The highlight of Brad Childress’ appearance on Mark Rosen’s “Sports Sunday” show tonight on WCCO-TV was the fact the head coach, fresh off a vacation, showed up wearing a Hawaiian shirt and sporting a beard. Safe to say, Childress wouldn’t have done this a few years ago and it’s another sign how much more at ease he seems to be around the media.

It comes as no surprise that Childress had no comment on if the Vikings would be interested in Brett Favre if the Packers quarterback were to become available. In Childress’ defense, Favre is under contract and for him to comment would be against NFL rules. “I really can’t answer,” that question,” Childress said. “But it really is an interesting soap opera to watch from the hinterland up here and watch transpire down south.”

Asked if he thought Favre’s retirement would stick when it was announced in March, Childress said: “I thought a couple of years ago that maybe he would have headed for the sideline. In fact, I would have liked [for him] to head to the sidelines because he’s 4-0 against us since we’ve been here with the Vikings.”

Childress elected not to give an opinion on what’s going on with Favre in Green Bay and the fact the Packers apparently still plan to go with Aaron Rodgers as their starter. “It’s so hard to conjecture on that,” Childress told Rosen. “That’s their situation and he’s their property and I’m going to let them deal with it.”

Other notes of interest from Childress:

• The coach is pleased that new receiver Bernard Berrian went to Orlando, Fla., in order to work with Tarvaris Jackson. The two were among those to work with well-known trainer Tom Shaw. This is also where Darren Sharper was working out. “I think you’ve seen [Berrian] kind of put his money were his mouth is in he wants to be [Jackson's] favorite target.”
• Childress had no new information on possible NFL action against left tackle Bryant McKinnie for the veteran’s latest-off-the-field incident in February. McKinnie could be facing a league suspension.
• It sounds like Childress expects running back Adrian Peterson to be much improved in his pass blocking, thus making him a candidate to play in third-down situations. “I think he’ll be a better pass protector this year, just within our scheme, because to be a third-down back you’re not always going out,” Childress said, “at times you’re protecting with that running back and you have to be able to take on a linebacker.”

This entry was posted on Sunday, July 13th, 2008 at 11:21 pm and is filed under Main. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.