NFL to fine Childress

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10-26-2010, 06:54 AM
dabears54

NFL to fine Childress
BBAO: NFL to fine Brad Childress

October, 26, 2010 Oct 26
7:45
AM E
By Kevin Seifert

We're Black and Blue All Over:

This one was almost expected. According to ESPN's Chris Mortensen, the NFL is certain to fine Minnesota Vikings coach Brad Childress for critical remarks he made Sunday night about Scott Green's officiating crew after a 28-24 loss to the Green Bay Packers. Among other things, Childress called it the "worst-officiated game I've seen."http://assets.espn.go.com/i/teamlogo.../trans/min.gif

I also wonder if part of the discipline will revolve around Childress' decision to reveal the details of a private conversation he had with Carl Johnson, the NFL's vice president of officiating, about two calls that went against the Vikings that night. Childress told reporters Monday that Johnson admitted the Vikings should have been awarded a touchdown on Visanthe Shiancoe's 17-yard reception in the second quarter. It's also possible that Packers tight end Andrew Quarless would have had a 9-yard touchdown reception reversed if Childress had challenged it.

I'll repeat that I'm all for more transparency when it comes to the NFL's officiating. For that reason, I'm glad Childress told us what Johnson said. But the bottom line is the NFL has a strict policy: No public criticism of officials, and no revelations from private conversations. Childress violated both of them.

Continuing around the NFC North:
- Vikings quarterback Brett Favre's 14 turnovers have led to 51 opponents' points, notes Judd Zulgad of the Star Tribune.
- Bob Sansevere of the St. Paul Pioneer Press wonders if the Vikings will allow Favre to play on his twice-fractured ankle to let him see for himself that he should be sidelined.
- Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com breaks down the tape of the Vikings' loss.
- The Packers aren't worried about quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who is tied for second among NFL quarterbacks with nine interceptions. Rob Demovsky of the Green Bay Press-Gazette has more.
- Defensive coordinator Dom Capers has had to get creative to navigate the Packers' injuries along the defensive line, writes Gary D'Amato of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
- It's not clear if the Packers will have defensive lineman Cullen Jenkins (calf) for Sunday's game against the New York Jets, writes Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com.
- As the Chicago Bears head into their bye week, are they in danger of unraveling? David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune asks that question.
- Neil Hayes of the Chicago Sun-Times: "The Bears have lost three of four not because of [Jay] Cutler, but as the result of a total system failure on offense."
- Left guard Roberto Garza (knee) is expected to be available after the bye, according to Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com.
- A six-victory season is within reach for the Detroit Lions as they emerge from their bye week, writes Tim Twentyman of the Detroit News.
10-26-2010, 08:07 AM
chisportsfan

Actually, I think when criticizing the officials, he was actually referring to the officiating in the Bears/Redskins game...lol.
10-26-2010, 04:39 PM
purplejokr

He earned that fine if he gets one.
10-27-2010, 05:11 AM
dabears54
The cost of (angry) truth: $35,000

October, 26, 2010 Oct 26
7:34
PM ET
By Kevin Seifert

The NFL's $35,000 fine of Minnesota Vikings coach Brad Childress was based on two offenses:
1. Criticizing officials publicly
2. Revealing information from a private conversation with Carl Johnson, the league's vice president of officiating.
As a reporter, and one who believes in transparency and would like to see the NFL take greater public accountability for its officiating, I was thrilled with Childress' actions on both counts. I strongly believe that officiating mishaps are inevitable and ultimately even out over time, and complaining about individual calls rarely proves productive. At the same time, however, I think it's too bad the league won't engage in a routine public dialogue about them.

Ultimately, however, a policy is a policy. The NFL has made clear it won't tolerate internal criticism of its officials. And Childress was also aware that Johnson's opinion was not intended to be publicized. The NFL's policy gives it the option of shuttering further private dialogue with the offending coach of team official, but Judd Zulgad of the Star Tribune reports the league decided not to invoke that option.
10-27-2010, 05:15 AM
dabears54

figured no use for a new thread- but chilly envoking the 'cheatriots" mantra for this week..

We had so much going on Monday that I never got to Brad Childress' suggestion that the New England Patriots (legally) stole the Minnesota Vikings' defensive signals during a nationally-televised massacre at the Metrodome in 2006.

Aha! Finally, we get an explanation for why the Patriots gained 430 total yards -- and quarterback Tom Brady completed 29 of 43 passes for 372 yards and four touchdowns -- in the rout.

Childress offered up the observation during an raucous Monday news conference that also included news of quarterback Brett Favre's fractured left ankle and the NFL's apparent admission that it got two touchdown calls wrong in Sunday night's 28-24 loss to the Green Bay Packers. Asked about his own team's injury-depleted secondary, Childress said:

"I'm mindful of the last time we faced them here on 'Monday Night Football.' It was like a surgical procedure. That's back when we used to signal [plays] and things like that. I remember having a conversation with [former Vikings defensive coordinator] Mike Tomlin about that. These were some of the all-time great signal stealers. In fact, that's what was going on. They were holding, holding, holding. We were signaling from the sideline. They were good at it. It's like stealing signals from a catcher."

I asked Childress if he thought the Patriots were truly calling their plays based on what defense they thought the Vikings were in.

"Yeah," Childress said. "Is it [Cover] 2? Is it 3? If you know that as a quarterback, that's as good as you can do. And they did as good as they could do."

I'm sure the Patriots were trying to steal signs. It was legal at the time. Why wouldn't you? Now, of course, NFL teams send their defensive signals via helmet radio.

Still, if they choose to, Brady and the Patriots could take the revelation as a slight against their own performance. Speaking on Boston sports radio station WEEI, Brady said: "We've been called a lot worse than that."

He added: "That game was so long ago. ... I remember us executing pretty well that night. I've heard different guys in the past say that. That's come and gone. That's been not a part of football here for a long time, and we've still won a lot of games. In '07, they changed the rule and so forth. I don't buy a whole lot into that. The team that's going to win this weekend is the team that plays better. I can promise you that."

It's worth noting that Childress's NFL teams have faced Patriots coach Bill Belichick three times in the past. Belichick is 3-0 in those games, including regular season victories by scores of 31-10 (2003) and 31-7 (2006). The Patriots also defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 24-21 in Super Bowl XXXIV. Childress was the Eagles' offensive coordinator at the time.

Kickoff Sunday at Gillette Stadium is 4:15 p.m. ET. It's BYOD: Bring Your Own Decoder.
10-29-2010, 10:59 AM
4th and 26

stoopid refs.
10-29-2010, 11:09 AM
BearStuff

Quote:

Originally Posted by purplejokr

He earned that fine if he gets one.

I was thinking that no matter what, if in the same position, I wouldn't complain about the game calls, but I WOULD definitely reveal what the refs said. And then I would make a public call for transparency on the part of the officiating crew and doing the right thing.

I had enormous respect for the baseball ump that came out and said he blew a call to kill a perfect game. It didn't change the outcome or the record books, but it did protect the integrity of the officials.
10-29-2010, 05:42 PM
purplejokr

Quote:

Originally Posted by BearStuff

I was thinking that no matter what, if in the same position, I wouldn't complain about the game calls, but I WOULD definitely reveal what the refs said. And then I would make a public call for transparency on the part of the officiating crew and doing the right thing.

I had enormous respect for the baseball ump that came out and said he blew a call to kill a perfect game. It didn't change the outcome or the record books, but it did protect the integrity of the officials.

Yeah, I hear ya.

I have no problem with earning a fine like that after a game. As long as it is an anomaly and not the norm. I think it is good for a coach to draw the league's ire once in a while. In either case, Childress had plenty of reason to be upset.