Robservations: Joe (747) Adams is called to the Hall … pucks, pigskins and playoffs … and a classic one-Lioner
Our old friend 747 is ascending to new heights.
Joe (747) Adams, a Saskatchewan Roughriders quarterback in 1982 and 1983, will be inducted into the Black College Football Hall of Fame on June 8 in Atlanta.
Adams starred at Tennessee State University from 1977 to 1980. Over that time, the Tigers won 25 of the 32 games he started.
As a senior, Adams threw 30 of his school-record 75 touchdown passes. He also owns the team’s single-season standard for TD tosses.
With 8,653 passing yards, Adams is second on Tennessee State’s all-time list. Michael German, who played for TSU from 2011 to 2014, topped 747 by a mere 11 yards.
The Hall’s Class of 2024 includes five other players — Antoine Bethea (Howard University), Waymond Bryant (Tennessee State), Kevin Dent (Jackson State), Richard Huntley (Winston-Salem State) and Lemar Parrish (Lincoln University) — and one coach (Eddie Hurt of Morgan State).
Adams was selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the 12th round (322nd overall) of the 1981 NFL Draft. He spent one season on the 49ers’ practice squad before signing with the Roughriders on April 27, 1982.
As a first-year CFLer, he threw for 3,312 yards and 19 touchdowns while accepting roughly two-thirds of the Roughriders’ offensive snaps. John Hufnagel handled the rest of the quarterbacking.
Over the first six games of the 1983 season, Adams passed for 1,529 yards and eight scores. He was traded to the Toronto Argonauts for future considerations on Aug. 23, 1983.
All these years later, I still marvel at the strength of Adams’ throwing arm.
In the best-selling, June 23, 2020 edition of the Regina Leader-Post, this seasoned scribbler ranked Roughriders quarterbacks in terms of sheer arm talent.
Adams was third, behind Michael Bishop (1) and Henry Burris (2). The top-10 list also included Kerry Joseph (4), Glenn Dobbs (5), Kevin Mason (6), Brandon Bridge (7), Warren Jones (8), Harold Smith (9) and Ed Buzzell (10).
(Update: Jake Dolegala, a Roughrider in 2022 and 2023, should now occupy the seventh spot and bump everyone down a notch.)
Adams is the first former Roughrider to enter the Black College Football Hall of Fame since its inaugural inductions in 2011.
There is, however, another Roughriders connection of note.
Former Tennessee State quarterback Eldridge Dickey, who was posthumously enshrined in the Hall in 2012, is the grandfather of current Roughriders receiver Brayden Lenius.
STICKHANDLING 101
Problem! How do I write about the Stanley Cup Playoffs while stickhandling around the obvious fact that Riderville.com is football-centric?
Solution? Find a (shaky, if necessary) Roughriders tie to each of the NHL’s eight first-round playoff series!
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Winnipeg Jets vs. Colorado Avalanche: Jets General Manager Kevin Cheveldayoff is the younger brother of Saskatchewan Party MLA Ken Cheveldayoff, who chaired the Build Committee that oversaw the construction and financing of Mosaic Stadium 2.0. Also, Roughriders Director of Communications Arielle Zerr is an ardent Avalanche fan. As one who unabashedly, annoyingly cheers for the Jets and reports directly to Arielle, I recognize and accept that Round 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs may be injurious to my job security. Gulp …
Vancouver Canucks vs. Nashville Predators: Saskatoon-born Nashville defenceman Luke Schenn is a Roughriders fan. “Rider Nation in Saskatchewan means about as much as Leaf Nation in Toronto,” Schenn told reporters in 2010, when he was a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Roughriders were preparing to meet the Montreal Alouettes in the 98th Grey Cup Game.
Edmonton Oilers vs. Los Angeles Kings: Oilers defenceman Cody Ceci is the 30-year-old son of former University of Guelph Gryphons receiver Parri Ceci, who attended the Roughriders’ 1986 training camp. (And did you know that the Roughriders used to have a player named McDavid? Defensive back Marcus McDavid — no relation to Connor — registered three interceptions for Saskatchewan in 2000.)
Dallas Stars vs. Vegas Golden Knights: K.D. Williams, a Roughriders linebacker in 1997 and 2002, is the biological father of Vegas right-winger Keegan Kolesar.
EASTERN CONFERENCE
New York Rangers vs. Washington Capitals: The Capitals wisely employ Regina-based Ross Mahoney as the Director of Amateur Scouting. His son, Mike Mahoney, played for the Green and White in 2005 and 2006. Mike’s grandfather, Bob Pelling, was a Roughrider from 1947 to 1953.
Boston Bruins vs. Toronto Maple Leafs: All this talk about the Leafs’ Auston Matthews reminds of me of the Roughriders’ Austin-Matthews years. Kent Austin quarterbacked the Don Matthews-coached Roughriders for 2½ seasons, beginning in August of 1991. (Also of note is the presence of Leafs enforcer Ryan Reaves. His brother, Jordan Reaves, played in five games with the 2016 Roughriders and saw action in 17 contests with the team in 2018.)
Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Florida Panthers: Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice is undefeated at Mosaic Stadium. He was the Jets’ bench boss when they defeated the Calgary Flames 2-1 in overtime on Oct. 26, 2019, when the Heritage Classic outdoor game was played at the home of the Roughriders.
Carolina Hurricanes vs. New York Islanders: Rod Brind’Amour, the Hurricanes’ Head Coach, celebrated a championship at Taylor Field. He was a defensive end with the Notre Dame Hounds when they defeated the North Battleford Comprehensive Vikings 9-6 to win the Saskatchewan High Schools Athletic Association’s 4A football title on Nov. 11, 1986. The Hounds’ Defensive Co-ordinator at the time was Chuck Toth — the Roughriders’ third-round draft choice (20th overall) in 1980. Toth attended training camp with the Roughriders in 1980 and 1981.
A FINE LION LINE
The other day, I visited the video/analytics department for the purpose of researching a two-part feature that is to appear next week on Riderville.com — your home for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Before conducting an interview, I chatted informally with Roughriders Video Assistants Mike Woytowich and Nathan Schellenberg.
I ended up referencing the Super Bowl, whereupon Mike aimed a zinger at Nathan — a devotee of the title-starved Detroit Lions: “You see, Nate, the Super Bowl is the championship game at the end of the season where the two best teams play each other.”
ROLL CREDITS …
- Nice people who deserve a plug: Pete Paczko, Shiane de Jong, Kent Paul, Brent Eades, Shawn Weimer, Bob Ellard, Barb Ellard, Ben Ellard, Brie Ellard-Jedlic, Tom Robinson, Dr. Tom Robinson, Randy Beattie, Rob Pletch, Graham Barker, Roger Brandvold, Vipin Patel, Erin Stankewich, Marjorie Abendschan, Jack Abendschan, Brayden Lenius, Evan McFeeters, Jacqueline Hurlbert, Mike Woytowich, Nathan Schellenberg, Nick Bowley, Greg Mayer, Jacob Marce, Joey Walters, Ross Mahoney, Mike Mahoney, Chuck Toth, Rod Brind’Amour, Dale Richter, Brent Parker, Rich Preston and, with all due appreciation of an amazing person and professional, Avalanche fan Arielle Zerr (Jets in six!). Yeah, I’m done …
