Childress overwhelmed after meeting with Vikings owners

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (AP) -- Hours after being hired as coach of the Minnesota Vikings, Brad Childress was asked about the whirlwind courtship by the Wilf family.
"It only got awkward when they put the house arrest bracelet on my leg," Childress joked.
They didn't go that far, but faced with their first major decision since purchasing the franchise last summer, brothers Zygi and Mark Wilf moved through the process with ruthless precision, interviewing four candidates in two days and persuading Childress, the Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator, to stay in town rather than meet with the Green Bay Packers.
Agent Bob LaMonte has represented some of the biggest names in coaching over the past 25 years, including Philadelphia's Andy Reid, Carolina's John Fox, Seattle's Mike Holmgren, Tampa's Jon Gruden and now Childress. He said negotiating with the Wilfs was "almost like I was being taken through something I've never done before. Everything was first class."
"I would not want to compete with them," LaMonte said. "If the Wilfs get you to Minnesota, you are not leaving."
The Wilfs had plenty of competition. Seven other teams currently are looking for new leaders, including NFC North rivals Detroit and Green Bay, but the two brothers were determined not to lose out.
"I learned in the real estate business when you're going after something you want, you go after it quickly, decisively and you make sure you get it," Zygi Wilf said. "You make sure you get the person you want before the next person does."
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