MONDAY COMMENTARY: JUST LISTEN

(Listen daily for the Rod Pedersen Commentary on Cat Country 98, Rock 98.5 FM & LTD Radio)

It’s the kind of loss that you don’t replace.

The iconic George Reed passed away Sunday at age 83 and he leaves behind a hole the CFL, and Roughriders, will never fill.

It’s been quite interesting to sift through the tributes and accolades for George since the news came down on Sunday.

Retiring as the CFL’s all-time leading rusher in 1975, named #2 on TSN’s all-time best CFL player list, his Hall of Fame induction in 1979, or his endless list of charitable activities.

It’s interesting because to me, he was just George.

Of course I hold him in as high of regard as anyone else, but in 20 years working with the football team, George and I were together A LOT.

There weren’t many of his stories that aren’t widely known, but it was always fascinating to me that he came to the CFL in 1963 because it paid more than the NFL was offering. Kids today would never believe that.

And the best story was when driving from Seattle to Regina for the first time, George and wife Angie drove right past the Queen City. They stopped at a Pilot Butte gas station for directions. “You passed it,” said the store manager.

George’s work with the CFLPA is legendary, then later Molsons, then he sold cars in Calgary for awhile before returning to Sask to work as an ambassador for Casino Regina.

That’s when George would regularly stop in at Rider practice during his lunch hour and I’d pick his brain on the current state of the team. Then, and during mutual community appearances. He was never afraid to tell it like it was, and he could spot the phonies a mile away.

George Reed was cool, and he was no pushover. One time I asked him how he felt about Kory Sheets tying his Rider record for 100-yard rushing games with nine back in 2013. George responded, “Yes but he did it in 18 games. I did it in 16.”

And then he and my Dad were in Wascana Rehab at the same time not that long ago and we’d regularly sit around a table over coffee and I’d just listen to the two swap stories.

When it came to spending time with George, all you had to do was listen.

That’s today’s Rod Pedersen Commentary

(The Rod Pedersen Show airs daily at 12 pm & 5 pm ET on Game+TV, WQEE Radio, Podcast & YouTube Live)