Keith "Spanky" Crawford graciously offered his time to an interview.
The Arizona Wranglers website editor Rich Kirchner asked the following:
Rich: We're all happy to hear from the Wranglers' equipment manager on this site. To kick things off, how did you get your nickname, "Spanky"?
Spanky: In college with a natural baby-face it sorta got hung on me and has stayed with me for about 23 years now. It's fine when you're 25 but at 41, Keith works a little better now.
Rich: How did you happen into this position?
Spanky: Hal Wyatt, who was the trainer for the Original AZ Wranglers was a trainer at North Texas State under T.C "Skip" Cox, my trainer from Baylor and my name came up when they needed an assistant. I flew to Houston to the USFL owners meetings in October of '83 and wound up with the job. I was stoked by the chance of working with Coach Allen.
Rich: You mentioned the dreaded chinstrap issue. Did any players actually have to play without them, or have to buy their own?
Spanky: No but like the Clampetts, I thought we might have to resort to using ropes to keep their gear on once in a while in '85.
Rich: We all respected George Allen. Did he ever share time with you alone? Did he ever pass anything on to you?
Spanky: There are lots of great stories but here's a short one: Once, I was told to go pick up Coach Allen at his apartment on 48th and McDowell (where I also lived in '83-'84). He was taking one of his afternoon cat-naps and it was time for him to return to East High School for that nights practice. Coach didn't drive and Bob Reis, who usually chaufferred Coach around was out of pocket and I was asked to bring him back to the facility. When I went to pick him up, he came down the stairs, gave my pickup a quizzical look and got in for the ride back. About 200 yards down the street he looks at me and says, "Spanky, this is ANOTHER FIRST! I've never ridden in a pick up truck before." For a born and bred Texan that struck me as very funny and unusual. What he passed on to me and every other person who ever worked with him (he always stressed that we were a family and didn't work FOR him) was that ..."We should work hard and watch good things happen." His enduring legacy I believe was that hard work and dedication will always pay off. Never quit and never give up.
Rich: Looking back, what was your greatest challenge with the Wranglers/Outlaws?
Spanky: The greatest challenge was never knowing day to day the status of the league as a whole. I believe as most folks do, that the league's longfelt desire was always to force a merger or incorporate itself with the NFL into previously un-tapped markets (Phoenix,Memphis,Orlando,Jacksonville, etc.) If the powers that be would have let "football" people run the show like Coach Allen and not the folks with the business sense but not football sense then that would have eventually happened. It was always David vs Goliath but again, Coach Allen and some others had some mighty good slingshots to work with. If you look at all of the teams Coach Allen and his people were associated with, you will ALWAYS find winners.
Rich: You had mentioned working in the NFL. Any experiences you'd like to share? Although this question is rather general, we would enjoy hearing of any you'd like to share.
Spanky: I was fortunate enough to get to work with Houston after they got Kenny Stabler. As a left-handed child he was and always will be my first and foremost football idol. We also acquired Jack Tatum, Dave Casper, and had Mike Barber, Earl Campbell, Elvin Bethea, and Toni Fritsch. These guys in particular were always real good to me. I play the guitar and we had many late night camp singings in the dorms with the players and Coach Phillips and also Moe Bandy (the country entertainer) hitched a ride to Green Bay and Oakland with us in 1980 and he brought his guitar player and I took my guitar, too for the return flights home. We won and had fun (well, 1 for two anyway). But win, lose or draw the return flights were always fun.
Rich: How are you spending your time these days?
Spanky: I have been working as a sales representative for a football equipment reconditioning company in Central Texas for the past two years. I love it! I am back talking to high school and college football coaches and equipment managers. Business is great. We have been in operation for 23 years and I get to do what I love: deal with football equipment and coaches. If the right college or pro job came open, I have entertained the idea of getting back in it but lots has changed in the 13 years that has passed. I have also considered getting into the sporting goods business either in sales or as a manufacturers' rep. But right now I really enjoy what I do. I also play bass in a country/classic rock band called "Ramblin' Fever" to keep my musical appetite fed. Always a big fan, I always encourage folks to get into the great band, LITTLE FEAT. Their current lineup may be their best ever. Check 'em out.
Rich: Thank you for spending some of your time with us. We would love to hear from you again soon. Any parting thoughts?
Spanky: Thanks a lot. I'll tell you, I have been really blessed to have had the best parents in the world who have supported me in all of my endeavors, football or otherwise. I have had the privilage to have worked with people who were not only my peers but also to some extent, my heroes. To have had the privilage to have worked with a George Allen, Roman Gabriel, Doug Williams, Ken Stabler, Bum Phillips and countless others; it was truly something a kid growing up in Texas has to still blink sometimes to wonder if that really happened. I also was privilaged to work with some great people like Tommy McVean (Head Epqt Mgr for Wranglers in 1983), Jim Hammond (Wrangler trainer in 1984), Hal Wyatt and Eddie Temple (Oilers Head Eqpt. Mgr in 1980). I just want folks to never forget the USFL. There were some really fine, talented folks who devoted their lives to something they enjoyed: football. Nobody then (regardless of media reports) made any money. Everyone did it because they loved the sport of football. I would encourage folks to read up on the USFL and keep the memory of it alive. Thanks to you, Paul Reeths and others we are all getting a chance to re-live those great times again and again. Thank YOU again for giving us this. Take care. Thanks, Spanky.
