Don Cherry on the Sens Ducks intermission

Don Cherry is tearing Bettman and NBC a new one right now about the pussification of the NHL. :handclap:

Don Cherry is tearing Bettman and NBC a new one right now about the pussification of the NHL. :handclap:

He loves the Broad Street Bullies. As I wrote on the GDT thread, Versus needs to put Don Cherry, Brett Hull, Barry Melrose and Jeremy Roenick together for a one-hour special. :handclap:

He loves the Broad Street Bullies. As I wrote on the GDT thread, Versus needs to put Don Cherry, Brett Hull, Barry Melrose and Jeremy Roenick together for a one-hour special. :handclap:

Followed by a cage-match double-team special, in which the duo of Cherry-Roenick faces off against Melrose-Hull. Sweet.

Don Cherry is tearing Bettman and NBC a new one right now about the pussification of the NHL. :handclap:

I just got back from the gym... care to give me a quick summary of what he said? Any one-liners that left an impression?

I just got back from the gym... care to give me a quick summary of what he said? Any one-liners that left an impression?

Bill Clement asked Don how you stop cheap shots like the one Alfredsson took and Don said "Well, the Broad Street Bullies would know how to do it wouldn't they?"

He then asks Clement if he can talk about the instigator penalty, and says the fans love the fights, the players love the fights, and the reason they cut it down is to get US viewers.

He said when he was in Colorado they'd get the Stanley Cup champions in and get 14,000 - Philly would come and they'd get 16,000 with 2,000 waiting outside.

Then he points at the camera and says to the people at home "Admit it - you'd love to see a fight right now. The National Hockey League is making a big mistake."

And Brett Hull egged him on the whole way.

Wonderful.

Followed by a cage-match double-team special, in which the duo of Cherry-Roenick faces off against Melrose-Hull. Sweet.

Barry's a lover not a fighter. ;)

That bit with Hull and Cherry was so refreshing after 2 seasons of pure "speed and skill" banter

I absolutley hate Don Cherry ever since we knocked the Leafs out of the playoffs in 04'. During that last game, between regulation and OT, him and side kick Ron McLean were picking who was going to score the OT winner, and Cherry refused to pick a player from the Flyers.
He was going on all series how the Flyers could not win with an all European defense. And when Roenick scored, he would not give Philly an credit

I absolutley hate Don Cherry ever since we knocked the Leafs out of the playoffs in 04'. During that last game, between regulation and OT, him and side kick Ron McLean were picking who was going to score the OT winner, and Cherry refused to pick a player from the Flyers.
He was going on all series how the Flyers could not win with an all European defense. And when Roenick scored, he would not give Philly an credit

Don's a Leaf fan and makes no secret about it...

I love Don Cherry... absolutely magical whenever he opens his pie hole. Sure, he's bat **** insane but a dose of crazy is a good thing sometimes.

It's not like he's calling play by play.

yea he did a great job. fighting is not ever going to be a family sport, why market it as one now? amkes more sense to market the game as it should be and ge tthe people youd expext to get to watch it. besides what family that gets together to watch football wont watch a little eager vs brasher

A big misconception IMO is that eliminating fighting will bring in more American viewers. I can understand not liking fighting (barely), but those people who say they don't watch hockey because of the fighting are not being completely honest. If fighting was gone tommorow, they would make up some other excuse not to watch hockey.

I just got back from the gym... care to give me a quick summary of what he said? Any one-liners that left an impression?


He mad fun of Brett Hull for having his foot in the crease for a goal when Hull was saying he thought Alfreddson kicked the puck in game 3. I forget the phrasing, but it was pretty funny assuming it was the goal i was thinking of (Hulls)

People in Canada hate Don Cherry, but if he was down here Americans would never be able to get enough of him. Not only would he have his own hockey show, he very likely could not only have his own show about sports, but about life in general.

The "casual" hockey fan or the new fan would think he is so over the top that they'd look at him like an alien, like "people like this exist?"

I'd love to see him on ESPN first take, bantering with Stephen A Smith and watch Don Cherry dog him or with Skip Bayless and be completely appalled by utter stupidity with that look he gives when Ron MacLean mentions a play and Don just does that gaze and goes "Ohhh, now let me tell you something kids..."

People in Canada hate Don Cherry, but if he was down here Americans would never be able to get enough of him. Not only would he have his own hockey show, he very likely could not only have his own show about sports, but about life in general.

The "casual" hockey fan or the new fan would think he is so over the top that they'd look at him like an alien, like "people like this exist?"

I'd love to see him on ESPN first take, bantering with Stephen A Smith and watch Don Cherry dog him or with Skip Bayless and be completely appalled by utter stupidity with that look he gives when Ron MacLean mentions a play and Don just does that gaze and goes "Ohhh, now let me tell you something kids..."

people in canada DO NOT HATE Don Cherry.he actually made the list of top Canadians. hey lets face it, he's gold.and yes there are TONs of people like him in existance.he's kinda like mike ditka of hockey.

Bill Clement asked Don how you stop cheap shots like the one Alfredsson took and Don said "Well, the Broad Street Bullies would know how to do it wouldn't they?"

He then asks Clement if he can talk about the instigator penalty, and says the fans love the fights, the players love the fights, and the reason they cut it down is to get US viewers.

He said when he was in Colorado they'd get the Stanley Cup champions in and get 14,000 - Philly would come and they'd get 16,000 with 2,000 waiting outside.

Then he points at the camera and says to the people at home "Admit it - you'd love to see a fight right now. The National Hockey League is making a big mistake."

And Brett Hull egged him on the whole way.

Wonderful.

I'm sure Bettman just looooooooooooooved that comment.

I know I sure did. :D

Seriously, about Bettman... I just hate that weasel more and more everyday.

People in Canada hate Don Cherry, but if he was down here Americans would never be able to get enough of him. Not only would he have his own hockey show, he very likely could not only have his own show about sports, but about life in general.

The "casual" hockey fan or the new fan would think he is so over the top that they'd look at him like an alien, like "people like this exist?"

I'd love to see him on ESPN first take, bantering with Stephen A Smith and watch Don Cherry dog him or with Skip Bayless and be completely appalled by utter stupidity with that look he gives when Ron MacLean mentions a play and Don just does that gaze and goes "Ohhh, now let me tell you something kids..."

Stephen A Smith and Don Cherry don't speak the same language. Don Cherry is not going to make Americans like hockey any more than they do.

I do not like Cherry but yesterday what he said was 100% right.

people in canada DO NOT HATE Don Cherry.he actually made the list of top Canadians. hey lets face it, he's gold.and yes there are TONs of people like him in existance.he's kinda like mike ditka of hockey.

Not everyone, but a fair amount that run around here do.

Stephen A Smith and Don Cherry don't speak the same language. Don Cherry is not going to make Americans like hockey any more than they do.

I know, but it would be great for them two to go at it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3FwRoBoYuM

A big misconception IMO is that eliminating fighting will bring in more American viewers. I can understand not liking fighting (barely), but those people who say they don't watch hockey because of the fighting are not being completely honest. If fighting was gone tommorow, they would make up some other excuse not to watch hockey.

I agree. Ultimate Fighting/MMA is one of the most up and coming sports on TV. People like fighting.

Hockey is always going to be a niche sport. Most of my friends who love basketball, football, baseball just don't care about it.

Instead of alienating their existing fanbase in an attempt to water the game down for mass consumption, they should focus on keeping us all happy. It's just a sign of the times, where everything is a brand first and a product second.

A big misconception IMO is that eliminating fighting will bring in more American viewers. I can understand not liking fighting (barely), but those people who say they don't watch hockey because of the fighting are not being completely honest. If fighting was gone tommorow, they would make up some other excuse not to watch hockey.

the people who say they don't watch hockey because of the fighting are probably the same people who are prancing down the streets of san francisco in rainbow colored shorts.

no matter where you go in North America, sports in certain regions are more popular than others. I honestly do not know of one person for example in my circle of friends who watches baseball or even gives a damn about it for that matter. What makes sports popular a lot of the time are tradition, history & culture (which probably fits into tradition). There are reasons that Hockey is bigger in Nova Scotia, and reasons why Football dominates in Texas.

I think what drove my early love of hockey was the fact i was never limited be a season of how i can play. Summer was road hockey, and winter of course was on the rinks & ponds. Although it would be fun, don't think you could play baseball on a frozen lake too well.

Climate is a huge indicator of what sports are successful and what aren't. Which would explain typically why the northern states have a better following than southern for the game.

One issue that always got on my nerves was "hockey has too many rules". I guarantee you, you sit 2 people down in front of a t.v. that have never seen a minute of hockey or football, and that person will pick up on hockey much faster (not trying to bash football, i *** love the sport).

In my opinion, hockey is the most complete package there is. Toughness, Pace of the game, skill & athletism. What the game needs is more rivalries for the teams in non-traditional hockey markets to help grow the game. Not sure how many people get excited for a game between Columbus & Nashville these days.

That bit with Hull and Cherry was so refreshing after 2 seasons of pure "speed and skill" banter

Hull brought up the point that the fighting and enforcing actually opens up the game.

In the 80's there was plenty of fighting, speed and skill. Now, we have 'systems'.

A big misconception IMO is that eliminating fighting will bring in more American viewers. I can understand not liking fighting (barely), but those people who say they don't watch hockey because of the fighting are not being completely honest. If fighting was gone tommorow, they would make up some other excuse not to watch hockey.

I believe you are absolutely correct. I've never met anyone who said, "well, I like to watch hockey, except when the fights break out."

Hull brought up the point that the fighting and enforcing actually opens up the game.

In the 80's there was plenty of fighting, speed and skill. Now, we have 'systems'.

So what you're saying is the enforcers should beat up the coaches and then there won't be anymore systems? ;)

So what you're saying is the enforcers should beat up the coaches and then there won't be anymore systems? ;)

Exactly! :D

People in Canada hate Don Cherry, but if he was down here Americans would never be able to get enough of him. Not only would he have his own hockey show, he very likely could not only have his own show about sports, but about life in general.
???????
In 2004, he was named the seventh-greatest Canadian of all time (Tommy Douglas won), ahead of Wayne Gretzky and Alexander Graham Bell, in an exhaustive Canadian Broadcasting Company poll that drew 140,000 votes.
.....
He is the most-watched personality on Canadian television and arguably the single-most influential voice in Canadian hockey, despite appearing on camera for less than seven minutes once a week during the NHL's regular season. Even the Canadian Press, the country's national wire service, has someone tape Coach's Corner every Saturday and write a story if Cherry says anything controversial.

How popular and consequential is he?

"It's a real hard thing to describe," admits Joel Darling, executive director of "Hockey Night in Canada" and, thus, Cherry's de facto boss. "He's the most recognized face in Canada. It's like traveling with a rock star, the Rolling Stones, except he's bigger than them in this country."

"It's like if you took John Madden and overlaid him with Rush Limbaugh," adds Calgary-based columnist, author and broadcaster Bruce Dowbiggin, one of Cherry's frequent critics. "It's become larger than life. I don't think there's any position in the U.S. that equates to it."
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/eticket/story?page=doncherry
Here was the competition that Grapes faced for the Greatest Canadian title:
http://archives.cbc.ca/IDD-1-74-1455/people/greatest_canadian/

Controversy has followed Cherry all the way into the television booth. Last year, when it appeared the CBC might not renew his contract, thousands of e-mails and phone calls made the network brass aware that Grapes was indeed a valuable commodity when it came to the ratings.

Even early in his contract with Hockey Night in Canada, the brass objected to his language and asked Ralph Mellanby, then executive producer of HNIC to drop him. Mellanby, who discovered Cherry, told his bosses: 'If you want to drop him, you might as well drop me.'

The CBC brass retreated that time, as well.

And if it hadn't, the late Harold Ballard would have gotten into the act, too. He told the CBC: 'If you fire Cherry, don't bother setting up for Saturday's broadcast at Maple Leaf Gardens."
http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Columnists/Gross/2006/09/10/1821985-sun.html

It has been said (and not without some truth) that Canada has two official languages, French and English and Cherry is the biggest star on Canadian television who doesn't speak either of them.

I love Cherry.

A previous poster stated that many around hfboards hate Cherry. I've also noticed many here seem to be pro-Bettman as well. I wonder if there is a correlation between pro-Cherry/anti-Bettman and vice versa.

I don't necessarily enjoy Cherry, but I enjoy that he calls it like he sees it, I wonder if Versus could get him in there instead of Brian Engblom.

Saw Don last night on NBC and absolutely loved him! Rare on TV where somebody acutally speaks his mine w/o all the political correctness. Love his wardrobe too. He looked like Colonel Sanders, all he needed was a bucket of chicken!! :D

Well, I am American and I DO love watching Don Cherry. I think he's great. Even when he's blatently pro Leafs I'd still prefer him over any American analysist. I don't always agree with him but I think he speaks to us old time hockey fans who are appauled at the "new NHL" that Buttman has brought us and all the cheap shots associated with it. I for one would vote for him to be head of the NHL.

He's not worried about being "politically correct" just doing what's right (at least in his eyes). To hell with kissing the non-hockey fans butts, lets just fix our sport for us and give the rest of those left wing, pacifist pansies the finger.

don cherry uh sometimes he's ok, sometimes i can't stand the guy.

being a canadian, every canadian has to fork out extra tax dollars to keep don cherry employed, and he is earning a huge salary. i would just as soon have the tax dollars we spend on him put back into my wallet.

don cherry uh sometimes he's ok, sometimes i can't stand the guy.

being a canadian, every canadian has to fork out extra tax dollars to keep don cherry employed, and he is earning a huge salary. i would just as soon have the tax dollars we spend on him put back into my wallet.

lol Don Cherry doesn't work for the Government.

Saw Don last night on NBC and absolutely loved him! Rare on TV where somebody acutally speaks his mine w/o all the political correctness. Love his wardrobe too. He looked like Colonel Sanders, all he needed was a bucket of chicken!! :D

You don't want to carry around a bucket of fried chicken in a venue where Ken Hitchcock or Mike York might show up.

lol Don Cherry doesn't work for the Government.

public TV station, i do believe.

lol Don Cherry doesn't work for the Government.
The CBC is a TV station funded by the public. So yes, our (Canadians) tax dollars go to pay his salary.

hey Guys,

Ranger fan here. Wanted to ask you guys a question and figured I would throw it into the Don Cherry thread instead of starting a new one. Whats the Flyers gameplan next year in terms of bringing in a tough guy? I am assuming Fedoruk is ready for the glue factory so any word on them bringing in a legit heavyweight? Is Riley Cote gonna get a shot to be the enforcer next year? Is eager gonna be the main guy? I for one like the Ranger - Flyer games when there is as much hostility as possible on the ice. Thanks in advance for the response.

hey Guys,

Ranger fan here. Wanted to ask you guys a question and figured I would throw it into the Don Cherry thread instead of starting a new one. Whats the Flyers gameplan next year in terms of bringing in a tough guy? I am assuming Fedoruk is ready for the glue factory so any word on them bringing in a legit heavyweight? Is Riley Cote gonna get a shot to be the enforcer next year? Is eager gonna be the main guy? I for one like the Ranger - Flyer games when there is as much hostility as possible on the ice. Thanks in advance for the response.

We're just gonna be a tough team, in all likelihood. It's not the biggest concern-if a good heavyweight comes along, they'll snag him, if they've got an open roster slot one night and they're playing the Rangers or someone a guy like Cote might get the call over Ruzicka, but otherwise I think they're just gonna trust the muscle they've got out there. Eager can fight, Richards will fight, Downie will if he makes the team...they'll be OK.

(Speaking on meeting the Terminator)

Grapes: "He was a good guy, You shoulda seen the security around him. Guns and everything. Nice guy."

Hullie: "He's a right winger that's moving to center?"

Grapes: "No, no, he's a left winger now, He's a tree hugger."

:biglaugh:

hey Guys,

Ranger fan here. Wanted to ask you guys a question and figured I would throw it into the Don Cherry thread instead of starting a new one. Whats the Flyers gameplan next year in terms of bringing in a tough guy? I am assuming Fedoruk is ready for the glue factory so any word on them bringing in a legit heavyweight? Is Riley Cote gonna get a shot to be the enforcer next year? Is eager gonna be the main guy? I for one like the Ranger - Flyer games when there is as much hostility as possible on the ice. Thanks in advance for the response.

I expect some brilliantly physical games next season between our teams. It should be great. As for physicality, the Flyers have a number of options though it would be nice for Eager to spend some more time on the score sheet and less time in the box. At the end of the day, there will be players ready to scrap and play gritty in general. There will be as much hostility as possible on the ice.

It would make Don Cherry proud.

lol Don Cherry doesn't work for the Government.
He works for the CBC - it is a government tax subsidized broadcasting network.

People in Canada hate Don Cherry, but if he was down here Americans would never be able to get enough of him. Not only would he have his own hockey show, he very likely could not only have his own show about sports, but about life in general.

The "casual" hockey fan or the new fan would think he is so over the top that they'd look at him like an alien, like "people like this exist?"

I'd love to see him on ESPN first take, bantering with Stephen A Smith and watch Don Cherry dog him or with Skip Bayless and be completely appalled by utter stupidity with that look he gives when Ron MacLean mentions a play and Don just does that gaze and goes "Ohhh, now let me tell you something kids..."

Generalize much?

I'd say your way off base as well. I have met people that are disinterested, but the HOCKEY FANS that I know of all love the guy. His rants are priceless. Even when you don't agree (just fun to watch dammit).

Generalize much?

I'd say your way off base as well. I have met people that are disinterested, but the HOCKEY FANS that I know of all love the guy. His rants are priceless. Even when you don't agree (just fun to watch dammit).

I love his rants.

The way he comes across in reference to the Nordic countries and Quebec... not so much.

Generalize much?

I'd say your way off base as well. I have met people that are disinterested, but the HOCKEY FANS that I know of all love the guy. His rants are priceless. Even when you don't agree (just fun to watch dammit).

yeah, i'm fascinated by the belief that everyone hates him up there... my take from what i've read is that it's VERY love/hate with him.

i don't particularly enjoy him because i think he's mildly insane, but it's definitely interesting to watch.

don cherry uh sometimes he's ok, sometimes i can't stand the guy.

being a canadian, every canadian has to fork out extra tax dollars to keep don cherry employed, and he is earning a huge salary. i would just as soon have the tax dollars we spend on him put back into my wallet.

I suppose but considering that sports in general and HNIC in particular generate the lion's share of revenue for CBC it could be argued that Don Cherry is actually helping to reduce your taxes. If this doesn't work for ya, send me a pm and I'll mail you the 3 or 4 cents that you contribute to his salary.

i loved how cherry was just shooting down everything hull said

It would be interesting to have Cherry & Melrose on the same telecast. Years ago when Melrose was coaching the Kings, Don Cherry sayed he was a candy-a** as a player and is a candy-a** as a coach.

As far as Don Cherry being hated in Canada, there are people up here who don't agree with him and some who don't like him, but the HNIC ratings spike everytime Coaches Corner is on. If Canadians hated him, I don't think they would be tuning into him every saturday night as the ratings who.

It would be interesting to have Cherry & Melrose on the same telecast. Years ago when Melrose was coaching the Kings, Don Cherry sayed he was a candy-a** as a player and is a candy-a** as a coach.

As far as Don Cherry being hated in Canada, there are people up here who don't agree with him and some who don't like him, but the HNIC ratings spike everytime Coaches Corner is on. If Canadians hated him, I don't think they would be tuning into him every saturday night as the ratings who.


I don't know if Cherry ever called Melrose by his actual name. I remember a lot of ranting about "Billy Ray Cyprus" and his hair, though.:D

Cherry is only in Canada am I right? If so, God I wish he would get broadcasted Stateside too.