The 50 sportswriters polled for the award gave 20 1/2 votes to Lewis, more than Sean Payton (11 1/2), Norv Turner (9), Jim Caldwell (7) and Andy Reid and Ken Whisenhunt (1 each).

Conspicuously absent from the tally of other coaches receiving votes was the Minnesota Vikings‘ Brad Childress, who despite leading the team to a 12-4 record and a #2 seed in the NFC, was shut out.

Perhaps appropriately, Childress received exactly the same number of coach-of-the-year votes as the man many think is the real coach of the Vikings, Brett Favre.

If nothing else, Childress deserves some votes for best off-season gamble of the year by ardently pursuing and ultimately closing the deal on Favre.  Maybe someone will invent that award and give it to Chilly.

I also like Leslie Frazier of the Vikings. Frazier is an outstanding coach who coached under Andy Reid, Marvin Lewis and Tony Dungy before landing his current gig. He was with Dungy when the Colts won it all, and was the man behind the improved play of that secondary. Most importantly, I like what I’ve heard about his interview in Detroit.

Like Detroit, the Chiefs basically need to rebuild their entire defense, and Frazier would seem qualified to get that done, provided he is given talent to work with (like he has been in Minnesota).  NFL News & Rumors, the newest addition to the FSB family, thinks Frazier’s youth and energy would serve him well in tackling this monumental project:

Frazier is on the cusp of taking his career to a new level, and given his resume it’s no wonder. He’s yet another defensive coordinator from Minnesota that has proven that he has the ability to become an outstanding head coach, with Tony Dungy (retired) and Mike Tomlin (Steelers) being the two others. Frazier is a minority candidate, so he would take care of the Rooney rule, where teams have to interview at least one minority before they can hire a head coach. He’s also young enough to have the energy it’s going to take to finish the rebuilding project in KC, and he can relate with the team’s young players as well.

Frazier has certainly done a good job of relating to the Vikings’ players, who seem to appreciate his laid-back, Dungy-esque style.  I guess it all depends on what the Chiefs are looking for in a head coach:  a feisty sort like Todd Haley, who’s recently become well-known for sideline shouting matches with his players, or a quieter, more composed fellow like Frazier.