Toe to Toe – What’s in a name and Baker’s tantrum

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.

There is talk during the hockey meetings that West Ferris minor hockey may change its name to North Bay minor hockey. Some local hockey minds like Trappers head coach Larry Keenan think it’s ridiculous that our minor hockey association is named after an area of town. Do you agree that it should be changed?

Frank:

Well, finally an issue that I believe in. I have never understood that. West Ferris minor hockey association we’ve always believed is North Bay minor hockey, why don’t we change it to North Bay minor hockey. People from out of town are wondering what the heck is West Ferris minor hockey, get it to North Bay minor hockey, change the name and do what you have to do to get that changed and that’s what it should be because this is North Bay minor hockey, there isn’t a West Ferris and North Bay. We might as well get the name changed so we become one unit, the North Bay Trappers aren’t called the West Ferris Trappers, let’s make the change.”

Chris:

”Frank, I agree with you totally on this issue. I understand that North Bay minor hockey went under and West Ferris took over but let’s face it, for the good of our community we should change that name. I don’t know all the politics behind it but as a guy who moved here from Western Canada about 10 years ago I never really could understand it. In my TV days with RinkratTV I’ve covered a lot of minor hockey teams from a lot of minor hockey communities and I’ve never, ever heard of an association that doesn’t have the communities name in front of it.

“There are people who don’t think North Bay has a minor hockey program because they don’t hear the name ’North Bay’ until Midget AAA, and they wouldn’t even have that name if the Trappers were affiliated with West Ferris. I heard the Athletics tried to change their name this summer and it was denied because they wanted the name ‘North Bay’ in front.

“Like Larry Keenan says let’s change the name so people outside of North Bay know that minor hockey exists here!”

Last week Toronto Argonauts receiver Robert Baker got into a fight on the sidelines with teammate Noel Prefontaine after he alleges a Stampeder player spit in his face during the Stampeders/Argo’s contest in Calgary. Baker hit Prefontaine so hard that he had a bloody mouth. Do you think the league didn’t hit Baker hard enough as they only gave him a one game suspension for his sideline tantrum?


Chris:

A one game suspension is a slap on the wrist. The team should have added another additional two games to send a message that nonsense like that cannot be tolerated. However, Baker is supposed to be a big part of the offense so you have to try and find a happy medium. Make sure Baker is punished for his stupidity, but do that so you don’t hurt your team in the offensive department if you put him in the press box for an extended period of time.

“I am glad to hear that Baker will be doing some community service by helping out some minor football teams in the Toronto area. You can bet that all the young kickers he meets will make sure they are wearing their helmets on the sidelines when Baker approaches them.”

Frank:

The Toronto Argonauts should have made a point right there, it’s early in the season you can go get somebody as a wide receiver. I don’t care how much talent the guy has. If you take a look at the great coaches of our time, Don Matthews, in the CFL, Marv Levy when he was in the CFL, and you look at NFL guys like Bill Parcells, and Jimmy Johnson, they would have cut that guy so quick it would be unbelievable. You don’t come by the sideline and punch your teammates, okay. There’s no excuse for that. The team chemistry is deflated from that, I don’t care what anybody says, later in the year there is something that is going to come up and do they really think that Baker is going to back them up I don’t think so. I think this guy is a selfish guy who’s looking for himself. Cut the guy, cover your losses get another wide receiver.”

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