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Doug Ford is predictably pleased Don Cherry is returning next season
Plenty of rumours involving the name “Don Cherry” were swirling over the course of the last week. After Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun speculated that the 85-year-old hockey personality may not return to his Coach’s Corner segment on Hockey Night in Canada for the 2019-20 campaign, Cherry took to Twitter to shoot the idea down.
As far as he knows, he’ll continue to do what he does next season, according to the CBC.
The mere chatter that Cherry’s television career may be over had plenty of people talking about his tenure and impact on the sport — good and bad.
One person that’s all for the return of ‘Grapes’ is Doug Ford, the Premier of Ontario.
Great to hear that @CoachsCornerDC will be back, @hockeynight wouldn't be the same without him! https://t.co/wztOlnMXsm
— Doug Ford (@fordnation) July 9, 2019
Shocking to think that an old, privileged white man with old-school beliefs would publicly back another old, privileged white man with, um, old-school beliefs.
Anyway, Cherry has been appearing on Coach’s Corner alongside Ron MacLean since 1986. Growing up in small-town Ontario, his words during the first intermission of Saturday’s primetime contest may as well have been printed in the New Testament.
My friends and I hung onto his every word as our dreams of making it to the NHL still burned bright. With age came the realization that my poor crossovers while skating backwards were holding me back and the guy we’ve been idolizing on TV might not be as incredible as we thought.
His blunt opinions and prejudice against anyone born east of Ottawa have landed him in water of varying temperatures over the years. However, the former coach of the Boston Bruins and Colorado Rockies has unapologetically remained who he is from Day 1.
That’s what people like about him, including Montreal Canadiens forward Max Domi.
Don Cherry is the face of Coach’s Corner and has every right to continue to do so until he no longer wants to. Listening to Don & Ron go hand in hand with some of my fondest memories as a kid that dreamt of playing in the NHL. Very few if any have done what Don has for our game. https://t.co/YnkDKqYg63
— Max Domi (@max_domi) July 8, 2019
An individual’s cultural background, upbringing and age can say a lot about their opinion on Cherry. The responses to the tweets posted by Ford and Domi seem to put that on display.
Nonetheless, his career looks to be extended by one more year. And as long as people across the country continue watching, there’s no reason to bank on it being his last.
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