March 25, 2003
COACH'S CORNER:
Cherry's rant not a hit in Canada (The Sporting News, March 24, 2003)Don Cherry's pro-American rant on the war in Iraq wasn't a hit with Hockey Night In Canada viewers nor apparently with the CBC itself."The CBC does not feel Hockey Night In Canada is the appropriate place for discussion on the war in Iraq," CBC spokeswoman Ruth-Ellen Soles said Monday. [...]
It started with Cherry commenting on Montreal Canadiens fans booing the American national anthem last Thursday before a game against the New York Islanders.
Cherry, wearing a tie emblazoned with U.S. colors, apologized on behalf of Canadians, saying that "years of pride went down the drain" with Habs fans' behavior.
Cherry also went at it with MacLean over the war in Iraq, chiding the Canadian government for its "lack of support to our American friends."
"I hate to see them go it alone. We have a country that comes to our rescue, and we're just riding their coattails," Cherry said.
MacLean stood firm that it was Canada's right not to go.
"Why attack Iraq if they haven't attacked you?" MacLean said.
Other than overstating "years of pride", what's the big deal? What's more important, the war, and Canada's cravenness, or a hockey game? Posted by Orrin Judd at March 25, 2003 9:27 AM
Heaven forfend that someone on CBC dare express support for the Americans.
Or maybe it they were ashamed at the unstylish necktie.
Even so, just maybe Cherry, with Gretzky, have been able to (it's a long shot, but...) redeem Canada's soul.
I tell you I watched it live and loved Cherry's speechifying so much I had to call a chum and celebrate with him. It's good to know that after months of CBC "pundits" yammering on about this "rush to war" that someone stands up on that network and essentiallys them to (paraphrasing a later post on this blog) "f--- themselves".
Cherry was right, if you don't help your friends when they need you, you aren't no friend to begin with.
Canada's decided not to be the sixth man in.
Posted by: oj at March 25, 2003 10:26 PM