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MANKATO, Minn. (AP) ― Brad Childress is sporting a bushy goatee, a souvenir left from a recent family getaway to Florida.

Extra facial hair, though, is the only visible sign of change in this coach of the Vikings who proudly preaches an even approach -- he calls it the "flat line" -- toward the capricious world of professional football.

With a 14-18 career record, the third year in Minnesota could be make or break for Childress. But whether it's stubbornness, steadiness or some of both, Childress doesn't show the effect of any pressure to preserve his employment by taking his team to the playoffs and beyond.

"I have not even thought about that for one minute, not one second. I'm different than how my players are in that regard," Childress said. He has a five-year contract through 2010, but it's difficult to survive that long in today's NFL without a couple of trips to the postseason. Guys can get fired after one year, let alone three or four.

As the days of his career here have gone by, Childress has actually grown more comfortable. Loosening up is a natural progression for most anyone in a new work environment, but it's not as though he has simultaneously had a lot of success.

Though the Vikings enjoyed five straight wins in November and December, they lost their last two games to miss the playoffs. Over the course of Childress's tenure, they've not yet given owner Zygi Wilf fair value for the millions he's invested in free agents.

After plenty of public and private griping about his style during a 6-10 debut season, however, Vikings veterans have warmed.

"The only difference is he talks to guys a lot more," said defensive tackle Pat Williams. "He called us a lot more in the offseason to check on us and see how we're doing. His door is always open."

Cornerback Antoine Winfield was one of the initial skeptics.

"He's a lot more laid back," Winfield said. "He's letting the veterans pretty much run the team. He's given us a lot of responsibility. I think we'll definitely step up and do the things we need to do this year."

Familiarity can breed contempt, but it usually leads to camaraderie first.

"I think everybody is getting to know each other a lot better," said receiver Bobby Wade, "and obviously the biggest relationship is the one between head coach and players. That's also getting better, and that's a big part of it. You look at every team that's been good: They've always had good rapports with their coaches and were really familiar with them. I'm excited to have coach Childress as my head coach, and I think everybody else is as well."

Having a larger fingerprint on the roster always helps a coach develop a deeper trust with his players.

In the first year, most of them were holdovers. By now, the majority have been hand-picked by Childress and the personnel department headed by Rick Spielman.

"You always want to believe it's your team," Childress said. "Do guys have a better understanding? Guys that have been here one year, two years, three years? Without a doubt.

"With that said, though, you've still got 16, 18, 20 new bodies that are around here. So there's always going to be the new factor that you're educating. The guys that have been around understand me better and I understand them better, but I don't think you can ever say you've arrived. The minute you do, you get your tail knocked off."

Whether his coaching career lasts beyond this year is yet to be determined, but if he's ever shown the door it's a safe bet that it won't be because he wasn't steady enough. Heck, he even caught a 65-pound grouper during a fishing trip on that Florida vacation.

Coaching in the NFL is just as much of a challenge on most days, particularly when soap operas like the Brett Favre saga arise. The rival Green Bay Packers have alleged that the Vikings are guilty of tampering by talking to Favre, who is interested in un-retiring.

The NFL is investigating.

"I let it be, and as I said, the league is going to deal with that," Childress said Thursday. "And hopefully we'll have that thing resolved pretty quick."

 

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