I'm really glad Minnesota Vikings defensive end Jared Allen decided to trash the city of Detroit when he did. Since he did it earlier in the week and before media availability for Lions defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham, we got to hear Cunningham's response to the comments today. As always, Cunningham didn't hold back one bit. Via Dave Birkett:
"He’s not good enough to live here," Cunningham said today. "I know him well, he should go back to California, Los Gatos, where all those nice people live. This is too tough of a town for him."
"He’s an outstanding player. I love the guy. He plays great and he has great quotes for you all and they’re good for the fans to read. If I were him though, in the streets I’ve driven down, I’ve made some wrong turns in town and for me, I got stopped one day and I looked out the window and they all yelled, ‘Hey Coach. How are you?’ I went out and signed autographs. Jared, if you come to town, good luck. You’re not going to get to sign autographs."
Gunther may be my favorite coach of all time just because of how quotable he is. Like I said, he never holds back, and he let Allen, who played for him in Kansas City, absolutely have it for his comments.
Cunningham also called out the former coaches turned analysts who have criticized him, the Lions and Jim Schwartz on television. Cunningham said, "I'll challenge any coach to face me in a room, one-on-one, put the tape on and tell me how to coach football." Cunningham went on to say that there's a reason why they're on TV and he and Schwartz are still coaching, so they shouldn't bother trying to tell him how to coach.
Never change, Gunther. Never change.