OP-ED: My Comwave ads are my true legacy by Tie Domi

During my 16-year NHL career, I was notorious for being one of the toughest, most brutal enforcers on the ice. No wonder I have more penalty minutes than any other player in Maple Leafs history!

But, even though the public associates me with hockey, I've always seen things a little differently. I want the public to know that for me, hockey was just the warm-up for my true work here on earth—appearing in Comwave ads. In a perfect world, these ads, and not my achievements on the ice, will be my legacy.

The truth is, most Canadians pay way too much to the big phone and cable companies. But it needn't be this way. Comwave helps people stand up to the big guys by fighting for their right to save.

Have you seen Comwave's new Gold TV package? My stars! For a mere $40 you get a wide range of sport, family, reality, and movie channels. And the fact that I get to be the spokesperson for this amazing telecommunications company? That means more to me than all the years I wore the number 28 on the back of my jersey.

Surprised? You shouldn't be. Even as a young player in the 90s, I was obsessed with finding a cheaper way for Canadians to get quality phone and cable service. And during games, while I was using my body to sucker punch, spear and poke my opponents, my mind was always at work dreaming of phone, cable and Internet bundles that could help businesses and families save big. The fact that I couldn't figure out how to do that was extremely upsetting.

Let me tell you about the day I got the call from Comwave. It was a regular morning in the Domi household. I'd just finished breakfast (eggs, bacon, toast with jelly) when the phone rang and my agent dropped the news that Comwave wanted me. You should have seen the way I jumped for joy and sang a silly song! I thought I was dreaming, but, after pinching myself a few times, I realized that this was as real as it gets. I was finally in a position to help Canadian consumers!

Not to put too fine a point on it, but I love Comwave, and I love being in their ads. That being said, the night before a shoot I'm always a pile of nerves. I might look like a tough guy who doesn't scare easily, but when I'm on set, I'm terrified of doing a bad job and ruining Comwave's reputation. Luckily, Comwave's team of writers, directors and crewmembers always make me look as good as Hollywood legends like Cary Grant, Burt Lancaster, or, my personal hero, Bogie!

Sometimes when I have a free afternoon, I'll drive around in my big truck and visit Comwave customers. They're a friendly breed, and I love to chat with them about their bundles and savings. And if someone's experiencing service interruption? You can bet I'll roll up my sleeves, get on my knees and try to fix it. How I love to fiddle with cables and wires!

Do I regret my NHL career? Not for a moment. The years I spent with the Leafs, Rangers and Jets are some of the happiest of my life. But I can't lie and say hockey ever meant as much to me as affordable and quality telecommunications. My wish is that when young Canadians see me on the screen yelling about cable, they'll say: "I want to do that, too." I can't think of a better legacy than that.

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