Meet Brad Childress, champion multi-tasker.
Some days, he’s just the ball coach for the Minnesota Vikings. Other days, he’s head coach/chauffeur. And, on days like this, he’s going over the boards to defend his running back, Adrian “All Day” Peterson from the slings and arrows of LaDainian Tomlinson.
No wonder Childress doesn’t have time to shave.
Judd Zulgad of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune writes that Childress immediately took up for Peterson today when asked about Tomlinson’s claim that he is a superior back to Peterson.
“LaDainian is a hell of a back and he’s entitled to his opinion. I’m going to tell you, my guy is the best football player in the National Football League and he’s the best running back in the National Football League and I believe that,” Childress said. (No word on whether the coach punctuated that statement by crossing his arms on his chest and adding, “Hmmmph.”)
Two points of note: (1) Peterson will want to keep that “best football player in the National Football League” quote handy when his six-year, $40 million rookie deal gets close to expiring and he’s still just 27 years old; (2) Imagine what Childress’ opinion would be if Peterson didn’t fumble the ball once every 45 carries.
Peterson, Zulgad writes, tried his best to blow the issue off but added, “Some of the smallest things to me . . . get blown up out of proportion and you get people to act on it and they respond on it and they’ve got their different opinions about this and about that. They just get carried away, so it’s kind of funny.”
(Pssst, Florio . . . I think he’s on to us.)