It’s my Parting Shot to be sad for the loss of a contemporary Saskatchewan Roughriders icon…..
To be blunt, Jim Hopson (pictured) made the Saskatchewan Roughriders into the model franchise of the Canadian Football League and I can only hope that his work isn’t wasted!
Hopson was a serviceable offensive lineman in the mid-70s as the Ron Lancaster-George Reed Green and White dynasty was in its waning days. That fact allowed Hopson to understand and know what it meant to be a Rider and what it meant to the province to have heroes as Riders.
Those facts, alone, made Jim Hopson a perfect choice to be the first full-time President and C-E-O of the franchise back in 2004.
The other fact was his skill in dealing with people! Whether you were a player, coach, in football ops, working in the Roughriders office, a corporate sponsor or just a plain, ol Saskatchewan football fan, Jim Hopson took the time to shake your hand, smile and chat with you for as long as you wished!
That even went for us media wretches! Many was a time that Jim Hopson came to a local function in Saskatoon and would approach little ol me with a smile, his right hand for a greeting and a, “Hi, Les” coming from his mouth!
Jim Hopson cared about the Green and White and the province and he did a magnificent job of making sure the Saskatchewan Roughriders were a team to be proud of and, eventually, a franchise to be revered and copied around the C-F-L!
The “Rider Nation” brand came about because of Jim Hopson’s tireless work to create an identity for Saskatchewan’s primary professional sports team that everyone in the province – and even outside of Saskatchewan – could rally behind!
Now that he is no longer with us, if there are any honours that can be bestowed upon him posthumously should be executed A-S-A-P!!
Rest in peace, Jim Hopson – and very, very well done!!
That’s my Parting Shot. I’m Les Lazaruk…and it turned out nice again!…..