Minnesota Vikings head coach Leslie Frazier told reporters today that he'll be looking for help for his undermanned secondary from outside the organization. Isn't it a shame this guy is no longer on the market?
On a serious note, Frazier says the Vikings will discuss the future of troubled second-year cornerback Chris Cook during the bye week. Cook, of course, is in deep shit for allegedly strangling his girlfriend.
Frazier hasn't been head coach for long, but I've seen enough of his comments regarding personnel matters to read between the lines a bit. And when I hear him give this non-answer – in response to a question about whether the Vikings would cut Cook – where he says, "We've got a lot of things to talk about. A lot of things to talk about as we go forward," that says to me that Cook is gone. If the Vikings were going to keep him, I think Frazier would have said something more definitive.
But is cutting Cook the right move? I don't think it is, and this comes from a guy with a five-year-old daughter.
Most Vikings fans would agree Cook has been a rare bright spot this season in what has been a mostly dreadful secondary. His long frame has allowed him to cover elite wideouts like Calvin Johnson and hold his own, and even though he's not a starter (yet) he's had more pass breakups than any other Vikings corner or safety. The best appears yet to come for Cook on the field.
Yet the actions of the Virginia Strangler put his Vikings future in doubt. Still, I wonder what the Vikings really gain by releasing Cook? If they cut him, there's no doubt another team will claim him and play him. Given how Cook has performed this season, he very well could prosper on the field with his new team, much like Michael Vick has done with the Eagles.
So why shouldn't the Vikings get Cook the counselling or professional help he obviously needs, let the NFL hand out its discipline, and then see if Cook can turn his life around?
Yes, it's a gamble. Cook could screw up again and embarrass the Vikings management. But he might also take this second chance and get his act together. We should remember Jared Allen came to the Vikings as a player with alcohol issues. There was no guarantee he wouldn't relapse and ruin his career. How has that turned out?
Cook is not the elite player Allen is, but he seems like he's becoming a very good player. The question is whether he can become a good person. If he sincerely does what it takes over the next few months to change his life, I don't see why some other team should reap the benefits from that transformation.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
There's a lot at play here, but I think the question ultimately boils down to this: is Cook's potential worth the cost of keeping him around? Last week, I was leaning towards NO, because I felt a man who would beat and strangle someone else could not be a positive contributor toward the good of the team, no matter how skilled he was. However, I'm starting to back away from that position -- to my knowledge, Cook hasn't had any other major behavioral or legal issues, and seems like the kind of player who would make the most out of a second chance. If he is found guilty, I'd still like to see the Vikings come down hard on him (in the form of a multi-game suspension after all his legal punishment), because, I don't know, I have this old-fashioned notion that being a good player does not excuse you from being a bad person, and I don't want the Vikings to send the message that talent gives you a free pass. Plus, I think it would help to emphasize to Cook that his actions will have consequences, which could strengthen his resolve to keep clean.
Also, a story like this makes me wish Pacifist Viking was still blogging. I'd love to hear his take on Cook.
Bismuth:
I also think the Vikings/NFL should come down hard on the discipline front (although union rules might not allow the team to do that). Suspending Cook for the rest of the season would be a start - without pay. That's a pretty strong statement by the team and it gives them and Cook time to get him the counselling and help he needs for his anger and violence issues.
I also am missing PV's take on the Vikings. I keep checking his website to see if he's come back yet. No luck so far. Maybe next year. In the meantime, his old readership is welcome to stop by here anytime.
Post a Comment