A Letter From Zygi Wilf to Brad Childress

I'm sorry it's taken me a few days to post since the Vikings debacle in Chicago on Sunday. I needed some time to compose myself. However, I figured in lieu of analysis, this letter would serve my purposes nicely. This is what Zygi Wilf should write to Brad Childress before the next game (No, I don't think he will):

Dear Coach Childress,

Effective immediately, you are fired as coach of the Minnesota Vikings. You have until tomorrow at noon to clean out your office and arrange a meeting to say goodbye to your players. I appreciate everything you have done for this franchise (or haven't done). Good luck in the future. Here is why I made this decision:

1. The Vikings have shown no signs of improvement from last season, despite the addition of star caliber players. Although the defense has been pretty good overall, the offense looks anemic and the special teams mistakes are ridiculous. You may have gone 6-10 your first year and 8-8 last year, but if things continue going the way they are, we won't make it to 10-6 this year, and with this team, that's unacceptable. We should have been in the playoffs last year, and with you at the helm, I'm not sure we get there this year. That's why I'm making a change.

2. The offensive play calling has been terrible, to put it nicely. The play calling is the same virtually every series of every game: run, run, pass, punt. The offense did do well against the Bears, but that is the only game this year it looked like it should. When you have Adrian Peterson and Bernard Berrian, how can you ever look anemic? Don't play right into the defense's hands! Don't run it up the middle with Adrian every time when the defense is stacking the line with 8 or 9 men in the box! Get AD the ball in the flat, so he can have some open space to make plays. Take a few shots down field to Berrian every game to keep the defense honest and possibly execute on a big play. Throw the quick slant to Bobby Wade. Basically, play to the strengths of your players, not to the strengths of the defensive game plan of the other team! Do something they might not expect. Your latest example of shoddy play calling came against Chicago. In an otherwise well-called game, you rolled out Gus Frerrotte on a 4th and 2 in Bears territory late in the 4th quarter. That's not the time for trickery! That's the time to give the ball to Adrian (who had been killing them all day) and let him barrel his way to a first down. Know when the time is to be fancy, and when to just stuff it down their throat.

3. You completely failed at the quarterback position. Your first year, you ran Daunte Culpepper out of town before putting in old man Brad Johnson for nearly an entire season. The same year, you drafted Tarvaris Jackson, someone who you though would be the future quarterback of this team. While he looked good at times last year, this year he was supposed to be markedly better, capable of leading this team deep into the playoffs and possibly the Super Bowl. After two games, you were forced to remove Tarvaris as the starting QB because even you had realized that your experiment had failed. He may be good in practice, but when the lights come on, he is inept with his throws and decision making. Why didn't you get another proven quarterback in the off season? How could you go into a season with an unproven Tarvaris Jackson and a washed up veteran Gus Frerrotte? Is that even possible for a team that wants to contend for a Super Bowl? Don't bother answering these questions for me now. It's too late Chilly. I'll have to answer them myself.

4. You couldn't beat the Packers. If there is one thing you have to do as Vikings coach, it's beating the Packers. 0-5 against the Packers is not going to cut it. Even when Brett Favre left, you couldn't manage to beat the Packers on opening night at Lambeau. That loss was pretty much on the shoulders of your favorite quarterback Mr. Jackson and your inept play calling. Sorry Mr. Childress, you won't have another chance to beat the Packers, at least as coach of the Minnesota Vikings. I'm going to find someone who can.

5. Your personality makes me want to puke. You are secretive with the media and fans about players and injuries, I've never seen you crack a smile on the field, and I'm not sure you could motivate a fly. Your teams come out with fire on the road, but at home it seems like the motto is "Let's get the job done" rather than "Let's kick some ass." This team needs a fiery personality, and you certainly don't possess that.

I'm sorry if I seem a little harsh, but this is a proud franchise. The Minnesota Vikings and their fans are dying for a Super Bowl and a coach that can lead them there. Unfortunately, I don't think you are the man to do that. You have under achieved, your play calling is awful, you set us years back at the quarterback position, you can't beat the Packers, and you don't have the right personality for the job. It's been good working with you Brad, but your time here is through. I have to find a coach who can restore the honor and winning tradition to the Minnesota Vikings. You are not the man for the job. Good luck in all of your future endeavors.

Sincerely,

Zygi Wilf