When home calls, you answer.
Those were the words of Elks VP of Football Operations and General Manager Ed Hervey on his long-awaited return to Edmonton.
Despite being away from the EE organization for the last eight years, he has never turned his back on the city he calls home and a city where he helped contribute to its famous ‘Champions’ moniker.
“I felt like Edmonton adopted me as one of their own,” the now 51-year-old Hervey said. “The city helped me take care of my family. Sometimes you just feel like you owe it to a place to give your best effort. They say there’s no loyalty in sports and all those cliches, but there is when you’re in a place for a long time and you’ve been around a place for as long as I have.”
“There is loyalty because ultimately, we want the best for a place that is taking care of us,” he added. “I just feel like it’s a responsibility to do that on my return — just to give my best effort and do the best I can to help bring a championship back to Edmonton.”
It’s been 2,783 days since Hervey first departed the Green and Gold after 10 seasons working in the Double E’s football operations – including four years as the club’s general manager. During his time at the helm of the organization, the three-time Grey Cup Champion built the team from a 4-14 squad into the best team in the CFL’s West Division, capturing the 103rd Grey Cup in 2015.
Ed Hervey celebrates with quarterback Michael Reilly after winning the 103rd Grey Cup
Hervey returns to Edmonton in a familiar situation to his first tenure at the helm of the club. In the eight seasons following the 2005 Grey Cup, Edmonton made the playoffs only four times, finished the season with a winning record only twice, and traded franchise stalwart Ricky Ray to Toronto.
“I think all situations are different,” Hervey said about the comparison. “The organization made changes from community owned to private ownership, but I think the expectations from the fan base haven’t changed. I understand their expectations.”
“When I’m home during the offseason, I hear from many of the fans so it’s not a secret what the mandate is from our fans. I look at that as a welcome challenge and I just looking forward to putting together a group of people that can help us meet those challenges and meet those demands.”
Hervey himself has changed over the last eight years. He cites time spent with Wally Buono, Rick LeLacheur, Scott Mitchell, and Orlando Steinhauer and credits how they have all impacted his journey as CFL executive.
“They taught me a lot about the that strengths that I didn’t know I had, and areas of weakness that I needed to work on,” Hervey said. “I feel like I’m a much better, more seasoned general manager, but more importantly, I feel like I’m an even better person.”
The addition of new Elks President and CEO Chris Morris helped ease the decision to come back to Edmonton. The pair have gone through battles together on the football field and know what it takes to be a championship team – winning the 2003 and 2005 Grey Cups as teammates.
Current EE President and CEO Chris Morris hoists the 2005 Grey Cup in Vancouver.
“I can’t say enough about how important it is having Chris here,” Hervey said. “One thing I do know about Chris, and for fans who don’t know, he is extremely passionate about this community. He’s passionate about Edmonton and he’s passionate about the ball club.”
Much of that passion is directed towards the standard of excellence they believe this club can achieve with both of them at the helm.
“We’re so demanding in a positive way, because we really believe in the fabric of this community and are genuinely passionate about winning,” Hervey added. “We’re very competitive. He’s extremely competitive and I know that Chris cares — I think that above everything else, he cares about the people that are involved.”
Hervey says he’s ready to get to work right away and the first order of business is sorting out two of the most important positions inside an organization – the head coach and the quarterback.
“The first order of business is obviously to get a chance to talk to the department, and to talk to everybody in football operations to kind of get a lay of the land,” he said. “Then obviously the head coach opportunity is out there. I know there’s an internal candidate and then there’s some candidates out there, so that’s going to be a first order business.”
“Then I want to have a chance to sit down and talk with Tre Ford. I’m looking forward to meeting that young man, having a chance to introduce myself to him, and get to know him and some of the other players that are around town.”