November 30th, 2009 
Todd Theisen 
Posted in 
Coach Brad Childress is on his way to becoming a candidate for coach of the year in 2009. Ok…guys and gals stop laughing; I was just throwing a little humor your way. The Minnesota Vikings are a football team that has assembled a very talented roster of players. Some of the credit has to go to Brad Childress. The addition of Brett Favre not only makes us a better football team but also makes the team more exciting to watch.
Brad Childress’ rookie coaching season started in 2006 and our record was 6-10. Childress was arrogant with his interviews and secretive. In 2007 the Vikings did better at 8-8 and Childress was improving his reputation with the fans and reporters yet everyone was still calling for his firing. When a team is losing the first person that is criticized is the quarterback. Well Tarvaris Jackson and Gus Ferrotte sure didn’t impress anyone. The 2nd in line is the head coach and well let’s just say he sure wasn’t convincing me that he was a winner. In 2008, Childress’ 3rd year as head coach the Vikings went 10-6 and looked like all they needed was an improvement at the quarterback position. Still the critics were yelling “Fire Childress”. The Vikings could win games but never had the power to overwhelm anyone. Brad Childress’ hidden gem in the 2006 draft wasn’t performing and the fans were all hoping that when Jackson was let go or traded that the coach would be leaving right behind him. Some of us still hope we never see the day that Jackson is under center in a meaningful game.
Bring on the 2009 NFL football season. Brad Childress looks like a legitimate football head coach. The players and coaches all seem to be under the same plan. The Vikings have offensive weapons all over the field and are looking like they will be peaking at the right time of the season. Childress relentlessly pursues retired QB Brett Favre knowing that the rest of the team is in place. Favre can help the Vikings win football games that Jackson or Rosenfels never could at this stage of their careers. The learning curve for head coach is over and we are headed in the right direction. Childress has learned from some of his idiotic strategies and has corrected them. The players seem to have confidence in him and his assistant coaches. Zigi Wilf rewarded him with a contract extension through the 2013 season. Zygi was quoted as saying “Brad has done a tremendous job leading this football team and we value the positive environment that he has created for the Mn Vikings on and off the field, He has continued to positively impact this team and create a strong foundation for success.”
We could look back before the 2006 season and review the other candidates that were interviewed for head coach. Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Al Saunders, Indianapolis Colts assistant head coach Jim Caldwell, and former Vikings defensive coordinator Ted Cottrell. I know that Mike McCarthy was also available that year and was signed by the Green Bay Packers. Defensive coordinator Mike Tomlin would have been a great catch a year later but the timing wasn’t right. I believe we have the best of all that was available that year to replace former head coach Mike Tice.
I am hoping that Brad Childress has learned that he is not a QB guru and draft picks can go wrong. John Davis Booty is gone, as should be Tarvaris Jackson. Childress can take credit for going after Adrian Peterson along with Sydney Rice, Chad Greenway and John Sullivan. He has assembled a great offensive line to run block for AP and to protect Favre in the pocket. The Minnesota Vikings are 9-1 and are looking like a team headed deep into the playoffs.
VIKINGS Tidbits:
Jerry Burns was the 4th head coach of the Minnesota Viking (1986-1991) since it’s inaugural season in 1961. He was an assistant coach to Vince Lombardi for two years with the Green Bay Packers, having won Super Bowl I & Super Bowl II. When Lombardi retired following the 1967 season Bud Grant hired him to be his offensive coordinator. He served as Minnesota’s offensive coordinator for the next 18 years, from 1968-1985.
Tags: 
May Randy Moss score lots of points tonight and help defeat the Saints. Wes Welker can take the night off.
Go Vikes
By the way Todd. We are 10-1 and headed to the land of the Sun.
Go Vikes
Dang it John just beat me to the 10-1 part. Good catch John. Chili has learned along the way but its been a little slow. Amen to ending once and for all the T-Jack experiment.
best chance for NO to lose tonight, me be cheerin’ fo’ NE
is chilli too bland, tho’? can he inspire a SB win? favre can prolly make up for that
don’t wanna get there and lose again
chilli’s pic above – either he’s leanin’ for body english on a field goal or he’s gettin’ cerebral palsy
Todds,
Freds doesn’t get the humor of Coach Brad being a viable coach of the year candidate. Are you saying he isn’t a candidate? A 10-1 record should provide enough wins to at least make him a candidate. Like him or not, each year of his Viking tenure the team’s record has improved and many would say that the Viking are having a great year (ten wins out of eleven played is great). What does he have to do in your book to become a coach of the year candidate?
The 9-1 mistake is my fault. Todd actually wrote this article before Sunday’s game, but my absence this weekend and not seeing the story in my inbox meant that it didn’t get posted until after the game.
My apologies to Todd.
Todds,
You’re FIRED!
Adam I was just getting ready to give you a hard time until John mentioned Todd so I scrolled up and saw you didnt write it. So now it’s your fault so diednkie7986980. Take that!
Ummm, what?
Hey, maybe fine me a paycheck
Todd,
Nice photo Bro…
The pic was also my fault/choice. The one Todd sent to me to go with his story was much more conventional, but not compatiable with Word Presses goofy format.
Adam, Sean Payton was also available in 2006. He’s also had his ups and downs with the Saints, but I think he would be in anyone’s top 3 for 2006 coaching hires.
I didn’t write this one.
Hi Adam… I guess thats what you get for writing 99% of the articles!
Haha, I think you mean, “Adam, that’s what you get for having no life outside of watching football, blogging, and drinking Colt .45′s with the Mrs.”
Adam, Freds wont hold the drinking 45′s against ya.
phew! nobody wants Freds holding something against them.
Ya did you hear him talking about a fist fight with Buck? Shutdown corners arent to be messed with.
Baha! Great Childress pic!
[...] Minnesota Viking Coach Brad Childress is well on his way to becoming coach of the year. [...]
Adam, I thought it was interesting that most bloggers didn’t read who wrote the article. Then I started thinking what a great compliment it was to me that nobody could tell the difference between a you a professional and Me an amateur. Self~ backslap
haha, you deserve a good backslap, my friend… but I don’t know how much of a compliment I would take it as to be compared to me