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For Edmonton Eskimos fans of a certain vintage, the name will have a familiar ring to it, which is ironic given the man’s current quest.

Zenon Andrusyshyn. The Big Zee.

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The 16-year pro played just two regular season games for the Eskimos in September 1982, replacing 23-year-old punter Hank Ilesic, who walked out during a dispute with the team over who would be paying the property taxes on his $400,000 Bearspaw home.

The Eskimos won the Grey Cup that November, with Andrusyshyn watching from the sidelines in Toronto. Almost 34 years later, and after the urging of some former Eskimos, he would like a Grey Cup ring to show for his September efforts, or at least to know why he doesn’t already have one.

“It’s just been something that bothered me down deep. I was part of this team, I went out there, did what I was asked to do,” he said Thursday.

It didn’t bother him right away. Early in 1983, he joined the Tampa Bay Bandits of the USFL, played three seasons, then wrapped up a solid pro career with Montreal of the CFL in 1986. He and wife Sue put down roots in the Tampa area and raised a family. Along the way, he became an ordained Baptist minister and started his own ministry.