Carnie's Comments

 

We lost a good man this week. Cancer took him. He was only 73.

I got his autograph when I was a little boy growing up in Regina. I still have it. 

Jim Hopson was an offensive lineman for our Saskatchewan Roughriders. He grew up in the same neighbourhood as me. He played football for the Trojans at Thom Collegiate and went on to play with the Regina Rams before he went pro with the Riders.

I got to know Jim years later when he became President and CEO of the Saskatchewan Roughriders. We did a couple of fundraiser dinners together.

When he retired in 2015, Hopson put pen to paper, literally, and wrote his book: Running the Riders - My Decade as CEO of Canada's Team.

In the summer of 2016, Jim called me at the radio station and asked for a favour. He wanted me to find a local venue in Moose Jaw that would host him for a book signing event.

When one of our best people asks for assistance, you get it done.

I had him booked at The Ultimate Fan Zone in downtown Moose Jaw within minutes. Jim was so grateful.

The day of the book signing was so much fun. We had some laughs, met some great football fans and we sold some books.

It was one day in my life that I'll always remember.

Jim Hopson was a man I'll never forget.