Courtesy Winnipeg Free Press:

DUNCAN O’Mahony says he’s beaten down whatever demons possessed him to go AWOL on the Winnipeg Blue Bombers two seasons ago in the CFL club’s time of need — punted them into the stratosphere.

O’Mahony, 31, donned a No. 19 jersey Tuesday, did a whole bunch of stretching those 31-year-old muscles, lofted a few kicks while getting familiar with long-snapper Chris Cvetkovic and proclaimed himself a stronger, better man than he was in 2006.

That’s when he disappeared for more than three days en route to Winnipeg and a job with the Blue Bombers, alarming his family, the Bombers and the entire CFL in a mystery that made it onto CNN.

While he wouldn’t talk about the specifics Tuesday, to his credit he did broach the subject immediately with the gathered media throng, insisting he’s past all that and ready to make a difference in the CFL club’s punting game.

“The bottom line is I’m a different man today than I was two years ago,” he said. “Things are great. The way I handled myself I upset a lot of people, my family first of all, the organization here, I’m sure the fans as well.

“So I mean, I apologize for that, it was an embarrassment for myself and my family, but that’s in the past. I’m here to help this team get better. I’m here to punt, that’s what I’m focusing on right now, the rest will figure itself out.”

O’Mahony played with the Calgary Stampeders last year and was with the Edmonton Eskimos for a short time this pre-season before he was let go. In the off-season, he had been contemplating retirement and was working in vineyards in B.C.

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