Sportsnet Don Cherry, a Hockey Institution in Canada, Is Fired After Divisive Comments

[BlackFrancis]

It's always been strange to me how things that align with my personal views always have context and nuance while everything else is cut and dried.

 

[Zillah]

No, but he did blow a chance at a Cup when he took a “too many men” penalty while leading in the 3rd period of a Game 7 Semifinal playoff game against MTL...

Damn , and I had finally put that one to rest

 

[Jumptheshark]

Watching tucker Carlson interview grapes last night was amusing.

Sad but amusing.

 

[Chief Nine]

She's not painting with a broad brush at all. Unlike Cherry, she's being extremely specific about who she's talking about. It's apples and oranges.

Yes. She was. That's exactly what painting with a broad brush is.

I see how it works: you're trying to create an equivalency where there is none so you can have your own "gotcha!" moment.

This is oddly bending things into another stratosphere and frankly, I'm not sure exactly what this means and the what picture is supposed to infer...

Cherry: "You people"
Allen: "entitled rich white boys"

Which is a generalization and which is specific?

Both are generalizations. Who exactly are the "rich white boys"? What's the mean family income threshold to qualify for being a member?


His initial comments, the ones that got him fired, could only be read as a generalization about immigrants. If you want to buy his backtracking or clarification, whatever you chose to call it, requires you ignore everything we know about Don Cherry and his views.

I guess what I said about reading beyond what Don Cherry himself said didn't register with you.

This is an assumption on your part that can't be proven in any way, shape or form.

Now off you go back to your own corner of the world...

 

[CharasLazyWrister]

Yet it’s Ok for the prime minister to have pictures and videos of him wearing black face? Or President Trump to say the things he says. Amazing that some can get away with anything and others get tossed a side and lose there careers and reputation. I personally don’t think Cherry was that offside. He always gets political during Remembrance Day has from the beginning of time. He wants to ensure that we always honor those who died for the rights and freedom we have in Canada. Sure maybe it came out a little wrong, but the truth is that we all take for granted the blood and sacrifice that was made for the simple things we have the right to do... such as freedom of speech. I know someone whose father was sentence to death at 12 for holding a sign when Batista was speaking in Cuba... he escaped to the US and fortunately survived but let’s not take for granted our basic freedoms that our dads, grandfathers and great grandfathers and all those that never came home fought for. We are the lucky few in this chaotic world and new immigrant or 5th generation Canadian we need to be thankful for their sacrifice. Even in the US there is not a day that goes by where I don’t hear someone thanking a veteran for their service. Very rarely did I see this in my normal day to day routine in Canada. The truth is many Canadians have forgotten. There is no Canadian more proud to be Canadian than Don Cherry and it is a shame that he couldn’t go out on his own terms. I hope Don is ok and knows most of Canada has his back.

I spent enough time in this thread yesterday and won’t be doing the same again today, but I just have to respond to this post. I respect the “other side” on this debate, but there are so many things I think you are missing in your angle.

1. Trudeau apologized. Now, some people don’t like the apology. They think he “blamed Canada” and not himself by pointing to his white ignorance/privilege but he expressed regret. This was what Don was asked to do by Sportsnet and be refused. You can’t ignore that obvious difference.

2. Tons of people don’t think the things President Trump says are okay. But he also works for the US government and you can’t just push him out like you can a private entity. Oh and look, impeachment inquiry begins today.

3. It didn’t “come out wrong”. Cherry said he meant every word. “You people that come here, you love our way of life, you love our milk and honey”...that’s naive to just imply he swapped a few words and he was actually talking about everyone and not specifically targeting non-natives.

4. There isn’t anything wrong with him asking people to unify and honor veterans. The problem is he didn’t send a unifying message. He targeted specific people as being ungrateful because they don’t wear a poppy.

5. It is too bad he went out the way he did. And Don definitely loves his country. But you can’t endlessly let a guy cross the line. At least not when he’s already attracted this much attention from prior words.

 

[CharasLazyWrister]

He didn't lose his job over it though, Canada re-elected him.

If Trudeau was a host for a private channel with a broad range of viewers, he probably would have been fired.

But he is in government where he just needs a majority vote. Plus...he apologized. And it happened in a previous time. Cherry was tired for what he said a few days ago. Just a few obvious differences.

 

[BruinsFanSince94]

Why are these trolls even allowed in here?

 

[Gardner McKay]

Why are these trolls even allowed in here?

They aren't. Thank you all for reporting it.

 

[LSCII]

Well that was quick! Thanks to the mods for a fast response...lol

 

[nORRis8]

For people who have really really thin transparent skin...ya, they'll claim what Don said was 100% racist.
I do not think it was.
Plus I do not think he said anything wrong.
Neither did Sportnet, as they never said one word to Don after the Broadcast. In fact it wasn't till late Sunday afternoon reports started to come in some were unhappy with him. "Some" = SJW's who use their keyboards as a sword.
Monday comes and suddenly Sportnet they announce they are firing Don.
"he made some divisive remarks that do not represent our values or what we stand for"
Wow!
It took 2 days to remind everyone of your values and what you stand for. Bravo Sportsnet, Bravo!!!!
Petitions have thousands of names to cancel Sportsnet, Rogers etc plus one petition has well over 200,000 for Don to be back on the air. Hardly reported by the mainstream media though.

I met Ron McLean about 15 years ago and he truly is a nice guy. His head I'm sure was going to start rolling as well if he did not speak up and when he did he protected himself yet threw his friend under the bus.

 

[LouJersey]

Is there not enough posters on the Edmonton board for an Oilers fan to have to come over here and having at it?

Stop being such a racist.

 

[trenton1]

Damn , and I had finally put that one to rest

Yeah, Cherry really blew it, not beating one of, if not the best dynasty in the history of the league.

 

[caz16]

It took 2 days to remind everyone of your values and what you stand for. Bravo Sportsnet, Bravo!!!!
Petitions have thousands of names to cancel Sportsnet, Rogers etc plus one petition has well over 200,000 for Don to be back on the air. Hardly reported by the mainstream media though.

I met Ron McLean about 15 years ago and he truly is a nice guy. His head I'm sure was going to start rolling as well if he did not speak up and when he did he protected himself yet threw his friend under the bus.

Actually it is being reported by mainstream media. I would also bet that the thousands who sign will NOT cancel Sportsnet or Rogers because then they won't have their sports fixes. Easy to sign a petition. I think they said 200 people were expected outside Sportsnet to protest today.

For those who actually do cancel their subscriptions, I hope they donate that money to the veterans instead.

 

[razkaz]

You're a good guy.

Sounded like he was speaking to some vetereans who also noticed many non poppy wearers.

In Don's eyes and maybe myself let alone the majority of people...skin color is a way of telling if one "might" be from another country. It's apperant he jumped to this conclusion. When skin color is invloved then racism is just around the corner. He may have meant "everybody" but it got narrowed down quite quickly.

I do not wear a poppy. I never will. I also never vote. I pay my taxes that do in fact support many things I do not believe in but it is the law of the land to do so, thus I do.

I appreciate that. I think this issue clearly goes beyond what sports team we cheer for.

I think that Don Cherry seems genuine in his support for the military and I don't fault him for that.

Unfortunately when you use skin colour and assume anyone with a different complexion is an immigrant, that makes that line of thinking racist. To go even further and say that by not wearing a poppy, those same immigrants are choosing to be disrespectful is false. They may not be aware of the tradition and Remembrance Day should be a good time to educate and re-educate the importance of the DAY not the poppy. I would rather 100 people skip out on buying a poppy and go to a ceremony instead, or go to the local Legion branch and spend 5 mins just talking with a vet.

Again, those are your rights. No one should tell you what you can or can't do.

 

[Pay Carl]

 

[nORRis8]

Actually it is being reported by mainstream media. I would also bet that the thousands who sign will NOT cancel Sportsnet or Rogers because then they won't have their sports fixes. Easy to sign a petition. I think they said 200 people were expected outside Sportsnet to protest today.

For those who actually do cancel their subscriptions, I hope they donate that money to the veterans instead.

We cancelled our cable 2 years ago. Do not miss it one bit.
I do watch lot of NHL and NFL at home though....wink wink, nudge wink nudge.....

 

[bobbyorr04]

Coach's Corner just won't be the same anymore

 

[Bruinfanatic]

So Cherry mentioned on Tucker Carlson last night that Bobby Orr is a fan and said to say hello, won’t be long before the Liberal media starts trashing him now,have already seen some tweets from some journalists, calling him a white supremist , because he watches the show.

 

[Saxon Eric]

So Cherry mentioned on Tucker Carlson last night that Bobby Orr is a fan and said to say hello, won’t be long before the Liberal media starts trashing him now,have already seen some tweets from some journalists, calling him a white supremist , because he watches the show.

Show me the tweets who called Bobby freaking Orr a white supremacist

 

[Mully]

The least surprising thing in the world is Don Cherry getting fired for being a xenophbe. The big surprise is that so many people care.

 

[KrejciMVP]

So Cherry mentioned on Tucker Carlson last night that Bobby Orr is a fan and said to say hello, won’t be long before the Liberal media starts trashing him now,have already seen some tweets from some journalists, calling him a white supremist , because he watches the show.

Ignore that nonsense

 

[BRUINS since 1995]

I appreciate that. I think this issue clearly goes beyond what sports team we cheer for.

I think that Don Cherry seems genuine in his support for the military and I don't fault him for that.

Unfortunately when you use skin colour and assume anyone with a different complexion is an immigrant, that makes that line of thinking racist. To go even further and say that by not wearing a poppy, those same immigrants are choosing to be disrespectful is false. They may not be aware of the tradition and Remembrance Day should be a good time to educate and re-educate the importance of the DAY not the poppy. I would rather 100 people skip out on buying a poppy and go to a ceremony instead, or go to the local Legion branch and spend 5 mins just talking with a vet.

Again, those are your rights. No one should tell you what you can or can't do.

Cherry has done racial comment before on frenchies, russian and european. He also had some comments on women ... with very few respond and or complaints from canadians fellows. Question is why now and not before.

What is now the difference with his comments with those before. Why did CBC and Rogers in the past did accept those racial and divisional comments in regard of REAL canadians and not now!

 

[BNHL]

Cherry has done racial comment before on frenchies, russian and european. He also had some comments on women ... with very few respond and or complaints from canadians fellows. Question is why now and not before.

What is now the difference with his comments with those before. Why did CBC and Rogers in the past did accept those racial and divisional comments in regard of REAL canadians and not now!

Racial (Color) or Ethnic? At one time everybody was throwing shade on Russian, European and Scandinavian hockey players,but I never remember anyone throwing race around.

 

[LSCII]

Cherry has done racial comment before on frenchies, russian and european. He also had some comments on women ... with very few respond and or complaints from canadians fellows. Question is why now and not before.

What is now the difference with his comments with those before. Why did CBC and Rogers in the past did accept those racial and divisional comments in regard of REAL canadians and not now!

Faux social media outrage being taken serious by corporations these days for some inexplicable reason?

 

[Mainehockey33]

So Cherry mentioned on Tucker Carlson last night that Bobby Orr is a fan and said to say hello, won’t be long before the Liberal media starts trashing him now,have already seen some tweets from some journalists, calling him a white supremist , because he watches the show.

Having over 10 twitter followers doesn’t make you a journalist.