Evans going to battle for Pats
By Glen Farley, Enterprise staff writer
FOXBORO — The attitude was literally drilled into him at an early age.
“My whole preparation this offseason has been — they've honored me, they've given me a great contract, now let's step up to the plate even that much more,” New England Patriots fullback Heath Evans said during at the team's mandatory offseason minicamp which concluded at Gillette Stadium Thursday. “Let's give them even more of what they don't even know I'm capable of. It's the Marine mindset I grew up with.”
The son of a U.S. Marine, Evans' father, Brian, and his uncle, Brett, both served during the Vietnam War.
While Brett saw action, Brian didn't. It wasn't for lack of effort, though.
“They're twin brothers,” said Evans, “and back then, you could only take the oldest of a brother. My dad was the youngest twin by like seven or eight minutes. They were 21 and that was the first time in their lives they had ever been split up.
“They enlisted together and had planned on staying together,” said Evans. “My dad actually got his parents to sign something to allow him to go with his brother because they didn't want to be split up, but they wouldn't allow him.”
Evans' military upbringing often slips through in interviews sprinkled with responses that begin with “yes, sir” or “no, sir.”
Personally, Evans carries an allegiance to the Patriots, one that only grew during the offseason when they signed him with a two-year contract worth upwards of $1.6 million.
....
“It's myself last, the team first,” Evans said, explaining his approach. “The whole attitude that Mr. (team owner Robert) Kraft and Coach (Bill) Belichick gave me an opportunity, so you go over and above the call of duty.”
While the returns have been modest (112 career carries for 417 yards in 89 career regular-season games) — such is the life of a fullback in today's NFL — more often than not Evans has responded to the call of duty.
....
“We love it here,” said Evans. “I love my team, my coaching staff. It's a joy to be able to come to work every day. I don't think a lot of people have that opportunity, even in this league.
“It's rewarding. It's nice,” Evans said of his new contract. “It's kind of funny. I think coaches are hesitant sometimes to give people some security because they think they might back off. For me, it's been such a driving force in my career.
“I played in Seattle where they wanted me, but they didn't know quite how to use me. Then Miami obviously didn't want me. It just feels great to be wanted.”
edited excerpts from:
http://enterprise.southofboston.com/articles/2007/06/08/news/sports/sports03.txt
By Glen Farley, Enterprise staff writer
FOXBORO — The attitude was literally drilled into him at an early age.
“My whole preparation this offseason has been — they've honored me, they've given me a great contract, now let's step up to the plate even that much more,” New England Patriots fullback Heath Evans said during at the team's mandatory offseason minicamp which concluded at Gillette Stadium Thursday. “Let's give them even more of what they don't even know I'm capable of. It's the Marine mindset I grew up with.”
The son of a U.S. Marine, Evans' father, Brian, and his uncle, Brett, both served during the Vietnam War.
While Brett saw action, Brian didn't. It wasn't for lack of effort, though.
“They're twin brothers,” said Evans, “and back then, you could only take the oldest of a brother. My dad was the youngest twin by like seven or eight minutes. They were 21 and that was the first time in their lives they had ever been split up.
“They enlisted together and had planned on staying together,” said Evans. “My dad actually got his parents to sign something to allow him to go with his brother because they didn't want to be split up, but they wouldn't allow him.”
Evans' military upbringing often slips through in interviews sprinkled with responses that begin with “yes, sir” or “no, sir.”
Personally, Evans carries an allegiance to the Patriots, one that only grew during the offseason when they signed him with a two-year contract worth upwards of $1.6 million.
....
“It's myself last, the team first,” Evans said, explaining his approach. “The whole attitude that Mr. (team owner Robert) Kraft and Coach (Bill) Belichick gave me an opportunity, so you go over and above the call of duty.”
While the returns have been modest (112 career carries for 417 yards in 89 career regular-season games) — such is the life of a fullback in today's NFL — more often than not Evans has responded to the call of duty.
....
“We love it here,” said Evans. “I love my team, my coaching staff. It's a joy to be able to come to work every day. I don't think a lot of people have that opportunity, even in this league.
“It's rewarding. It's nice,” Evans said of his new contract. “It's kind of funny. I think coaches are hesitant sometimes to give people some security because they think they might back off. For me, it's been such a driving force in my career.
“I played in Seattle where they wanted me, but they didn't know quite how to use me. Then Miami obviously didn't want me. It just feels great to be wanted.”
edited excerpts from:
http://enterprise.southofboston.com/articles/2007/06/08/news/sports/sports03.txt
