Rod Pedersen
Rod Pedersen is the play-by-play voice of the Riders. He is a contributor to Riderville.com, sharing his point of view on news from the green and white.
Former Saskatchewan Roughriders President & CEO Jim Hopson may be gone but he certainly will never be forgotten.
The man needs no introduction to those reading this column, but Hopson’s tenure atop this organization from 2005-2014 will forever be remembered as the greatest era the franchise has ever seen. I’ve labelled it the Decade of Decadence due to the four Grey Cup appearances, two Grey Cup titles and record revenues which were unimaginable before Jim took up office as the franchise’s first-ever full-time President & Ceo.
Now, you can read what the journey was like firsthand in Hopson’s new book Running The Riders, My Decade as CEO of Canada’s Team. Edited by Hall of Fame football writer Darrell Davis, the book will be in all Saskatchewan bookstores and Rider Store locations in time for Christmas.
Hopson’s book was written longhand (on a pad of paper while relaxing on the dock at his Regina Beach cottage or floating on his pontoon boat), and was a bucket-list achievement for the former offensive lineman with the Thom Trojans, Regina Rams and Saskatchewan Roughriders.
On one of the stops on Jim’s book tour, I asked what dawned on him while writing the transcript.
“I certainly was aware of it before I started writing and the awareness was how fortunate I was, and the team was, to have our success coincide with the economic turnaround and the boom in the province,” Hopson said. “I think that was a big part of it. As we were getting better and winning, people were feeling good about themselves and their prospects at the same time. I think we were very fortunate.”
As anyone connected to the Roughriders during that time would tell you, it truly was the perfect storm; on-field success coupled with unprecedented revenues in the resource sector province-wide.
“Luck was needed too – surrounding yourself with the right people,” Hopson admitted. “Winning games that maybe you shouldn’t win and things going your way. It seems this year we’re being paid back for all of our good fortune because we had a lot of things go right for us.”
Hopson’s book outlines all the behind-the-scenes drama which surrounded the ouster of GM Roy Shivers and coach Danny Barrett in 2006, the thrill-a-minute Eric Tillman regime, and so much more.
“The other thing was the amount of change we went through,” Hopson advised. “In my 10 years, the number of coaches and GMs and players, there were all these challenges in terms of what was going on within the team. In spite of that, we perservered and in fact came out on top.”
Jim always knew what kept the franchise afloat and spent a good portion of the book crediting the Rider Nation.
“The one constant, and it’s struck me many times, has been our fans,” Hopson continued. “As we were going through turmoil maybe within the organization, the fans were the constant. They were the ones that supported the team, bought the merchandise, went to the games, and kept us foremost in their thoughts.
“This year’s another example. It’ll be the fans that will be there but right now it’s tough. Next year, you know, the Green & White will be supported like no other team in the country.”
One of the wonderful things about Hopson’s tenure is that he was a true Reginan, and a Rider fan first and foremost. He felt the polarizing emotions of the 2009 and 2013 Grey Cups just as we all did.
“Absolutely,” Hopson smiled. “And I probably still feel the pain of the 13th Man more than the jubilation of the 2013 Grey Cup although that clearly is the high point; winning the Grey Cup at home in front of our fans. That was really the high point but that pain of seeing the flag on the field after he missed the field goal, that sticks with you. I think for most of us, that would be the case.
“It’s funny, I don’t think that much about losing the 2010 Grey Cup in Edmonton. I would’ve loved to have won, but it didn’t seem to have the impact of the year before.”
Keep watching Riderville.com for information on where you can purchase Hopson’s book, they book will launch on Thursday, November 12th at 7:30pm.
