Yet more unhappy news this time on the eve of Grey Cup week …
What I remember about Herb was basically, what Bobby wrote in his book “The Water Boy”.
Bobby always seemed to have a great respect for those Capozzi years.
I will always be grateful that it was under Herb’s stewardship as General Manager, that he and Dave Skrien helped our British Columbia Lions win their 1st Grey Cup Championship.
At just eleven years old I was lucky enough to watch Lions history being made.
Rest in Peace Herb…
Our BC Lions are about to make CFL history again!
Re: Herb Capozzi passes
Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2011 8:21 pm
by Sir Purrcival
Before my time but I do recall the old man mentioning that name once or twice. After reading the article, quite a resume indeed. Seems like he was pretty successful at whatever he chose to do and wasn't afraid to take chances. Too bad, he couldn't have been around another week to see how the big game turned out. Guess he will have skybox seats.
Condolences
Re: Herb Capozzi passes
Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2011 9:09 pm
by Rammer
RIP, always too soon.
Re: Herb Capozzi passes
Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2011 10:24 pm
by Toppy Vann
PigSkin_53 wrote:
TheLionKing wrote:Herb Capozzi, General Manager of the Lions when they won their 1st Grey Cup in 1964 passed away today at age 86
Yet more unhappy news this time on the eve of Grey Cup week …
What I remember about Herb was basically, what Bobby wrote in his book “The Water Boy”.
Bobby always seemed to have a great respect for those Capozzi years.
I will always be grateful that it was under Herb’s stewardship as General Manager, that he and Dave Skrien helped our British Columbia Lions win their 1st Grey Cup Championship.
At just eleven years old I was lucky enough to watch Lions history being made.
Rest in Peace Herb…
Our BC Lions are about to make CFL history again!
Sad loss.
Herb Capozzi was quite a brilliant businessman possibly not as brilliant a football genius as today's GMs must be but he did a great job in getting the Lions credibility and winning and promoting the product as he was very popular with everyone so it is no wonder that Bobby loved that era.
He was not only a larger than life character he was funny and entertaining as a speaker. He was friendly with everyone in the media business community and well liked as he liked to party as hard as he worked - or so I think. The Lions were the story in sports in town in those days and if they fired the coach IIRC the story was a front page banner line (at least I recall it that way). Not like today.
If you take away the brashness of Brian Burke and made him a witty, funny, friendly sort of guy which he can be you'd find a guy like Capozzi in terms of community impact and respect for your brand.
He did a lot for this team and community although his first family wines were not like they are today.
Re: Herb Capozzi passes
Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2011 12:49 am
by TheLionKing
Toppy Vann wrote:
He was not only a larger than life character he was funny and entertaining as a speaker. He was friendly with everyone in the media business community and well liked as he liked to party as hard as he worked - or so I think. The Lions were the story in sports in town in those days and if they fired the coach IIRC the story was a front page banner line (at least I recall it that way). Not like today.
Yes he was. He certainly wasn't adverse to partying with the team.
Re: Herb Capozzi passes
Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2011 1:19 am
by B.C.FAN
I have great respect for Capozzi as the general manager who built the first Lions powerhouse team and brought the franchise its first Grey Cup. I also drank a lot of his cheap Calona wine over the years and stayed in his Capti Hotel in its heyday. I know the Grey Cup isn't a Lions home game but hope his passing is recognized with a moment of silence before the game.
Aside from bringing 1964 Grey Cup, he was a huge contributor in bringing the 1979 Whitecaps NASL Championship. While the Canucks never made it to the championship in the 1970's, Capozzi ensured that the team would remain in Vancouver.