Since everyone is sharing their @DRockEsks stories and memories, I thought I should share mine too.

I've only met the man, the myth, the legend who is Dwayne Mandrusiak once. It was on Saturday, August 29, 2015 at about 10am.

But let me go back before that...

A couple weeks before, the BC Lions announced they were honouring one of their locker room staff members with Wall of Fame induction.

So I said to myself (and I knew it was me cause I recognized my voice). "Hey Joe, you should make @DRockEsks a Wall of Honour sign"

That day over my lunch hour at work, I guesstimated the size of the existing Esks Wall of Honour signs and drew it up in AutoCAD.

I did about 6 variations with different logos, text, etc. I consulted a few media types and his son @MattMandrusiak for their opinions.

Everyone selected this one...

That week the Esks were playing the Argos. So I told @JonLueke to show up a little early so we can display it during warmups.

@olearychris was one of the media types and asked if he could take a pic of it before the game. (see pic above)

Jon and I got there earlier than normal and unveiled the banner about 5 mins before the teams hit the field for warmups.

I won't lie, I was a little nervous. I wasn't sure what Dwayne would think when he saw it or if he'd even see it at all.

Well thanks to a few players, pointing it out, Dwayne did see it. He smiled and waved from the sidelines and went about his business tending to the players equipment.

Warmups ended, we rolled up the banner and we returned to our seats for the national anthem.

We watched the game (which the Esks won 38-15) and I went home. During the drive whole all I could think about was if Dwayne liked the banner and most importantly...

WHAT THE HELL AM I GOING TO DO WITH A 12 FOOT BANNER WITH DWAYNE'S NAME ON IT?

I decided, I'm going to go to the Team store in the morning and drop it off for him.

So that's what I did. Now I all I could think about is "What if he doesn't want it? Then what?"

I showed up at the Teams store and a nice young lady asked if she could help me. I told her I was at the game the night before and I made this banner for Dwayne and I was wondering if I could leave it here for him.

She said one second. She went to a phone and came back...

"Dwayne said he would like you to come downstairs"

Me:

I look at my wife and she says "Go...I'll stay up here and look around the store."

She told me to take our daughter, whom I was carrying in her bucket seat.

The Office member led me to the elevator. On the way down, she said "So have you ever met Dwayne or seen the equipment room?"

I replied that I hadn't. She said "You're in for a treat"

In the elevator ride that seemed to last an eternity, it finally stopped and the doors opened. We stepped out and right in front of us was a behemoth of a man named Matt O'Donnell and he was talking to a much shorter Dwayne Mandrusiak.

At that moment Dwayne turned to us an said "Nice to meet you, I'm Dwayne"

To which I dumbly replied, "Yes I know!"

He said "And you are???"

And for the first time in my life I forgot my name. I finally spit out the word "Joe" as I handed him the banner.

He said "Nice to meet you Joe. Follow me!"

As we walked down the hall he asked what provoked me to make him the banner. And I told him.

He was very appreciative of support and recognition.

He led me into the equipment room. "Have you ever been in here before Joe?"

No...why would I be allowed in such hallowed ground?...lol

He showed me around the room. Showed me all the jerseys, equipment and balls that were used in the game the night before.

Explaining what him and his staff had to do post game, etc. He then opens up one of the giant moving shelving units they have in the room and says "What size shirt are you?" I told him and he comes out with a nice golf shirt and hat.

Just at that moment I hear a very familiar voice yelling down the hall...DWAAAAAAYNNNNNEEEE!!!

In walks a then injured, Mike Reilly. Who was possibly returning to the team the following week in CGY.

Dwayne excused himself to tend to Mike, they then walked over.

Dwayne introduced Mike to me. And as Mike and I stood there for a few seconds chatting. Dwayne came back with a football, which I recognized as one he had just showed me that was used in the game the night before.

He handed Mike the ball and a Sharpie.

Mike without any hesitation, signed the ball and handed it to me. I didn't know what to do with it so I just put it in the bucket seat with my daughter...lol

So for those keeping track at home, she's fast asleep with a football, a hat and golf shirt on top of her.

Dwayne helped Mike and then came back to me and led me down another hall to his office. Which I can't even describe. But it's probably what you think it is.

Wall to wall of historic memories of him and the team. Which is a lot!!!!

He then showed me around to all the other rooms like the medical room, the rehab room, heck he even showed me the laundry room where they wash all the uniforms...lol At that moment I realized how much this man absolutely loves his job.

At this point he had been doing it for 45 years. Yet he talked about it with more passion and enthusiasm than someone who just started a new job.

He finally led me into the locker room. This is where we spent the most time. He told me a bunch of stories about great players and stuff he's seen over the years.

We then went back to the equipment room and chatted a little while longer.

While we were chatting he asked me to help him unroll the banner. So I did. He said "I love it, only one small problem. The year is wrong. I started in 1971"

I never felt so embarrassed in my life. I proceeded to apologize profusely.

He laughed and told me to not worry about it. He said he was going to take it home with him. I told him I would fix the year and get it re-printed. He insisted that it was okay.

He showed me a bunch of collectable stuff he had in the room, like the 5 game balls from the 5 in a Row Grey Cups. I told him if there's every a break and enter in this room he knows where to tell the police to look first.

At that moment I looked up at the clock above his work area and realized it was 11:30 am. I had just spent 90 mins listening to a man who has forgotten more about football than most of know remember.

I then remembered that my lovely wife was all alone upstairs in the team store. I told Dwayne I better get back upstairs to my wife before she leaves me there. And he took me back upstairs and told me if I ever wanted to visit again, to let him know.

I kid you not it was the most surreal experience of my life as an Esks fan. And I'll never forgot it for the rest of my life.

Thank you @DRockEsks for that memorable experience and I wish you nothing but the best. That day is truly one of the best days of my life. It's right up there with my daughter being born and my wedding day.

PS: I'd like to point out that neither @MattMandrusiak @Morley_Scott @Dave_CHED @GerryModdejonge or @olearychris told me the year was wrong on the banner when they saw samples I came up with.

So even though I feel like an idiot about it. I didn't ruin it completely!

Hey @EdmFootballTeam found my old CAD file and fixed the sign...let me know whom I can email the PDF too.