QuoteChildress: Culepper wasn't a team player
Associated Press
ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Minnesota Vikings coach Brad Childress says he saw a little of T.O. in Daunte Culpepper. That was enough for him.
"It just became a deal where I didn't feel like it was the team, I felt like it was 'me,'" Childress said Monday about Culpepper. "I went through a big 'me' situation last year with a guy who was all about 'me.'"
While still the offensive coordinator at Philadelphia, Childress clashed with Terrell Owens during training camp, the precursor to the mercurial receiver's high-profile exodus from the Eagles.
Shortly after replacing Mike Tice as the head coach in Minnesota, Childress again found himself not seeing eye-to-eye with one of the team's marquee players.
Culpepper refused to rehab his severely injured right knee in Minnesota, preferring to remain at home in Florida. He also asked for a raise and was hesitant to meet with Childress and the new coaching staff to start examining the team's new offense.
"I think we're just playing the ultimate team game and so everybody has to be on board," Childress said. "Specifically, the quarterback has to be on board because that's kind of the straw that stirs the drink, if you will. You have to feel that, it has to be ringing through. I didn't quite get it."
With neither side budging, the Vikings shipped Culpepper to Miami last week for a second-round pick, days after Culpepper requested to be traded or released.
"Quite frankly, I don't think he wanted to be here anymore," the coach said. "I think he's probably better served where he's at. I think that we'll go forward and keep our gaze forward as opposed to looking back."
Speaking at a Chamber of Commerce luncheon, Childress said he never got a good vibe from Culpepper, the unquestioned leader of the Vikings until last season's struggles on and off the field.
"Everything became about being a $10 million-a-year quarterback," Childress said.
Culpepper did not respond to an e-mail request for comment. Last week, he said he wanted to move forward with his new team.
"I wish the best for the Viking organization as they go forward under the new ownership group and coaching staff," he wrote in an e-mail to reporters last week.
Without Culpepper, the Vikings have turned to 37-year-old Brad Johnson as their starting quarterback. After Culpepper went down for the season against Carolina, Johnson helped the team to a 7-2 finish that was aided by an improved defense and soft schedule.
Childress said Monday he is off to a much better start with Johnson.
"I know where his heart is in no uncertain terms because he's told me that," Childress said. "He's looked me in the eye and told me that."
For now, Childress said, Johnson is the team's starting quarterback. But the Vikings could bring in a veteran free agent like Aaron Brooks, Brian Griese or Joey Harrington.
And Childress didn't rule out packaging the second-rounder the Vikings got from Miami to move up in the draft to grab one of the marquee rookies -- USC's Matt Leinart, Texas' Vince Young or Vanderbilt's Jay Cutler.
"If you have a little bit of ammo, if you see somebody that moves you, you'd be able to move up if that person was there," he said.
I think that's a little hyperbole. No one if the league is as arrogant and self-congratulating as TO. But, good for Childress for getting rid of a potential head case.
We'll see what he can do with a 37 year old QB that can't move laterally, however.
that works out perfectly. The Vikings will covet a first round QB once Philly's ready to draft, will trade up to get Cutler, and Philly will move down in order to draft Greenway.
Cutler will be LONG gone by #14.
childress is gun shy...theres nothing wrong with culpepper
Culpepper went gonzo and had to be dealt. The Vikings did well to get value for him, considering he's coming off a bad season and a worse injury, and was due a roster bonus that they had no intention of paying anymore.
They had no choice but to do something with Culpepper. He was clearly out of his mind; going without an agent was idiotic on his part.
Quote from: FFatPatt on March 21, 2006, 08:49:01 AM
Culpepper went gonzo and had to be dealt. The Vikings did well to get value for him, considering he's coming off a bad season and a worse injury, and was due a roster bonus that they had no intention of paying anymore.
I think the Vikes got robbed. The Eagles got a 2nd round pick for Feeley from the Phins so the Vikes should have gotten the next 4 years worth of #1's from them.
Don Banks from NFL.com thinks the Vikings are having the best overall off-season of any team so far.
Quote from: FFatPatt on March 21, 2006, 05:36:04 PM
Don Banks from NFL.com thinks the Vikings are having the best overall off-season of any team so far.
we appreciate the Don Banks updates.
He thinks the Cowboys are #3, just because of T.O. Please ban me, I have nothing to contribute.
Quote from: FFatPatt on March 21, 2006, 05:53:37 PM
He thinks the Cowboys are #3, just because of T.O. Please ban me, I have nothing to contribute.
who's #2?
Quote from: Mad-Lad on March 21, 2006, 05:56:02 PM
Quote from: FFatPatt on March 21, 2006, 05:53:37 PM
He thinks the Cowboys are #3, just because of T.O. Please ban me, I have nothing to contribute.
who's #2?
(http://www.austinpowers.com/objects/desktops/no2_800x600.jpg)
The Eagles are 33rd.
Guess who he picked as a loser? YOU GUESSED IT!
Quote
4. Washington: The taterskins were saved from salary-cap hell by the new CBA extension, which freed up another $7 million-plus of cap space, allowing them to avoid having to dismantle their roster. So what do they do? Rush right out and get themselves mortgaged back up to the gills, tossing out a staggering $31.8 million, six-year contract to the Rams' Adam Archuleta, making him the richest safety in NFL history.
Receiver Antwaan Randle El and linebacker Andre Carter also got hefty deals, and Washington opted to send both a third- and fourth-round pick to San Francisco in exchange for inconsistent receiver Brandon Lloyd. Even reserve tight end Fauria and backup quarterback Todd Collins got in on the money train.
The taterskins' set-the-market contracts are bound to catch up to them one day. My guess is it'll be after head coach Joe Gibbs calls it a career for a second time, in a year or two.
Link (http://www.profootballtalk.com/rumormill.htm)
QuoteCHILDRESS NEEDS TO PUT A SOCK IN IT
After two months of virtual silence, new Vikings coach Brad Childress has begun to talk.
A lot.
And it's getting the attention of several league insiders, one of whom believes that Childress "talks way too f--king much" and that he should "shut the f--k up." (Poetry. Sheer poetry.)
Childress has become loquacious in the week since the Vikings shipped quarterback Daunte Culpepper to Miami. The coach has dissed Daunte on at least two occasions, comparing him most recently to Terrell Owens. And Childress also boasts that if he hadn't taken the job in Minnesota, he could have had the gig in Green Bay.
"I saw [Packers general manager] Ted Thompson at the combine, and he asked me, 'Is it OK for me to have the driver come back from Appleton now?' He was going to pick me up. I said, 'Yeah, you can have him come back now. I'm staying here with the Purple.' So, they didn't pick me. I picked them."
Fine. But what's the point? These comments make him come off as insecure, and petty. (Hey, he could write for us.)
Brad's best bet, in our view, is to zip it. Now. At the same time he fears that Culpepper has caught the "me" disease, Childress needs to avoid developing the "Meathead" syndrome.
I guess modesty wasn't one of the traits Brad took from Andy.
Bad staches sure was
more Brad:
QuoteVikings | Childress wished Culpepper would have worked out in Minnesota
Wed, 29 Mar 2006 21:39:12 -0800
Kevin Seifert, of the Star-Tribune, reports Minnesota Vikings head coach Brad Childress wishes Miami Dolphins QB Daunte Culpepper (knee) would have rehabilitated his knee in Minnesota instead of a Florida health clinic. Childress said he Culpepper did himself a disservice by rehabilitating at a subpar facility. Childress said atletic trainer Eric Sugarman met with Culpepper at a HealthSouth clinic near Orlando. When Sugarman asked for some basic movement drills, Culpepper led Sugarman out of a back door and into a Wal-Mart parking lot.
Vikes are trying to trade for Matt Schaub.
He'd be a good QB for the WCO. And I know the Eagles really liked him when he came out so it doesn't surprise me to see Childress making a run at him.
It would be amusing if they ended up trading the same pick they got for Culpepper around for Matt Schaub.
I might be forced to point and laugh.
Atlanta won't let go of Schaub for cheap because they know he's their best QB. Minn would have to pay a price for him and that second rounder is likely to be it.
Watch Schaub outperform Culpepper this year.
Wait... Who are the Vikings WR's again? Nevermind.
Childress, like Andy, doesn't need no stinking receivers!!
QuoteVikings | Alabama State coaching staff not happy with Childress' comments
Sun, 7 May 2006 10:35:29 -0700
Jerome Solomon, of the Boston Globe, reports Minnesota Vikings head coach Brad Childress insulted Alabama State's coaching staff when discussing QB Tarvaris Jackson. When describing Jackson, Childress said, "You are talking about a guy that never had a coach there as a quarterback coach. So what can he do with coaching? He's got the skills. What can he do with coaching?" Alabama State quarterbacks coach Reggie Barlow was Jackson's coach and said, "Next time you see Brad Childress, tell him some people in Alabama weren't very happy with those comments"
I put this here because its about Childress.
But one thing is clear - Childress doesn't mind talking. He's said several things that have pissed people off since he was hired in Minny.
Obviously he didn't take the "say a whole lotta nothing" Reid approach with him.
I'm interested in seeing how he'll do as a coach. I don't think he's in the best situation, but if he can get them atop the NFC North then I'd say he's done a good job. Contender ain't happening.
I have to say, right now he's acting like a jackass. The whole Culpepper thing, he just wouldn't let it go.
He needs to STFU and do his job. He certainly didn't talk like this here.
I hate to say it, but it makes you wonder if the TO-Childress tiff was all TO.
Quote from: MadMarchHare on May 08, 2006, 08:45:09 AM
I have to say, right now he's acting like a jackass. The whole Culpepper thing, he just wouldn't let it go.
He needs to STFU and do his job. He certainly didn't talk like this here.
I hate to say it, but it makes you wonder if the TO-Childress tiff was all TO.
The thought crossed my mind that Snippy Brad might've thrown a few barbs in there.
Childress should STFU, I agree.
how is he "not" letting the Culpepper thing go? Isn't the last comment he made about their rookie QB and his coaching situation? The comment is in a Childress/Culpepper thread, but that's the only link. I also think you're delusional to think Brad was the real problem when it came to TO's stay in Philly.
First, he mentioned Culpepper in 3 or 4 press conferences, after he was traded. One should have been enough. I'm not the only one that noticed, Florio also mentioned on his site.
Second, I never said Brad was the real problem. I said it makes me wonder if ONLY TO was the problem.
im sure the eagles holier than thou we are right and the rest of the world is idiots attitude didnt help the situation but TO is a complete waste of humanity and was 99.9% at fault
Let me get this straight. Childress said the kid never had a quarterbacks coach. Which he did not. So the other coaches at the school got their panties in a bunch. That about sums it up, right?
Farg Alabama.
Actually, if I understand correctly, they did have one. And that's what the brouhaha is all about.
Either way, I think this makes it pretty clear why Reid doesn't talk to the media about much of anything.
Well, if they did have a QB coach, then I guess they didn't get their panties in a bunch for no reason. Someone said something untrue about them...the injustice!!