Vikings coach Leslie Frazier is spending some of his limited relaxation time doing anything but relaxing.
Frazier is the only active head coach to participate in this year’s USO tour to the Persian Gulf. He has been joined by former Steelers head coach Bill Cowher, former Jets and Browns head coach Eric Mangini, and Jets assistant special-teams coordinator Ben Kowitca, who spent seven years in the military after playing football at West Point.
It’s the third annual NFL-USO Coaches Tour, and it’s Cowher’s second trip. Other NFL head coaches to spend their limited vacation time visiting the troops are Giants coach Tom Coughlin, Broncos coach John Fox, Ravens coach John Harbaugh, Texans coach Gary Kubiak, Bengals coach Marvin Lewis, Eagles coach Andy Reid, and Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt.
Frazier said that he’ll now remind his daughters to thank members of the armed services, and that he won’t tolerate much griping from players who whine about heat in training camp.
''It just puts in perspective that there’s nothing you should ever complain about,’' Frazier said, via the Associated Press.
He’s right. Whenever any of us think we have it bad, someone else always has it worse. And that men and women who are stationed in foreign lands have it worse than most of us who aren’t.