Erik Brady: Griffin personified

By Jase May, Sports Editor

When Erik Brady took the stage of the Montante Cultural Center this past weekend to accept the coveted Rev. Paul J. Dugan award, he wasted no time showing the audience exactly why he had earned it. “I never imagined I could receive an award just for loving Canisius sports.  I was born to do that, after all. Loving the Griffs comes as naturally to me as breathing,” he said.

The Rev. Paul J. Dugan award is used to recognize supporters of Canisius athletics as opposed to athletes. Its namesake, Paul J. Dugan served the university for 42 years as athletics moderator and was wholly dedicated to the pursuit of furthering athletics here at Canisius.

Brady was one of nine members of the 60th Canisius Sports Hall of Fame Class, however unlike the other inductees, Brady never suited up to play for the Griffs 

Instead, Brady suited up in a far different sense, serving as the school's mascot during his time at Canisius. In addition, he also wrote “Griffin on the Wing”, a weekly column for The Griffin.

It was his experience on the Griffin as a sportswriter that landed him a job straight out of college at the Buffalo Courier Express, which would later open him up for far greater things in his future.

Over his lengthy career, the Canisius alum covered some of the most prominent sporting events in the world, including Super Bowls, Stanley Cup Finals and even Olympic Games.  Through it all, Brady never forgot about Canisius and made sure to highlight Canisius athletics at the national level.  

For Brady, Canisius isn’t just about education or sports, it’s about family. The Brady family legacy runs throughout the school’s history. His father, Charles, graduated from Canisius in 1933 and was one of the people who established the Griffin as the school’s mascot and his uncle John was the first inducted member into the sports hall of fame. “Blue and Gold runs in my veins,” says Brady.  

He only continued the legacy when he met Carol Stevens, a colleague of his at the Buffalo Courier Express. Stevens would later become his wife; the two have been married for 44 years and have two kids and four grandkids.“I believe that my time at Canisius led me to all that I hold dear in life,” Brady said. 

It is this legacy and commitment to Canisius athletics that sees him recognized as the awards newest recipient. He hopes that his story will inspire future students for years to come.  

“When I was a student, the college’s slogan was: ‘At Canisius, it’s the people who count.’ That remains true 50 years later.”