Last fall, I was looking for a newspaper clipping, and posted on Wexdog's forum asking if anyone had it. Someone I know was kind enough to forward me this, from the Kingston Whig, on Thursday, October 24.
And here I thought our friend had banished all these things to another galaxy.
TAMSIN MCMAHON, THE KINGSTON WHIG-STANDARD
Kingston native Marty Abrams lashed out at the Soo Greyhounds yesterday for cryptic comments from the hockey club's general manager, who said Abrams's off-ice behaviour was one of the reasons he was abruptly fired from his job as head coach of the Ontario Hockey League team.
"If you're going to fire me, fire me," Abrams told The Whig-Standard. "Don't make me sound like an alcoholic."
Abrams was sacked as coach of the Sault Ste. Marie junior hockey team halfway through his three-year contract and only nine games into the Greyhounds' season this year.
The team's general manager, Dave Torrie, told the Sault Star that Abrams was fired for concerns both "on and off the ice."
He didn't elaborate and couldn't be reached for comment yesterday.
Abrams said he thought Torrie's comments referred to personality clashes between coach and GM.
"I would assume that's because he didn't like me and we didn't get along," he told The Whig.
Abrams said his firing had nothing to do with an 18-month investigation by the OPP gaming unit for his dealings as director of the Shooting Stars Youth Association, a charitable organization that operated in Kingston until 2002.
"[Torrie] said that in subsequent stories [in the Sault Star]."
The nonprofit association raised an estimated $244,000 through charity bingos held in Kingston and Carleton Place from 1994 to 2002.
In an affidavit filed with the court, police allege the money raised by Shooting Stars wasn't used for charitable purposes.
Abrams is listed as a director of Shooting Stars in government documents.
According to land registry records, Shooting Stars bought a cottage on Beaver Lake, near Tamworth, for $52,500 in 2001. The deed was signed by Marty Abrams under the name Mark Abrams.
The affidavit signed by OPP Det.-Const. Neil Candy stated that one of the expenses being investigated was a statement for $378.10 for "training," which was the exact amount of the monthly mortgage payments on the Beaver Lake cottage.
Abrams hasn't been charged with any crime and allegations in the affidavits have yet to be proven in court.
Yesterday, Candy confirmed that the police investigation into Shooting Stars is ongoing, but couldn't provide further details.
There was also speculation that Abrams was fired in part because of his connection to NHL agent David Frost, who U.S. prosecutors say was the target of a murder-for-hire plot by former St. Louis Blues player Mike Danton.
Danton pleaded guilty in July to a conspiracy charge that he tried to hire a hitman to kill Frost, who was his agent. He's scheduled to be sentenced next month.
The hitman turned out to be a government witness.
Abrams worked with Frost eight years ago when Abrams was part owner of the Quinte Hawks and brought Frost on board as the team's assistant coach.
Abrams had put his career as a parole officer with Correctional Services Canada on hold when he signed a three-year deal to coach the Greyhounds last April.
He was brought on with hopes that the veteran junior hockey coach could clean up the team's tarnished image after former head coach John Vanbiesbrouck resigned for using a racial slur when referring to the team's captain.
Yesterday, Abrams told The Whig-Standard he hired a lawyer after he was fired to work out the remainder of his contract with the Greyhounds.
Ottawa lawyer Howard Yegendorf confirmed he was retained by Abrams on Tuesday and had only just made contact with the Greyhounds.
He said it was too early to discuss the contract issues and wouldn't say whether Abrams was looking into wrongful dismissal.
"I'm not ready to discuss it yet," Yegendorf said.
"I will be, hopefully, shortly. I expect there will be some movement quickly on this issue, but I don't know the answers yet."
-----///\\-----Please
----///-\\\----Put This
---|||---|||---On Your
---|||---|||---profile. If
---|||---|||---You Know
----\\\-///----Someone
-----\\///-----Who Died Of
-----///\-----Or Suffers From
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---///--\\\-- Show your Support
RIP papa, grandma, & uncle jack
Get well soon, princess <3
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Sorry, it was Oct. 21, 2004 for the publishing date. you know, in case he wants to sue me for posting public record.
I'm apparently dyslexic?
-----///\\-----Please
----///-\\\----Put This
---|||---|||---On Your
---|||---|||---profile. If
---|||---|||---You Know
----\\\-///----Someone
-----\\///-----Who Died Of
-----///\-----Or Suffers From
----///\\\----Cancer
---///--\\\-- Show your Support
RIP papa, grandma, & uncle jack
Congrats on beating cancer, princess <3
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Not at all. I am suggesting everyone is well aware of the Marty Abrams and bingo. It seems to be brought up on a regular basis and the same folks flap their gums. I think my point is we don't need another thread on the topic.
Do you really think this needs to be discussed?
Now if David Frost actually got a job in Jr hockey again then you have something to talk about.
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lobo, you're right. outside of the 'quinte four', no one in the hockey world accepts or condones Frost. as for Abrams, that was 5 years ago and he has done very well since. if he keeps his nose clean of impropriety, then I can give the man the benefit of the doubt. heinous, violent crimes notwithstanding, everyone deserves a 2nd chance.
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IBG is it really that boring in Winnipeg that you feel the need to dredge up this crap again? The only ones that find this interesting at all are you and maybe SMC57. Go find yourself some hockey to watch and get over the old news that you find so oddly interesting.
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