By Neate Sager

Friendships forged through Queen's Football mean more for James MacLean than receiving records.

That hit home for MacLean when he was inducted into the Queen's Football Hall of Fame last month. The slotback's Tricolour tenure from 1997-2001 involved some trying times as the Gaels went through the coaching change from Bob Howes to Pat Sheahan, while also moving to the OUA.

"It was a welcome surprise and a massive honour," says MacLean, 39, who is the Gaels' all-time receiving leader with 3,138 yards even though he played defensive back as a rookie in '97. "It was a chance to celebrate what was a really fun time. Even though the program wasn't at its peak, the organization itself was still great to be part of. It was really fun to get back and reconnect, see old faces, and go in with some amazing football players.

"In retrospect, it was tough back then, not to turn the talent into successful seasons, but I'm glad I was there for the turnaround in my final year," MacLean adds. "I look back at the relationships I have from those times. Two of my best friends are guys I lived with and played with at Queen's. [Fellow receiver] Roby Ryan came out to the induction ceremony all the way from Fresno, California. [Former linebacker] Callum O'Connor, who I still work with today, made time to be there and support me, even though he's got five kids. By being exposed to everything with Queen's, you get to know some very special people."

MacLean, who works in trade marketing for Imperial Tobacco Ltd., is still involved in football. The Ottawa resident coaches in the high school ranks at Mother Teresa High School in Barrhaven, where his spouse Meg Rose teaches. The couple keeps busy chasing after their young sons Emmett, 4½, and Rowan, 2.

As a Gael, MacLean led all of Canada in receiving while playing in two conferences for two head coaches and with three distinctly unique passers. He first did so in 1999 when southpaw Beau Howes was the QB. In '01, Sheahan's second year, he became the second Gael to top 1,000 yards in a season while catching passes from scrambler Craig Spear and rocket-armed Tom Denison.

In Week 3 that fall, MacLean set a Canadian university record with 377 receiving yards against Guelph. That matchless output helped seal the first statement win of the Sheahan era and sparked Queen's rousing run to the OUA semifinal.

"It was Sept. 15, 2001, four days after the World Trade Center," MacLean recalls. "There were a lot of question marks as to what it would be like with a big public event. My mindset was very different that week.

"With the way the previous three years had gone and us being 0-2, I had been gripping the handle too tight and I just said 'forget it.' One of the things I changed was my pregame. I used try to eat really healthful, light foods that digest well. We went to a Golden Griddle that morning and I must have had a 3,000-calorie breakfast. My attitude was 'have fun.'

"I didn't feel any pressure and everything happened quickly; a lot of things went exactly right and two quarterbacks, Craig and Tommy, were incredible that day. It gave us something to rally around and ended up being a turnaround for the season."

The moral of the story: never depart unsatisfied, whether it involves a plate of pancakes or remaining playing eligibility. The 1998-2000 years were trying for anyone who bleeds Tricolour. MacLean had a chance to play overseas, but the energy generated from Sheahan's arrival convinced him to use his fifth year.

"Whenever I get that job interview question – 'tell us about at a time in your life when you've overcome a challenge,' that's what I refer back to," MacLean says. "Quite frankly, that head coaching transition, those 2000 and 2001 seasons, were a tough time. There was a lot of loyalty and some hurt feelings but ultimately the right decisions were made for the betterment of the program, as Pat's record since proves.

"Nothing was better than being there for the start of the turnaround," he adds.

Neate Sager (@naitSAYger), Arts '00, writes for Yahoo! Canada (ca.sports.yahoo.com) and other media outlets.