The Biggest Mouth In Sports

Maybe part Archie Bunker, too. I wish Coach's Corner was broadcast here, I'd love to watch it. No denying he knows and loves hockey.

posted by mjkredliner at 07:09 AM - reply - flag:

I'm one of the card-carrying pinkos that Cherry reviles so much (or, at least, I would be according to hime if he knew me), but I love Cherry. Most of my friends do not. They think he's an embarassment on some levels. Personally I find his particular brand of jingoism so rare up here that it actually has some positives. Plus, he's a big sweetheart underneath it all - Every other week he'll finish off with a story of some sick kid, or dead soldier in Afghanistan and he'll start to blubber... But in a really genuine way. I find it very refreshing, in some way. Mjk - you're right about the Archie Bunker comparison. A generally sweet guy who has had to be dragged kicking and screaming into the next century. I'm not sure if the Limbaugh comparisons are apt - They seem drastically different to me, apart from both being on TV and fiercly opinionated. I guess they're both labelled as 'right wing' but LImbaugh is a calculating manipulator, Cherry is kinda dumb on that, more of a blue collar "work hard, never surrender" kinda guy.

posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 07:51 AM - reply - flag:

I've never had much use for Cherry until I read Open Net. This is the George Plimpton book where he plays goal during a training camp for the then Cherry-led Bruins. I thought for sure that Cherry would be an unwilling participant in the book, but he was really supportive of Plimpton throughout the whole thing and never held back with his knowledge of the game and the history of the game. His seething hatred of Eddie Shore made for some pretty funny stories.

posted by NoMich at 09:19 AM - reply - flag:

I used to read his hockey article in the chicago sun times every week and it was always very interesting, informative, and funny the way he would tell the story

posted by luther70 at 09:34 AM - reply - flag:

All sports need their dinosaurs to keep the lore of "back in the day" alive. Cherry is one of those dinosaurs who will forever be denied a return to the glory days by the powers that be, but has the perfect outlet for both his disdain and imoveable love for the game on "Hockey Night in Canada", a dinosaur in its own right.

posted by gradys_kitchen at 10:13 AM - reply - flag:

Cherry is one of those dinosaurs who will forever be denied a return to the glory days by the powers that be That's far from the case. He's more in his "glory" now than he ever was as a coach. His influence extends all the way across Canada (and some would say hockey), and he has the ability to say and do what he wants with almost zero fear of retribution. In fact, the "retribution" he faces from public backlash actually feeds the cycle as more people turn in the next week to see how he'll react to the backlash. The CBC might make small overtures to the idea of trying to control him, but they know that a controversial Cherry is the best thing for their programming. He's also done a lot for minor hockey and women's hockey. I'm actually quite surprised he hasn't been inducted into the media wing of the Hall of Fame.

posted by grum@work at 11:18 AM - reply - flag:

I love that picture of Cherry and his son, rocking the Saugus hockey jersey. Represent!

posted by Venicemenace at 12:46 PM - reply - flag:

"Hockey Night in Canada", a dinosaur in its own right. Okay I'll bite - why is this a dinosaur? It's as much of an institution as Monday Night Football - if MNF pre-dated television.

posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 01:53 PM - reply - flag:

I think he has some Tony Stewart in him too.

posted by dbt302 at 02:06 PM - reply - flag:

My Centre Ice package includes "Hockey Night in Canada" Must see TV in this household and Don Cherry is more of a cross between Howard Cosell and Liberache.........

posted by skydivedad at 02:52 PM - reply - flag:

Okay I'll bite - why is this a dinosaur? It's as much of an institution as Monday Night Football - if MNF pre-dated television. You're taking my dinosaur comment as if it is some sort of jab. What I'm saying is that we need these institutions that stay firmly rooted in the old school. These are the dinosaurs I refer too not the bones that hang in some antiquated museum. MNF included. But if you did want some sort of indicator of forethcoming extinction ... 30 teams only 6 Canadian. Somehow Hockey Night in Southern California will never sound right and Barry Melrose could never be as crusty or interesting as DC.

posted by gradys_kitchen at 03:51 PM - reply - flag:

Barry Melrose could never be as crusty or interesting as DC. Well, duh. That's why he's got the hair!

posted by The_Black_Hand at 03:57 PM - reply - flag:

Not familiar with Cherry, but nobody deserves to be compared to Rush.

posted by sickleguy at 04:03 PM - reply - flag:

Yeah, I agree sickleguy, that was a quote from the article. Cherry could not be as pompous, could not blow his own horn as much, and as Weedy pointed out, is not a manipulative sidewinder like Rush. NoMich, I have read many of Plimpton's works, but Open Net has eluded me, thanks for the scoop. I really like the video clips embedded in the article, particularly where he speaks of Bobby Orr playing for Team Canada against doctors orders, I had no idea that occurred, and the photo of he, Bobby Clarke and Gerry Cheevers in an obviously less than 5 star hotel. He is great for his sport and his country, I think.

posted by mjkredliner at 04:25 PM - reply - flag:

I moved to Canada ten years ago. One of the first Canadian institutions I remember seeing was Hockey Night in Canada and this ranting loon named Don Cherry. God bless 'im:) Comparing him to Limbaugh? What next? Comparing Gretsky to Hitler? NOBODY deserves to be compared to that fat nazi drug addict.

posted by Drood at 08:16 PM - reply - flag:

what I find the most interesting about this piece (great post btw, mjkredliner), the thing that also happens to be a chapter in my doctoral thesis (in process right now), is the way in which Cherry's oft-inflammatory comments and narratives are immediately, by default, problematic or counter to the increasing "multicultural" milieu in Canada (and hockey). I think people would be surprised to find out who actually buys into what Cherry has to say, those who share some of his perspectives on things. I think Weedy hit it right on the head too. I don't think that Cherry is a calculated front-man with some right-wing political/ideological agenda ... he's just a regular, hard-workin' guy who wittingly or not serves up a lot of challenging (and yes, often problem-filled) but potentially useful narratives for us to explore and engage with. p.s. Weedy, I too am one of the "pinkos" that Cherry would likely hate if he knew what I thought/did ... but I forgive him for that :) I'd love to sit and have a brew with the old boy to chat about our differences ... and our similarities. It'd be fun ... of course, when is drinking beer not???

posted by Spitztengle at 02:30 AM - reply - flag:

Spitzy - you're doing your doctoral thesis on Don Cherry? Makes me want to sing the national anthem. What a county.

posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 08:03 AM - reply - flag:

I wish Coach's Corner was broadcast here, I'd love to watch it. You can watch his segments, on the CBC website, at your leisure.

posted by gspm at 10:55 AM - reply - flag:

27 years ago, the Bruins fired the wrong man. Harry Sinden went on to become Jeremy Jacobs' chief stooge in running the once-proud Boston franchise into the ground. Now Sinden is part of the Bruins in name only, while Don Cherry carries on (pun intended) on Coach's Corner. There is more entertainment value in 7 minutes worth of Don Cherry than there has been in 7 seasons of Bruins hockey. Keep on talking, DC. PS, What ever happened to "Blue"?

posted by Howard_T at 07:17 PM - reply - flag:

That, or he's really, really old.

posted by yerfatma at 06:17 AM - reply - flag:

Thank you for the link, gspm. The CBC does not have rights to the video highlights that are part of Coach's Corner? Bummer. Cherry's love for his great Bruin teams is evident, Howard_T, and I am inclined to agree with your assessment.

posted by mjkredliner at 08:57 AM - reply - flag:

Monday, November 27, 2006

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