Personal Foul

Dennis Green is the most controversial coach in Vikings history. And it's got nothing to do with football.

A A A Comments By Britt Robson Wednesday, Jan 14 1998

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RICHARDSON: People can accept it if it's because he can't do the job: Fine, get somebody else. But if Dennis isn't coaching this team next season, it won't be because he can't do the job, it will be personal stuff.

FITZGERALD: When Tony Dungy was here, people said, "Look, fire Denny and keep Tony Dungy and that proves that we're not racist because Tony is black and Dennis is black." They like Tony and feel that they can control Tony, have known him as a player and feel they know him as a coach. They know that he is a Christian and that he comes from a different background than Dennis Green; didn't lose his mother and his father before he was 12 years old. So they can go out and make that kind of a statement that this proves they're not racist. I think it stands right there for everybody to see.

Michael Dvorak

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RICHARDSON: I'm on the fence with this. I know what he has gone through, but I would rather see him leave, just for the peace of mind, and start over. Move on to another environment where you can really function. It is hard as hell to try and work in a job where there are forces working against you inside and outside. Now to his credit--and we are seeing a lot of his development as a kid growing up--he has a tough mentality about standing up. But how far does he want to carry it; how much can he stand and handle and at what point is it enough of saying I am a man and you can't break me down?

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