We would have liked to have contacted Vladislav Tretiak to tell us about Réjean Tremblay, but one of the few people in Quebec who must have the legendary Russian goalkeeper’s phone number is… Réjean Tremblay himself.
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Réjean Tremblay, who is signing his last text for the Journal this morning, after 12 years as a columnist on our pages and on our websites.
But at almost 79 years of age and after more than 50 years in the field of sports journalism, which he helped develop, Réjean is still a long way from getting people to talk.
His pen will continue to be useful, as will the many relationships he has built around the world.
“Réjean owes his success to his literary talent and great curiosity, but above all to his work,” emphasizes Dany Doucet, Editor-in-Chief of the Journal de Montréal. He starts at dawn and makes countless phone calls as soon as the others get up. »
“He can do more before noon than most people can in a day,” adds Mr. Doucet. Talking to the world is the foundation of our business. »
Man before athlete
We contacted several personalities before dinner to create a portrait of Réjean.
Craftsman of various sports, including boxing, which has become his hobby, and hockey.
Because Réjean is interested in all sports. Rather than the sport, it is the human being that fascinates the athlete.
And the emotion that follows the result more than the result itself.
Boxer Simon Kean (left) recalls that it was thanks to a column by Réjean Tremblay that public perception changed. The two men are seen with former Canadian Gilbert Delorme during a Florida Panthers game in the recent playoffs. Photo from Réjean Tremblay’s Facebook page
Boxer Simon Kean also quickly took note.
“Réjean helped me a lot,” he says. When I started I got bad press due to my criminal past and with a single text message he managed to change people’s perception of me. Réjean is someone with a human side and a big heart. »
“He has an undeniable love for boxing, but beyond that I think he enjoys being close to the players, whether they’re coaches or athletes,” said Marc Ramsay.
“I have the impression that he doesn’t find that as much in ice hockey and therefore likes to follow the boxers,” the coach also mentions.
In recent years, the veteran columnist has sat front row at many major boxing matches. He was notably in London last January where Artur Beterbiev fought Anthony Yarde. Photo from Réjean Tremblay’s Facebook page
The “fefans” and “the organization”
But let’s talk about it, about hockey and about this love-hate relationship with the Canadiens, but also with his fans (or his “Fefans” as he likes to call them).
How could a man who so often fires red bullets at what he calls Sainte-Flanelle, the “organization”, persuade France Margaret Bélanger, Executive Vice-President of Groupe CH, to play the background questioning game?
Ms. Bélanger had her reservations from the start, she says. But she accepted. The questions were not all easy. And she didn’t want to get involved in her private life.
“But when I saw that he respected my decision, a relationship of trust gradually developed between us,” explains Ms. Bélanger, who highlights the columnist’s productivity and his way of speaking to Quebecers.
“Even if he sometimes writes things that are a bit surprising! she says laughing.
A great friendship developed between Réjean Tremblay and Guy Lafleur over the years. Archive photo
Rejean and Lulu
This productivity is also reflected in our televisions. Because it’s difficult to talk about Réjean Tremblay without mentioning Lance et compte, of course.
A series in which one of the main characters is also a journalist who became famous for his hard work: the incredible Lulu.
“If you say you meet someone and it changes your life, to me that’s Réjean Tremblay,” says Denis Bouchard, who played Lulu. For this role, which he entrusted to me, he took me to the beat of a sportswriter at the Olympic Stadium to see the Expos from the catwalk, and then to the Canadiens games, also in the players’ room. »
“He was like, ‘Let’s see what Carbo has to say!’ »
Bouchard also emphasizes Réjean Tremblay’s interest in people, but also his generosity.
“I was in my early thirties and like any kid, I was a hockey fan. Before that I was a speed skater in the National Improv League. Lulu’s role was remarkable. Not a week goes by that I don’t hear about it. »
“I noticed that it drools! »
But Réjean Tremblay isn’t just about kindness and generosity. His pen can sometimes (often?) be drooling.
In addition, it is not only his pen that is reminiscent of our columnist Marc de Foy, who first met him when the two men worked for competing media: Marc at the Journal, Réjean at La Presse.
“Damn it, I found him drooling when I met him! introduces Marc de Foy. He was really different from the chroniclers of his time. […] And I let her know my feelings several times. »
“But I basically saw him as a big teddy bear,” he adds. There’s not much I haven’t told him. I’ve brewed it quite a few times. Even on TV, at the time of 110%, I told him one night that he was full…”
However, Réjean Tremblay seemed to bear no grudges, notes Marc de Foy, who underscores the significant impact the columnist has had on Quebec’s sports media landscape.
And without having “become intimate” as they went from rivals to colleagues, the two men have called each other several times over the past few years to discuss their issues and the evolution of the profession.
Write with all your senses
In addition, Réjean Tremblay has always reminded his fellow journalists, especially the younger ones, how important it is to be interested in subjects and people, even if over the years he has managed to adapt to the changes that the media experienced.
Use all your senses on the field: sight, hearing and, if necessary, smell, taste and touch.
This undoubtedly helped Réjean to develop a sixth sense of his own: making sense of what will interest the reader.
Good sequel, Réjean Tremblay. However, it is possible that one day we will call you back if, for example, we still need the coordinates of Vladislav Tretiak.