Mike Zimmer Had to Fine Players For Being Late to Meetings
By Dan Zinski
It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what hasn’t been clicking with the Vikings the past couple weeks, but perhaps our sleuthing should start with the attitude of certain players.
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It’s becoming obvious that not all the Vikings’ players are 100% with the program. Head coach Mike Zimmer revealed in his remarks after Sunday’s loss to the Lions that even getting all the players into meetings on time is becoming an issue.
And the coach appears to be getting to the end of his rope when it comes to these bad apples.
Zimmer said he was fining players this week for tardiness. Said fines will start going to max now. Sounded like a coach who is fed up.
— Derek Wetmore (@DerekWetmore) October 12, 2014
How many players have been showing up late? Which players have been guilty of tardiness? That we don’t know.
But Zimmer’s tone makes it seem that the problem involves more than one player and more than one incident.
If one player shows up late for a meeting it can be a big story, but if it’s multiple players? And the team happens to be in a stretch where it isn’t playing very well?
That’s major cause for concern.
You have to be worried if discipline is breaking down already. You have to wonder about the maturity level and commitment of some Vikings players.
Fining them may straighten them out in the short term, but at some point it isn’t enough to discipline the few bad apples in the bunch. At some point you have to begin moving on from the turds and find players who are willing to buy in.
Right now, not all Vikings are willing to go all-in on what Zimmer is trying to do. And that’s sad.