Don Cherry Fired

[WolfgangPuck]

Just my opinion I think he should have been off the show ten years ago Don’s had a good run

 

[razkaz]

The funny part about that interview is that Tucker Carlson asked him twice if what said was about new comers coming to Canada and not once did Don correct him and say he was talking about everyone. All he said was that he should have save everybody to better protect himself.

 

[Kale Hulls]

Should have just let him step down. Grapes probably deserved this classless treatment but it doesn't make it okay.

 

[Habsawce]

I like how he called out Ron for throwing him under the bus. What a coward.

 

[YEM]

Don't necessarily like his comments but I fear the cancel culture in which we live. Being offended and or disagreeing is a part of living.

why do you fear it?
are you expressing xenophobic/racist/sexist comments online somewhere?
if not, what's to fear?

 

[bluesfan94]

I like how he called out Ron for throwing him under the bus. What a coward.

god forbid someone doesn't defend a coworker's bigotry

Should have just let him step down. Grapes probably deserved this classless treatment but it doesn't make it okay.

He was given a chance to apologize and walk it back. He refused. They owe him nothing at that point

 

[Kestrel]

I think someone should have told Don that if you're trying to show that you aren't racist, stopping by to chat with Tucker and the Rebel are not smart moves.

 

[Habsawce]

god forbid someone doesn't defend a coworker's bigotry

He was given a chance to apologize and walk it back. He refused. They owe him nothing at that point

Never said he should defend what was said. But he straight up tucked tail and sucked on the Sportsnet teet for a paycheque. It's cowardly what he did.

 

[Juve]

Don't necessarily like his comments but I fear the cancel culture in which we live. Being offended and or disagreeing is a part of living.

This is the part that baffles me the most. We don't live in a pony, roses and everyone holds your hand singing kumbayah together. Sadly, we are going to meet assholes in our everyday life and there are people who are going to hurt your feelings, people who disagree with you, etc.... If you don't want to be offended, someone hurt your feeling or whatever the case may be...... stay inside your home, board up your windows, toss electronics out and get rid of your tv.

 

[DannyGallivan]

At this point, how exactly is it hockey news?
I mean, The Rebel and Fox News aren't covering sports as far as I know, and that's where Cherry has been venting.

It's never been hockey news. It's been a political thing, an moral thing and a "personality" thing.

 

[daver]

why do you fear it?
are you expressing xenophobic/racist/sexist comments online somewhere?
if not, what's to fear?

Who is the judge on whether something is xenophobic/racist/sexist?

 

[Rich Nixon]

Don't necessarily like his comments but I fear the cancel culture in which we live. Being offended and or disagreeing is a part of living.

I think the pendulum has just swung, and eventually it'll settle where it should be. Like, people shouldn't have a platform to blast off whatever crazy and offensive shit they want to without certain consequences: If it upsets enough people that it becomes a problem for the parent company, then that parent company should act accordingly to preserve their own interests. That includes the latitude, however, to explain themselves or apologize or have an open conversation about things.

In Cherry's case, it was out of line and irrelevant to hockey. It's fine that he has strong feelings about things, but when you screw up and weaponize words like that, even if you're giving him a ton of benefit-of-the-doubt which he may or may not deserve, there should be consequence for that.

Should we be digging through every last public statement by every last public figure to find some reason to kick them out of public life? Probably not, that's a slippery slope, I agree. But when you go on national TV and randomly say things that clearly and unduly upset lots and lots of people, that's hardly equivalent.

I don't hate Don Cherry. I accept who he is, and enjoyed his outlandishness and passion. He just kinda walked himself out the door for no real reason. Intentional xenophobia or total mistake, it is what it is, and if you refuse to actually clarify or acknowledge the misdeed...that's that.

Folks went long enough not having a voice to point out when people with power and platforms were belittling, stereotyping, or outright slandering them. Now they have a megaphone and a lot of eager compatriots. I've been upset when people on the same political lines as me have come for small figures who just answered questions when they were prodded, or made an honest mistake. That's not what happened here. It'll smooth out eventually, and it'll take some adjustment from both parties.

 

[Kestrel]

Never said he should defend what was said. But he straight up tucked tail and sucked on the Sportsnet teet for a paycheque. It's cowardly what he did.

After decades of dealing with Don, I don't blame him one bit. And frankly, he said nothing when Don did his bit, why shouldn't he apologize the next day?

 

[daver]

This is the part that baffles me the most. We don't live in a pony, roses and everyone holds your hand singing kumbayah. Sadly, we are going to meet *******s in our everyday life and there are people who are going to hurt your feelings, people who disagree with you, etc.... If you don't want to be offended, someone hurt your feeling or whatever the case may be...... stay inside your home, board up your windows, toss electronics out and get rid of your tv.

Actually staying off of social media would be the best advice. If people take anonymous comments made on social media seriously, they should not be on social media.

 

[DannyGallivan]

Don't necessarily like his comments but I fear the cancel culture in which we live. Being offended and or disagreeing is a part of living.

Absolutely 100 per cent agree. But that's the world we live in.

 

[Cap'n Flavour]

Should have just let him step down. Grapes probably deserved this classless treatment but it doesn't make it okay.

What makes you think he was willing to step down? He wasn't willing to apologize or change anything about his classless gimmick over the last 30+ years.

What baffles me is all of the tears and heartache by Cherry fans over a (by now extremely wealthy) 85-year-old losing their job for an obviously termination-worthy offense, working for a public broadcaster for most of his career no less. Did anyone shed a tear when Cliff Fletcher was replaced as the Leafs' interim GM at the tender age of 73?

 

[DannyGallivan]

SN basically gave a monkey a loaded gun and then acted appalled after someone got shot. Ron couldn't throw him under the bus faster if he tried and comes off very callus based on their history.

 

[Juve]

Actually staying off of social media would be the best advice. If people take anonymous comments made on social media seriously, they should not be on social media.

Social media is bunch of tough people wannabes behind a keyboard. You can have people insult you in person too. In high school, all the girls including myself called each other bitches, whores, etc... It stressed me out, but once I got older I realized not stress myself over words. There are worse things in life than someone saying a couple of words to you. I don't care anymore if someone wants to call me a bitch. I say thank you now.

 

[DannyGallivan]

I've always found it interesting how many of those who regularly reacted with disgust by Don Cherry seemed to be able to recite his rants word for word... kind of like regular viewers or something!

It would be so much easier to have just turned the channel for 5 minutes. If you want to slay the television dragon, you simply don't watch. The fewer the viewers, the quicker the exit (remember George Stroumboulopoulos...anybody?)

 

[Braun]

Should have just let him step down. Grapes probably deserved this classless treatment but it doesn't make it okay.

Classless treatment? Are you for real? He wouldn't of stepped down, that's the point.

 

[Kale Hulls]

Classless treatment? Are you for real? He wouldn't of stepped down, that's the point.

Completely speculative and really not worth debating.

 

[DannyGallivan]

Who is the judge on whether something is xenophobic/racist/sexist?

Whoever is the loudest on social media?
Whatever political party is in power?
If only the world was so easy to define.

 

[bluesfan94]

Never said he should defend what was said. But he straight up tucked tail and sucked on the Sportsnet teet for a paycheque. It's cowardly what he did.

What would you have had him do?

Who is the judge on whether something is xenophobic/racist/sexist?

I mean, implying that immigrants are not good Canadians is basically xenophobia defined.

So I don't know, the dictionary? Merriam and Webster? The good folks at Oxford or Cambridge?

I've always found it interesting how many of those who regularly reacted with disgust by Don Cherry seemed to be able to recite his rants word for word... kind of like regular viewers or something!

I'm gonna really blow your mind when I tell you about this thing called Google.

 

[Braun]

Completely speculative and really not worth debating.

Speculative? 24H after being fired he's on national TV saying the only thing he would change is say ''everybody'' to not get into trouble. It's pretty clear he had no intention of apologizing.

 

[hoglund]

It's never been hockey news. It's been a political thing, an moral thing and a "personality" thing.

It's hockey news because it's news about a National icon who's hosted a hockey show for almost 40 years.