Favre-Childress spat: Big deal or blown out of proportion?
Here’s some shocking news: The media likes to blow things out of proportion sometimes. I’ll wait for you to pick your ass off the floor before I continue.
On Sunday night in Carolina, Brett Favre got mad at Brad Childress for wanting to take him out of the game in the third quarter when the Vikings still held a lead. Not 24 hours later, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reported that Childress “unleashed an expletive-laden outburst toward” Favre after the team’s loss to the Panthers. On Monday and through Tuesday, ESPN started reporting that the pair has argued several times throughout the season, including spats about Brett changing the plays in the huddle and regarding audibles.
But is this a situation where the media is blowing things out of proportion or is there a serious problem brewing in Minnesota?
Some fans and media like to buy into how players have to get along for a team to win. But the fact of the matter is that emotions run hot all the time and some players just aren’t going to get along with others. That’s just the way it is in life, nevertheless in football.
Even if Favre and Childress don’t get along, it doesn’t mean that the two don’t ultimately have the same goal of winning. And furthermore, it doesn’t mean that the two can’t work together to achieve that goal. Would it be better if the quarterback and head coach were getting along? Absolutely, but it’s not a necessary evil in the end.
That said, these strenuous situations sometimes boil over at inopportune times during the season. It’s one thing for Brett to get upset about Childress trying to take him out of a game. He’s a competitor, why would he want to come out? The bigger issues are him changing plays and audibles, which undermine Childress as the head coach. In less than a month, the Vikings will be playing in a win-or-go-home game and if things aren’t going their way, will Favre and Childress work together in order to win? Or will both men puff their chests out looking to get the upper hand and the Vikings crumble?
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I would say ‘yes’, the media is blowing it out of proportion if it weren’t for Favres history. He bullied Rhodes and Sherman while in Green Bay, frequently changing plays in the huddle and neither coach/GM had the spine to create consequences because they’re dealing with a ‘legend’. Same issue with Mangini. Mangini was quite angry at Favre’s free-lancing. Favre gets a free pass in these relationships because he’s a ‘hall of fame’ QB. Why? I think a 3rd franchise and 4th coach where this has/is occuring constitutes a trend, don’t you?
Who cares if Brett changes the play in the huddle or on the line of scrimmage. If wasn’t for him Childress would have already been fired as the Vikings would be 3-11, instead Ziggy gives Childress a 5 yr extension.We all saw Chili’s offensive play calling last year and what that got us.Brett has played for QB all his life.I’d rather have Brett call the plays then Childress.
Brett will retire after this season and Chili will be fired after next season
If we were talking about Peyton Manning here, there would not be a second thought given to any type of decision made, be it on the sideline or in the huddle. Peyton has been put up so high on a rocky pedestal that the fall after losing to Drew Brees was a hard one. Peyton threw an interception in a very critical last 3-4 minutes of the game but not one sportscaster or network has criticized him for blowing the game like they did Brett who, at least, was in overtime with the Saints. I hope Favre comes back for another year