about Favre. The purpose of this post was to point out another view that has been spiraling around Minnesota. Whether I agree with it, I am undecided. Call it devil's advocacy, but I definitely think this argument is something to consider.

Let's just say I am glad I didn't have to make the decision of firing Childress. The choice was economically irresponsible (he still had 3 yrs remaining on his contract that we will have to buy out), but was the right move if your strategy is fan-oriented over profit-oriented. Its a toss-up.

From Wilf's point of view, I can understand why he is disgruntled... or... I could have under why he was upset with Childress when he waived Moss. Now, like I said... I am completely on the fence. I wish I knew more. What do you think?