Lions calmly deal with absence of boss Braley
SCENE & HEARD: To their credit, B.C. Lions execs Wally Buono and George Chayka kept their cool through some early-morning drama during Thursday’s Waterboys breakfast that drew a sold-out assembly of corporate supporters at the Vancouver Convention Centre.
Lions owner David Braley was scheduled to speak, but wasn’t there. Outgoing president and CEO Dennis Skulsky was scheduled to receive a special farewell gift, but wasn’t there.
Chayka, vice-president of business operations and MC of these rallies, camouflaged the turmoil by calmly introducing Buono to speak in his recently appointed role as vice-president of football operations, general manager and head coach.
It wasn’t until later that it was learned that Skulsky had immediately left the convention centre premises after being informed that Braley, 74, had been admitted to hospital through the night “feeling under the weather.” Braley, the Hamilton-based businessman who financially rescued the Leos’ franchise 18 years ago, had flown into Vancouver on Monday and had been addressing an active agenda with staff meetings at the team’s Surrey offices earlier in the week.
A private man, Braley was to undergo further tests Friday before hopefully heading home to spend Easter with family.
HERE ‘N’ THERE: For the Lions’ outgoing director of fan engagement Jamie Pitblado, the state of confusion at breakfast Thursday was only heightened emotionally later in the day when he said his goodbyes to fellow workers. Pitblado joined the Leos in 2013 to take on the role of spearheading the 102nd Grey Cup Festival and moved into senior management with the football club the following year.
When his longtime newspaper mentor Skulsky announced last month he was relinquishing his duties as Lions president and CEO but would remain in a lesser role as vice-chairman, Pitblado, 51, says he figured it was time to reassess his own career.
“Dennis is a mentor and a good friend,” Pitblado said Friday. “I was feeling a little burned out after struggling through the off-season. It dawned on me that commuting from Yaletown to Surrey was making me feel detached from the community environment that has been such a big part of my life. There are so many ups and downs in professional sports with a ‘just win, baby’ mandate. It really does become a grind. I’ve decided to take a month or six weeks just to smell the roses and re-group.” SHORT HOPS: Former TSN Radio sportscaster Matt Baker has left his gig with the Vancouver Stealth lacrosse organization and joined the Lions as digital content co-ordinator. His duties will include interview content online and website editorial contributions. The Leos have happily welcomed home Terri Breker to their marketing services department following her departure for a similar role with the now departed Abbotsford Heat hockey club.
END ZONE: As part of the BC Sports Hall of Fame’s 50th anniversary this year, Bill and Jana Maclagan launched a First Fifty Fund that would target 50 caring supporters to each donate a tax-deductible $5,000 to keep the long history of the local hall of fame and museum healthy for another 50 years. To date, 36 individuals have been heard from and those wishing to complete the mission can contact bill.maclagan@blakes.com