Vikings’ Green Rewards McCombs, Who Stood by Coach Against All Advice

The bear of a man could stare down thundering John Randle, straighten up raucous Cris Carter, shut up rowdy Jim McMahon.

But he couldn’t do anything about the whispers.

Whispers about his intelligence. Whispers about his personal life. The constant, droning whispers about his color.

In 1998, six years after Dennis Green of the Minnesota Vikings became the second black head coach in the history of the NFL, the whispers reached the ear of his new boss.

“Some of the other NFL owners told me that the good news was, Dennis Green only had one year left on his contract,” recalled Red McCombs, the plain-speaking Texan who bought the Vikings that summer. “They said I would not get along with Dennis. He was too strong-willed. He was too much for himself, and not enough for the organization.”

Too often in society, this is where the racism meets the road. A whisper becomes a gospel. Another opportunity is lost.

“Except, I’m the kind of guy, I only believe what I see,” McCombs said.

Thirty minutes after buying the team, he called Green. He later hung out with him at training camp. He listened to his meetings. He talked to his players.

What he eventually saw convinced him to, against all popular opinion, extend his coach’s contract.

What he sees today is not only football’s best team, but its best active coach.

What the diverse sports world should see is business the way business should be done.

“I’m only here because Red McCombs threw me a lifeline,” Green said. “He is fair and upfront. We share the same beliefs.”

Mainly, that people should not be surmised in a look, or judged by a whisper.

Today Green leads the Vikings, with a league-best 11-2 record, against the defending Super Bowl champion Rams.

There will be much talk about Daunte Culpepper and Randy Moss and Robert Smith.

There will, once again, be little said about the guy who leads them.

It is time that changed.

“Dennis has the best football mind in the game,” his boss said.

McCombs phoned approximately four minutes after being faxed a request to talk about Green.

Green phoned less than 10 minutes after being given a request to talk about, among other things, McCombs.

Said McCombs: “Bottom line is, I just like the hell out of the guy.”

Said Green: “It’s all about being given an opportunity.”

Since he became a head coach in 1992, he has made more of that opportunity than any other coach in the game. He has the league’s longest current coaching tenure with one team, and the numbers show it.

He has won 92 games in that span, the most by any active coach.

By clinching a playoff berth last week, he has led his team to eight postseason appearances in that span, the most by any team.

Probably his most impressive statistic, though, is that he has gone to the playoffs with seven different quarterbacks.

Mike Shanahan is generally considered the game’s best boss, but until this season, his entire success was based on John Elway.

Mike Holmgren is another Super Bowl champion coach, but has failed miserably without Brett Favre.

Green does not have their rings. His teams have won only three of 10 postseason games.

But nobody has been more consistent, and consistently right, than this guy who is rarely publicized, rarely complimented, and, frankly, lucky to still have his job.

“I coach the same way I’ve always coached,” Green said. “This is about continuity.”

A couple of seasons ago, when a freak missed field goal by Gary Anderson kept the Vikings out of the Super Bowl, everyone thought Green was being propped up by offensive coordinator Brian Billick.

Billick left to run the Baltimore Ravens, and Green continued to win.

Last season, when they lost in the divisional playoffs to the Rams, everyone thought Green was being propped up by quarterback Jeff George.

George left, and Green continued to win.

This season he has a new quarterback, new offensive coordinator, new defensive coordinator, and two new offensive linemen replacing longtime veterans Jeff Christy and Randall McDaniel.

The Vikings were picked to finish in the bottom of the NFC Central.

But they continue to win.

“This game is all about taking risks, moving forward, being decisive,” Green said. “You can’t be afraid.”

He is surrounded by a league that disagrees.

Even though nearly 80% of the players are black, there are only two black head coaches (Terry Robiskie of the Washington Redskins is an interim).

The other full-timer, Tony Dungy of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, remembers that when interviewing for jobs, he was told by one owner he couldn’t hire many black assistants because the community wouldn’t accept it.

Green’s two new coordinators? Both are black.

“This is not about hiring a black coach,” Green said. “It’s about hiring the best coach. The problem is, too often, people don’t take the time to find the best coach.”

In the past, he has rarely spoken about the racial imbalance in the league’s hierarchy, preferring to crusade with victories. But as that imbalance grows, so does his impatience.

“It is hard to believe that there are only two full-time (black) head coaches out of 31 jobs, especially in this day and age,” he said. “I’m always trying to make sure we have equal access to the jobs. It’s all about equal access.”

For more than just coaches.

Many in the league still don’t like playing blacks at quarterback.

Green’s new quarterback? A linebacker-looking guy named Daunte Culpepper, who also happens to be black.

“You can’t listen to what everybody is saying,” Green said. “You have to do what you believe.”

Green won’t talk much about it, but there was a time when he heard every word. Early in his tenure with the Vikings, every loss was scrutinized, every action was questioned.

Off the field, there were reports--one that even appeared in a book--of off-field indiscretions. Although he made the playoffs in five of his first six years, there was talk of a firing.

Shortly before McCombs purchased the team, Green even wrote his own book, “No Room For Crybabies,” in which he threatened to sue two minority owners for undermining the team.

One of the first questions posed to McCombs was, what did he think about the book?

“I knew that question was coming, and I was ready with my answer,” McCombs said. “I didn’t read it, and I wasn’t going to read it. I was going to judge Dennis starting right now.”

Coincidentally, all of this happened about the same time that Green ignored past reports on a guy named Randy Moss, who he drafted 21st overall. You know what happened next.

McCombs was so impressed with Green’s evaluation skills that he gave him complete football control of the operation.

For his part, Green says he has matured beyond his past personal troubles, and is remarried with two young children.

Yet some things haven’t changed.

Many mornings before practice, Green relaxes by playing the drums in his office.

Every day during practice, Green relates to his players by running the scrub--or “scout”--team.

He is the only coach in the league who bothers.

“It’s important to look at everyone, to know your players,” Green said. “It is important to give everyone an opportunity.”

There’s that word again. Opportunity.

Dennis Green received one, so he’s giving them out by the handful.

Red McCombs gave one, and is being rewarded by the week.

An unusually simple, incredibly smart proposition.

One would think.

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Bill Plaschke can be reached at his e-mail address: bill.plaschke@latimes.com.