Toe to Toe – OHL exhibition and Cujo’s regrets

Two combatants from Cogeco’s Sports Firing line Frank “The Toe” Caruso (left), and Chris Dawson (right) now take their arguments to the web with a new BayToday.ca weekly sports opinion feature called, “Toe to Toe.” Photo by Lee Anne Dawson.

Last Sunday our neighbouring community of Temiskaming played host to an exhibition Major Junior Hockey game as the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies hosted the Drummondville Voltigeurs at the Temiskaming arena. Would you support major junior hockey if say the Wolves hosted an exhibition contest at Memorial Gardens?

Chris:

“This one is a no-brainer and I think Frank will agree with me on this one too. It would be great to see Major Junior hockey at Memorial Gardens again. Yes, it would only be a novelty but still to get that kind of hockey at the Gardens again would be tremendous. I actually remember the days when the NHL used to play exhibition games at junior arenas across Canada and whether it was the Quebec League or the Wolves or Erie Otters hosting a game here, I would definitely support it. I know there are some bitter folks who are upset with the CHL in North Bay but now it’s time to move on and look at the product for what it’s worth. Major junior hockey is fast, it’s exciting, and no disrespect to the NOJHL, but it’s much more enjoyable to watch in my opinion.

“I’d go a step further and say I’d support a neutral site regular season CHL game in North Bay too.”

Frank:

”Chris, I’d probably be in the first 100 to get in line for a ticket! There’s no doubt in my mind that I would support it in a second! Even though it’s not the number one guys on these OHL teams but you’ll still get two or three lines from each team that are guys that are on the team for sure, the rest of them are going to be trying to work hard to get on that team and I’ll tell you something right now the caliber of that hockey is unbelievable, there’s without a doubt I would go see it, yes, plain and simple yes. There is no shot at anybody, there’s no shot at the Skyhawks, there’s no shot at AAA hockey around this region. Let’s be honest would you go see probably the next best thing to the NHL of course people would go see it, that’s a ludicrous question, of course people would go see it the building would most likely be sold out.”


In an interview with the Toronto Star, the Phoenix Coyotes' newest goaltender Curtis Joseph admits he made a mistake leaving Toronto.
Joseph left the Buds in the summer of 2002, signing a three-year, $24 million contract with the Detroit Red Wings where he struggled and had to deal with Dominik Hasek coming out of retirement. Was this a smart thing for him to say now?

Frank:

“Curtis Joseph makes me laugh, he says that now but he’s never brought up the issue before. Of course he made a mistake, look, his career has gone down since he left Toronto, there’s no doubt about it, he was a folk hero in Toronto. That’s why Tie Domi signed with the Leafs because if he goes anywhere else he wouldn’t be the folk hero he is in Toronto. In Toronto Tie Domi probably makes as much in endorsements as what he gets in salary, but then again maybe not. But Curtis Joseph is the same type of guy he was a folk hero there, just like Eddie Belfour is now, but Curtis Joseph was more approachable and people wanted him to be representing their company because he was such a nice guy, clean cut kind of guy and he would have made a mint in Toronto I guess he regrets it because his career has gone downhill and how many Curtis Joseph commercials have you seen lately?”

Chris:

”Frank, I think I saw Curtis Joseph in a commercial for Elliot Lake retirement living last week. To be honest thought, the guy probably should be living the retirement life because his best years are far, far behind him. Having said that, I don’t think it’s appropriate for him to reflect on his signing mistakes when he’s still playing the game and trying to get off to a fresh start in Phoenix. I do respect that he admits that he made a mistake but that was pretty much as obvious as Donald Trump’s bad hair.

“I do feel bad for the guy who was a victim of circumstance. He signs with the Red Wings and Dominik Hasek decides to come out of retirement. Still though, he should have been patient and waited for Belfour’s back to fail him. Then the Leafs desperate for a starting netminder, will trade a game used Vincent Tremblay goalie stick and the rights to Peter McCague to Phoenix for Curtis Joseph. When he puts that blue and white jersey on once again he can then reflect on that big mistake.”

Toe to Toe can be seen every Friday on BayToday.ca.