Rogers/HNIC have fired analyst and host Don Cherry. The company said in a statement, “Sports Brings People Together- It unites us, not divides us. Following further discussions with Don Cherry after Saturday Night’s broadcast, it has been decided that it is the right time for him to Immediately step down. During the broadcast, he made divisive remarks that do not represent our values or what we stand for.”
There’s no question that Don is a supporter of the Canadian Armed Forces and Canada’s military as he is always remembering and honouring those who have been lost during their stints of deployment.
According to Joe Warmington of the Toronto Sun, Cherry was not going to apologize for his remarks that he made on the broadcast.
Don Cherry’s Career
Cherry has spent the last 40 years with Ron McLean on the iconic Coaches Corner which took place during the first intermission of the featured game on CBC. This isn’t the first time that Cherry has said something provoking and outrageous and he has been known to speak his mind and sometimes cross that line. Cherry will be known for his outrageous suits that would always be a sight to see on the broadcast.
Before joining Coaches Corner, he spent six years coaching, five of those with the Boston Bruins before finishing his career with the Colorado Rockies. He had a record 250-153-77 over the course of his five-year coaching career.
What’s Next
Sportsnet has not yet announced who and if anybody will replace Cherry on Coaches Corner. If this is in fact the end of Coaches’ Corner, it will be a sad time for the many viewers who look forward to his mid-game segments each Saturday Night during the first intermission.