Eklund: An American Hockey Writer's Thoughts on Don Cherry...Yours? Buzz@1

Only in Canada do we hold a sports commentator more accountable than our own Prime Minister.

Good riddance, he stayed on TV a good 20 years past his expiration date

I’m thinking Don doesnt give a crap. They have cut his segment to a few minutes and he’s visibly been frustrated by the time he’s given and the short leash. He’s old and threw a tantrum and said what he wanted to say. Whether his opinion is wrong or not. He’s allowed to have an opinion.

he did nothing wrong but voice his opinion.

Let me get this straight...blackface is okay and "you people" is not? Canada has turned into Obamas America....Your only hope is the next PM is like Trump.....That crack smoking Toronto mayor would of been perfect, god rest his soul......

He clarified on NewsTalk radio post-firing. Explained he meant exactly what many of us thought - he was talking about everyone ignoring the poppy. The rant started re: Torontonians (accurate) and kind of got weird-ish.

Did his eloquence leave much to be desired? Very much so.

His mishandled core point was solid, though.

Basically, he left himself open to the progressive mob the second he said "you" before "people". Did he mean it THAT way? Clearly not. But, in this day and age, those two words - totally innocuous apart - can create a firestorm, regardless of intent.

We live in a world with zero nuance. Which, is a bit ironic, considering Cherry's lack-there-of as well over the decades.

So, in the end, an 85 year old Hockey Commentator was disgraced, fired and un-person'd due to a really poorly handled thought verbalized. And Toronto and the progressive left will continue on chipping away at things they see as verboten. And the traditional right will continue to harden their stance.

And the rest of us are just sitting here wondering, in all of this, if anyone - from any side - really gives a good damn about the veterans.

Sadly, I think we know the answer.

Let me get this straight...blackface is okay and "you people" is not? Canada has turned into Obamas America....Your only hope is the next PM is like Trump.....That crack smoking Toronto mayor would of been perfect, god rest his soul......
- manz3882

Your got damn right god bless trump are lord and saveyour

As a US citizen, it seems like Canadian racism is still kinder and more polite than most American salutations, but in this case the Cherry didn't fall far from the tree. Good riddance.

Your got damn right god bless trump are lord and saveyour
- Streit2ThePoint

Why are people simple enough that they continue to turn this into a debate on the PM? WE didn't hold cherry accountable for anything. Sportsnet did, and Sportsnet is not a democracy. And the only reason JT didn't come to the same fate when WE exercised our democratic right to hold him accountable was because Andrew Scheer is a complete incompetent boob.

Stop making them the same thing. Business and democracy are not the same, and you make yourselves look incomprehensibly stupid implying they are.

Not sure if there are gay players. Probably. Same with bloggers and the media. And some fans. But poppies are for everyone. Ok. Cool.

As a US citizen, it seems like Canadian racism is still kinder and more polite than most American salutations, but in this case the Cherry didn't fall far from the tree. Good riddance.
- countreeman28

Our PM literally wore black face.

Multiple times.

The leader of the NDP has literally lauded open anti-semites (See: Farrakhan's remarks. Tamika Mallory, etc...) as being true leaders.

Multiple times.


There are no rules anymore that are general. Only who the media deems a friend or enemy. It's truly a sad state, here.

Why are people simple enough that they continue to turn this into a debate on the PM? WE didn't hold cherry accountable for anything. Sportsnet did, and Sportsnet is not a democracy. And the only reason JT didn't come to the same fate when WE exercised our democratic right to hold him accountable was because Andrew Scheer is a complete incompetent boob.

Stop making them the same thing. Business and democracy are not the same, and you make yourselves look incomprehensibly stupid implying they are.
- joel878

Actually the public did re: CRTC complaints, brigading campaign, etc.

Your got damn right god bless trump are lord and saveyour
- Streit2ThePoint

Our PM literally wore black face.

Multiple times.

The leader of the NDP has literally lauded open anti-semites (See: Farrakhan's remarks. Tamika Mallory, etc...) as being true leaders.

Multiple times.


There are no rules anymore that are general. Only who the media deems a friend or enemy. It's truly a sad state, here.
- OzBolts

damn, ek, you saw dem clicks in that last blog for sure, didn't you? what'd you have 40 comments before the firing? lol

now everyone gets to repeat their angry arguments in a new thread! clicks galore!

you didn't even have to misunderstand the salary cap for these clicks!

Good riddance, he stayed on TV a good 20 years past his expiration date
- Symba007

Agreed. Brought nothing new for at least 20 years.

As for the rest...it's like when my Grandma didn't really understood why she couldn't smoke anywhere anymore. She always could.

I guess this is the case of an old angry white man who doesn't understand why he can't be racist anymore.

- AGalchenyuk27

he's the best.

Why are people simple enough that they continue to turn this into a debate on the PM? WE didn't hold cherry accountable for anything. Sportsnet did, and Sportsnet is not a democracy. And the only reason JT didn't come to the same fate when WE exercised our democratic right to hold him accountable was because Andrew Scheer is a complete incompetent boob.

Stop making them the same thing. Business and democracy are not the same, and you make yourselves look incomprehensibly stupid implying they are.
- joel878

100%

Our PM literally wore black face.

Multiple times.

The leader of the NDP has literally lauded open anti-semites (See: Farrakhan's remarks. Tamika Mallory, etc...) as being true leaders.

Multiple times.


There are no rules anymore that are general. Only who the media deems a friend or enemy. It's truly a sad state, here.
- OzBolts

But a corporate entity like Sportsnet has a different bottom line than an elected government entity. However, they're the same insofar as you as an individual are free to change the channel as much as vote for a new candidate.

Our PM literally wore black face.

Multiple times.

The leader of the NDP has literally lauded open anti-semites (See: Farrakhan's remarks. Tamika Mallory, etc...) as being true leaders.

Multiple times.


There are no rules anymore that are general. Only who the media deems a friend or enemy. It's truly a sad state, here.
- OzBolts

Ahhh yawn. I can't stand Trudeau and the blackface thing is still so tiresome. It was 20 years ago, Tropic Thunder was literally a movie like 10. You can't hold someone accountable now for doing something 20 years ago that was deemed acceptable in a freaking school of all places at the time.

People need to let it go.

I used to love Don back in the day. Every Christmas the gift I looked forward to most was getting the Rock em Sock em videos.

He has been losing it for years however and should have already retired. That being said, the media uproar is absolutely hypocritical given the comments he has always made regarding Russians and Europeans.

He vented on something important to him that was out of scope for his job. But I think his comments are also being taken out of context a bit. He was disparaging the fact that SOME non native Canadians dont partake in a very symbolic ritual showing respect for those who sacrificed so much for the better of our country.

I dont care that he was let go. I also dont think what he said was an overtly racist thing, he is an ardent supporter of our soldiers and expressed frustration that many newcomers dont share his appreciation. I'm glad he hasn't come out with a fake apology.

Why are people simple enough that they continue to turn this into a debate on the PM? WE didn't hold cherry accountable for anything. Sportsnet did, and Sportsnet is not a democracy. And the only reason JT didn't come to the same fate when WE exercised our democratic right to hold him accountable was because Andrew Scheer is a complete incompetent boob.

Stop making them the same thing. Business and democracy are not the same, and you make yourselves look incomprehensibly stupid implying they are.
- joel878

welll...

Actually the public did re: CRTC complaints, brigading campaign, etc.
- OzBolts

I can tell by your previous comments that you are way to smart to believe that counts as a democracy. Sportsnet made a decision regarding their business, as they are entitled to. That is not the same as the voting public holding someone to account whether they complained or not, and you and I both know it.