Sour Grapes

The inevitable happened over the past weekend. The most shocking thing probably is that it took so long.

Don Cherry was fired from Hockey Night In Canada for making controversial statements. The possibility of firing him has probably happened more than a few times over his 30 years with CBC/Rogers. He has said a lot worse.

I suspect Rogers was thrilled that "Grapes" finally tripped up this season. The network has been cutting great talent because of the enormous weight of their budget due to the NHL contract. Bob McCown, John Shannon, Nick Kypreos, Darren Millard are but a few who have been let go recently. Long time mainstays who were good at their job, but were casualties of the budget.

It is presumed that Cherry made more than all of them. Probably significantly more.The problem was Rogers couldn't cut Cherry. His Coach's Corner segment was the biggest draw for the network. Even at his price tag, he made them money. For all that is wrong with Cherry, people watched and he made his network a lot of money.

Rogers couldn't justify cutting Cherry until he screwed up. Perhaps it was the Coach's Corner sponsor, Budweiser, that made the final call? Perhaps it was Roger's convenient out? We may never know.

Now he is 85 years old. He could just call it quits and not care anymore. Or he could reappear, likely next season, and be a force. Does TSN give him a spot somewhere, knowing it would be a ratings killer? Or does Cherry hire someone to help him become a social media star. He could be very popular on YouTube.

Many people are gleefully dumping on Cherry this week. For what happened on the weekend is rightful. But his many enemies are dumping on him mostly just for being Don Cherry, the only man who became bigger than Hockey Night in Canada.

Somehow I think we have not heard the last from Don Cherry yet.

Strombo Night In Canada

I think a lot of people were caught off guard this week by the announcement of George Stromboulopoulos as the new host of Hockey Night in Canada.

I have a lot of respect for Stromboulopoulos. I consider him to be one of the best interviewers I've ever known. No matter what the topic he comes across as well informed and genuinely interested. He is smart, sharp and witty.

Now I have to admit I was initially skeptical. Will Strombo show up wearing his ear and nose rings and a Ramones t-shirt? Okay, probably not, be he certainly won't be wearing the old company baby-blue blazer, either. But that's the thing about Strombo. He's gotten everyone to look past the spikey hair and the MuchMusic presentation to realize he is not only Mr. Charisma but the hardest working man in the business. He will earn your respect. But he might have his work cut out for him with such an entrenched show like HNIC, with it's 60 years of history.

And, unbeknownst to many who know him as a rocker turned news personality, Strombo actually got his start in the business in sports. He worked for Bob McCown and the boys at Toronto's FAN 590 radio station before quickly moving on to his own radio stardom that led to television opportunities with MuchMusic, CBC and CNN.

Stromboulopoulos replaces Ron MacLean. MacLean has a huge following but his exit is long overdue. Long ago MacLean forgot his role as host as he turned Hockey Night in Canada into his own personal soap box. He also seemed to think he was bigger than the show itself. Only Don Cherry is allowed to think that - partially because he actually is.

MacLean does stay and will continue to host Cherry's Coach's Corner segment where Cherry is sure to keep him in line. Besides, Cherry is less likely to ever correctly pronounce Stromboulopoulos as I am to ever spell it without triple checking.

MacLean will also host Hockey Day in Canada festivities and similar celebrations, as well as figure prominently in a new Sunday show Hometown Hockey largely aimed at grass roots. Those are MacLean's strengths, though the return of Scott Russell in similar roles would have been welcomed.

No word on other changes in store for Hockey Night in Canada. There probably won't be too many fans disappointed if P.J. Stock and Glenn Healy disappear. Hopefully Elliotte Friedman is given a much larger role.

I do hope they keep Bob Cole in the rotation if only because his iconic voice is such an institution. I also hope they keep the Punjabi broadcasts alive. I have no idea how profitable that operation is but it is a great vehicle for hockey and Canada, giving our great game to new generations of Canadians.

Daren Millard and Jeff Marek were also announced as Roger's new hosts of Wednesday and Thursday night broadcasts, respectively.

Looking Back: Hockey Day in Canada

Jack Todd of the Montreal Gazette had this to say about CBC's latest rendition of Hockey Day in Canada:

It came near the end of a long day of smug, self-congratulatory and intermittently fascinating television served up by our national network: Hockey Day in Canada, a celebration of our national game, of those who play it, those who watch it, those who drive their kids to the rink and those who drive the Zambonis.

Part self-aggrandizement on the part of Ron MacLean and Don Cherry, part the misty evocation of frozen ponds and part the grubby, hard-edged ring of coin being scooped into NHL coffers, Hockey Day in Canada has become (despite its refusal to acknowledge the existence of Quebec) an annual marking point and, at its best, a genuine celebration of our national game.

Those are some pretty strong words, but Mr. Todd is not incorrect. But let's forget about the Ron and Don Show for a moment and look back at some of that intermittently fascinating television, specifically the short video documentary called Ace Bailey's Legacy Lives On.

He was not the greatest hockey player - in fact he was not even the greatest hockey player named Ace Bailey. But he was the greatest teammate and friend in the business. Unfortunately Garnet "Ace" Bailey lost his life on United Airlines flight 175 that crashed into the World Trade Center on September 11th, 2001. Not even the hockey world could escape the tragedy of 9/11, but his legacy lives on to this day:



While Hockey Day in Canada is a television event, the CBC website did an excellent job of contributing nice support pieces in the form of blog posts. Be sure to read Tim Wharnsby's excellent biography of Spence Tatchell, the first NHLer from Lloydminster, Saskatchewan. Wharnsby also caught up with the recently retired Wade Redden, while Dave Bidini treats us to a wonderful piece on Wendel Clark back on the prairie.

Hockey Card of the Day: Don Cherry

1974 O-Pee-Chee Don Cherry #161 RC Rookie Card

Don Cherry

Don Cherry. He needs no introduction. He was a controversial and more successful coach. Then he became a very controversial and even more successful broadcaster.

But not everyone realizes he was once a NHL player.

Well, once being the key word. He played 16 professional seasons totalling about 1150 pro games, but just one time did he play in the National Hockey League.

"As a kid I prayed to God to make me a professional hockey player. I should have specified in the NHL," the man they call "Grapes" is fond of saying.

Hey, at least it was a Stanley Cup playoff game. And no one was more proud than Don Cherry's mother. She made him a whole bunch of home-made cookies and cakes. The Bruins kidded the rookie pretty good about that after the game. Imagine that - a rookie entering the dressing room carrying bags of cookies and cakes. They may have teased him about it, but they were also sure to help themselves. It's not certain that Cherry ever did get to taste any of those celebratory baked goods.

Had it not been for his reincarnation many years later as a successful coach and boisterous television personality that is probably what would be remembered about Don Cherry's NHL career - his mother's baking.

Great Moments In Hockey History: Don Cherry's Too Many Men On The Ice Call

May 10, 1979: Time was running out on the Montreal Canadiens' attempt to win a fourth consecutive Stanley Cup until Guy Lafleur's blazing slapshot beat Boston Bruins goaltender Gilles Gilbert at 18:46 of the third period for the game-tying goal in Game 7 of their Semifinal series. Lafleur's goal was scored on a power play resulting from a bench minor penalty assessed to the Bruins and head coach Don Cherry for 'too many men' on the ice.

 

Sunday Funnies: Dog Gone It

Don Cherry's pitbull terrier Blue is just one of a few things he is famous for. But he once faced a tough choice about keeping his beloved pet.

You see Blue once bit Cherry's wife Rose. When they told Cherry that they were going to have to put her down, Cherry said "That's a shame. I'm going to miss Rose."

Maybe it wasn't such a tough choice after all.

Hockey History Photo of the Day: Kevin Bieksa Meets Don Cherry

A young Kevin Bieksa (of the Cawfield Canucks) meets Don Cherry.

Hockey History Photo of the Day: Grapes

Top Ten Don Cherry Quotes

Often controversial, always entertaining. Here are my top ten quotes from Don Cherry:

1. On Edmonton Oilers defenseman Randy Gregg, who also happened to be a doctor, missing a wide open net:

"How would you like that guy operating on you with those hands?"

2. On Ron MacLean's puns:

"A million comedians starving to death and you're trying to be one."

3. On being pulled over by a motorcycle policeman:

"He was wearing a visor. I thought he was Russian."

4. On the Boston Bruins:

"I love them so much I still wear their shorts."

5. On who should have been the game's three stars in a particularly bad game:

"No. 1 - the Zamboni driver. No. 2 - an usher. No 3. - a guy selling popcorn."

6. On his love for his dog Blue:

"I'm the only guy in the world who turned down $15,000 because his dog wouldn't fly."

7. On lessons learned in life:

"Never forget a friend. And never forget an enemy."

8. On his love of clothes:

"Even then (in the early days), I had the best suits and best shirts. I always looked sharp. The kids didn't have shoes, but I always looked good."

9. On the Canadian Football League:

"The best thing about this game, there's no Russians or Swedes playing."

10. On his real thoughts about immigrants to Canada:

"When I come into an airport at 2am, guess who takes my ticket? They work hard, and they're alright in my book."

Don Cherry Did What?

This is Gerry Blaine, a nice junior hockey player. He played in the Manitoba Junior League with St. Boniface, a junior team sponsored by the Montreal Canadiens. That junior team almost captured junior hockey's most cherished prize, the Memorial Cup, in 1953, but fell short to the Barrie Flyers. The Flyers boasted the likes of Don McKenney, Doug Mohns, and a young Don Cherry!

A very interesting incident occurred between Blaine and Cherry. Cherry of course went onto a career as minor league tough guy and later coach and broadcaster who controversially promoted fighting and rough hockey.

Well, in game 5 of the Memorial Cup final in 1953, Blaine became very angry at one of the Barrie players, and began chasing him around the ice in order to fight him, but the player ran away scared and unwilling to drop the gloves.

Hal Sigurdson of the Winnipeg Free Press remembered the story in a 1996 article, and claimed it was Cherry who had cowardly hid.

"Blaine's teammate, Ab McDonald....says it was Cherry. So does former provinicial cabinet minister Larry Desjardins, who was general manager of Blaine's St. Boniface Canadiens at the time."

Gerry Blaine himself isn't sure.

"To be honest, I'm not sure," he said. "Orval Tessier had just slashed our goaltender, Hal Dalkie and I drilled him. When he went down I tried to pick him up, but he turtled. I'd never seen a guy do that before. Anyways, I heard another of their players chirping so I went after him. he took off and I chased him. When I asked our guys who it was they told me his name was Don Cherry."

Like Cherry, Blaine would only go on to play one game in the National Hockey League. Total Hockey suggests the once promising winger fell victim to the "Demon Rum"..

Cherry Biopic Fantastic

This is what Don Cherry really looked like in 1955:


But for now the 1955 Cherry looks a whole lot more like actor Jared Keeso, pictured to the right. Keeso was amazing in Sunday night's part one of the Don Cherry biopic Keep Your Head Up, Kid.

My expectations are always pretty low for these type of things. Maybe that's why I was blown away with the movie Sunday night. Never mind the fact that Cherry is perhaps Canada's most unmistakable personality in Canada. It took no time at all for me to forget all about that and really get into enjoying this show.

Keeso is fantastic, and the show's production quality is amazing. The hockey scenes are great. There is a very authentic minor league feel of days gone by. And even an objective Cherry basher (if there is such a thing) can't help but be pulling for the youngster as he tries to fulfill his hockey dreams.

Do yourself a favor. Make sure you tune into Monday night at 8pm to catch the conclusion of Keep Your Head Up, Kid: The Don Cherry Story.

Don Cherry Movie Starts Tonight

Keep Your Head Up, Kid - CBC's Don Cherry biopic - airs in two parts Sunday and Monday nights.

It is a "story about success and failure and perseverance." That's how Jared Keeso, who portrays Cherry, describes the film.

The film was written and produced by Don's son Tim, a long time television producer in Canada. While most Canadians know Don as the loud television personality, this movie does not cover that. Instead it chronicles Cherry's life as a youth, a minor league hockey player and long time coach.

CBC has lots more information.

Paul In The Hall?

I have never been one to believe that Paul Henderson belongs in the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Yes, he scored arguably the most famous goal in hockey history, but otherwise he was an above average but not great player. Still, many people want to see Henderson inducted, especially now with news that he is battling cancer.

Count Don Cherry as one of those who wants it to happen.

Last week Cherry argued for his induction on his "Grapeline" radio show with Brian Williams.

"I can not, for the life of me, I can not figure why he is not in the Hall of Fame," he proclaimed, later adding his exclusion is "complete nonsense."

"Now figure it out, folks. The most important series ever, as far as I'm concerned, in sports. He gets the three game winning goals like we talked about. Why he is not in the Hall of Fame, it is beyond me."

He goes on to compare Henderson with his 1972 nemesis, Vladislav Tretiak.

"I'm not here to knock Tretiak, he was a great goaltender and if you want to put him in the Hall of Fame, no question at all put him in the Hall of Fame.

Paul gets three game winning goals against him in the greatest series of all time. Tretiak is in the net that he put it in. He's the loser, Paul's the winner. Tretiak getss in the Hall of Fame, Paul doesn't get in. Absolute nonsense. Get smart Hall of Fame. Shake your head and put Paul Henderson in the Hockey Hall of Fame.

You can hear the entire episode of Grapeline with this direct audio link, including Don's memories of where he was when Paul Henderson scored "the goal heard around the world."

I throw it out to you - does Paul Henderson belong in the Hockey Hall of Fame?

Coach's Corner From Terrace, BC

Special thanks to Merv Ritchie for this:

Coaches Corner in Terrace @ Yahoo! Video

Did You Know? Don Cherry's Brother Played With Flyers

Every hockey fan knows who Don Cherry is - the loud obnoxious TV personality and former very successful coach of the Boston Bruins. But few people know who Dick Cherry is.

"People are forever coming up and asking me, 'Hey, aren't you Don's brother?' " explained Dick. "I've been called 'Don's brother' so often in recent years that I sometimes think my initials are D.B. Thankfully, people in Kingston still know me as Dick, which truly is my first name."

While Dick lives in the very big shadow of his brother, he was actually a better player - 149 times better if you compare NHL games played totals. Don only appeared in one NHL game in his long minor league career. Dick too played mostly in the minors, but appeared in 149 games - 8 with Boston and 141 with Philadelphia.

"Most people around Kingston realize that I played a couple of years in the NHL," says Dick. "In fact, there was actually a time when folks around here referred to Don as my brother!"

That was back in 1968 through 1970 when Dick benefited from NHL expansion. The long time minor leaguer finally caught on as a limited defenseman and fulltime penalty killer with the young Flyers.

Dick initially sat out the first NHL season to teach elementary school in Kingston. He had initially retired from hockey in 1963 after 6 seasons in the minors to teach school. He came out of retirement in 1966-67 to play with the Oklahoma City Blazers of the CHL but returned to the halls of education.

Dick jumped a Flyers offer of $22,000 contract with a guarantee to play in the NHL .

"That was a hell of a lot of money in those days," recalled Cherry. "I went to the school director and asked him for a leave of absence to play in the NHL and the thought it was a great idea. So, off I went to Philadelphia.

Cherry earned a niche as a penalty killer but also popped in an impressive 9 goals in his rookie year, helping the Flyers reach the playoffs. His biggest goal came during the opening game of the 1969 playoffs against St. Louis.

"I scored a goal against Jacques Plante of the Blues" Dick remembers. "We ended up losing the game 5-2, but it was quite a thrill to get a goal in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Its a memory I'll keep with me the rest of my life."

Dick played another full season in Philly in 1969-70. His numbers dipped to 3 goals and 4 assists in 68 games. In the off-season he was reclaimed by the Boston Bruins in a intra-league draft. Dick was reluctant to leave the Flyers, as he knew there was little chance he'd play in Boston. He decided to play one more year, even though he'd return to Oklahoma City in the minor leagues "just to be eligible for NHL pension benefits" before retiring for good at age 34.

Dick returned to teaching full time and later became a principal.

All-Canadian Thursday

The only two games on the NHL schedule tonight feature two intense Canadian rivalries. Ottawa plays host to Toronto, while Calgary travels to Vancouver.

Such nights should make Captain Canada happy:

Speaking of Don Cherry, his book Don Cherry's Hockey Stories and Stuff, are still on the Globe & Mail bestseller list. And it's 50% off this week only at Amazon.ca

Cherry vs. Grapes

Over at HockeyBookReviews.com I take a look at Don Cherry's new book Don Cherry's Hockey Stories and Stuff. In a nutshell I call it "Coach's Corner Comes To Paper." | Buy The Book: Amazon - Chapters |

I also took the time to compare his new book to his original book. Back when he first was getting big on Hockey Night In Canada, he and Stan Fischler penned Grapes: A Vintage View of Hockey in 1983.

Which book is better? You'll have to go to HockeyBookReviews.com to find out.

Don Cherry's Stories And Stuff

The Globe and Mail has published the 6th of six excerpts from Don Cherry's new book Don Cherry's Stories & Stuff. Here's all six excerpts:

Part 1: All About Grapes
Part 2: So I Says "What The Hell?" So I'm Going Down Swinging
Part 3: The Nastiest Guy I've Ever Seen Was The Rock
Part 4: The More You Hurt Him, The More He Liked It
Part 5: You Couldn't Believe The Snowstorm
Part 6. Is There A Guy Who Plays Around Here? Mulberry?

On Monday, November 3rd I will have my full review of Don Cherry's Stories & Stuff. Then on Tuesday, November 4th, I will compare his new book to his original book from 1983, Grapes: A vintage view of hockey.

Excerpts From New Don Cherry Book Available Online

If you watched Coach's Corner on Hockey Night In Canada on Saturday you saw Don Cherry hawking his new book Don Cherry's Stories & Stuff.

The book is released today, October 28th. I previewed the release this past summer, but there is an even better preview available online every day this week at the Globe & Mail's website.

The Globe is publishing excerpts of the Cherry's new book, and I have to admit I'm impressed. I really wasn't sure what to expect from a book called "Stories & Stuff," especially one written by Al Strachan of all people. But it looks like Grapes clears the air on more than a few occasions. It's far more than just rock 'em, sock 'em on paper.

There are six parts to the Globe and Mail excerpt previews. Here's the two listed to date:

Part 1: All About Grapes
Part 2: So I Says "What The Hell?" So I'm Going Down Swinging

I'll post more as the days go on. Check in at Hockey Book Reviews.com