In trying to build up project quarterback Josh Johnson, Raheem The Dream actually undercut the poor lad.

For a period of Joe’s life he would rather not remember, Joe served time in Chicago practicing his craft. Unlike Frank Sinatra, Chicago is not Joe’s kinda town.

But one of the pleasant, albeit few, memories of Chicago Joe has is listening to sports radio personality Mike North, late of The Score, WSCR-AM. The guy was downright funny and a must-listen for sports fans.

One of North’s favorite expressions was when a caller either had too biting of a comment or was too outrageous or was too over the top, North would playfully bellow, “Take… it… EASY!”

North’s catch phrase sprung to Joe’s mind when he read a quote from Raheem The Dream in a piece penned by Jim Trotter of SI.com.

The Dream has already proved to be a master of speaking a lot but saying virtually nothing. Sadly for The Dream, what little substance he does say is spin that is way out of control.

In Trotter’s piece, The Dream was trying to stick up for backup quarterback Josh Johnson who has been labled by many as “a project,” fairly or unfairly remains to be seen.

The Dream was so gushing in trying to build up Johnson that he in fact threw Johnson under the bus when talking about the Bucs quarterback situation at the NFL owners meetings earlier this week in California.

“We’ve got two unproven guys: Luke McCown started six games, won one, has a bunch of talent that we see every day that you don’t,” Morris said. “We’ve got a [second-year] guy, Josh Johnson, should have been a second-round pick, absolutely bombed at the combine and became a sixth-round pick.”

Huh? Because a guy had a bad combine Johnson drops four rounds, really? C’mon Dream, you know better than that and Bucs fans know better than that.

Scouts investigate and research a prospect’s entire body of work, not just one weekend. Good grief, Alabama offensive tackle Andre Smith did everything a player could do wrong at this year’s NFL combine (and more) and he will still be a first round pick.

It’s one thing to talk up one of your own players. But at least be somewhat realistic Dream. Your spin is so deep you’re setting Johnson up for failure if not indirectly ripping him.