Good thing he didn't arrange a sex party on a boat for his teammates

[Baltimoron]

The Vikings are docking Troy Williamson a game's pay for missing a game for his grandmother's funeral.


Based on his 2007 salary of $435,000, the action by the Vikings will cost the three-year veteran $25,588. Williamson has 45 days to appeal Minnesota's decision to withhold his pay, and NFL Players Association sources said he will do so.

Coach Brad Childress told Twin Cities-area media following Thursday's practice that the decision was on a "business principle" of the Vikings organization.

"He had a family obligation that he had to see to," Childress said. "We sat down and talked on it before he left. ... He had to do what he had to do. Everybody handles that differently. [Williamson] had to do what his family situation called for."

Childress cited the cases of two players, Minnesota defensive tackle Pat Williams and Indianapolis wide receiver Reggie Wayne, who appeared in games shortly after the deaths of family members.

Williamson's maternal grandmother, who helped to raise him and with whom he was very close, died last week and he returned to South Carolina, where he played a large role in arranging her funeral. He also had to make travel arrangements for several of his siblings, some of whom are in the armed services. He returned to the team on Wednesday as the Vikings began practicing for this Sunday's game against Green Bay.
...
Williamson's agent, David Canter, revealed last week that his client's older brother was injured in an automobile accident in September and that he has been hospitalized in Georgia, where he has been in and out of a coma. He said Williamson, who has been able to spend only a little time visiting his brother, has been battling through the ordeal of "a grieving and healing" process and that his family is his first priority.
linky (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3100835)

Starting Tavaris Jackson at QB is a much greater detriment to the team than Troy Williamson missing a game, and I don't see Childress fining himself. For a PR conscious team trying to clean up their roster (Go Ziggy's promise to Tagliabue), IMO they dropped the ball. Something Troy might also know about.

BTW, NFL teams fine players for missing practices, in whole or in part, but also dock a full 1/16th pay for missing a game. I haven't got into fractions in quite awhile, but I sense inconsistency in this policy.

[AgentOrange]

Yeah, I have a severe beef with this as well.

I can't even believe Childress "cited examples".

Not every family death is equal and not every human handles these situations the same either. To hold that as the benchmark for how it was handled is terrible, IMO.

[MP]

Yeah, I have a severe beef with this as well.

I can't even believe Childress "cited examples".

Not every family death is equal and not every human handles these situations the same either. To hold that as the benchmark for how it was handled is terrible, IMO.

Oh I completely agree, it's awfully heartless to quantify it like that. To compare him to others as if to measure his weakness for all to see. It all leaves a bad taste in the mouth.

I don't even necessarily disagree with the contractual language that explains how players will forfeit game salaries for games that they voluntarily miss. Illnesses and deaths happen to players from all sports. You are free to leave, but you understand that you won't be paid for the games you miss. It's a bit cold, but it's business. If it were up to me, I would find a way around the language and pay the guy anyhow, but whatever. It's the Childress words that bug me.

[Baltimoron]

I can't even believe Childress "cited examples".


BTW, this is where our knowledge of statistics and in particular the idea of "selective sampling" comes into play.

Great job Brad, you found two guys who didn't miss games. I wonder if there are any who did miss games to attend the funeral of a family member? Certainly most will recall that Tony Dungy recently did, and I suspect there are additional examples.

MP,

I agree its good to have and enforce policies. I just think this particular policy wasn't drafted which much forethought and consideration of the team's goals, a primary one of which is to improve the image of the team and its players in light of somewhat recent bad publicity, like the whizzinator and the love boat.

While I understand the "its business" rational, I also believe that it is in fact "bad business". The 25K in salary and incidental benefits from standing firm on the "don't voluntarily blow off games policy" pales IMO in comparison to the additional negative publicity and bad will amongst players this move engenders.

Most importantly, a sign of a thoughtful and reasoned person is often the ability to learn and grow, to acknowledge past mistakes and to recognize unanticipated or unexpected circumstances do and will arise. Whether or not the policy was well crafted in the fist place, I think there should be a greater exercise of common sense and discretion in its enforcement.

[MP]

While I understand the "its business" rational, I also believe that it is in fact "bad business". The 25K in salary and incidental benefits from standing firm on the "don't voluntarily blow off games policy" pales IMO in comparison to the additional negative publicity and bad will amongst players this move engenders.

Most importantly, a sign of a thoughtful and reasoned person is often the ability to learn and grow, to acknowledge past mistakes and to recognize unanticipated or unexpected circumstances do and will arise. Whether or not the policy was well crafted in the fist place, I think there should be a greater exercise of common sense and discretion in its enforcement.

Well put! No argument here. Imagine if he made big money, like say a $6 mill salary. The 1 game dock would be $375,000.

Like I said, I would do everything I could to not enforce it. Or rewrite the language to differentiate between "blowing games off" vs "excused absences". I don't know... seems like a no-brainer until big money and lawyers and agents and contracts get involved, then all the humanity dries up and it's nothing but business.

[MP]

Childress and the Vikes must not have liked the bad image too much. Suddenly some minds are changing! And I love that Williamson gave it to charity.



MINNEAPOLIS (AP) Grieving Troy Williamson will get his last game check back.

Vikings coach Brad Childress called reporters Saturday to share the news, citing a need to change course that "came ringing back" to him following a weekly meeting with the veteran players on his leadership committee.

Last week, Williamson left the team to be with his family in South Carolina after the death of his grandmother, Celestine, to whom he was very close. An older brother of Williamson's, Carlton, has also been in and out of a coma following a September car crash.

In a statement issued by his agent, David Canter, Williamson thanked those who spoke up for him and offered support to his family during a trying time. He said he'll donate the returned check to charity in honor of his grandmother.

"My wish is that the issue is over, and that I can now go about being a football player and putting this matter behind me," Williamson said.

Williamson, the seventh overall selection in the 2005 draft who has produced little for Minnesota in 2½ seasons, chose to stay at home the entire week and not return for last Sunday's game.

The Vikings wanted the wide receiver back sooner, though, and docked him one paycheck for his absence -- which amounted to more than $25,000 of his $435,000 base salary. Players on the active roster are paid 17 times each season, for 16 games plus the bye week.

"I think the whole approach and intent, as with any organization, is to have guidelines so you have some continuity and don't do it haphazardly," Childress said.

In explaining the decision earlier this week, the coach pointed to other players who returned a day or two after deaths in the family.

On Saturday, Childress acknowledged he should have been more flexible and indicated owner Zygi Wilf was behind the revisitation of the issue.

"I think the important thing is everybody grieves differently. That's the thing that I learned, or we learned, in this," Childress said. "In the end, it's not important to be right, but to get it right."

He said Williamson would play Sunday against Green Bay "in all likelihood."

With sagging ticket sales and an unfulfilled drive for a new stadium, the Vikings (3-5) have been more proactive about public relations. Over the last several seasons, they've drawn criticism for a number of actions, words, or lack of words, that have come across as rigid or cold.

Most memorably, they cut Marcus Robinson last Christmas Eve after the wide receiver had had fallen out of favor with Childress.

NFL coaches don't often admit mistakes, but Childress has done that more than once in his second year on the job. After rookie running back Adrian Peterson carried the ball only twice in the second half of a loss to the Packers, Childress acknowledged two weeks later -- after the team's bye -- that the coaches weren't keeping close enough track of Peterson's touches.

The team will have to shell out another extra check this week, actually, after releasing quarterback Koy Detmer before the trip to Green Bay.

This came four days after he was signed as insurance in light of head injuries to Tarvaris Jackson and Kelly Holcomb. Holcomb's neck apparently improved enough in recent days for Minnesota to make the move.

Jackson is still a game-time decision, Childress said, following last week's concussion that knocked him out of the game against San Diego. Brooks Bollinger, who played well in relief, is the favorite to start Sunday.

Cornerback Ronyell Whitaker, who plays primarily on special teams, was re-signed to the roster after being cut to make room for Detmer.