GARY Crowton’s crash course in Canadian football began a year or so ago, on the very day he was hired by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers as their offensive co-ordinator.
But, his introduction to the game came decades earlier at a free-agent camp in Fresno, Calif.
"I had a tryout with the Saskatchewan Roughriders," said Crowton Tuesday as the Bombers training camp continued at Investors Group Field. "I was a young coach at Snow Junior College and I wanted to give playing one more shot. I can’t remember the year, early ’80s I guess, and it was a three-day camp. They cut after the first day and they cut after the second day. I made it through all those cuts and it came down to two quarterbacks: myself and Joe Paopao.
"They signed him and they told me, ‘Be close and if something happens to Joe Paopao, we’ll bring you up.’ Well, Joe played good forever and they never brought me up. Ever since then I’ve had an affection for the CFL.
"I remember it being fun in those workouts, I remember guys running all over the place."
Continued at link ...
A couple of quick points in that article which lend some credence to the belief that protecting the QB will be a point of emphasis this season .. it also seems that both he (Crowton) and Buck are on the same page as well .. granted .. take Buck's opinion with a grain of salt given that Crowton played a large roll in why Buck is back .. but it speaks well for the offense that guys are buying in.
Original Story Here
A couple of quick points in that article which lend some credence to the belief that protecting the QB will be a point of emphasis this season .. it also seems that both he (Crowton) and Buck are on the same page as well .. granted .. take Buck's opinion with a grain of salt given that Crowton played a large roll in why Buck is back .. but it speaks well for the offense that guys are buying in.