Chris Russo Lauds Mike Evans
July 24th, 2024
Big Mike Evans fan.
Joe is still seething because a high priest of an outfit that likes to gloss itself as some sort of superior football intellectual thinktank thinks so much of Mike Evans that he ranked Evans as just the 20th-best receiver in football.
And DK Metcalf was even lower.
Anyone who actually believes that and then turns around and holds their hand out looking for cash in return for convoluted player “grades” ought to be sent to a re-education camp.
Or be indicted for racketeering.
(What next, Sabby the Goat is going to charge $2,000 for a youth camp to teach kids the proper fundamentals? Josh Freeman wanting $500 a head to not show up at his football camp?)
A much more reasonable person with a much bigger platform than Sam Monson took to his SiriusXM satellite radio airwaves to defend Evans as a truly overlooked star of the NFL. The one and only Chris “Mad Dog” Russo discussed last week BSPN’s ranking of receivers made by some 80 NFL coaches, scouts and suits. Evans was ranked No. 8.
Russo didn’t have a huge problem with that but thought Evans may have been a tad too low and he shouldn’t be overlooked.
“Now Evans is a very underrated receiver,” Russo began. “He’s a Hall of Famer. He’s extremely underrated. He’s got size. He gets deep. He doesn’t say anything. He’s just very, very good.”
Russo believes Evans’ class should be trumpeted, including the fact Evans is a loyal team guy, not a diva, and has spent his entire career with the Bucs, including some really horrible years.
“He’s one of those receivers who doesn’t make a big stink,” Russo said. “You know a lot of these receivers [on BSPN’s top-10] have changed teams. You have to keep that in mind.
“[Devante] Adams has changed teams. [Cheetah] Hill has changed teams. [A.J.] Brown changed teams. Evans? Without a great quarterback [for most of his career] made sure he stayed with the same franchise. I give him credit for that.”
Russo is exactly right. Evans has always been locked in on the game, not all the ancillary stuff. And that attitude and focus seem have sure worked.
July 24th, 2024 at 12:57 am
Finally a decent take on a future HOFer. I decided this is the year I get my Mike Evans creamsicle jersey! I considered Alstott, but man Mike has been so great for us this last decade. Every single year. And my Bday is is 2 days before the falcons game. Treat yo self, haha
July 24th, 2024 at 1:07 am
10000%
July 24th, 2024 at 5:58 am
So good to hear and finally someone representing Mike Evans in the media. Others could learn from Russo’s words.
July 24th, 2024 at 9:30 am
If you need to manufacturer outrage in order to make football interesting to you, maybe you should get some therapy for that.
Football is an incredible sport. Of all the things that a site like this could cover, even during the silly season, taking issue with these lists is pitifully lazy.
Do better, or give your press pass to a journalist.
July 24th, 2024 at 9:59 am
Go ME13 and Go Bucs
July 24th, 2024 at 10:28 am
Who p!ssed in “Tower”’s cornflakes this morning?
July 24th, 2024 at 4:11 pm
Joe knows what he is doing. Hey, you reacted, no?
No other Bucs-centric site has Joe’s traffic. None. Zero. There are independent free traffic monitors you can see for yourself. For Joe to have the traffic and readers he does, and to be around (and successful) for nearly two decades, Joe is pretty confident he knows what he is doing.
It is now 17 years and running for this site.
July 24th, 2024 at 5:37 pm
It was a good thing to have the late , great , Vincent Jackson on the team when our Bucs drafted Evans. I think that’s one of the most overlooked things in Evans great career. Evans himself has said multiple times that Jackson was a HUGE part of his development as a player and a man . Especially in that time in Bucs history, in the middle of the lost decade ! Evans ‘could’ have turned out to be like the rest of the crybaby WRs in the NFL if not for Jackson. Evans is my favorite player of all time, but I think everyone should give credit where credit is due. Go Bucs
July 24th, 2024 at 5:48 pm
@Towered – Sure sounds like you’re feeding into the list that you despise so much yourself ! And then you cap it off with ” Even during the SILLY season”??? Sounds like you’ve had a bad day or need some sleep. Unless you’re really upset about Joe calling out your fantasy football stat nerd’s guys and their ridiculous takes on Mike Evans ? Go Bucs
P.S. For someone who thinks he knows more than Joe about football and his website, you sure are helpful with Joe’s bottom line…
July 24th, 2024 at 11:46 pm
Great point on VJax TampabayDJ! I’d forgotten about that.
Looks like Towered predicted the future in their name. Got towered by Joe!
July 25th, 2024 at 6:56 am
Relax sycophants, I’m sure Joe will keep setting up your dad jokes, and y’all will keep knocking them down.
It’s true Joe, you have built something to be proud of here. You provide breaking info better than the other independents. You offer insightful analysis when you are covering a story worth covering. One or more of you are good writers.
Those are the reasons that I visit this site regularly, and have for many of these 17 years. It seems that the subject matter is turning more toward debating over weather an athlete being paid millions is being disrespected by the likes of “mad dog” Russo, or engaging in the stats v gut feelings matchup; pointless exercises that only keep an aging, limited pot stirred.
So yeah, you did get a response from me.