Anyone who cares about Mike Zimmer should tell him to get lost.
Anyone who cares about the Vikings should tell him to take a hike or a hundred.
The obsessiveness that has caused Zimmer to endanger the health of his eye last season is rooted in the workaholism of the modern NFL. Modern sports teams like to brag about their "culture,'' but the NFL culture is often unhealthy and counterproductive.
Zimmer stands as proof that not only do 100-hour weeks and 12-month years reach a point of diminishing returns, but that they also can damage health.
On Monday, the Vikings announced that Zimmer would spend a few weeks away from the organization to recover from the eighth surgery on his right eye. He'll head to his Kentucky spread. Whether he spends his time eradicating Wild Turkey or wild turkeys he should stay there until July, or until he's completely healed, whichever comes last.
There is a logical reason for NFL head coaches working around the clock and around the calendar. They are leaders of large and complex organizations. They demand hard work from everyone below them on the organizational chart. They know it behooves them to set an example.
What NFL leaders should recognize is that the NFL's worst franchises work just as hard as the best. Working excessive hours isn't the key to winning; it's a habit shared by winners and losers alike.
What did workaholism do for Zimmer and the Vikings last year? He soldiered through surgeries, rushed back to the office and field, and his team lost eight of 10 games and missed the playoffs. Maybe his gumption helped the Vikings win at Jacksonville; maybe the Vikings won because they were playing Jacksonville.