National Football League

Childress needs to be his own man

Published Aug. 4, 2010 1:00 a.m. ET

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Oh, he was close. So close. He might have been out from under that 800-pound gorilla who insists on sitting on his chest.

Today, Vikings coach Brad Childress should be doing his best Michael Corleone: "Just when I thought I was out …"

Here is what Childress should have said Tuesday, when pressed about Brett "Take That, LeBron" Favre's latest phantom "retirement": "I accept." End this. Move on. Call the man's bluff. Let him go. There will be no backlash this time. Ted Thompson's already taken all that heat.

And now the whole world sees why he did.

Here is the thing. Favre or no Favre, at this point – can you really call the Minnesota Vikings Super Bowl contenders? How can you, with a head coach who looks the way Childress has been made to look?

This might be Childress' last chance at not losing the locker room. At not losing himself. At not being broken by the pursuit of Brett Favre.

As a football coach, they don't need to love you. They don't need to hate you. They don't need to fear you.

But they do need to take you seriously.

It was just about a couple weeks ago, now, that Childress was in Mississippi yet again, kissing Johnny Drama's ring. He had done this many times, these past couple years. When asked what he was doing there yet again, Childress tried to give an answer that said nothing. Instead, it ended up saying everything.

Childress tried to explain away his visit with a cryptic, "You can fill in the blanks."

Oh, we did. And, Brad, it isn't looking too good for you, man.

Look, we've all been Brett Favre's puppets. We've done the song and dance. Media members. Fans. We're all suckers, and we've been played as such.

(Good grief. Let's hope Deanna can get her gym-membership deposit back.)

But Brad Childress is supposed to be a Head Football Coach. He can't be caught saying "how high?" when Favre tells us all to jump yet again.

On Tuesday, he described this ridiculous situation as "fluid." Lord help us. Head Football Coaches are not supposed to be fluid. They are supposed to be rigid. It is one of the great perks of being a Head Football Coach.

But then the Vikings got LeBrett, and Childress went all New Age on us. He became the anti-Lombardi. Show up 15 minutes early? Naw, just roll on in whenever you can make it. Let us know what's good for you.

On the one hand, it was cool to see him actually subjugate his ego for the good of the team. That was a new one, for a Head Football Coach. (As opposed to Mike Shanahan in Washington, who is currently embarrassing and marginalizing one of his most talented players, just to make a point.)

But it also brought up some interesting philosophical questions. Such as: Is he the head coach? Or the guy who picks up Brett at the airport?

And, what the heck was he doing down there yet again, kissing Johnny Drama's ring?

And, is there any limit to this? (Apparently not.)

Yeah, I admire Childress making that kind of effort, for presenting himself as a man without ego, in order to win. But somewhere, it crossed a line. I couldn't tell you where, exactly.

You can fill in the blanks.

Right now you have to wonder how in the world you can call the Vikings Super Bowl contenders, whether Favre deigns to show up or not. Not without a leader. Not without a strong head coach.

And Childress clearly isn't that strong head coach. He's the guy who begs Brett to come back. And after all of this, still holds out hope that he might.

Come on, man. Have a little dignity.

Sure, the Vikings could beg and plead and bend over backward and let him stroll into the huddle the same week Ben Roethlisberger does. But if that happens, Brad Childress ceases to exist. And you can't win a title that way. You just can't. Favre or no Favre.

No, here's how it has to go, Brad. Call the man's bluff. Let him go. Set a deadline. Be the Head Football Coach.

Show us who you are. Show us you haven't lost yourself in the pursuit of Brett Favre.

But if you can't do that, at least make him get his own ride from the airport.
 

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