EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- Minnesota Vikings coach Brad Childress said Wednesday that he isn't concerned with the trash-talking Twitter tussle between his tight end, Visanthe Shiancoe, and New Orleans Saints safety Darren Sharper.
Shiancoe and Sharper have been sniping back and forth on Twitter for the better part of two weeks, a feud that started when the safety implied that the Saints would go after Brett Favre's surgically repaired ankle in the 2010 season opener if the quarterback returns to the Vikings.
The latest exchange happened Tuesday when some Vikings visited the Minnesota National Guard. Shiancoe posted a photo of a target used for shooting practice. The target had a picture of Osama Bin Laden saying, "I'm Darren Sharper," with the safety's No. 42 on his chest.
"Before target practice a soldier suggested a custom target for me," Shiancoe tweeted before posting the picture. "Guess he wanted to start my engine early for the SAINTS game!"
Childress was on the same visit with Shiancoe and said he saw the tight end taking the photos of the target and "knew exactly what was going on." But the coach didn't seem too worried about the cyberspace jawing, saying "there will be somewhere we will reel it in."
Shiancoe was one of several Vikings veterans who wasn't at the team's optional practice Wednesday.
Sharper and Shiancoe grew to be friends when they played together in Minnesota. Sharper left before last season to join the Saints, who beat the Vikings in overtime of the NFC Championship Game en route to winning their first Super Bowl. The Vikings and Saints are scheduled to kick off the 2010 regular season Sept. 9 in New Orleans.
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The smack talk has been playful throughout, but Sharper appeared to take exception to the photo of the target.
"Ok homeboy you done went too far, making me out to be something that has brought this country alot of heartache," Sharper tweeted Wednesday. "Imma bust you right under your chinstrap from the first play on. I don't care about the fine. ... Imma do it for the red, white & blue."
"And you'll see me cuz I'll be dressed in black & gold," Sharper tweeted. "Protect your neck that's all the warning you get."
Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press
