Ironic note

In his column in today's Star Tribune, Jim Souhan points out that Daunte Culpepper, had he been a bit less stubborn, would be starting for the New England Patriots today, instead of sitting at home retired:

The relationship was doomed, of course. Childress was stubborn enough to think he could win with just about any quarterback. Daunte Culpepper, he of the diamond-pepper necklace, was stubborn enough to think he could thrive in just about any town.

What we know now is that Childress and Culpepper needed each other more than Hall needed Oates, Ike needed Tina, Garfunkel needed Simon, Jon Stewart needed George W. Bush.

When the Vikings traded Culpepper to the Dolphins, Childress' passing game and Culpepper's career were doomed.

Today, Childress turns to 37-year-old Gus Frerotte for an important September game, and Culpepper is sitting home because, acting as his own agent, he felt insulted by offers to be a backup. Otherwise, he might be starting for the New England Patriots.

It really is sad — for all his faults, Culpepper really was a very good quarterback — and by no means inevitable. Culpepper's worst mistake was deciding that he could do better for himself than a professional agent.