dan the QB and Ken Hobart --from the mists of time

Hamilton Tiger-Cats
#1

A guy named Ken Hobart played for us in the 80s and ended up with the Ottawa Rough Riders where he also put in creditable stats as a runner ...

Lots of similarities for us old timers
for you young uns.. look it up

with appropriate credit to Mr Wiki...
" Hobart started his professional football career in 1984 with the Jacksonville Bulls of the USFL, as a second round pick in the 1984 USFL Draft and signed a contract in January. He was traded to the Denver Gold, and was selected tenth in the 1984 NFL Supplemental Draft by the New York Jets, but never played in the NFL.

As the USFL folded in 1985, Hobart moved north to Canada, where he played for six seasons in the CFL, four with Hamilton and two with Ottawa. In 1985 he rushed for a Hamilton team record for yards by a quarterback (928) and was winner of the Jeff Russell Memorial Trophy and runner up as CFL MVP. He was a member of the Hamilton's Grey Cup championship team in 1986.

the same hard nosed style as Dan and the same (hopefully) results in the end.. a Grey Cup...

oh as an aside... i played the lefeavour 63 yard run several times in slow motion and rerun... and he was definitely hit out of bounds and guess what.... No flag..... shocking eh wot???

Personal[edit]

#2

Too bad Hobart was injured in '87. Coles notes:
1985: Hobart starter. Takes the team to the Grey Cup, but we lose.
1986: Mike Kerrigan supplants Hobart as the starter, Cats win the Grey Cup
1987: Kerrigan is the starter again out of camp, but struggles. Hobart gets a start, but breaks his leg. This along with an abdominal injury to Kerrigan, opened the door for Tom Porras to start for most of 1987.
1988: Hobart didn't play, and was released by the end of the season. Ended up in Ottawa, where he finished his playing career.

His career is a textbook case of what a rollercoaster and a tough business pro sports can be:

Some old articles on Hobart:

Pre-CFL:
Nov. 18, 1983:
"Hobart's not through"

[url=http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1314&dat=19831118&id=Gf9WAAAAIBAJ&sjid=6u4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=3478,1601155]http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1 ... 78,1601155[/url]

Jan. 30, 1984:
"Ken Hobart signs huge USFL pact"

[url=http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1345&dat=19840130&id=4MopAAAAIBAJ&sjid=s_kDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5013,2874513]http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1 ... 13,2874513[/url]

May 8, 1984:
"Confused, bitter Ken Hobart seeking new start with Denver Gold"

[url=http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1314&dat=19840508&id=GVhWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=9u4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=2986,5478350]http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1 ... 86,5478350[/url]

Dec. 3, 1984:
"Ken Hobart on the move, may end up with NY Jets"

[url=http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1345&dat=19841203&id=vQNMAAAAIBAJ&sjid=lfkDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2371,239623]http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1 ... 371,239623[/url] [url=http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1314&dat=19841203&id=UVhWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=BO8DAAAAIBAJ&pg=4842,2294713]http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1 ... 42,2294713[/url]

Dec. 4, 1984:
"Where will Hobart be next year?"

[url=http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1314&dat=19841204&id=UlhWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=BO8DAAAAIBAJ&pg=5443,2622585]http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1 ... 43,2622585[/url]

Jan. 17, 1985:
"Hobart 'waives' hello to $100,000"

[url=http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1314&dat=19850117&id=6VhWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Gu8DAAAAIBAJ&pg=7111,716279]http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1 ... 111,716279[/url]

Feb. 25, 1985:
"Hobart Optimistic"

[url=http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1314&dat=19850228&id=qlhWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=C-8DAAAAIBAJ&pg=5277,6764351]http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1 ... 77,6764351[/url]

Ticat days:
May 3, 1985:
"Idaho's Hobart to Canadian Football League"

[url=http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=336&dat=19850530&id=x5opAAAAIBAJ&sjid=VoQDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6018,6878651]http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=3 ... 18,6878651[/url]

Aug. 3, 1985:
"Ticats erupt to claw sloppy Concordes" (Hobart's first CFL start)

[url=http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1946&dat=19850803&id=OCAyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=16UFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1035,694115]http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1 ... 035,694115[/url]

Sept. 3, 1985:
"Hobart comes through in clutch as Tiger-Cats beat Concordes"

[url=http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2194&dat=19850903&id=BMUyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=qe8FAAAAIBAJ&pg=4421,134608]http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2 ... 421,134608[/url]

Oct. 22, 1985:
"Brock's replacement Hobart among choices for top player"

[url=http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1946&dat=19851022&id=nhUyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=-6UFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5723,505285]http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1 ... 723,505285[/url]

Oct. 26, 1985:
"Hobart's brought hope to Hamilton"

[url=http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2194&dat=19851026&id=CF8zAAAAIBAJ&sjid=tO8FAAAAIBAJ&pg=4586,3189794]http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2 ... 86,3189794[/url]

Nov. 7, 1985:
"Hobart only unanimous choice for Eastern all-star team"

[url=http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2194&dat=19851107&id=49YyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=te8FAAAAIBAJ&pg=1421,3863173]http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2 ... 21,3863173[/url]

Nov. 8, 1985:
"Hobart isn't a quitter, eh?"

[url=http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1314&dat=19851108&id=eg0zAAAAIBAJ&sjid=M-8DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6543,4929744]http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1 ... 43,4929744[/url]

Nov. 25, 1985:
"Ticats' Hobart is sacked eight times in Grey Cup loss to British Columbia"

[url=http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1314&dat=19851125&id=Lw1XAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Ne8DAAAAIBAJ&pg=1541,6307898]http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1 ... 41,6307898[/url]

July 25, 1986:
"Running Hobart's strength"

[url=http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1946&dat=19860725&id=qxUyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=DaYFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4249,2043154]http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1 ... 49,2043154[/url]

Oct. 21, 1986:
"Hobart playing second fiddle to Kerrigan"

[url=http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2194&dat=19861021&id=icAyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=je8FAAAAIBAJ&pg=1374,350515]http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2 ... 374,350515[/url]

June 7, 1987:
"Ex-Vandal Ken Hobart hearing talk of trade"

[url=http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1314&dat=19870607&id=QlpWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=gu8DAAAAIBAJ&pg=2690,3170949]http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1 ... 90,3170949[/url]

July 12, 1987:
"Hobart faced with a series of bad breaks"

[url=http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1314&dat=19870711&id=VVpWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=hu8DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6566,5359874]http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1 ... 66,5359874[/url]

Sept. 19, 1989:
"Hobart gets handle on rash of bad luck"

[url=http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1314&dat=19890919&id=blxWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=CvADAAAAIBAJ&pg=5819,5717922]http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1 ... 19,5717922[/url]

Nov. 12, 1989:
"Football" (short writeup of Hobart game with Ottawa)

[url=http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1314&dat=19891112&id=UltWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=1-8DAAAAIBAJ&pg=4180,787140]http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1 ... 180,787140[/url]

Sept. 9, 1990:
"'Injured' Friesz may miss season" (see Ken Hobart sidebar about his final days in Ottawa)

[url=http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1314&dat=19900909&id=hGtXAAAAIBAJ&sjid=h_ADAAAAIBAJ&pg=5167,5822808]http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1 ... 67,5822808[/url]
#3

Loved those uniforms and helmets

#4

For those who remember, and perhaps even knew Ken, here's an article from 5 years back on his life after football. The paragraph at the end of the story, many will agree, could also be a description of LeFevour's abilities, today. Ken and his wife, Valerie, work together as a real estate agent team in Lewiston, Idaho.

[url=http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2009/oct/06/a-family-man-now/]http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2009/o ... y-man-now/[/url]
#5

Interesting quote from Hobart in 2009:

Professionally speaking, I was just never in the right place at the right time. I knew I could have played, but I just never could get the right break, it seemed.
I'm not sure how much more of a "break" Hobart could have asked for. In his first season in the CFL he got a chance to start, and earned the right to keep playing for the rest of that season. He was an Eastern all-star, East MOP nominee and Grey Cup finalist. It's not like he played under the radar.

The next season, in 1986, he was the incumbent out of training camp but struggled and gave way to Mike Kerrigan in much the same way as the previous year's starter (Tedford?) had given way to Hobart. He had the opportunity but didn't get he results.

I don't recall the circumstances in Ottawa, i.e. was he brought in with a chance to compete or just as a back-up/situational QB (like he was for us in the 1986 playoffs). But it's hard to argue that he never got a real shot.

It's funny how no one ever looks back and says, "I had an opportunity but never made the best of it." It's always politics, or disrespect, or never having been given a chance, or something other than a person's own ability. As though coaches revel in bringing in talented players but then forcing them to sit while they play less-talented rivals for reasons unknown.

#6

OK, now that I got that off my chest, here's a separate thought.

I loved watching Hobart play in 1985. He had a will to win, and an ability to carry the team to victory on his shoulders. Usually it was by running, but he wasn't afraid to hurl the ball downfield. Who can forget the 5 TD passes in the Eastern Final that year?

I often think of Hobart when it becomes apparent that no QB in the modern CFL can seem to succeed in his first year here (other than Ricky Ray). They seem to need at least 2 or 3 years on the bench to really learn the game. I don't know what has changed in the last few decades - presumably both offences and defences have become much more complicated than they used to be.

Anyway, Ken Hobart isn't exactly in giant in the history of CFL QBs. But Dan LeFevour still has some way to go to earn the right to a comparison. I'd love to see him carry the team to victory a few times when a win is within our grasp late in the fourth quarter.

So far we've had a few too many two-and-outs or long but fizzled drives, when just going that one extra step (a first down or two to kill the clock when we're ahead, or pushing it over the goal line when we're behind) would have sealed a win.

Dan still seems to have upside, but there's no time like the present for him to deliver on it.