When he is on air he is so opinonated he makes me want to gag. He thinks he is never wrong. He is always telling Ron McLean to shut up. He talks nasty about European players; heck, he doesn't even like the French Canadians. He thinks if you are not an English-speaking Canadian you shouldn't be playing hockey. So PLEASE tell me why he is so great!
childhoodtrauma
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why do americans think barry melrose is so great?
laredokid22
Don Cherry is great IMO.
He isn't always right and a lot of what he says is just an act he is putting on for television.
He defintely isn't anti American and if you think he is you must have missed his rant on the Canadian government not verbally supporting the USA going into Iraq.
He married an American girl(Rose) and he used to mention her all the time before she passed away a few years ago.
What he doesn't like about many European players is the way they tend to not give 100% effort all the time like most of the North American players do.
He isn't saying they don't have talent but he would rather see more Canadian kids getting drafted than the Europeans.
He may or may not be right about some of them but he does have a point.
Does anyone remember Jagr with Pittsburgh in the playoffs a few years ago leaving the ice and going to the dressing room to get a new stick instead of just taking one from the bench?
Mario Lemieux was not happy about that and you should have seen the look on Mario's face.
Jagr was gone the next year.
When the CBC tried to drop Ron McLean, Don Cherry spoke out on behalf of McLean and he does like him.
Telling him to shut up is all part of his act.
Cherry may be loud and opinionated at times but he does have a good heart and is defintely admired by many people and he knows the game extremely well.
MacSteed
I hear you, believe me. I used to live close to the Canadian border and watched CBC's wonderful Hockey Night in Canada all the time. Notwithstanding Cherry's rantings, HNIC is by far the best hockey broadcast in the world, bar none!
Anyway, in answer to your question, Don Cherry is considered a Canadian institution. I have many Canadian friends who think he's an idiot, too, but many love and adore him for his outspoken views on hockey, patriotism, whatever he's on about. You are absolutely correct in pointing out that he is often rude to the classy Ron MacLean, but Ron has dealt with it for many years and clearly rises above and doesn't let Cherry get under his skin. You're also right about Cherry's xenophobic attitude toward players from other hockey nations, yes, including Quebecers (even though they're still part of Canada).
Again, I won't tell you Don Cherry is "great" because I personally don't hold such a positive view of the man. But I will tell you that he is a beloved figure in Canada and that most Canadians -- even those who dislike him -- consider him a necessary fixture on HNIC and would miss him if he were gone.
Who can understand popularity and why some people have devoted fans no matter how outrageous their behaviour? I've never been able to figure it out so I just accept it and move on. I hope this answers your question.
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he's an exceptionally dependable and proud Canadian yet in my opinion no longer the suited Canadian! i think of there are different Canadians who've made a much bigger contribution to Canada then Cherry has! He truthfully is a huge Canadian with a large information of hockey. He sticks up for Canada (each so often somewhat too plenty), he loves Canada and thats some issues that makes him large! yet ounce returned no longer the suited! Even he him self might ought to accept as true with that!
hayleyturnbull2003
I have to agree with childhoodtrama's point...as your daughter, I know you love the Barry, and you hate the Cherry, but they do have some striking similarities.