Kevin O’Connell’s Locker Room Speech Will Make You Run Through a Wall

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PHOTO: ANTHONY SOUFFLE, STAR TRIBUNE

The Minnesota Vikings should be 1-2. They struggled vs the Detroit Lions on Sunday for nearly three quarters of ugly football. But, to new head coach Kevin O’Connell’s credit, the team stuck together, stayed patient and found a way to beat a team that has figured out how to win yet.

And after the game, O’Connell gave a postgame, profanity-filled, locker room speech that will run chills down your spine, put goosebumps on your skin and have you running through the nearest wall.

Kevin O’Connell was hired this offseason to galvanise a Minnesota Vikings locker room that had grown divisive in the later years of Mike Zimmer’s reign. And that’s exactly what he did during OTA’s, training camp and the preseason. But, that was the easy part.

Facing Controversy

A blowout win over Green Bay to open the regular season sent optimism into another stratosphere. So, when the honeymoon came to an abrupt end in a lopsided 24-7 loss to the Eagles in week two and controversy struck for the first time, how would the vibes inside the Vikings locker room change?

What if things got worse before they got better? Like, if the Detroit Lions came into US Bank Stadium and completely dominated the first 35 minutes in week three. Who are the Minnesota Vikings, then? Let’s admit, before we let full blown optimism flood in once again, that we do not know yet.

Until they master KOC’s offense and Ed Donatell’s defense, this season could still go either way. What we do know, is that they passed their first test of wills. Controversy knocked, but nobody gave up. Both the offense and defense fought passed some ugly football early on and took advantage of mistakes made by Detroit late. Now, they’re 2-1 and looking forward at a much more manageable schedule (Saints (London), Bears, @ Dolphins) over the next few weeks, though the Dolphins appear to be for real.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

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