after the playoffs this year. According to "The Score" the CBC is fed up with Cherry, because he is always speaking his mind and it often gets him into trouble.
23 years. It's gonna be strange not seeing a "Coach's Corner" segment every Saturday.
It's a shame because they're caving to pressure from people who probably don't even watch on a consistent basis and base their opinion of Cherry on selected, often out of context, sound bytes.
CBC will feel their mistake because the ratings and ad revenue that Cherry pulls in will leave. It'll be a coup for whoever gets him. TSN, I'd presume.
Over the course of my lifetime, I've come to know Cherry as an extremely proud Canadian, who loves tough nosed hockey players and absolutely despises soft players, wherever they're from. It just so happens there aren't a lot of French or European players who play the way Cherry likes. The ones that do, get his praise. I've seen him call many Canadians on being soft as well.
I know that the safety of the players is his often his biggest concern. He's constantly promoting and suggesting measures to make the game safer for the players.
He wants kids to be tough but always maintain respect for themselves and each other. He tells them to always hit clean and never take cheap shots.
He gets railroaded by people saying he encourages and promotes violence. He encourages tough, fair play and damnit I'm glad someone is bucking the trend of the feminization of young boys.
Of course, I respect everyone's opinion, good or bad, on Cherry.
Personally? I can't stand him. What some say is "cute" that he pronounces players' names wrong on purpose I call ignorant. What some called "pro-Canadian" when he said he didn't want Europeans on his junior team I call hypocritical for all those Canadians heading to the NCAA to play.
Having said that...CBC would be stupid to cut him loose. Not only would TSN and SportsNet jump at the chance to grab him, but I wouldn't be surprised if Fox Sports or ESPN got involved as well.
I agree with Gagnon. There are plenty of other knowledgeable coaches out there who know how many men are supposed to be on the ice at one time that CBC can get. Tell you wouldn't watch Ted Nolan on Coach's Corner just being all bitter about how the NHL works.
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Nope, there would be no more Coach's Corner without Cherry. I wouldn't watch and I guarantee you that neither would a lot of people.
The end of the first period on CBC is probably the only in between periods or half-time show that people actually turn on and don't switch channels or go out of the room for. In fact, I know a lot of people who don't start watching the games until the end of the first and make it a point to tune in.
Now, that being said, it's going to end sometime. If CBC determines that it's now, so be it. He will go somewhere else and do fine.
Cherry is a good guy, with some very extreme viewpoints, but has always been the guy who will say what he thinks. While I don't agree with most of them, I respect him for always standing by his convictions.
I will say that I do believe he always has the best interest of the game in mind. His stance on equipment changes (look at the body armour that these guys wear now)and make up of arenas has always been one that I agree with.
I would think the "Behind the Mask" becomes the focal point with Kelly Hrudey, which is fine with me.
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Originally posted by The GoonLess Cherry=more Glenn Healy=bad. Is anyone else noticing how he only talks about Detroit? It's really piss-poor.
Dude! Glenn Healy is GREAT!
He does actual analysis on the whys and hows of how plays develop. Such a great hockey mind, and SO clear in the way he explains things.
AND, no I've never noticed a Detroit bias. Even if he does talk about them a lot, so what? They are a great team. Would you rather he talk about, oh, I dunno, Columbus and Chicago?
Re: Cherry - you know, he his heart is in the right place, and I think the "controversial" things are just a schtick, but the schtick has gotten OLD, and Cherry just doesn't make much sense anymore. Hard to follow, partial sentences, and talking about "this guy" and "that guy" without ever explaining who's who.
I won't be angry if he stays, but kind of think it's time for Don to move on, and just be that classic oxymoron, the Canadian Celebrity Personality.
-MHM, winner of the 2000 Throwdown in Christmastown.
Until I realized that he was nothing but a Leaf fan...and now that I have other teams I choose to cheer for, it is rather annoying. Every single segment in the CC is about the Leafs....it is far from objective.
More Hrudy the better.....
Cherry, don't let the door hit you on the way out...
Originally posted by Mr. Heat MiserAND, no I've never noticed a Detroit bias. Even if he does talk about them a lot, so what? They are a great team. Would you rather he talk about, oh, I dunno, Columbus and Chicago?
He might try talking about Calgary, the CANADIAN team, on the CANADIAN broadcast, once in a while. When the first words out of his mouth on the broadcast were, "What Detroit needs to do to win tonight..." I knew it was going to be another frustrating evening of one-sided commentary, right up there with Tuesday night's description of a Flame goal as "unfortunate".
I don't know about you guys but wouldn't it be great if Jeremy Roenick would get this segment after his retirement? Or how about Brett Hull? These guys are the most entertaining behind the mic. I'd love it.
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Originally posted by Mr. Heat MiserAND, no I've never noticed a Detroit bias. Even if he does talk about them a lot, so what? They are a great team. Would you rather he talk about, oh, I dunno, Columbus and Chicago?
He might try talking about Calgary, the CANADIAN team, on the CANADIAN broadcast, once in a while. When the first words out of his mouth on the broadcast were, "What Detroit needs to do to win tonight..." I knew it was going to be another frustrating evening of one-sided commentary, right up there with Tuesday night's description of a Flame goal as "unfortunate".
Well, I'll admit I haven't caught any of the Calgary/Detroit games, so, my bad - but during the regular season, he has seemed fair. If anything, talking about the Rangers too much, but they are one of his old teams.
-MHM, winner of the 2000 Throwdown in Christmastown.
Let me just break up this Canadian fun time by adding nothing of substance to the Don Cherry situation and gladly offering Dwayne Roloson for Cherry in a stright up trade.
Goon, if you're suggesting that Pierre Maguire would be even a passable replacement for Don Cherry you need to give your head a shake. Maguire is an imbecile; that man wouldn't know an insightful comment if it bit him in the ass. I'd rather listen to Ron MacLean argue with himself.
Big Bad's take on Ted Nolan is interesting, because (and I think we agree here) it's criminal that Nolan doesn't have a job in hockey right now. He's an excellent coach and a good man, and deserves much better than he got. That said, people watch Coach's Corner because Cherry makes his points in an entertaining fashion. Nolan may be able to do the Xs and Os thing better than Cherry, but he doesn't have that attention grabbing way about him the way Grapes does. Nolan's next job should be coaching in Ottawa after Muckler gets fired, not on the intermission on HNIC.
Possible scenario: CBC knows that they'll have to cave to public pressure and bring Cherry back the same as they did with Ron MacLean, but with the possibility of a lockout they want to minimize their obligation to him in the face of uncertainty.
I'm hoping this is some sort of ratings ploy to get people tuned in thinking "OMG This could be the last Coach's Corner eeeeeevar!". Ron McLean was said to leave after last year but there was a up cry, Imagine Cherry!
But CBC are always pricks, bunch of government subsidy charity cases. HNIC is the only thing that makes any sort of money for the station yet they feel they can step all over the people who work for them... Fuel asked ratings & ad revenue will take a hit, and it's true but remember this is the CBC, all they have to do is go to Ottawa with their hand out and get more money to fund more crappy programs for their station.
It would be really strange not seeing Don Cherry and I hope he stays. If he doesn't, he should go down to the States. A personality like his could really help market the game down there. Isn't ABC/ESPN contract is up after this season? He could be part of a new U.S TV team, I heard a year ago that CBS/Spike might be interested in the NHL rights... Whatever the case as Cherry has the ability to make himself bigger then the overall package, a character like him could grab some attention to him and therefore watch the game.
I thought Tie Domi was hilarious right after the game getting interviewed and yelling at the CBC reporter "What the hell is with these rumors of CBC letting Don Cherry go. Are they crazy? I want to be your agent Don!"... Good to see Tie was so focused on the hard fought Game 4 victory LoL
Well, the Leafs have been horribly outplayed in 4 out of five games, and yet are only down 3-2 (and had they gotten a cheapie in overtime in Game 4, would be up 3-2).