"It's Just Football"

Last week at the Minnesota Vikings training camp in the heat of Mankato, receiver Percy Harvin and rookie safety Harrison Smith had to be separated from each other. In a not really but sort of non-contact scrimmage, Smith wouldn't let Harvin out of a pseudo-grasp. Basically, a defensive player was trying to prevent an offensive player from scoring a touchdown. In other words, both players were doing their job. They were playing football. Harvin didn't take too kindly to the little rookie not letting him score. Words were exchanged. The rest of the players came to the aid of their guy. When asked about the brouhaha, Smith simply said, "It's just football."

I really like this Harrison Smith kid. Not only does he play a position of desperate need, he's an excellent football player. Tough, smart, instinctive. All three qualities have been missing from the back of the Vikings defense for far too long. The rookie Smith didn't back down from the veteran Harvin. Apparently, the two had exchanged some "friendly" words in an earlier practice. It's football players like Percy Harvin and Harrison Smith that are going to keep the Vikings from a repeat of last season. Serious football players. Football players that just want to win. The little "dust up" last week was also an indication that it was time to start hitting another team. Thankfully, games, even fake games, have now started against those other teams. The real games are close. "It's just football."