Favre Not A Big Fan of Chilly

[Capital Edge]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=A ... ikes081810

Even as Minnesota coach Brad Childress was getting what he desperately wanted, he couldn’t help but further undermine himself in the eyes of his players.

On Tuesday, as Vikings guard Steve Hutchinson(notes), defensive end Jared Allen(notes) and kicker Ryan Longwell(notes) were flying back and forth between Minnesota and Mississippi to bring quarterback Brett Favre(notes) back for another season, Childress tried to cover up a fact that was widely reported. Childress, who wasn’t scheduled to talk to media Tuesday, had special teams coach Brian Murphy and offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell tell reporters that the three players were actually at the team facility rather than aboard a private jet. Murphy went so far as to say that Longwell was kicking inside the team’s indoor facility. “We were kicking inside,” Murphy said. When asked directly if Longwell was at practice, Murphy said: “He was here, he was around.”

Bevell couldn’t quite go along with the charade, pushing the explanation on Childress.

“I came out here and [Childress] told me he had the other guys inside,” Bevell said, referring to the three players. “They were in the building. I came out to practice, Coach said they were inside.”

That little bit of misdirection didn’t get much attention, but it raised a lot of eyebrows inside the Vikings’ locker room.

“Chilly can’t even tell the truth about that,” the player said. “I mean, how ridiculous is that? What’s the big deal that he has to lie? Worse, he has to tell other guys to lie for him?”

In short, even as Minnesota’s best hope to win a Super Bowl this season was rejoining the team, Childress was losing more ground with his team in the battle for respect. One of the biggest issues playing out behind the scenes in Minnesota is that many players, particularly on offense, have no respect for Childress. Among those players is Favre, who officially returned to the team Wednesday. According to multiple team sources, Favre’s disdain for Childress is deep.

“Brett thinks Childress has no clue about offense,” a Vikings player said.

Childress’ presence, not Favre’s ankle injury, was one of the biggest reasons Favre was hesitating about playing again, sources said. In early July, Favre had indicated to one player that he was likely to play. However, after Childress visited Favre on July 19, Favre’s desire to return declined.

“Brett just doesn’t trust him,” a player said.

Both Childress and Favre declined to address the issue Wednesday, but the problems run deeper than events from last season. It goes beyond the incident in the Dec. 20 game against Carolina when Favre refused to come out of an eventual loss when Childress wanted to pull him. It’s beyond the Nov. 15 win against Detroit when Childress got angry with a play Favre changed in the second half.

One of the biggest problems in this situation is that Childress is allowed to run free within the organization. Because owner Zygi Wilf and team president Mark Wilf both live in New York, Childress doesn’t have to answer to anyone on a day-to-day basis. In the power structure between Childress, vice president of player personnel Rick Spielman and vice president of football operations Rob Brzezinski, Childress has the final say. He has taken that final say to mean that he can basically act as he pleases.

The heart of the conflict is Childress’ perceived lack of football savvy. Some players believe that most of the offensive coaching staff is made up of yes-men like Bevell. Furthermore, Childress is the type who doesn’t take outside ideas very well.

“He has his way of doing things and that’s it,” a player said.

This season, Childress almost didn’t get Favre as a result.

[crkone]

This is interesting and all but 3 Favre threads is 3 too many.

[Capital Edge]

This is interesting and all but 3 Favre threads is 3 too many.

The more the merrier!

[ReasonablySober]

God I hope the Packers never do anything to piss off Yahoo Sports. They freakin' rule.

[crkone]

God I hope the Packers never do anything to piss off Yahoo Sports. They freakin' rule.

Or the Bucks or the Brewers.

[dropshot001]

that's interesting....i wonder if this will affect his performance this season or if the 16mil he's going to make is enough incentive for him to overlook it

[MetroDrugUnit]

Tell me of a coach that Brett real ever liked? They all just get in his way of slinging the ball downfield every play and banging slits

[LarryHarris]

Interesting, but not surprising...

[rilamann]

I said it a month or two ago and I could very well be wrong but I have a funny feeling things sort of fall apart in Minnesota this year.

I think last year for the Vikings was kind of a honeymoon with Favre.The team took a wait and see approach after Favre joined the team late in camp but with the great start by Favre & the team overall everyone kept cool and kept their mouths shut.


This year I can see the team getting annoyed by Favre & Childress and the team kinda breaking apart. Plus with the Vikings having a tougher schedule and a tough start to the schedule I could really see things falling apart if Favre and the team get off to a shaky start.

It would be similar to the what happened with the Bucks in 2002 which I'm sure the Bucks fans here remember well.

The thing I think a lot of people forget is that Favre with all the money he's making and special treatment he gets is walking a very thin line in Minnesota.

I think people forgot because Favre played so great last year,but if Favre coming off that INT in the championship game gets off to a shaky start and the team is at something like 2-3 to start the season,that team and it's fans will turn on Favre quick.

To stay in the good graces of his teammates and to a lesser extent the fans,Favre almost has to play at an MVP level.That's what I think.

I mean if I was on a team with a guy who extra special treatment and didn't have to show up for camp while me and all my other teammates busted are asses in the August heat,I'd be cool with it as long as they guy played great we where winning.

If the guy was throwing INT's,not playing well and we weren't winning games I think there would start to be some animosity.

I'm sure most here would agree with that if you were on a team with a guy like that.

[Captain Erv]

jasonjwilde

RT @JuddZulgad: YES RT @jasonjwilde: Did Chilly really say that it was Favre's idea to run more plays after the Harvin incident? REALLY?

[LarryHarris]

jasonjwilde

RT @JuddZulgad: YES RT @jasonjwilde: Did Chilly really say that it was Favre's idea to run more plays after the Harvin incident? REALLY?

WOW!

[rilamann]

jasonjwilde

RT @JuddZulgad: YES RT @jasonjwilde: Did Chilly really say that it was Favre's idea to run more plays after the Harvin incident? REALLY?

If that's true that supports my previous post about the team possibly falling apart this season.