Shepard Hype Starting (Again)
June 8th, 2015
Underwear football hype resuming.
Joe will never forget two years ago, some guy on Twitter was panting constantly about Bucs backup wide receiver Russell Shepard, as if the guy was wrestling between the sheets with Rachel Watson.
Virtually two or three times a week, this guy would ask Joe on Twitter the infamous question, “How does Russell Shepard look?” Well, he didn’t look, period, because Joe never saw the guy do a damned thing.
Each week, sometimes twice a week, this uber-Shepard fan (a relative?) would pester Joe on Twitter. Joe literally had to look in Shepard’s locker to make sure he was on the team. The guy was as invisible as Ghost Johnson.
Well, it seems the hype for Shepard is starting again, and this time it is beginning from the fingers of Joe Kania of Buccaneers.com, who suggests Shepard has caught his eye in OTAs.
2. WR Russell Shepard
Shepard, one of the Bucs’ best special teams players a year ago, had a couple nice catches during Thursday’s practice, including a touchdown in the middle of the field from Jameis Winston during 11-on-11 drills. In what might have been the highlight of the day, Winston placed the ball nicely in between defenders and Shepard came down with the ball in the end zone. Earlier in the practice, Shepard hauled in an over-the-shoulder pass in the corner of the end zone that appeared to be headed five yards out of bounds. He caught the pass, but only managed to get one foot down.
Joe is sorry, but if Shepard was the next Dez Bryant as some think he may be, wouldn’t he have flashed a lot more (or just some) since entering the NFL in 2013? Look, even God’s gift to offensive coaches, Chip Kelly, didn’t want the guy.
Joe is not trying to be mean here, but pardon Joe if he is not getting excited about a guy who was on the fringe of a roster spot on a team that was 2-14 with no depth at wide receiver.
Joe hopes Shepard has a successful NFL career, but to date, Joe hasn’t seen anything that would make him believe Shepard is a difference-maker.
June 8th, 2015 at 2:06 pm
Check out Shepard’s college stats…..dude can run, catch & throw……I’d love to see Koetter work him into a wildcat or double up the backfield with Sims & Shepard…or put Shepard in the slot on occaision.
He is perfect for either a diversion or trick plays…but you have to use him a few times a game to make that successful.
June 8th, 2015 at 2:09 pm
I feel you pain Joe, If someone just started reading the comments section this year. They would think the Bucs were the Most talented team to ever have the 1st overall draft pick in NFL History.
To most on the bucs roster, the Buc Realist hopes all of you has a successful NFL career, but to date, The Realist hasn’t seen anything that would make me believe That most of you are a difference-maker.
June 8th, 2015 at 2:11 pm
drdneast Says:
June 8th, 2015 at 10:41 am
Wow, Bucanew, your mom was a real homesy, folksy philosopher wasn’t she.
Did she tell you that while she was taking a trash can full of empty Pabst cans to the curb while scratching her crotch at the trailer park you lived in.
…………………………………………….
LOL….Those who know me here understand my humor sir. Thank you for your care and concern though.
June 8th, 2015 at 2:27 pm
Joe
He’s no Dez Bryant but he’s a much better investment than Louis Murphy. If you haven’t seen him make plays then you must miss every punt n kickoff bc he make 85% of the tackles.
June 8th, 2015 at 2:30 pm
New Buc..wrong page ya silly Sally!
June 8th, 2015 at 2:32 pm
Might be. But that’s not saying much at all.
June 8th, 2015 at 2:35 pm
since Sheppard is clearly going to make the roster being a special teams guy let’s hope Koetter can either help develop him as a WR or figure a way to use him as TBBF suggest with tricks and gadgets. he runs well.
June 8th, 2015 at 2:52 pm
Buc-A-New
i know we disagree on lovie and 8 but man you live in a beautiful state. crazy fun.. how do you even stay inside long enough to watch an entire game. trip was too short but man I never realized there is so much variety fun things to do
with all the username changes and my short term memory challenges taken into consideration, if you are not the dude from Montana than my bad.
sorry joe I know it’s not a message board but sometimes you just have stop and appreciate the beauty that America has to offer. Next stop the raging metropolis of Olney, IL
June 8th, 2015 at 2:55 pm
White squirrels.
June 8th, 2015 at 2:58 pm
Ofcourse Chip the Overlord didn’t want him – he’s black
June 8th, 2015 at 3:01 pm
Joe,
I had forgotten that you are from that region. please accept my condolences. I actually have fun there, I must admit. Although it is cheap warehouse space and land. They are very proud of those rodents.
June 8th, 2015 at 3:03 pm
tmax:
About an hour straight west; went to college about an hour straight north.
June 8th, 2015 at 3:07 pm
This is the longest off season ever!!! Last off season was not nearly as bad since I was not very excited or better said, optimistic. Now that we have Winston, Koetter, 2nd year of experience for Lovie’s defense and of course America’s WR Russell Shepard, there is excitement galore!!!
June 8th, 2015 at 3:12 pm
Sometimes guys improve. Sometimes they don’t
June 8th, 2015 at 3:59 pm
It’s all hype until he takes some to the HOUSE!
June 8th, 2015 at 4:43 pm
I remember back in 2013 Russell Shepard were in the Eagles camp and Mike Vick was bragging about him everyday. http://www.csnphilly.com/football-philadelphia-eagles/rookie-wr-shepard-dominating-eagles-camp
June 8th, 2015 at 6:10 pm
Bad oline, bad QB play and horrible OCing probably led to a lot of issues with our WRs. Frankly, I think it’s a miracle that we had two WRs reach the 1k mark last year.
Hopefully thing will be better by the midway point this year.
The only things I hate in WRs are hard hands and a lack of fight for the ball.
Hate it when a WR goes for the catch and it bounces off his hands into the air, resulting in a pick.
Hate it when a WR is more worried about health than ball possession. If you cannot catch the ball, make sure the enemy doesn’t either!
June 8th, 2015 at 6:12 pm
So far as the 2013 thing, we weren’t sure if McCoy would be good until year 3.
And Barber took 5 years to become really good.
Of course, they are defense. WRs tend to show what they have within the first two years.
June 8th, 2015 at 6:18 pm
It amazes me that JOE, who seems to believe he is a proficient judge of football talent, can’t see the great value of having Shepard on the team. JOE needs to see touchdowns, to heck with special teams tackles. JOE also doesn’t seem to think anything changes from year to year. Whatever a team or player accomplishes in a particular season, good or bad, is what JOE believes the team or player will accomplish in the subsequent year. JOE is a linear thinker. Too bad for JOE!
June 8th, 2015 at 6:45 pm
Found him^
June 8th, 2015 at 6:59 pm
It happens every year…guys seem to shine n ball during underwear football against their own team. But what happens down in the trenches in the 4th quarter with a minute to go n we have the ball at the opponents 35 yard line n trailing by four points with no time outs left? Where r these great plays? The proof is in September.
June 8th, 2015 at 10:50 pm
Shepard did play well in September and all of last year for that matter. Was one of the league’s best gunners.
June 8th, 2015 at 11:34 pm
Pass.
June 9th, 2015 at 11:50 am
Shepard has great speed, toughness, and is a good athlete. He deserves more chances to shine at WR. Remember when Quarles excelled at special teams and finally got a shot at MLB?
June 9th, 2015 at 1:22 pm
Russell Shepard “America’s wide receiver.” It has a nice ring to it. Good call RayJay.