CALL TO THE HALL
Dickenson taking it in stride
Commitment to the ball overrides the call of the Hall.
“Actually,” says Dave Dickenson, mentally scrolling through his weekend itinerary, "I’m going to stay here through Thursday and then fly out after practice, to the banquet, just grab a rental car and roll down there.
“After that, it’s back to taking care of duties with the team Friday to Saturday. Meaning I won’t be able to participate in anything else, outside the banquet.
“So, disappointing? A little. I don’t know what else you do, though.
“The NFL holds its ceremony during the pre- season. Maybe that’s how you solve the problem. But, then again, a coaching staff is busier than ever during that time, so ...”
A resigned shrug. “Hey, I chose this profession.”
This weekend, the Calgary Stampeders’ offensive co- ordinator and big boss in waiting officially takes his place among the immortals of the three- down game.
Alongside Etcheverry and Lancaster, Gizmo and the Thumper, and Pinball and ol’ Spaghetti Legs, Kenny Pleon and Doug Flutie and Warren Moon.
“A once- in- a- lifetime thing, for sure.”
The HOF functions largely clash with the Stampeders’ final preparations for Saturday’s tilt at Mosaic ( It’ll Always Be Taylor Field) Stadium against the falling-down- an- open- elevator-shaft Saskatchewan Roughriders. And, well, the man does have a job and a boss and a mortgage and a family ...
“Actually, I think the club has been very accommodating,” says Dickenson. “They asked me what I wanted to do. What I want is to be involved in the game plan.
“What I want is to help us be successful Saturday night.”
Even given the relative briefness of his CFL career, the Pocket Merlin deserves induction into the Hall. For those 22,913 yards and 154 touchdown tosses.
That 110.4 quarterback rating. The 2000 Most Outstanding Player Award. The 2003 Grey Cup MVP selection.
Among the events he’ll miss: The bust unveiling, set for 9: 30 a. m. Thursday at the Sheraton Hotel in Regina.
“I’ve been to the Canadian Football Hall of Fame three times. I remember going once with Rick ( Campbell) and his dad ( Hugh) is enshrined there, of course. It’s fun looking at the busts. Some of them, the guys you know, you’re going ‘ Whoa! That’s good’ and others ... ‘ Uh, that’s WHO, again’ ”
“I tried to talk them into using a photo from 10 years ago for mine but they didn’t want any part of that. Hey, it’s being in there that counts, not how you look.”
Turns out, CFL work commitments will also force him to miss the 20th reunion shindig honouring the University of Montana Grizzlies’ first national championship — Div. 1- AA ( now FCS) — in late September.
Dickenson, naturally, was the star QB in the Grizzlies’ 22- 10 victory over Marshall on Dec. 16, 1995.
He’d thrown for 4,176 yards and 38 TDs in 11 games that year ( 5,767 and 56 majors factoring in four playoff starts), earning him the nicknames “Super Dave” and “The Legend of the Fall” along with eternal idolatry of the Big Sky Country in the process.
“I did make 2005, when we had a 10- year reunion. I was playing in B. C. at the time. I flew in for a few hours and then flew out later that night.
“The coaching end of the game requires a lot more time, though. As a player, you can kinda make your schedule work. It’s not so forgiving, so flexible, as a coach.
“You’ve got to give your players everything you can, make sure they’re as prepared as possible to be successful.
“Obviously I have a lot of great memories of that time.
“As a team, we’ve raised, I think it’s $ 250,000 or $ 300,000 from the players and we’re presenting it to the university. I don’t know if it’s public knowledge, but we are.
“We’ve tried to do it the right way. I’ve tried to stay in contact with a lot of the guys. But our seasons, here and down there, intertwine.”
Joining Dickenson in the CFL Class of 2015 are players Eddie Davis, Leroy Blugh and Gene Makowsky, and builders Bob O’Billovich, Bob Wetenhall and Larry Reda.
"I’m really happy to be going in with this group. I know most of those guys. I played with Eddie Davis and Bob O’Billovich ... my dad grew up with him. I’ve known Larry Reda since I was out in B. C.
“I just have a lot of respect for all those people. Very honoured.
“To me, the Hall of Fame is all about tradition. I live in Canada, I have kids, I do a lot around the city trying to promote the game. So you respect the game, the players and coaches who paved the way, who came before you.
“That’s important to me. And that’s what the Hall of Fame does, what it stands for.
“So I do feel like, ‘ Shoot, I’d love to be a part of some of these things.’ But there are a lot of things you’d love to do and can’t, right?
“You’ve got to stay with your priorities.
“It’s still going to be a great weekend. Even better if we win.”