Tie Domi Talks With The Flyers Fan He Fought In 2001
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- We remember it like it was yesterday.
March 29th, 2001. Toronto Maple Leafs at the Philadelphia Flyers. A middle-aged Flyers fan, who was taunting Maple Leafs tough guy Tie Domi in the penalty box, was sprayed with a bottle of water by Domi.
And then it happened. One of the most infamous moments in Philadelphia sports history.
The fan approached and leaned on the penalty box glass, which gave way seconds later, and all of the sudden Domi and the fan were exchanging punches!
"I was kind of just holding him for a second and then he started throwing punches at Kevin Collins, the linesman," Domi explained Thursday on the 94WIP Morning Show. "That's when I started throwing a few punches and unfortunately I caught him, but he was a good guy. We straightened it all out and I lay it out in the book [Shift Work] pretty clear, how I handle it instead of letting lawyers handle it."
Listen: Tie Domi on the 94WIP Morning Show
Almost 15 years later, Domi and that fan---Chris Falcone of Havertown, PA---were reunited over the phone on 94WIP.
"He's a great guy Chris," Domi said. "How you doing?"
"Actually, I didn't get my ass kicked," Falcone clarified, responding to Angelo Cataldi's introduction. "We met underneath the Wachovia Center, it was cool."
"But how did we solve it? We solved it like two street guys," Domi explained. "No lawyers, no nothing. We shook on it. You came with your family to two playoff games in Toronto. I put you up here, everything is good now. I'm really glad it all worked out and people really have to know the truth on what happened. You're a great guy and a family guy and I'm happy everything is behind us."
"You too man," said Falcone, "You too."
Domi, 46, was public enemy number one in Philadelphia for a long time and even to this day, he says, the rivalry continues. And Domi loves it.
"The fan mail I get from the Philly fans is just incredible, it's more than any place in the whole league to tell you the truth...I played it up in Philly, especially for the fans," Domi said. "They were on me and I would kind of taunt them on too, so it was a lot of fun."