J. I. Albrecht
Encyclopedia
J. I. Albrecht worked in college and professional sports for 53 years. He worked in the CFL
, NFL and NCAA, and NASL
.
Businessman Herman Albrecht. Born in St. James, New York
, Albrecht grew up in Long Island
and Brooklyn
and attended Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn. He went on to attend Georgia Military College
where he lost his eye in an accident. Because of the loss of his eye he decided to pursue the closest thing to war and to him at the time was football.
whom he named his second son, Hunter Joseph Neyland after. At Tennessee
he won his first national championship. He then went on to recruit for several other NCAA teams and served for one season as the General Manager of the Harlem Globetrotters
. Albrecht then worked for Denver Broncos
, San Francisco 49ers
, Oakland Raiders
, and the New England Patriots
of the NFL. In Canada he worked for the Montreal Alouettes
as the General Manager where he won his first Grey Cup
. He was fired by Sam Berger
in Montreal and went to work for the New England Patriots of the NFL. After a few years with the Patriots during the Grogan
- Plunkett
years he was hired by Bill Hodgson, owner of the Old Mill in Toronto
and the Toronto Argonauts
to serve as the team's General Manager. After the Argos he went on to be the General Manager of the Toronto Metros Croatia where he developed a true love and respect for the game of soccer and the Croatian
people.
His next move was to attempt to get a new franchise in the CFL and place it in the Maritimes and the team that was his dream was to be called the Atlantic Schooners
. After his main investor, RB Cameron pulled out after being unable to secure government financing for the stadium. Albrecht had sunk several years into the project and fell in love with the city of Halifax
. He lived there with his beloved dog Higgins, the English Bulldog who actually had his own article in the paper titled, "The World as Seen Through the Eyes of Higgins". He wrote in the paper, had a radio show, managed a radio station, and generally enjoyed life. It was in Halifax that he met his second wife Kathryn who died of cancer a year after they separated. They moved together to Cape Breton
where Albrecht took over the Athletic Directors job at the University College of Cape Breton
where he launched the football program. He played with just 21 players where almost everyone played both ways. He had his lifelong friend George Brancato
come and coach the team. While at Cape Breton he brought in players to play who went on to play pro such as George Nimako, Mark Pearce
, and several others. It was a magical year where the team, although shelved after one year, won their last game of the season.
After Cape Breton he went on to consult to the Gliebermans in Ottawa
, work under them again in Shreveport and then he worked as a director with the Toronto Argonauts.
during the 1970s and hired Marv Levy
as head coach of the team. He guided the Alouettes to the Grey Cup
championship in 1970
, 1974
, and 1977
. He had a special love for the city of Montreal and his best friend, the late Herb Trawick played for the Alouettes. Albrecht was named as the Montreal Alouettes all time general manager for the 20th century by the fans. He brought and signed many outstanding players to Montreal. Many who were successful on the field and then as coaches and others in business. Almost 40 years after being in Montreal, many players still kept in touch with Albrecht. Players whom he recruited and signed include Wally Buono
, Larry Smith, Junior Ah You
, Gordon Judges
, Steve Smear
, The Ordinary Superstar and Heisman Trophy
winner Johnny Rodgers
, Dan Yochum
, & Ed George
.
, Nova Scotia
. The Schooners
folded before they played a single game because Albrecht's ownership group could not secure the financing for a new stadium.
during the 1992 and 1993 seasons.
He later became the Executive Vice President of Football Operations for the Shreveport Pirates
. John Huard
, one of Albrecht's best friends, and former 2nd round draft pick at Denver, was hired by him as the head coach for the Pirates' inaugural season in 1994 CFL season. However Huard was fired by team President Lonie Glieberman
before coaching a single game. Huard and Albrecht later sued the Pirates. Quarterback Billy Joe Tolliver
and the City of Shreveport also brought legal action against the team in separate suits.
when he was hired to be managing director of the Argo's by new owner Sherwood Schwarz, his first cousin. His brief term was controversial. Huard, who had been fired by the Shreveport Pirates six years earlier, became Albrecht's first choice as the new head coach of the Toronto Argonauts. His quirky, abrasive style did not endear himself to many, and he resigned from his post after a 1-6-1 record culminating with a 51-4 loss to the B.C. Lions. Despite all the disasters, Albrecht did hire player Michael Clemons
as head coach. The decision came after several hours of discussion with Schwarz and his son, Dean Albrecht, where the two decided that they should have a young insider to take over the team as head coach. His son tabled the names Paul Masotti
and Pinball Clemons. J. I. was emphatic about hiring Clemons and the decision was made. Although Albrecht indicated he had been given a 10-year contract, he was fired after a single year.
On March 8, 2008, Albrecht died at a Toronto nursing home at the age of 77.
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
, NFL and NCAA, and NASL
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
.
Background
He father was wealthy New YorkNew York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
Businessman Herman Albrecht. Born in St. James, New York
St. James, New York
St. James is a census-designated place in Suffolk County, New York, United States. The population was 13,268 at the 2000 census. St. James is part of the Town of Smithtown, New York, located on the North Shore of Long Island. The zip code is 11780....
, Albrecht grew up in Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
and Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
and attended Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn. He went on to attend Georgia Military College
Georgia Military College
Georgia Military College is a United States Military Junior College, high school, and middle school in Milledgeville, Georgia. GMC is one of five military junior colleges that participates in the Army's Early Commissioning Program. Cadets who graduate from GMC's two-year, military science-oriented...
where he lost his eye in an accident. Because of the loss of his eye he decided to pursue the closest thing to war and to him at the time was football.
Name
He has claimed over the years that his initials have stood for nothing. However, in an interview with the Ottawa Sun he revealed that they stand for Just Incredible. When he was born, he said, there were complications which led the delivering doctor to fear that he or his mother would die at his birth, and asked his father who he wanted to live, the baby or the mother. His father said "both." Both mother and son survived, and in commemoration the parents selected the unusual name. However, they were not allowed to use it on his birth certificate, and thus he went by his initials all his life.Early career
He then went on to work under General Robert NeylandRobert Neyland
Robert Reese Neyland, MBE was an American football player and coach and and officer in the United States Army, reaching the rank of brigadier general. He served three stints as the head football coach as the University of Tennessee...
whom he named his second son, Hunter Joseph Neyland after. At Tennessee
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
he won his first national championship. He then went on to recruit for several other NCAA teams and served for one season as the General Manager of the Harlem Globetrotters
Harlem Globetrotters
The Harlem Globetrotters are an exhibition basketball team that combines athleticism, theater and comedy. The executive offices for the team are currently in downtown Phoenix, Arizona; the team is owned by Shamrock Holdings, which oversees the various investments of the Roy E. Disney family.Over...
. Albrecht then worked for Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
, Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, and the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
of the NFL. In Canada he worked for the Montreal Alouettes
Montreal Alouettes
The Montreal Alouettes are a Canadian Football League team based in Montreal, Quebec.The current franchise named the Alouettes moved to Montreal from Baltimore, Maryland, in 1996 where they had been known as the Baltimore Stallions...
as the General Manager where he won his first Grey Cup
Grey Cup
The Grey Cup is both the name of the championship of the Canadian Football League and the name of the trophy awarded to the victorious team. It is Canada's largest annual sports and television event, regularly drawing a Canadian viewing audience of about 3 to 4 million individuals...
. He was fired by Sam Berger
Sam Berger
Samuel "Sam" Berger, CM, FRSC, QC was a Canadian owner of the Canadian Football League's Ottawa Rough Riders and Montreal Alouettes and president of the CFL....
in Montreal and went to work for the New England Patriots of the NFL. After a few years with the Patriots during the Grogan
Steve Grogan
Steve James Grogan is a former American football quarterback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League. Grogan played for the Patriots for his entire NFL career, from 1975 to 1990.-High school and college:...
- Plunkett
Jim Plunkett
James William "Jim" Plunkett is a former American football quarterback who played college football for Stanford University, where he won the Heisman Trophy, and professionally for three National Football League teams: the New England Patriots, San Francisco 49ers and Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders. ...
years he was hired by Bill Hodgson, owner of the Old Mill in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
and the Toronto Argonauts
Toronto Argonauts
The Toronto Argonauts are a professional Canadian football team competing in the East Division of the Canadian Football League. The Toronto, Ontario based team was founded in 1873 and is one of the oldest existing professional sports teams in North America, after the Chicago Cubs and the Atlanta...
to serve as the team's General Manager. After the Argos he went on to be the General Manager of the Toronto Metros Croatia where he developed a true love and respect for the game of soccer and the Croatian
Croats
Croats are a South Slavic ethnic group mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. There are around 4 million Croats living inside Croatia and up to 4.5 million throughout the rest of the world. Responding to political, social and economic pressure, many Croats have...
people.
His next move was to attempt to get a new franchise in the CFL and place it in the Maritimes and the team that was his dream was to be called the Atlantic Schooners
Atlantic Schooners
The Atlantic Schooners were a conditional Canadian Football League expansion team that was to begin play in 1984 out of Halifax, Nova Scotia.On May 13, 1982, Maritime Professional Football Club Ltd. was granted a conditional expansion franchise...
. After his main investor, RB Cameron pulled out after being unable to secure government financing for the stadium. Albrecht had sunk several years into the project and fell in love with the city of Halifax
City of Halifax
Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
. He lived there with his beloved dog Higgins, the English Bulldog who actually had his own article in the paper titled, "The World as Seen Through the Eyes of Higgins". He wrote in the paper, had a radio show, managed a radio station, and generally enjoyed life. It was in Halifax that he met his second wife Kathryn who died of cancer a year after they separated. They moved together to Cape Breton
Cape Breton Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia
Cape Breton Regional Municipality often shortened to simply CBRM, is a regional municipality in Nova Scotia's Cape Breton County.According to the 2006 Census of Canada, the population within the Cape Breton Regional Municipality is 102,250...
where Albrecht took over the Athletic Directors job at the University College of Cape Breton
Cape Breton University
Cape Breton University , formerly the "University College of Cape Breton" , is a Canadian university in Nova Scotia's Cape Breton Regional Municipality....
where he launched the football program. He played with just 21 players where almost everyone played both ways. He had his lifelong friend George Brancato
George Brancato
George Brancato is a former football player and coach.Both an offensive and defensive player in college, he played 5 games for the Chicago Cardinals during the 1954 NFL season. He rushed the ball twice for 26 yards and caught three passes for 28 yards. In 1955 he played in the Cardinals' defensive...
come and coach the team. While at Cape Breton he brought in players to play who went on to play pro such as George Nimako, Mark Pearce
Mark Pearce
Mark Pearce is an English actor, born in Coventry in 1976.At the age of 12 Mark made his professional stage debut in ‘Cinderella’ at Belgrade TheatreCoventry, directed by Iain Lauchlan.He went onto to study English and Drama at University College of St...
, and several others. It was a magical year where the team, although shelved after one year, won their last game of the season.
After Cape Breton he went on to consult to the Gliebermans in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, work under them again in Shreveport and then he worked as a director with the Toronto Argonauts.
Montreal Alouettes
He served as the General Manager of the Montreal AlouettesMontreal Alouettes
The Montreal Alouettes are a Canadian Football League team based in Montreal, Quebec.The current franchise named the Alouettes moved to Montreal from Baltimore, Maryland, in 1996 where they had been known as the Baltimore Stallions...
during the 1970s and hired Marv Levy
Marv Levy
Marvin Daniel Levy is a former American and Canadian football coach, front office executive and author.He is a former professional football coach, in the CFL as head coach of the Montreal Alouettes , and in the NFL as head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs and the Buffalo Bills , coaching the Bills...
as head coach of the team. He guided the Alouettes to the Grey Cup
Grey Cup
The Grey Cup is both the name of the championship of the Canadian Football League and the name of the trophy awarded to the victorious team. It is Canada's largest annual sports and television event, regularly drawing a Canadian viewing audience of about 3 to 4 million individuals...
championship in 1970
58th Grey Cup
The 58th Grey Cup was played on November 28, 1970 before 32,669 fans at Exhibition Stadium at Toronto. The Montreal Alouettes defeated the Calgary Stampeders 23 to 10...
, 1974
62nd Grey Cup
The 62nd Grey Cup was played on November 24, 1974 before 32,454 fans at Empire Stadium at Vancouver. The Montreal Alouettes beat the Edmonton Eskimos 20 to 7 on rain slick field...
, and 1977
65th Grey Cup
The 65th Grey Cup, played on November 27, 1977 and also known as The Ice Bowl, was the 1977 Grey Cup Canadian Football League championship final between the Montreal Alouettes and the Edmonton Eskimos...
. He had a special love for the city of Montreal and his best friend, the late Herb Trawick played for the Alouettes. Albrecht was named as the Montreal Alouettes all time general manager for the 20th century by the fans. He brought and signed many outstanding players to Montreal. Many who were successful on the field and then as coaches and others in business. Almost 40 years after being in Montreal, many players still kept in touch with Albrecht. Players whom he recruited and signed include Wally Buono
Wally Buono
Pasquale "Wally" Buono is the head coach, general manager and alternate governor of the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League, and one of the most successful coaches in league history. He is in his 19th year of coaching, previously as head coach of the Calgary Stampeders and currently with the...
, Larry Smith, Junior Ah You
Junior Ah You
Junior Ah You is a former college and professional Canadian and American football player who played primarily at the defensive end position. Ah You enjoyed most of his professional career success with the CFL Montreal Alouettes, from 1972 to 1981, and was a former collegiate standout at Arizona...
, Gordon Judges
Gordon Judges
Gordon Judges is a former professional Canadian football defensive lineman for the Montreal Alouettes in the Canadian Football League....
, Steve Smear
Steve Smear
Steve Smear is a former defensive end and linebacker for the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League. He was a CFL All-Star in 1970 and was a part of two Grey Cup victories for the Alouettes....
, The Ordinary Superstar and Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
winner Johnny Rodgers
Johnny Rodgers
Johnny Steven Rodgers is a former American college football player voted the University of Nebraska's "Player of the Century" and the winner of the 1972 Heisman Trophy.-College career:...
, Dan Yochum
Dan Yochum
Dan Yochum is a former offensive lineman for the Montreal Alouettes from 1972–1980 and the Edmonton Eskimos in 1980 of the Canadian Football League...
, & Ed George
Ed George
Edward Gary George is a former offensive lineman and star player in the Canadian Football League.-CFL:...
.
Atlantic Schooners
In 1984 Albrecht was granted a conditional expansion team to play out of HalifaxHalifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia
Halifax Regional Municipality is the capital of the province of Nova Scotia, Canada. The Regional Municipality had a 2006 census population of 372,679, while the metropolitan area had a 2010 estimated population of 403,188, and the urban area of Halifax had a population of 282,924...
, Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
. The Schooners
Atlantic Schooners
The Atlantic Schooners were a conditional Canadian Football League expansion team that was to begin play in 1984 out of Halifax, Nova Scotia.On May 13, 1982, Maritime Professional Football Club Ltd. was granted a conditional expansion franchise...
folded before they played a single game because Albrecht's ownership group could not secure the financing for a new stadium.
Ottawa Rough Riders and Shreveport Pirates
Albrecht was a consultant/personnel director to the Ottawa Rough RidersOttawa Rough Riders
The Ottawa Rough Riders were a Canadian Football League team based in Ottawa, Ontario, founded in 1876. One of the oldest and longest lived professional sports teams in North America, the Rough Riders won the Grey Cup championship nine times. Their most dominant era was the 1960s and 1970s, a...
during the 1992 and 1993 seasons.
He later became the Executive Vice President of Football Operations for the Shreveport Pirates
Shreveport Pirates
The Shreveport Pirates were a Canadian Football League team, playing at Independence Stadium in Shreveport, Louisiana, USA, in 1994 and 1995....
. John Huard
John Huard
John Roland "Big John" Huard is a former National Football League linebacker and Canadian Football League coach.-Playing career:...
, one of Albrecht's best friends, and former 2nd round draft pick at Denver, was hired by him as the head coach for the Pirates' inaugural season in 1994 CFL season. However Huard was fired by team President Lonie Glieberman
Bernard Glieberman
Bernard "Bernie" Glieberman is an American real estate mogul and the president of Crosswinds Communities. Despite having made his fortune in real estate, Glieberman was perhaps best known for, with his son Lonie, making several unsuccessful and controversial forays into sports team ownership and...
before coaching a single game. Huard and Albrecht later sued the Pirates. Quarterback Billy Joe Tolliver
Billy Joe Tolliver
Billy Joe Tolliver is a former American football player who played in the National Football League and Canadian Football League for twelve seasons. During this time, he played for the San Diego Chargers, Atlanta Falcons, Houston Oilers, Shreveport Pirates, Kansas City Chiefs and New Orleans Saints...
and the City of Shreveport also brought legal action against the team in separate suits.
Toronto Argonauts
Albrecht came back to the team in 20002000 CFL season
-2000 CFL Awards:*CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award – Dave Dickenson , Calgary Stampeders*CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian Award – Sean Millington , BC Lions*CFL's Most Outstanding Defensive Player Award – Joe Montford , Hamilton Tiger-Cats...
when he was hired to be managing director of the Argo's by new owner Sherwood Schwarz, his first cousin. His brief term was controversial. Huard, who had been fired by the Shreveport Pirates six years earlier, became Albrecht's first choice as the new head coach of the Toronto Argonauts. His quirky, abrasive style did not endear himself to many, and he resigned from his post after a 1-6-1 record culminating with a 51-4 loss to the B.C. Lions. Despite all the disasters, Albrecht did hire player Michael Clemons
Pinball Clemons
Michael Lutrell "Pinball" Clemons, O.Ont is the current Vice-Chair for the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League. Clemons also played with the Argos for twelve seasons, and twice served as their head coach. His No. 31 jersey is one of only four that has been retired by the Argos...
as head coach. The decision came after several hours of discussion with Schwarz and his son, Dean Albrecht, where the two decided that they should have a young insider to take over the team as head coach. His son tabled the names Paul Masotti
Paul Masotti
Paul Masotti is a former professional Canadian football player and current front office executive with the Canadian Football League Toronto Argonauts...
and Pinball Clemons. J. I. was emphatic about hiring Clemons and the decision was made. Although Albrecht indicated he had been given a 10-year contract, he was fired after a single year.
Post Football
He suffered a stroke in 2002 and spent the last year and a half of his life at a Toronto nursing home. After an article was written in both the Ottawa paper and Montreal paper many of his old players have surfaced and written him outstanding letters of appreciation for what he had done for them in the past. He was working on his autobiography, entitled Just J.I: A Fisher Of Men and was seeking a publisher. Unfortunately, files he had been keeping for his autobiography were lost.On March 8, 2008, Albrecht died at a Toronto nursing home at the age of 77.