In the fall of 1987, Jack Hogart was a newlywed and a rookie football official.

He was also my football coach at Butte Central Junior High School.

One thing all the players had in common during our seventh- and eighth-grade years was that we loved our coaches. Hogie was the head coach. He was assisted by Shawn “Tank” Maloughney. We also loved Mike Hogart, who coached the other grade those years.

Football wasn’t easy, but we always had fun playing for those coaches.

Jack Hogart had as laughing all the time. He even had us laughing when he was mad at us. He especially had us laughing when he was mad at us.

I’ll never forget the game when Josh Paffhausen hurdled me in a game we lost to East Middle School. At halftime, Jack told us we were making Paffhausen look like a “damn superstar out there.”

To make a long story short, Paffer was a superstar. It wasn’t my fault.

Jack Hogart was one of five children of the legendary Bill and Mary Carol Hogart. They make up what has to be at least one of the funniest families this town has ever seen.

Today, Jack Hogart is a grandpa. He no longer coaches or officiates. Instead, he devotes his time to his grandchildren, his insurance business and the Knights of Columbus Hall.

He is still funny as ever. He is still Hogie. Listen in to see what I mean.