Thread: Culpepper did what he could to get out

[size=18px]Culpepper did what he could to get out[/size]

Over the course of several weeks, Daunte Culpepper showed he had no interest in returning to the Vikings under the team's new regime.

Sid Hartman, Star Tribune
Last update: March 15, 2006 – 8:39 PM

Daunte Culpepper got his wish this week when the Vikings traded the veteran quarterback to Miami for a second-round draft choice.

No doubt, Culpepper was embarrassed by allegations of misconduct during the Love Boat situation on Lake Minnetonka, and he made up his mind that he and his family could no longer live here and face the criticism he would have to go through.

A motion to dismiss the charges will go before Hennepin County District Judge Kevin Burke on March 22, and Culpepper will be here and have to face the cameras and publicity. If attorney Earl Gray is not able to convince Burke to dismiss the charges, then Culpepper will have to go to trial April 18.

That would mean more media attention. However, now that Culpepper has been traded, it's possible some type of plea bargain might be worked out.

Culpepper did everything he could to not cooperate with new coach Brad Childress, from missing an appointment he made personally to refusing to come up here to rehabilitate his knee. The relationship turned into an impossible situation in the past six weeks. And if a deal wasn't made, Culpepper would have been released.

Childress has talked about how Culpepper has changed from the time Childress worked Culpepper out as a potential draft choice in 1999 to now.

You want my opinion? Childress was never going to allow owner Zygi Wilf to pay the $6 million bonus due Culpepper this month. Wilf kept on saying he was going to pay it, but Childress has a big say on personnel.

No big interest

The Vikings are very fortunate that Dolphins were not able to sign San Diego free agent Drew Brees, who was Miami's first choice. Brees decided to take the better deal offered by New Orleans. However, as late as Friday, Dolphins coach Nick Saban flew to Birmingham, Ala., where Brees was getting treatment on his injured shoulder, trying to persuade Brees to sign with the Dolphins.

The Dolphins were the only team that would give the Vikings a second-round draft choice for Culpepper. The only other team that had even slight interest was the Jets, and they were offering a lower draft choice.

At no time did Oakland, Baltimore or Tennessee have any real interest in Culpepper. The big mystery is why former Vikings coach Dennis Green, now the Arizona coach, and former Vikings offensive coordinator Scott Linehan, now coaching St. Louis, didn't make a bid to get a quarterback they know so well.

Childress has put himself on the spot, but you have to give him credit: He is going to put the players on the field that he wants and he is willing to face the consequences. And to be honest, I have confidence that he will get the job done.

It's hard to believe that not so long ago, the Vikings were considered as a future power in the NFL with Culpepper and Randy Moss their big offensive stars. Now both are gone.

A few years ago, if somebody would have told you then that in 2005, the Vikings would trade Moss for a linebacker who might be released (Napoleon Harris) and a first-round draft choice who has shown potential but little else (Troy Williamson) and then in 2006, they would trade Culpepper for a second-round pick, you would have told that person to have his or her head examined.

However, if you want to be optimistic, the Vikings finished 7-2 last season with Brad Johnson at quarterback instead of the injured Culpepper. They have added some good free agents, so overall they should have a better team.

Sid Hartman can be heard weekdays on WCCO 830-AM at 6:40, 7:40 and 8:40 a.m. • [email protected]

Culpepper did what he could to get out

daunte just agreed to rehab at the dolphins training facility..something he refused to do with us..basically he had no desire to be a part of our team since day one of his injury, and he was planning this since he started recovering from his surgery

Posted on Wed, Mar. 15, 2006

[size=18px]Culpepper orchestrated trade like a maestro[/size]

BY BOB SANSEVERE
Knight Ridder Newspapers

ST. PAUL, Minn. - Daunte Culpepper is not the dim bulb some people think he is. He proved that by manipulating the Vikings into making a trade.

Culpepper had a game plan that was more about exiting than X's and O's. His moves forced Zygi Wilf and his Triangle of Authority to tilt to his wishes.

Culpepper was traded to the Miami Dolphins on Tuesday because he figured out which buttons to push. And push. And push until he became a burr in Wilf's designer suit.

Culpepper played the Vikings the way Itzhak Perlman plays the violin.
Masterfully. He demanded more guaranteed money. He stayed in Florida, refusing to come to Minnesota to rehab his knee and stick his nose in the new playbook. He also whined through e-mails to the media. Those e-mails made forehead veins throb from Winter Park to Springfield, N.J. (where Wilf lives).

The Vikings' leadership has contempt for insolence, and Culpepper drilled into that raw nerve. When Culpepper wouldn't bend, spindle or fold to attempts by Wilf and Childress to assert their authority, he left the franchise with few choices: trade, release or put up with him.

The way the Wilf Pack operates, putting up with Culpepper wasn't a viable option. Your team leader and coach need to be on the same page.

Culpepper and Childress weren't even in the same library.

Releasing Culpepper would have been stupid. Why give him away for nothing when you can get something - even if it's just a second-round pick?

The Vikings didn't have much leverage. Everyone knew a $6 million payment to Culpepper was due March 25. The clock was ticking.

Culpepper orchestrated trade like a maestro

"singersp" wrote:

Posted on Wed, Mar. 15, 2006

Culpepper orchestrated trade like a maestro

BY BOB SANSEVERE
Knight Ridder Newspapers

ST. PAUL, Minn. - Daunte Culpepper is not the dim bulb some people think he is. He proved that by manipulating the Vikings into making a trade.

Culpepper had a game plan that was more about exiting than X's and O's. His moves forced Zygi Wilf and his Triangle of Authority to tilt to his wishes.

Culpepper was traded to the Miami Dolphins on Tuesday because he figured out which buttons to push. And push. And push until he became a burr in Wilf's designer suit.

Culpepper played the Vikings the way Itzhak Perlman plays the violin.
Masterfully. He demanded more guaranteed money. He stayed in Florida, refusing to come to Minnesota to rehab his knee and stick his nose in the new playbook. He also whined through e-mails to the media. Those e-mails made forehead veins throb from Winter Park to Springfield, N.J. (where Wilf lives).

The Vikings' leadership has contempt for insolence, and Culpepper drilled into that raw nerve. When Culpepper wouldn't bend, spindle or fold to attempts by Wilf and Childress to assert their authority, he left the franchise with few choices: trade, release or put up with him.

The way the Wilf Pack operates, putting up with Culpepper wasn't a viable option. Your team leader and coach need to be on the same page.

Culpepper and Childress weren't even in the same library.

Releasing Culpepper would have been stupid. Why give him away for nothing when you can get something - even if it's just a second-round pick?

The Vikings didn't have much leverage. Everyone knew a $6 million payment to Culpepper was due March 25. The clock was ticking.

Culpepper orchestrated trade like a maestro

yah daunte, you are such a genius for saying "i hate this team, i hate zygi, i hate foley, i hate childress, and i demand to be traded, or else you must release me" what is so genius about that? ive heard that on numerous occasions from other athletes..it doesnt take any thought whatsoever to say "trade me or cut me!"..stupid article..this guy mustve forgotten that someone named terrell owens said the same kind of thing, does that make TO a genius too?

I love this statement:


Hutchinson is not happy with his present employers, because the Seahawks found a way to give big contracts to tackle Walter Jones and running back Shaun Alexander without taking care of him. He has told people he prefers to play with the Vikings.

I wonder if this will have any effect in Seattles decision to match the offer or not? I personally wouldn't want a player on my team if

A. He didn't want to be there.
B. He was getting that kind of money.

Looks like Hutch may have found his way to Minnesota

"VikesfaninWis" wrote:

I love this statement:


Hutchinson is not happy with his present employers, because the Seahawks found a way to give big contracts to tackle Walter Jones and running back Shaun Alexander without taking care of him. He has told people he prefers to play with the Vikings.

I wonder if this will have any effect in Seattles decision to match the offer or not? I personally wouldn't want a player on my team if

A. He didn't want to be there.
B. He was getting that kind of money.

Looks like Hutch may have found his way to Minnesota

oh yah, that is usually what happens when the player goes to them and tells them not to match the contract..if they do, he could always file a grievance with the players assosciation kind of like terrell owens did in his situation..if owens was able to rescind a trade and get to the team he wanted to be on, then hutchinson can do the same

"olson_10" wrote:

"VikesfaninWis" wrote:

I love this statement:


Hutchinson is not happy with his present employers, because the Seahawks found a way to give big contracts to tackle Walter Jones and running back Shaun Alexander without taking care of him. He has told people he prefers to play with the Vikings.

I wonder if this will have any effect in Seattles decision to match the offer or not? I personally wouldn't want a player on my team if

A. He didn't want to be there.
B. He was getting that kind of money.

Looks like Hutch may have found his way to Minnesota

oh yah, that is usually what happens when the player goes to them and tells them not to match the contract..if they do, he could always file a grievance with the players assosciation kind of like terrell owens did in his situation..if owens was able to rescind a trade and get to the team he wanted to be on, then hutchinson can do the same

I do believe you posted in the wrong thread! I don't see that statement anywhere in the Culpepper articles.

yah that was pretty unrelated..he probably shouldve put it in the poison pill thread

I am not so sure about the PEP being a maestro theory. Think back to just after the Super Bowl. Brad Johnson came out with a statement that he would like to be a starting QB somewhere, indicating that if not for the Vikes then somewhere else. He met with Childress right after that and suddenly there were no more statements from Brad, only a statement from Childress that he had a lot of respect for BJ. I think Childress told him to sit tight and study the new play book and things would work themselves out. Its a matter of who played who. :wink:

[size=18px]Who Will Get Last Laugh: Culpepper or Vikings? [/size]

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