Sports

Angry Fans Want Vikings Coach Childress Fired

(WCCO) It's tough enough to keep a job these days, and it probably doesn't help when a rowdy crowd chants that you should be fired.

Despite a late, game-winning field goal yesterday, some Minnesota Vikings fans are fed up with the team's coach.

"People around us yesterday at the game were frustrated at so many aspects of the game that at the end of the game they were having a hard getting happy with the win because they'd been so frustrated all game long," said Purplepride.org founder Eric Hoffman.

It seems a win isn't just a win anymore in Vikings territory.

"There were so many expectations that the team was going to be doing so much better, and we see mistakes on the field, and we see the inconsistent and, you know, vanilla offense," said Vikings fan Mike Shockman.

"Nothing clicks. The offense continues to stalemate and just fall apart when they should be doing well," said Hoffman.

Creators of purplepride.org see unusually harsh fan fury over a team which just moved into a lead in their division yesterday.

"I've never seen anything like this," said Shockman. "I had 'em on both sides of me, on either side. 'Fire Childress, fire Childress!"

Many Vikings supporters blame third year head coach Brad Childress, a supposed offensive guru, for a "lackluster and simply boring game plan."

"That's part of their prerogative, to call for different plays or call for what they think are bonehead coaching moves," said Childress.

Sports message boards are filled with comments such as "Vikings 12, Lions 10: Can we fire Childress anyway?"

"You can't take it personally. I have a problem when they boo our team but that's their prerogative. They pay a lot of money to get into the game," added Childress.

"Childress is our coach and he's the guy that's going to lead us and it's ironic we are in first place," said Vikings Safety Darren Sharper.

And keep in mind: the season's far from over.

"So let's walk it through this year, let's see how he does. If he turned it around, people might have a different opinion," said Hoffman.

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