Crawford Ker Talks To Joe
June 1st, 2010
Most men think of the popular Wing House chain and envision cold beer, hot food and pretty, sometimes naughty young women serving them in a revealing uniform. While Joe shares those happy thoughts, Joe always remembers that behind the Wing House is one of football’s great work-ethic stories. That would be Wing House founder Crawford Ker.
A former standout guard with the Dallas Cowboys, Ker got his humble start in the restaurant business busing tables at Capogna’s Dugout in Clearwater, and he played just one year of high school football at Dunedin High before heading to junior college at Arizona Western as a walk-on. Hard work led him to transfer to the University of Florida and a seven-year career in the NFL.
Joe talked a little offensive line with Ker at the grand opening of the new Wing House on Gulf-To-Bay Boulevard in Clearwater.
Joe: Entering last season, I thought the Bucs offensive line was on the cusp of something special because they were full of good young players. But last year they regressed. They had injuries and personal issues and were incorporating zone blocking. Why do you think they took a step back?
Crawford Ker: I think on the offensive line it’s continuity, it’s working next to a person for a while. In the business world it’s the same thing. And, you know the left guard was out with personal issues, you’ve got a good center, you’ve got a really good nucleus. But you know they’ve got a new coach, a new offensive coordinator, a new scheme, so they just need a little time to gel. I like [Raheem Morris]. I like his enthusiasm, and I think he’ll be a great addition. But it’ll take some time. You know a lot of people don’t understand that Jimmy Johnson was 1-15. So then, over time, he started getting the right people on the team and rebuilding. So if you’re a Bucs fan out there, go Bucs.
Joe: Some have suggested Jeff Jagodzinski’s firing really messed up the offense. But would that really mess up the offensive line since they retained their position coach?
Ker: I think it does because it went to another scheme. Once you go to too many schemes, you know, it throws people in disarray. At the end of the day, with a little more continuity, the Bucs offensive line will be fine.
Joe: Who stands out for you on the Bucs’ offensive line? Does Davin Joseph jump out, Jeff Faine? Who do you like?
Ker: I think they’re a scrappy bunch, and I think they’ll get it done. Joseph is a big strong guy, and I think with some time he’ll be that All Pro. You know what I mean. But it takes some time. Trueblood is a great player, too, but you’re going to get beat now and then. So they just have to gel. They’ll be fine. I like the enthusiasm of Coach Morris. They just have to keep chippin’ away and move forward.
Joe: What’s the best thing on the menu?
Ker: I like the burgers. They’re excellent. But it’s the Wing House, so you better have good wings, and we do. The wings are our thing.
June 1st, 2010 at 9:14 am
LOVE those blackened wings!!!
June 1st, 2010 at 11:45 am
Jimmy Johnson?
LMAO
Nice choice in interview locations, Mr. Joe(s).
June 1st, 2010 at 11:55 am
Thank Mr. Ker Eric. He chose the location.
Joe also has to thank Mr. Ker for the ravishing blonde that was Joe’s server. Joe didn’t want to get up from his table to miss… er… anything. 🙂
Joe is quite fond of the WingHouse. The wings and food aren’t bad either.
June 1st, 2010 at 1:58 pm
Yeah, Jimmy Johnson. In his first year in Dallas, Johnson went 1-15. In his next season he went 7-9. Johnson’s 3rd season in Dallas he went 11-5 1-1 in playoffs. his 4th and 5th season what did he do? Oh yeah back to back Super Bowl victories.
If they would have just fired Jimmy Johnson and got a “real” coach after his sad sorry first season i’m sure the Cowboys would have won 4 or 5 Super Bowls. What Ever…. as Mr. Ker states about Johnson “over time, he started getting the right people on the team and rebuilding.” But the bucs fans just don’t believe this will or can ever happen here.
Joe a great read again. Go bucs
June 1st, 2010 at 4:09 pm
911: Caller what is your emergency?
Caller: I got a man here who thinks Raheem Morris is comparable to Jimmy Johnson.
911: OMG, stay away from him sir, he is obviously a danger to himself or others.
Caller: Ok, send someone quick and Ill lock my door……………HURRY! I think he might be taking a bath with the toaster.
June 1st, 2010 at 5:11 pm
Hello,911? We have another real crisis ! Got a guy named Eric suffering from delusions of granduer. He believes that his job at MacDonalds qualifies him to determine who is a Quality coaching candidate in the NFL!!?!
No ma’am, the only experience he has is watching football on T.V, yet he believes himself to be more knowledgeable than all the owners and experts combined. He dismisses any positive expert opinion immediately. It’s beyond belief! He also claims he is a Buc Fan, even though he’s never said a good thing about anyone in the organization.
The psycho squad is in route? Thank the lord, this guy is potentially a plague source, as anyone who knows football will become extremely sick upon reading his uninformed post. Hope they get here in time, I’m alredy feeling a little queasy from his last B.S.!
June 1st, 2010 at 6:18 pm
Jimmy Johnson…………………Raheem Morris……………………Jimmy Johnson…………………….Raheem Morris………………..Jimmy Johnson…………….Raheem Morris……………………Jimmy Johnson……………Raheem Morris.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAAHA
U Rah supporters are something else. Hilarious! Absolutely Hilarious!
June 1st, 2010 at 7:22 pm
It’s not necessarily being a “Rah” supporter. It’s being a Buc fan and supporting the team and it’s decisions. It’s understanding that as much as we all know about football from a fan perspective, there may be a chance that owners or GMs know something we don’t. It’s understanding that a rookie year as a head coach or GM may have some mistakes, but that there may be improvement in year 2.
June 1st, 2010 at 8:36 pm
No problem with any of that BamBam, but the Jimmy Johnson comparison is a bit premature, don’t you think?
June 2nd, 2010 at 12:04 pm
You know, i don’t recall anyone here posting a Morris and Johnson comparison, what i was referencing to was the second post in this thread. now don’t get me wrong do i think Morris is the second coming of Johnson, for that i believe we ought to read what someone who did play for Jimmy Johnson said, Mr. Ker said:
“But you know they’ve got a new coach, a new offensive coordinator, a new scheme, so they just need a little time to gel. I like [Raheem Morris]. I like his enthusiasm, and I think he’ll be a great addition. But it’ll take some time. You know a lot of people don’t understand that Jimmy Johnson was 1-15. So then, over time, he started getting the right people on the team and rebuilding. So if you’re a Bucs fan out there, go Bucs”
Now i understand that your a “fan ” Eric… So am I and I will give OUR teams coach the benefit of what other coaches have done in the past and then make my assumption as to weather he is a good coach. Lets see how he is in year 3, we are rebuilding (finally) and like it or not the Organization decided to do that THRU mostly the draft, and I for one do remember how our 2002 team was built. By using the draft and adding some free agents(some well respected some not so well regarded) but only after our drafted players got better, and coach Dungy did not knock the socks off the league his first season either…
I am willing to give the coaches we have a few more seasons to show what they are worth, now if we stink up the place this season with a worse record i will agree with you and say that they are unworthy coaches. but it takes time to get a team going in the direction a new coach wants, regardless who that coach is.
We can and do support the same team and i respect your comments on it being premature to compare Morris and Johnson. That was not my intention, it is only to compare a multi super bowl winning coaches record in his first 5 seasons. If Johnson was our coach last season and we had the same record he had his first season, 1-15 would you be calling him out? Keel hauling him? Just for comparison…
Looking forward to the season, Oct 31 in Phoenix i will get to watch them in person.
Go BUCS!!!
October 7th, 2011 at 4:19 pm
[Sorry Irie]