Tom McEwen, as many have been reminding us, embodied another era. He was an activist/ journalist who did a conflict-of-interest tap dance to advance the best interests of his community.
But being the avatar of old school also had other aspects. The anecdotal details are countless. Here’s just one:
Back in the pre-pro football day, Dick Greco was part of the influential civic group that was wooing the NFL in order to win an expansion franchise for Tampa Bay. McEwen was their consummate insider who cultivated key contacts within the NFL ownership clique. The same clique that would determine who would get the next (two) expansion teams.
McEwen was, of course, doing as much up-front chronicling as back-stage orchestrating. He was with the other Tampa operatives in New York for the actual announcement by the NFL in 1974. The mood at the Drake Hotel was confident–a key “source” indicated Tampa was in–but you never know. When the announcement was official and Tampa Bay was, indeed, named, McEwen was there to capture the dynamics of the moment and send the story back to Tampa ASAP. He quoted everybody up there from Tampa. Including Greco.
But Greco wasn’t there. He had a conflict and had to fly out on business earlier.
They met up later in Tampa.
Greco: “Tom, you quoted me, and I wasn’t even there.”
McEwen: “I know, but that’s what you would have said.”
Greco: “You’re right.”
That was then. This is not. In so many ways.