Roggin in Drug Center, With Station Support

When Fred Roggin went to Channel 4 management last week seeking help for a substance-abuse problem, the reaction was swift, Reed Manville, the station’s general manager, said Wednesday.

Manville said corporate resources were used to find a suitable program, and that night Roggin checked into a facility that specializes in chemical dependency. Manville declined to name the facility, but another source said it is located in Orange County.

“I don’t want to get into specifics about his treatment,” Manville said, “but he can take as much time as he wants to deal with this problem. Fred will decide when he is ready to come back to work.”

Manville and others close to Roggin called his admission of the problem a positive step.

A station spokeswoman said Wednesday that viewers have been calling in their support, after the story appeared in the latest edition of The Times on Wednesday.

Rumors of Roggin having a possible drug problem have circulated for some time, and he did take a month off last spring to deal with what he called “personal problems due to stress.”

Roggin’s wife, Eileen, said there has been considerable stress because of his workload, which has also created problems in their marriage. The Roggins have been separated at various times during the last six months.

“He’s made a healthy choice to clean up his act,” Eileen Roggin said, “and I think he should be applauded for that.

“Fred is a good person and a good father. He works very hard. He wants to do a perfect job. He can’t do anything 50%. He is away from home a lot, and that has created problems in his personal life.

“But I don’t want anyone to think I have been a victim. We get along. We talk every day.”

Phil Olsman, the executive producer of “Roggin’s Heroes,” a nationally syndicated show, also said job stress has contributed to Roggin’s problems.

“You just can’t believe how hard he works--day and night,” Olsman said. “Just doing ‘Roggin’s Heroes’ is enough to drive anyone up the wall, but he is also doing the sports at Channel 4 at the same time.

“He’s not just the star on ‘Roggin’s Heroes,’ he’s involved in every aspect of the show. It’s his production company, and there is a staff of 12 that he feels obligated to.

“Fred is very driven. He wants to be everything to everybody. But he is smart enough to see he has a problem, and I think he is to be congratulated for that.”

Olsman said “Roggin’s Heroes” is on hiatus until at least late May, so Roggin is free of any obligations there.

With Channel 4’s other sportscaster, Brett Lewis, on vacation, Scott St. James has been doing the Channel 4 sports this week on a fill-in basis. Lewis is due back Sunday.