Evans Says “Dramatic” Whining To Refs Will End
December 4th, 2015
Mike Evans says he will change immediately
Mike Evans thinks he’s hurting himself with what he calls passionate play.
You know the look. It’s about Evans crying and whining to officials, sometimes even before a whistle is blown.
There is no doubt Evans has been distracted by the lure of drawing a pass interference call. It’s in his head. And considering Evans’ jelly hands, one could speculate he’s not good enough yet to overcome any distraction.
But there is hope. Evans seems to realize he might be playing the zebras all wrong.
Evans has vowed to dial back his theatrics and shut up and play. Evans trumpeted his new approach to the world, via the Buccaneers Radio Network last night.
“This past game I played very passionate because I wanted to win so bad. And, you know, I didn’t any calls this game,” Evans said. “But [against the] Cowboys I got a lot of calls. I was getting [pass interference calls], and I wasn’t as dramatic, you know, when I didn’t get calls and things like that. So I think the refs like that more.
“So I guess I just [shouldn’t] play with as much passion and show it. Be quiet and just play. So that’s what I’m going to do from here on out. It’s hard. I’m a passionate guy. I love competing; I love football. But I just gotta control myself at certain times.”
Bravo! Joe can’t wait to see the new Evans, one who is obsessed with catching the football instead of flying yellow cloth.
December 4th, 2015 at 11:55 am
Can’t wait to see that come to fruition. It’s a bad look to have someone whining about interference on every play. Even Shaq didn’t complain about fouls as much as Evans, and he had an entire defensive philosophy created to stop him that revolved around trying to beat him up in the post. I get that there are some times when there should be a call, but if you want it on every play then it’s going to cause the refs to give the toss up calls to the other side simply because you’ve been whining and telling them how to do their jobs all day.
December 4th, 2015 at 12:02 pm
I applaud his recognition of the detrimental behavior, but he has to realize that a lot of damage has already been done to his reputation, and it will take a long time to change his drama queen reputation with the officials.
Here’s an idea, just catch the ball!
December 4th, 2015 at 12:02 pm
Still…I’d rather see Evans whine and play..than stay in the hot tub like ASJ!
December 4th, 2015 at 12:16 pm
Often a referee will hesitate on throwing a flag, it’s human nature, indecision.
A player making a dramatic charade of throwing a flag or another ref throwing a flag will trigger a response from that official. Some players have gotten quite good at it.
Whining might piss off a ref and prevent him from calling future flags.
December 4th, 2015 at 12:25 pm
I wish him well with this…..but it’s in his player personality….it will be difficult for him to contain….I suspect he will improve but don’t look for it to stop completely.
I do think it has been hurting him and I do think the refs don’t cut him slack because of his monster-like talent…..sort of like not calling fouls against Shaq….he doesn’t get the benefit like some others…..
December 4th, 2015 at 12:26 pm
Well he’s half way there at least. Yes stopping the whining will help his game with the officials and as Joe points out perhaps place his focus where it needs to be…catching the damn football!!!
But he’s wrong about the passion just like posters here are wrong about the requirement of being a nasty, boorish, badasss to play good football.
The whining has nothing to do with passion. It’s simply self indulgence and whining.
He can take out his passion on the next DB in his crosshairs when he’s throwing a block for Dougie. Some parts of the game are violent…release your passion…some require graceful athleticism…catch the freaking ball!!!
Both can be passionate in their own way. That crap about passion is a strawman meant to distract from the real issue. You can play with intense passion without the whining and griping. Who had more passion than DB55?
He didn’t need to gripe…he didnt need to jaw or act like a badarse…he was freaking intense and focused on what really mattered.
December 4th, 2015 at 12:46 pm
The fans like it more to when the players aren’t whining.
December 4th, 2015 at 12:49 pm
There has been so much criticism of Mike Evans from the last game with the potential TD pass he dropped in the 3rd quarter. I have watched the play over and over again and it appears that the defenders left hand actually got some of Evans right arm which contributed to the drop. If the pass would have been higher the defender would have missed it completely and it probably would have been a TD. I don’t know why Winston always tends to under throw Evans? The perceived faults in how he reacts to officials and mistakes he has made this year have impacted his confidence. Evans needs a mentor and Vincent Jackson should be the player he looks up to. Act the way Jackson acts after each play and the respect he deserves will follow.
December 4th, 2015 at 12:50 pm
Whining never works. Now if he wants to get calls he could try learning from the NBA. Look at how they go down while drawing a charge. Mike is a big tough kid maybe if he wants a call he needs to go to the ground and force the refs hand a little.
December 4th, 2015 at 12:53 pm
I think we’re looking at this all wrong. I think Evans has an ego like the greats…he always thinks he’s open or he can’t be stopped w/o being held or intefered with. I mean, look at the pic above. That’s pass interference right there. I don’t agree with the crying after every non-call but put urself in his shoes. That’s all I’m saying.
December 4th, 2015 at 1:04 pm
Godzilla
The ball hit him in the chest, then slipped thru his hands, he should’ve caught it. No excuses. ODB for the Giants doesn’t make excuses. Mike is just as talented. The “passion” explanation is just an excuse. If you’re concerned about a flag then you’re not focused on the ball. He just needs to concentrate and stay focused on getting open and catching the rock. That’s it. If mime wants to be passionate, be passionate about getting open and catching the football. Stop making excuses! If it hits you in the hands, catch it!
December 4th, 2015 at 1:15 pm
Evans will continue his old ways. That’s part of who he is. You have to take the good with the bad like everything else in life. His good outweighs his bad.
December 4th, 2015 at 1:43 pm
If he just would go and get the ball more, dbs wont have a choice but to interfere with him. The calls will come if he becomes more aggressive using his hands to catch not put on the defenders.
December 4th, 2015 at 2:01 pm
No one likes to be told how to do their job, even refs. Glad he realizes he is hurting himself and team with all that “baby brat” whining. Shut up, man up and catch the ball already!
December 4th, 2015 at 2:22 pm
i haven’t heard the audio, but reading the transcript it sounds almost petulant, justifying his attitude by equating the request to knock it off to a request to not care as much. hopefully it came out better tone-wise than it sounds on paper
December 4th, 2015 at 2:29 pm
I hope so. Last few weeks he reminded me of Cris Carter who whined non-stop. However, Carter had some of the best hands in NFL history. I hated him for it to.
December 4th, 2015 at 2:48 pm
The refs have been absolutely horrible this season, I can’t blame him for complaining. I went out to lunch today and a guy at the restaurant was in there complaining about the officiating in the nfl this year.
December 4th, 2015 at 3:52 pm
I know I am on these guys some times, but to be clear I am rooting for them bigtime and hope both he and McCoy can play up to what my and their expectations of them are.
December 4th, 2015 at 3:58 pm
Maturity – First, catch the ball, then …………….
December 4th, 2015 at 4:37 pm
The pass went through Evan’s frontside while he was instantaneously distracted. Oops
December 4th, 2015 at 4:54 pm
The saying goes that holding could be called on every play. Likely pass interference could also be called on every play. Watching the games there is constant hand and arm contact, more so from the defender. The refs let plenty of PI incidents go uncalled. Evans will be fine.
December 4th, 2015 at 6:38 pm
It’s alright to be passionate just show it in the right ways.
December 5th, 2015 at 1:11 am
Mike Clayton Evans until proven otherwise. Same same since the preseason when he wasn’t lame and in street clothes. Then to whine about it to the refs?…sorry the book is out on you from the refs to the opposing coaching staffs to the players paid to defend you. He is mentally weak on the football field. Sucks but true. Whine or don’t whine. It won’t matter anymore as long as everyone else paid to defend him knows he can’t handle contested passes.
Mike Evans is starting to make people forget Mike Clayton. There it is. I said it. Others will repeat it often for years to come if Evans doesn’t start catching the damn ball.