Global Search

vikings/nfl

Dan Wiederer began covering the Vikings in 2011, enthusiastically delivering insight on the team across the Star Tribune's print and digital products. Prior to joining the Access Vikings team, he spent seven seasons covering ACC basketball at The Fayetteville (N.C.) Observer. He also covered the Chicago Bears in 2003 and 2004. Follow him on Twitter @StribDW.


Mark Craig has covered football and the NFL the past 20 years, including the Browns from 1991-95 and the Vikings and the NFL since 2003. Since 2008, Craig has served as one of the 44 Pro Football Hall of Fame selectors. He can be followed on Twitter at @markcraignfl.


Childress visits soldiers, fields Favre questions

Posted by: under Vikings, Brad Childress, Vikings off the field, Brad Childress, Brett Favre Updated: July 2, 2010 - 1:51 PM

  • share

    email

While many NFL coaches are enjoying some vacation time before training camp, Brad Childress is among four coaches who are spending time this week visiting U.S. military troops overseas as part of an NFL-USO tour.

I just talked to Childress for about 20 minutes and the Vikings coach described the response that he and his colleagues have received as "overwhelming."

Childress is at the Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan today with Philadelphia's Andy Reid, Carolina's John Fox and Cincinnati's Marvin Lewis. They began the tour by visiting Ramstein Air Base, which is approximately an hour outside Frankfurt. They originally were supposed to depart for Afghanistan after a day in Germany but their C17 airplane hit a bird on takeoff and had to return to the base. 

Childress said many soldiers don't recognize the coaches at first because they are dressed in loose fitting clothes but once they realize who they are everything changes. "It doesn't make any difference whether it's New Orleans fans, we have a ton of Minnesotans here," he said. "I sat today with two guys from Duluth. There are people from my hometown of Aurora, Ill. It's just unbelievable what they are doing here."

Of course, many of the soldiers want the scoop from Childress on if Brett Favre is going to return for a 20th NFL season. Childress said he already has been asked that question "thousands and thousands" of times and thus has come up with a standard reply of: “You know what? That’s part of my night job, I’m going to do that when I get home.”
 
Childress also said his focus has been on visiting with the military personnel and while he's glad to talk about football he is taking some time away from his usual exchange of text messages with Favre. "[I'm just focusing on] football as far as it's concerned with the followers here in Afghanistan and there's plenty," Childress said.
 
I'm working on a story about Childress' visit for the Saturday paper. That story will appear on the website later today and includes a surprise and emotional reunion that Childress had with his son, Andrew, today. Andrew is in the Marines and Childress has talked openly about his concern about his son serving in Afghanistan.
 
Childress actually did not recognize Andrew at first -- he had lost some weight and was clean shaven -- but the coach was thrilled when he realized his son was standing in front of him. "It was emotional as hell," Childress said. "It was just a great feeling holding him in my arms."

The coaches, by the way, are expected to begin their trip home on Sunday.

 

older post

Peterson calls trip to Africa a blessing

newer post

Adrian who? Titans star says he's the best

  • 8

  • Comments

  • share

    email

from the homepage

ADVERTISEMENT

recent posts

Post By Category

Vikings (3321) AFC (80)
Bears (392) Ex-Vikings (37)
Football on TV (45) Lions (297)
NFC (1236) NFL draft (232)
NFL post-season (28) Packers (437)
Super Bowl (221) Vikings coaches (62)
Vikings defense (224) Vikings fans (108)
Vikings injury report (248) Vikings management (25)
Vikings off the field (246) Vikings offense (316)
Vikings quarterbacks (219) Vikings road games (61)
Vikings rookies (23) Vikings roster moves (30)
Vikings special teams (34) Vikings training camp (124)
Injury report (304) Off the field (121)
On the road (73) Quarterbacks (281)
Rookies (71) Roster moves (15)
The draft (283) Trade talk (2)
Vikings players (695) Adrian Peterson (825)
Anthony Herrera (161) Antoine Winfield (407)
Ben Leber (97) Bernard Berrian (213)
Bobby Wade (16) Brad Childress (634)
Brett Favre (802) Brian Robison (148)
Bryant McKinnie (106) Cedric Griffin (194)
Chad Greenway (174) Chester Taylor (79)
Chris Kluwe (113) Darrell Bevell (109)
E.J. Henderson (182) Heath Farwell (49)
Jared Allen (360) John Sullivan (188)
Kevin Williams (188) Leslie Frazier (799)
Madieu Williams (78) Pat Williams (150)
Percy Harvin (665) Phil Loadholt (145)
Ray Edwards (172) Ryan Longwell (145)
Sage Rosenfels (102) Sidney Rice (271)
Steve Hutchinson (188) Tarvaris Jackson (169)
Tyrell Johnson (151) Visanthe Shiancoe (216)
Brad Childress (638) Darrell Bevell (110)
Leslie Frazier (804) Lynx (1)

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Connect with twitterConnect with facebookConnect with Google+Connect with PinterestConnect with PinterestConnect with RssfeedConnect with email newsletters

Links

ADVERTISEMENT

inside the StarTribune

lifestyle

Best of MN 2013: Guide to state's finest

projects

ST100: 2013 ranking of Minnesota's top companies

sports

New Vikings stadium section: The game plan

home

Map to Twin Cities farmers markets

minnesota topics

Minnesota Topics: People, places and companies

sports

New: Guide to Minnesota's 18-hole public golf courses