Harrison Smith plays mind games before practice most days. He searches for any source of motivation, something to stoke his inner fire, whether it is real or imagined.
Maybe it is an image in his mind of getting beat on a pass the previous day. Or listening to a particular song. Occasionally, he'll concoct a slight directed at him, knowing it's a lie but still allows him to "pretend to be mad about something."
"The more you play," he said, "the more you have to dig."
Smith is preparing for his 11th season in the NFL, and though he has accomplished enough individually to garner Hall of Fame discussion, the Vikings safety never sounds like a player satisfied with his standing.