Thanks for checking out our Featured Footballer section, a series of posts we’ll be publishing throughout the 2018 Gaelic football season. Today’s post is about club legend, Chance Evans.
Chance Evans
Base Stats
Height: 69″ baby
Weight: Looks like 155, Feels like 225.
Nickname: “Hannibal Lector”
Position: Wing-Forward
What He’s Drinking: 2008 Vintage Watermelon Four Loko
Big Question, Hurling or Football?: Football, because you can control the pace of the game more.
The animal from Hannibal……
You can take Chance out of Hannibal, but you can’t take the Hannibal out of Chance. Often seen on the field wearing his protective “Hannibal Lector” mask is one of our favorite newer players, Chance Evans. If you’re brave enough to ask him why he wears this mask he will ensure you it’s more for your protection, than his own. Quick as a Ferret, agile as a Missouri Trout, with the skill and pace that can hardly be matched by even our most veteran players describes Chance’s paying style the best. When Chance sets his mind on a goal, nothing can stop him as he blitzes around the field, darting right through defenses, at what most observers estimate to be pretty close to record speed.
Forever immortalized for charging Will Stewart from well over 30 yards away during a practice, Chance delivered an earthshattering shoulder equivalent to what you’d expect from the likes of J-Bro or Big Dan Barnidge. Chance absolutely flattened the big man, levelling him instantly, and resulted in “quite a bit of soreness and a considerable bruise covering Will’s arm for well over a week”. What people don’t remember as much from that collision is that Chance completely shattered his nose, which only took Dr. John Krause a good 10 seconds to diagnose as “pretty gross looking”, giving him the expert medical advice to “probably go get that looked at”. All of that to stop Will from cherry-picking an easy point, that he would probably miss anyway, in a meaningless kick around, but that’s just how Chance plays.
Born fearless, with a drive for competition, and the tenacity of a feral dog, Chance only knows 1 speed, 100% top speed. The consummate Lad, Chance puts up with the rest of the football idiots even when they go out of their way to embarrass him with Lads chants, and constant airhorning while visiting the bars of other cities with him. He’s just thankful to be a part of such a supportive group, and feels #blessed that Tessa and Tony Cowin-Klassen introduced to the sports 2 years ago.
From the man himself…
Favorite Club Moment: 2018 Hurling Championship Semi-finals. Forward Fitness fell to Flora Avenue in the final stages of the game, but gave the eventual champions quite a game. Chance had one of his best games as a hurler, and described the overall effort as one of the best team performances he has ever been a part of, even though it ended in a loss.
Matchup he’s looking forward to the most: Two words, Happy Apples. Last year Chance was on the Happy Apples team that rode an impossible win streak right into the championship game before falling to Ferguson Brewing Co. He’s looking forward to crushing his old team, especially since the word is that Happy Apples captain’s Shane Brennan and Brian Finn have been talking quite a bit of trash on Chance and his new team, Pat Connolly Tavern.
Greatest Skill: Speed kills baby. Using his speed, vision, and field awareness developed from a lifetime of playing point guard in basketball, Chance is looking to facilitate the big pointers and goal-scorers on Pat’s this year. Not just labelled a playmaker though, Chance won’t hesitate to drive the right through the D and put a couple of game-winners in the back of the net.
Secret pre-game weapon: Alka-Seltzer. I don’t know what to say about this, but now that Chance’s secret is out, I’d imagine more players giving it a shot.
Word from around the club
Tony Cowin, Gaelic Football Trainer
What Chance lacks in size, he makes up with speed and tenacity. He is extremely dedicated, and always has a positive attitude.
Ryan Hallows, Captain of Pat Connolly Tavern
Chance is the man. Alpha as f***!
Check back for more player profiles as the 2018 Gaelic football season rolls on. You can check out our schedule here.