Maple Leafs waffle-thrower beats the system, hopes ban is over

In late December, Joe Robb was charged with "mischief to property" for tossing waffles on the ice at a Toronto Maple Leafs game while wearing a Santa hat and a Darcy Tucker jersey (which, in other jurisdictions, may have bumped up the charges to a felony).

The Oakville stonemason was copycatting an earlier nonsensical protest in which a fan tossed waffles on the ice in objection to the Leafs' inept play, sparking outpourings of Waffle Mania from Leafs fans, like this well-covered gentleman to the right.

What Robb did, however, was take a fun diversion and make it obnoxious -- throwing waffles on the ice during a Leafs' offensive chance to halt play.

Robb appeared in court on Thursday to face his charge, and according to the Toronto Star he refused to plead guilty:

"They wanted me to do over 30 hours of community service and they wanted me to sign a peace bond and other stuff. I refused," said Robb, 31. "My parents are proud people, Scottish people. And they just always told me, no matter what I do, I should always stick up for myself and back what you're doing and don't stand down."

The Crown agreed to drop the charge on the basis that Robb do five hours of community service, Robb's pro bono lawyer, John Weingust, told the Star.

Ah, but more important than his charges: Can he return to the Air Canada Centre, as MLSE gave him trespass notice that it said will stand "until such time that we remove that."

From the Star:

Robb was under the impression Thursday that as long as he did the community service, a ban on him going to Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment venues, including the ACC, would also be dropped. But his lawyer said the "notice of trespass" Robb was served with is still intact. "There's no specific period of time" and if Robb went to the ACC he could be charged with trespassing, although Weingust suspects the venue's management "might think twice about it now."

Robb feels that once his massive five hours of community service are over, he should be let back into Leafs games, and we agree: As long as he allows the team to brand his forehead with a waffle iron much like Brad Pitt would carve the foreheads of former German officers so they're forever known for their past crimes.

But, short of that: It's just waffles. He does his time, let'em back in. It's all about fan passion in the end ... well, and the ability to turn a silly criminal case into a T-shirt making business, as Robb has been selling Waffle Nation shirts for $20 apiece.

Christina Milian Kelly Brook Robin Tunney Kate Groombridge Dania Ramirez