'But Coach Childress, it's Adrian Peterson Day, I kind of have to go'
Jun 12, 2010, 11:30 AM EDT
Minnesota Vikings head coach Brad Childress is none too pleased with the fact that his fumble-prone running back is more interested in attending an Adrian Peterson Day parade than showing up for a mandatory minicamp this weekend in the Twin Cities. Peterson will miss the entire weekend of activities so he can hone his “waving from a float” skills.
Once again put on by Peterson’s aunt, this will be the fourth annual Adrian Peterson Day in his hometown of Palestine, Texas. Nevertheless, Childress is profoundly disappointed with what he perceives as Peterson’s misplaced priorities. Via the Pioneer Press:
“I just know there’s a bunch of guys here. This has the term mandatory for a reason. The work’s here. Period. You can say whatever you want. This is the fourth annual Adrian Peterson Day. I don’t know if it’s going to be, like, every year they’re going to have that. But we’re going to have this, too.”
Peterson met with Childress in his office this week — either Wednesday or Thursday, Childress recalled — and informed him he wouldn’t attend the minicamp. By then, Childress already had read an Internet report regarding the planned parade, so he wasn’t surprised.
“I had an inkling,” Childress said. “Let’s put it that way. I didn’t know if he was going to come out and practice this afternoon or catch a late flight (to Texas). I didn’t know how that was going to work.”
While I concede that Childress has every right to be perturbed, he has put himself between a rock and a hard place considering his delicate, kid gloves treatment of the diva of all divas, Brett Favre. But of course, Childress maintains that the situations are different. Sure they are.
“First of all, that is a special circumstance,” Childress said. “I don’t think Adrian is batting around retirement in his mind, I don’t believe. It’s a special set of circumstances. You can say, is it special? Is everything equal? Obviously, it is not. That’s just the way it is. It’s a matter of fact, and everybody understands that on our side of the equation.”
Sorry, coach, but I can think of at least one person on your side of the equation who does not understand the double standard in which the Vikings treats its players. Plus, it’s Adrian Peterson Day, for goodness sake. If there ever were another Weed Against Speed Day, I wouldn’t miss it for the world. Although odds are there won’t be another one of those anytime soon. Too many people died last time.
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Adrian Peterson’s absence from minicamp irks Vikings coach Brad Childress [Pioneer Press]
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- Eddie - Jun 12, 2010 at 9:47 PM
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Coach Childress, are you for real? Now this is truly what I call Playing The RACE card. Brett is WHITE, Adrian is BLACK, Brett truly coaches this team and NOT you, I hope Brett returns and you again have him throw a perfect interception to end your playoff run, or better yet why not 8 and 8 for regular season.RACIST, whatever color sickens me.
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- Dap - Jun 13, 2010 at 5:37 PM
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Is Coach Childress kidding? Adrian is the most exciting player in the NFL! To deny him an opportunity to participate in this event in racist pure and simple.
I have had the pleasure of seeing Adrian play many times and each
time my family and i would wait to catch a glimpse of him and the other players board the team bus. Adrian always takes the time to greet the fans especially the kids with a smile, photos and autographs on any and everthing you could imagine. He is and awesome representative for the Vikings organization and a wonderful role model for the children. Brett on the other hand in rude, insensitive, and totally disregards the fans. He does not even acknowledge them, no smile, no wave, nothing. If anyone deserves Ire it’s Brett. Adrian is the kind of player that I want my children to emulate not Brett. So Coach I am not sure what else it could be, but Adrian deserves his day and if I can I am going to attend Adrian Peterson Day next year!!!!! Any clear thinking, rationale,fair coach would give anything to have him on thier team. Adrian is good for the sport… PERIOD!!!!
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- cheryle williams - Jun 14, 2010 at 2:53 PM
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My daughter & niece are taking a road trip & happened upon AP day in TX they actually stayed in the same hotel as AP he was kind and gracious to them took pictures and waved at them from the parade. He made there trip. He was not acting like a super star just a nice kid his family was also very nice to them. To the people there it is a big deal that he does not forget where he comes from and supports his community!
