The Sept. 9 Tait Debate: Steve Hogle once again has the look of being a rookie

Steve Hogle

On a warm evening in June of 1973 a dark curly-haired 13-year-old sat on the end of the baseball bench along the third baseline of Jubilee Park in west Edmonton. He was a rookie. Didn’t play much. But he was eager, ready to learn and had a confident — although not cocky — attitude, which clearly showed he was ready for anything. That’s was my introduction to Steve Hogle. And that same image, four decades old this summer, replayed itself last Thursday: Steve was wearing a suit and tie, replacing the red and white baseball uniform, sitting on the end of a table, looking poised and ready. Once again, he’s a rookie — this time as president of the Western Hockey League Saskatoon Blades.

I spoke to Steve about 10 days back. He had taken a leave from the Edmonton Oilers as vice-president of communications. Not looking for a change, he said a wonderful opportunity surfaced. He needed time away to think about it. The reporter in me was begging to ask the question of what that might be; the friendship in me whispered “Nah, leave it alone. He won’t tell you anyway.” So I did. Steve did, however, grant me this: “It’s hockey related.” Edmonton Journal sportswriter Jim Matheson wrote a story Wednesday about the Saskatoon Blade sale from Jack Brodisky to Edmonton car dealership owner Mike Preistner. The president of the team, Matty wrote, would be my old friend Steve, a long-time friend of Preistner’s. The day after the story ran in The Journal, the Blades new ownership was introduced. Sure enough. Steve was there in his new role as president.

(Please click here for Steve's interview Friday on CTV Morning Live.)

Over the years, Steve and I have bumped into each other countless times. He father Bruce was a tremendous television news reporter and then manager. Steve followed his dad’s legacy, working his way up to director of news and public affairs with CTV Edmonton. He left television to become vice-president of communications for the Alberta

Bruce Hogle

Research Council in 2007. Then he joined long-time friend and Oiler owner Daryl Katz in a communications role during negotiations between the team and the city on a new downtown arena. After the arena deal was secure, Steve turned his talents to the Oilers, overseeing broadcast operations and website content.

Whenever we talked hockey always entered the conversation. He often fed me stories of up and coming minor hockey players in Edmonton to write about when I was an Edmonton Journal sportswriter. Steve loves to see people succeed. He’s also been a great friend to me. When I took a buy-out from The Journal in 2012 he was the first person to call and see how I was. He told me the best my part of my life, while unknown, was just around the corner.

Now, it’s my turn to return the favor as Steve enters his new chapter in life. Given his eagerness in his eyes and how he relates to people I have no doubt Steve Hogle will have super Saskatoon success.

Tea With Tait — The Gretzky Tales - Part V — "Have one for me"

 (It's been fun, sharing my stories with Wayne Gretzky over the past few days. Here's the last instalment.)

Wayne as coach

I see Wayne the odd time now when he comes to Edmonton.

One of the most amazing things to me about Wayne is how he always encourages people to look to the future.

Whenever we had a chat at the morning skate of a game, he would end by saying: “You’re coming to the game tonight, right? I’ll see you after the game.”

And he would. It wouldn’t be for very long because he had a plane to catch. But right before he left the rink, he would  always say “I’ll find you when we are in town next.”

And he always did. His time was so restricted he often did not have time for a quick hand shake and hello. But he always did that.

I’ll never forget in December of 2008 when the Phoenix Coyotees were in Edmonton to play the Edmonton Oilers. I was on the bottom of Rexall Place near the Phoenix dressing room and watched the team walk under the stands on to the ice. With his hands in his pocket, Wayne followed the team out and, minutes before the game, probably had a million thoughts. He saw me, stopped and shook my hand.

“Cam, how are you? Everything OK?” he asked. “It’s game time but God bless.”

In the winter of 2002, Kevin Lowe had me phone him before every hockey game Canada played at the Salt Lake Winter Olympics. (Wayne and Kevin were part of the management team.) The night before Canada met the Americans in the gold medal game, I made my call. Kevin took it and said someone wanted to say hello.

Joey Moss

One of Wayne’s special friends is Joe Moss, who has Downs Syndrome and can be difficult to understand at times.

Kevin handed Wayne his cell phone.

“Hi Gretz. How are you?” I asked when I recognized his voice.

“Joey!” Wayne exclaimed, thinking I was Moss. “How nice of  you to call.”

And, he was serious.

“Sorry, Gretz. It’s Tait.”

There was a long pause at the end.

“Well, you’ve been drinking, haven’t you? Have one for me.”

Wayne, Bill Comrie, Glen Sather and myself at the Northlands in 1999 in Edmonton



PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR PREVIOUS PARTS OF THE SERIES

A downtown arena hero could be lurking. Who will it be?

It really should feel like Christmas Eve in Edmonton. But of course it doesn’t because the mercury got up to 31 degrees Monday.

But I don’t sense any excitement as we hang up our shorts and T-shirts this evening. Because May 8, 2013 could go down as one of the biggest days in Edmonton’s history when city council gives the final green light for the new downtown arena.

The operative word here is could.

I think the arena deal is far from over. And although we have been told to uncork certain adult beverages on May 8 as the day Edmonton finally tumbles over the monumental hump, I’ll just stick to coffee, thank you.

I am afraid the entire project is still very much at risk. I also think it could be turned into an election hot potato when Edmontionians go to the polls in the fall.
Oh, sure: if the missing $55 million for the project somehow appeared the vote would be a no-brainer. But without it how can we expect city councilors to move forward?

We can’t. If they did they wouldn’t be acting responsibility.

Over the several years we he seen the two parties involved, city council and Edmonton Oiler owner Daryl Katz, jostle for positioning. Both parties have shown leadership and vision for the city.

On the other hand, both parties have remained steadfast in their position and do not want to move anymore.

It’s all part of negotiations.

But at this crucial point, when the future of Edmonton’s image could very be reflected in a negative light if the project is lost forever, someone has a golden opportunity to be the savior here.

Both the city and the Katz Group could make a last-second concession. And who knows if that isn’t being discussed now, or perhaps later Tuesday evening? Maybe a deal maker is …

Or could that be the provincial government, who has repeatedly said there will not be any provincial funding?

Someone has to make a significant step forward to move the downtown arena deal ahead.

If not, I fear we’re going to continue the process of wheels spinning and, sadly, loose the opportunity of Edmonton being on even ground as a great Canadian city.

Yet, heroes manifest themselves every day.

Only time will tell if Edmonton will have one walking down an Edmonton street in May — rather than a chimney in December.