Canadian Football Hall of Famer Hank Ilesic said he “absolutely'' will continue to call himself a former Edmonton Eskimo even though the CFL franchise is retiring the longtime team name.
Ilesic, who joined the team as a punter in 1977 and helped Edmonton win five straight Grey Cups from 1978-‘82, said his reaction to the news Tuesday was “very mixed.’' The Edmonton native added that he felt the name was a tribute to the tough, hard-working people in the north that was in no way derogatory, negative or racist.
