Roughriders to induct Hopson, Terry into Plaza of Honour

The architect of the Saskatchewan Roughriders' 2007 and 2013 Grey Cup Championships is one of two newly-announced additions to the team's Plaza of Honour.

Jim Hopson will officially be inducted this summer along with former Riders' offensive lineman John Terry.

As the Roughriders' first full-time president, Hopson was also instrumental to the plan to construct the new stadium.

But what he said he is most proud of during his term from 2005 to 2015 was the changing of attitudes inside the organization and out.

"I felt for a long time the team was much loved and very well supported but we kind of had low expectations about what we could do." said Hopson at his induction announcement on Tuesday Morning at Mosaic Stadium.

"We went so many years without a home playoff game, so during that ten-year run we saw a tremendous change in expectations."

Hopson also played for the Riders from 1973 through 1976 and jokingly conceded his Plaza of Honour induction was not going to be on "the player side of things."

But as a builder there was no denying his contributions.

The team appeared in four Grey Cup games during his decade at the helm, winning two of them.

Hopson said he always believed, along with the passionate fan-base, that the Roughriders should be the flagship franchise of the CFL.

"Our fans, our board, our sponsors really believe this team should be one of the elite teams and has the resources to do so, so under Craig [Reynolds]'s watch that's going to continue."

Joining Hopson at the induction ceremony this summer will be John Terry, who played left tackle for the Riders from 1996 to 2001.

Terry was selected as a West Division All-Star in 1997, 1998, and 1999.

Hopson and Terry will officially be inducted on Friday, August 17 at a cocktail-style reception at Mosaic Stadium.