This may seem contradictory, but the toughest columns are sometimes the easiest to write.
Affectionate memories of Jim Hopson have flowed, far and wide, since the sad news arrived on Wednesday morning that he had passed away after a three-year battle with colon cancer.
Even as we mourn the loss of a genial giant, he left us with so much to savour and celebrate.
There are, of course, the most notable of accomplishments.
- Four seasons as an offensive lineman with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, who appeared in a home playoff game and the CFL’s Western Conference final each year.
- Ten years spent as the community-owned team’s President-CEO.
- Two Grey Cup victories and four championship-game appearances during that transformative decade in Roughriders history.
- The evolution of the Roughriders — once likened to a Mom and Pop operation — into a booming business that generated record profits on his watch.
- Modernization of old Mosaic Stadium and approval for the construction of a new one.
- Induction into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.
- Enshrinement in the SaskTel Plaza of Honour.
So many honours … so many achievements … and we have barely scratched the surface.
But there was so much more to Jim than a scroll-like list of laurels.
Anyone who spent even a millisecond with Jim and his wonderful wife, Brenda, has a personal story to share.
Jim always made anyone who had the good fortune to be in his company feel like they were the Hall of Famer.
Even though he was a big deal — to everyone but himself — it was the little things that routinely resonated.
One fine day, for example, I arrived for work at the Regina Leader-Post and was informed that there was a package waiting for me at the front desk.
“What could it be?” I wondered. “I’m not expecting anything.”
Certainly not ties.
But, suddenly, I had a bag full of them.
An avid follower of the local sports scene, Jim was a faithful viewer of Global Sports. Every Monday night, for more than a decade, I visited the studio for a roundtable segment.
Rarely was I seen in a suit and tie except when I was seated alongside Warren Woods or Derek Meyers for the roundtable.
The suit, like its owner, was wrinkled. The tie — the same soup-stained version, every week — was usually on an angle because the knot needed to be redone.
Problem: I did knot know how to tie a tie, so I kept sliding it on and off my neck. The tie resided in the backseat of my car, as did the rest of the (ahem) ensemble, between roundtables.
Jim had eventually seen enough, so he gathered up all his retired ties, drove over to the L-P, and dropped them off for me.
As one who is sartorially inept, I may have gotten more use out of the bag than the ties that were contained therein.
But it was the thought that counted.
On another occasion, I received an e-mail from Jim, who asked if we could meet up for a minute or two. He would not divulge the purpose of the request.
Once more, I was in “what could it be?” mode.
We made plans to meet outside a south Regina eatery following a lunch session I had scheduled with a former Roughriders Assistant General Manager, Jack McNeill.
After shamelessly Hoovering my 19th dessert, I made my way to the parking lot and, of course, there was Jim.
More ties? Nope.
Something pressing to discuss? Nope.
My suit needed pressing, but it wasn’t that, either.
Jim reached into his pocket and pulled out a Roughriders football card from the early 1980s.
“I know you’re a big Joey Walters fan,” Jim said, “so I thought you would enjoy this.”
Enjoy it?! The next time I saw Joey, I asked him to sign it.
The autographed card is now displayed on the front of my cubicle in the Roughriders’ business office.
And if you cast your glance a few feet further back, you will find another priceless piece of memorabilia — a No. 52 Roughriders jersey, signed by Jim Hopson.
Jim handed me the jersey on Feb. 15, when Mosaic Stadium’s football operations auditorium was named in his honour.
There was an extra-special significance to the XXL jersey, because Jim was wearing it when we first met in person — on June 26, 2003.
Jim was among the dignitaries present at Taylor Field when a media gathering was held to unveil SaskEnergy’s “Catch for KidSport” program for the 2003 season.
The list of invitees included several members of the Roughriders’ alumni — Roger Aldag, Cleveland Vann, Alan Ford, Bob Poley, Greg Fieger, Don Narcisse, Dan Farthing, Brooks Findlay and, of course, Jim.
I made a point of approaching him that day, because we had routinely interacted via email but had never talked face-to-face.
At the time, Jim was the Qu’Appelle Valley School Division’s Director of Education. As one who had a passion for scholastic sports, he often reached out to me when I was covering the high school beat for the Leader-Post.
We never, ever exchanged messages about football unless it was of the high school variety. A proud alumnus of the Thom Trojans, he appreciated the celebration of young people and their accomplishments in everything from basketball to badminton.
With that as a backdrop, I simply had to say hello to Jim when our paths first crossed.
“Anything that gets kids to connect with other kids and into physical activities is positive,” he said during our first interview. “Kids need peer groups, and they’re going to find their peer groups whether you direct them or not.
“(KidSport) puts them in a positive environment and perhaps leads them into an activity that can give them a lot of fun, whether it’s flag football or being a fan. It’s a positive outlet for them.”
When we spoke, Jim was a special advisor to the Roughriders’ Management Committee (now the Board of Directors). He was also wrapping up an exemplary, 30-year career in educational circles.
Little did I suspect at the time that Jim was 16 months away from being appointed the Roughriders’ first President-CEO.
And could not have imagined everything that would follow?
But even while the organization ascended to unprecedented heights, Jim always kept his feet firmly on the ground.
He was the most approachable, amiable person — someone who patiently and personably made time for everybody despite being pulled in, say, 52 directions at once.
How he pulled that off, I will never know.
But I do know this: Jim Hopson left his signature on the team, the province, the league and, yes, a treasured No. 52 jersey that he so thoughtfully presented to me just seven weeks ago.
