Don Cherry Is As Advertised....F'ing Awesome!
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
I want to preface this review with the statement that I thoroughly enjoyed Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Finals last night. Great hits, high scoring, a puck shot at someone at the end of a period, a goalie "diving", and a ton of goals. Between that and Hells Kitchen my night was pretty stellar.
But with that said, I'm not here to talk about the game...you've already read that on ESPN, Off Wing Opinion, and the like. I'm here to talk about the triumphant debut of HNIC's Don Cherry. Read about my thoughts on him and the State of Hockey after the jump.
The guy is just plain awesome. In fact Hockey needs someone like him. Brett Hull is trying his darnedest to be the lighting-rod here in the States, but it's just not working. If NBC could somehow lure Cherry out of Canada I might watch Hockey more often. I mean the guy called out NBC's Dick Ebersol at one point...come on, that makes for great television.“Remember Dick Ebersol, more fights, you’ll get bigger crowds”- DC
He even pulled out a newspaper clipping from a Buffalo paper and showed a marketing piece with about 10 different fights taking place in the ad. And you know what....he, and Brett Hull are right. Hockey sucks without fighting.
Everyone made a huge deal about not being able to take your family to the games because of the fighting. Well you tried that, and no one still goes. The tickets are already too expensive for families to attend. And screw the families really....it sucks you have kids we get it, but go to a Minor League baseball game if you don't want to pay the money. Your kids don't know the difference between Joe Schmo of the Chattanooga Lookouts and Albert Pujols anyway.
I want me some 80's Hockey where there's revenge and rivalries mixed in with respectful/honorable fights and skilled Hockey. Why do you think the UFC is so popular? People enjoy the skill and technique, but they f'ing LOVE the violence. It's human-nature. On the intro to the game NBC announced that one of the stars was some dude named Getzlaf. No one knows who the hell Getzlaf is! But I sure the hell know who Donald Brasheer, Georges Laraque, and Derek Boogaard are. And why? Because they kicked someone's a** this year and it's on YouTube.
Don't change the number of players on the ice, or the goalie's padding...well maybe the goalie's padding. Just bring back the fights and you will bring back the fans.
Oh, and Don Cherry got an A- last night, and Alanis got an A+ (goosebumps).
P.S.- NBC, please keep the 5-month old All American Rejects song too......great idea.
15 Comments:
I've always thought she was attractive. Might have something to do with that whole movie theater thing
I think your analysis is spot-on. He was great (I don't like many of his opinions, but he is damn good for hockey. I did agree with him last night though.)
Not only that, but he was able to keep his composure as Brett Hull was giving him a verbal BJ. That's got tot be tough to do.
If NBC can nab Brett Hull and Don Cherry in the same studio regularly, that would be profoundly awesome. I loved watching the intermissions with Don.
In border cities like Detroit, Grape's HNIC "Coaches Corner" (With the CBC's great Ron McClean acting as traffic cop/straight man. BTW, McClean is another who would be great for US hockey broadcasts) has been must see TV for years. I'm glad to see that people who haven't been exposed to him can finally appreciate the greatness that is Don Cherry.
You don't always agree with Cherry (His xenophobia can be WAY over the top), but you're always entertained either way. The only thing I was disappointed in was his suit, he toned down his wardrobe considerably. His normal HNIC suits outdo anything you'd see at the NBA draft.
I would just like to say that Hell's Kitchen is fucking phenomenal. People were crying scared of him 5 minutes into the show!!! I'm pulling for the little retarded-looking guy.
Cherry would get canned quickly by the PC police. He almost got canned by CBC for speaking out mildly about the war.
He has it good up in CBC land. US tv execs wouldn't put up with his off-the-cuff old-school personality, which sucks.
I thought he was very interesting. His views on hockey are right for the game. The game has to be different from other sports, and removing fighting isn't going to add fans, just remove them.
I remember watching an Avs series on CBC a few years ago and they found Elway in the stands and Bob Cole had to have it explained to him that it was Elway.
He derisively said "huh, quarterback, eh."
BOB COLE!!!
Dude! Derek Boogaard is in the NHL?! That guy played for the wrong team in major junior, but if he's getting ice time, you know there's going to be a brawl at some point.
I thought I'd never see that guy again, but hey, if he's half as phenomenal as Tony Twist was back in the day, there may be hope yet.
Yes Boogard is in the NHL,
he had 10 fights this year
This was the best
It's nice to see Don took a break from training Uma Thurman to kill Bill.
Don Cherry to NBC permanently. Loved Don Cherry last night.
And message to the NHL: kids LIKE the freaking fights. Change the rules!
I watched Don Cherry twenty years ago while living in Toronto and I do love the guy. Quite a change from those plain vanilla guys on the air here. At least ESPN has Barry Melrose.....
I guess there are no hockey fans posting here otherwise someone would notice that it's not fighting which makes hockey more interesting. It's tough but fair play - yes, the kind that Getzlaf plays. A big guy with skills but not a goon like Brashear. These apes on skates might attract a few fans but, hey they'd switch to wrestling if it was on at the same time.
Most Americans just don't know hockey, that's all and dumbing the sport down won't raise the TV ratings either.
The Pens were incredible to watch, as were the WIngs when they were good.
Probert was a machine. COffey could skate like a maniac.
The sport is too damn watered down.
Couldn't they change the name of the DUcks after the stupid movie???
Here here AA, I watched the hockey game last night just for Cherry and he did not disappoint. Also, am I the only one who thought Alanis looked pretty hot last night?