Viktor
Well-known member
- Mar 19, 2019
- 2,552
- 0
Layers of purple helmets and jerseys encircled the safety, mirroring endless rows of starkly empty, purple seats in the background.
Anthony Harris' voice carried easily over warmup music, his passionate messaging a pump-up beat of its own.
"I'm trying to speak the truth, man. Be yourself," Harris told his teammates. "Everybody who's standing right here is standing right here for a purpose. Your talent, your abilities, they're enough. Believe in the process, believe in the preparation. We've got to do our … jobs.
"Build that --- trust. Build that --- chemistry," he shouted. "Have fun out there. Do your job!"
Harris' speech didn't magically produce a Vikings Week 3 win. It did, however, help energize a team that competed in a dynamic game against Tennessee after looking listless in Minnesota's first two games, both ugly losses.
"I kind of sat back and tried to evaluate the team for the first two weeks, figure out what our identity is, what we need to do individually, what myself as a player, leader and veteran on this team, what role do I need to play to bring out the best in the team?" Harris explained.
Harris asked Vikings Head Coach Mike Zimmer for permission to address the team Saturday night during a team meeting. The next day, he more spontaneously spoke out.
"Going in that huddle, it was about, 'Let's be who we are. Let's remember who we are,' " Harris recounted. "For the guys who have been here, we've got to take the reins and remind guys, 'This is how we play here at Minnesota. This is our identity. Let's go out and do it.'
"Pretty much talking to guys and what we pride ourselves on and what we're looking to do here in the Minnesota Vikings organization," he added.