The NFL has Jerry Rice. The NHL has Wayne Gretzky. The NBA has
Michael Jordan and the MLB has Babe Ruth. All these players are
legends in their leagues and masters of the game. And all these
legends have one thing in common. They weren't as successful as
Estrus Crayton.
When speaking of German Football and successful players, there's
one name that always appears: Estrus Crayton, Running back and
Receiver of the Berlin Adler. The 33 year old American is one of the
most dangerous weapons on offense as well as on special teams
ever to play in European Football Leagues. Mr. Do-it-All Crayton has
been to no less than nine German Bowls and won seven of them.
And not only was he champ seven times, he did it with four different
teams. With these stats, he is the most successful player in German
Football History.
Are you aware of how big your name is?
Well yes, I became aware of that. It feels good to be mentioned like
that. But there are so many good other players in Europe.
Michael Jordan and the MLB has Babe Ruth. All these players are
legends in their leagues and masters of the game. And all these
legends have one thing in common. They weren't as successful as
Estrus Crayton.
When speaking of German Football and successful players, there's
one name that always appears: Estrus Crayton, Running back and
Receiver of the Berlin Adler. The 33 year old American is one of the
most dangerous weapons on offense as well as on special teams
ever to play in European Football Leagues. Mr. Do-it-All Crayton has
been to no less than nine German Bowls and won seven of them.
And not only was he champ seven times, he did it with four different
teams. With these stats, he is the most successful player in German
Football History.
Are you aware of how big your name is?
Well yes, I became aware of that. It feels good to be mentioned like
that. But there are so many good other players in Europe.
Pressure? What's That?
The following interview was conducted with former Trojan tailback
Estrus Crayton by the football magazine Touchdown Europe!
By Mathias Brändli
Estrus Crayton by the football magazine Touchdown Europe!
By Mathias Brändli
| Former USC tailback Estrus Crayton |
You're a former Trojan, so you can feel like a double Champion now. Are you still following the USC Team, the NCAA
Season?
Yes, you can say that "Once a Trojan, always Trojan." I still follow USC and it feels good. I know a few guys on the
championship team and I run into a few old teammates every now and then when I'm back in California.
Living over a decade in Europe, you must start to feel pretty comfortable on the old continent.
It's cool. Berlin is a big city, I like that. It's a pretty cool place to live. The bad thing is that I miss my family everyday.
What was it, that you decided to come to Europe to play Football?
I had a few NFL tryouts and honestly, I thought I would be in New York with the Giants, but things didn't go as
planned. After that I spent a year in Canada with the Edmonton Eskimos but I really didn't get to play much. And then I
got a call from Joop Wanderberg and he asked me if I wanted to play Football in Europe. I thought about it and
decided to give it a try. That's how I got to Düsseldorf.
Did you expect to have such an impact? Or was it just like an adventure?
You can say it was an adventure. I didn't know anything about German Football. But then of course, I believed in
myself. I was upset but also excited and I was gonna make sure they know about me.
Last year, Berlin had his Cinderella story. This year, the league is going to go after the Adler, and it will be tough year
for you guys. How do feel about this situation?
To me it wasn't a Cinderella story. We had a good team and some experienced players, so that really helped. Of
course it will be tough when you are on top, everyone comes after you. But to me it's been that way for 10 years now,
so I am used to it.
Season?
Yes, you can say that "Once a Trojan, always Trojan." I still follow USC and it feels good. I know a few guys on the
championship team and I run into a few old teammates every now and then when I'm back in California.
Living over a decade in Europe, you must start to feel pretty comfortable on the old continent.
It's cool. Berlin is a big city, I like that. It's a pretty cool place to live. The bad thing is that I miss my family everyday.
What was it, that you decided to come to Europe to play Football?
I had a few NFL tryouts and honestly, I thought I would be in New York with the Giants, but things didn't go as
planned. After that I spent a year in Canada with the Edmonton Eskimos but I really didn't get to play much. And then I
got a call from Joop Wanderberg and he asked me if I wanted to play Football in Europe. I thought about it and
decided to give it a try. That's how I got to Düsseldorf.
Did you expect to have such an impact? Or was it just like an adventure?
You can say it was an adventure. I didn't know anything about German Football. But then of course, I believed in
myself. I was upset but also excited and I was gonna make sure they know about me.
Last year, Berlin had his Cinderella story. This year, the league is going to go after the Adler, and it will be tough year
for you guys. How do feel about this situation?
To me it wasn't a Cinderella story. We had a good team and some experienced players, so that really helped. Of
course it will be tough when you are on top, everyone comes after you. But to me it's been that way for 10 years now,
so I am used to it.
The former USC Trojan started his European career in Düsseldorf with the Panthers in 1995 and won the German
Bowl as well as the Eurobowl. In 1997, Crayton went to play for the Braunschweig Lions under Coach Kent Anderson
and became national champion for the next three years besides winning the Eurobowl. After that, he left
Braunschweig and went up north to become a Hamburg Blue Devil. And guess what, with him came Coach
Anderson and the Blue Devils were champions for the next two years. After that, Estrus Crayton and Coach Anderson
went a little east and, you name it, won the German Bowl with the Berlin Adler. So even though Crayton is a big part of
the last couple of years in Germany, you have to talk not only of the Crayton Show, but also the Crayton/Anderson
show.
Your Head Coach and you are like a dream team, the duo Crayton/Anderson won the title with three different teams.
Was he a factor when you decided to go to play for Berlin?
I love Kent Anderson. He is my friend first and then my coach second. What a lot of people don't understand is that
the pieces just fell into place with me and Coach Anderson. I never followed him and he never followed me. I just got
bored after a while and I needed a new challenge. And hearing about him being the Head Coach I always had two
reasons to change teams.
Crayton isn't just famous because of all these records. The biggest threat about the 6'3, 205 pound native Texan is
his big play potential. He has scored countless game winning touchdowns and seems to make the play whenever
the game is on the line. Estrus Crayton is a triple threat: As a Running back, as a Receiver and as a Returner, he is
able to make a Touchdown in every situation. Teams that play against him double cover all the time. It's pretty much a
must for a defense.
It seems like you've had a lot of success in your Football life. Was there a time, when you doubted your future as an
athlete? A time when you had to struggle to have luck?
No, I never really doubted my abilities. Maybe others did, but I always believed in myself like no one else. I never
knew what it takes to be the best, but I know that it takes more than just luck to be good. It's about hard work, all the
time.
What are your plans for the future?
I would love to coach or train athletes over here, and I would like to stay in Berlin to do that. But right now, I don't have
a contract for the Season 2006.
How do you see the future of Football in Europe?
Football in general is having a nice development. It's growing but it still has a lot to learn about the game. I think it will
get better here with the help of the NFL Europe.
What about you playing in the NFL Europe?
What about it? I am happy in Berlin with the Adler. That's what I think about it. Sometimes I have those "what if"
questions, but I would never trade 9 championships games and the experiences of the last decade for the NFL
Europe.
Bowl as well as the Eurobowl. In 1997, Crayton went to play for the Braunschweig Lions under Coach Kent Anderson
and became national champion for the next three years besides winning the Eurobowl. After that, he left
Braunschweig and went up north to become a Hamburg Blue Devil. And guess what, with him came Coach
Anderson and the Blue Devils were champions for the next two years. After that, Estrus Crayton and Coach Anderson
went a little east and, you name it, won the German Bowl with the Berlin Adler. So even though Crayton is a big part of
the last couple of years in Germany, you have to talk not only of the Crayton Show, but also the Crayton/Anderson
show.
Your Head Coach and you are like a dream team, the duo Crayton/Anderson won the title with three different teams.
Was he a factor when you decided to go to play for Berlin?
I love Kent Anderson. He is my friend first and then my coach second. What a lot of people don't understand is that
the pieces just fell into place with me and Coach Anderson. I never followed him and he never followed me. I just got
bored after a while and I needed a new challenge. And hearing about him being the Head Coach I always had two
reasons to change teams.
Crayton isn't just famous because of all these records. The biggest threat about the 6'3, 205 pound native Texan is
his big play potential. He has scored countless game winning touchdowns and seems to make the play whenever
the game is on the line. Estrus Crayton is a triple threat: As a Running back, as a Receiver and as a Returner, he is
able to make a Touchdown in every situation. Teams that play against him double cover all the time. It's pretty much a
must for a defense.
It seems like you've had a lot of success in your Football life. Was there a time, when you doubted your future as an
athlete? A time when you had to struggle to have luck?
No, I never really doubted my abilities. Maybe others did, but I always believed in myself like no one else. I never
knew what it takes to be the best, but I know that it takes more than just luck to be good. It's about hard work, all the
time.
What are your plans for the future?
I would love to coach or train athletes over here, and I would like to stay in Berlin to do that. But right now, I don't have
a contract for the Season 2006.
How do you see the future of Football in Europe?
Football in general is having a nice development. It's growing but it still has a lot to learn about the game. I think it will
get better here with the help of the NFL Europe.
What about you playing in the NFL Europe?
What about it? I am happy in Berlin with the Adler. That's what I think about it. Sometimes I have those "what if"
questions, but I would never trade 9 championships games and the experiences of the last decade for the NFL
Europe.
So you like being under pressure?
Pressure? What's that?
Who do you think will be your hardest
opponents this year?
Every one we play this year will be hard. Every
team wants to play extra hard against the
champion. I think it will be like that all season,
so I'm not naming any teams.
In the last ten years, you've been to nine
German bowls with four teams and won
seven of them. These stats are simply
unbelievable and hard to top. Is your goal to
be in ten German Bowls or to win ten German
Bowls?
No, I don't care about stats. My goal is simply
to help my team win the German Bowl again.
Which one was the sweetest one?
The first one with the Panthers. As soon as I
got off the plane, I told Head Coach Enger we
would win the German Bowl and the
Eurobowl. He probably thought I was crazy
but I kept my word!
| Crayton in action |
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| © 2008 World Sports Scouting is in association with Athletic Enterprises |
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