[Rumour] Rogers to renew Don Cherry's contract. UPDATE: Previous reports false

[BACKCHECK!!!]

Don Cherry should be prime minister.

[Yamer]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Wouldn't want anyone entertaining on tv

I'm a Cherry fan and supporter, but I have to agree with PepsiFree. I'm trying to think of the last time I really anticipated or outright enjoyed a Coach's Corner segment. The 2010 Olympics maybe? And that has more to do with the context rather than Cherry.

I'm not upset by the things he says and good or bad, and I never take them to heart. He is what he is: the oldest of schools in views/opinions of the game. I'll facepalm at some of the things he says, or I'll nod along here or there to other remarks, but I don't find him that remarkably entertaining. At this point the most you can hope for is a tabloid level remark (bunch of jerks is about as risky as Canadian tabloids can get) that spurs some relevance, but that's fleeting and counter to what Rogers and CBC want to present.

The fact he's lasted as long as he has, especially since I've been hearing of his greatly exaggerated demise as early as the 90s, is impressive. However, it won't impact my life much if he's on HNIC or not next season.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

I’m not really a fan of Burke’s work on TV. I like Cherry in small doses personally and have never minded Maclean but sounds like I’m in the minority. And I also don’t watch the HNIC feed that often so maybe that is why.

I like Burke a lot more. When Cherry started (I'm old enough to remember this) he was going to give a coach's perspective. And he did. But now he's so far past it, he can't do that any more. Burke, on the other hand, is perfect for giving a management perspective.

[topfiverecords]

Doesn't really matter to me if he's on. They could replace him with Donald Trump instead and I'd still just fast forward through. Only part of the intermission I watch is Saturday headlines or Burke's segment.

The person who's career has been made was his tailor.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by BACKCHECK!!!

Don Cherry should be prime minister.

If we're going to be an International Joke we might as well be funny.

[codynw]

Originally Posted by BACKCHECK!!!

Don Cherry should be prime minister.

I'd vote for him over Trudeau at this point...

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by savemedrzaius

If Sportsnet was smart (they aren't) and had the cajones (they don't) instead of just trotting out Brian Burke as a Don Cherry ripoff they should try something different.

Have a 1st intermission consisting of Sean Avery, Paul Bissonnette and Mike Commedore.

Give them the OK to talk trash on ex and current players and whatever else they want to talk about. Bad calls, bad plays, great plays whatever. Keep it loose. Not so formal.

It would be something people actually watch and talk about.

A big part of Rogers getting the NHL contract in Canada was the NHL (specifically Bettmen) feeling like they didn't have enough control over the CBC and what it's personalities said about the NHL.

Every sports league wants a "mouthpiece" broadcaster that speaks highly of the league and it's players and doesn't do rouge pieces or comments that upset the applecart.


Rogers was perfect for this - A big boring corporation that plays it safe and mundane for it's shareholders.

[jayswin]

Basically, not a chance they'd put together a fun panel of outspoken characters that speak their mind and speak poorly/inappropriately of active players, no matter how good the ratings would be.


They want the corporate friendly version of that - Someone who wags his finger, "tells it like it is", but supports the league and has professionalism. Brian Burke is as rouge as Rogers will ever go and despite what you might think about Burke's "randomness" and hard hitting comments, he wants the job and has been actively working to fit into this edgy but safe role perfectly.

[jayswin]

The NHL really disliked a lot of the open discussion and opinions that went on during the 2005 lock out, on CBC.

They don't want to fully control discussion because they know how phoney it comes off, but they also don't want a free for all.

[oldschoolcalgary]

i like Burke better to be honest; maybe its generational, but Cherry never really appealed to me and as a replacement Burke can be outspoken too... i feel he is much more connected with the current league and GMs than Cherry and ideally, that's what i what to hear during intermission, not some far off tangent as Cherry is wont to do.

i'd be ok with maclean retiring as well

[the_only_turek_fan]

They should bring Al Strachan back.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by Geeoff

I feel like the "bunch of jerks" stuff was the most relevant Don Cherry has been in years. Seems like the timing of releasing him now is odd.

It's not odd. Coaches corner brings eyeballs, but Roger's is bleeding money on this contract so they're desperately cutting money anywhere they can.

Last year it was the guys who no one really cares about but makes decent money. This year it's personalities that many do care about but make really good money.

[DeluxeMoustache]

Originally Posted by the_only_turek_fan

They should bring Al Strachan back.

Haha. He was the worst.

[activeStick]

Originally Posted by the_only_turek_fan

They should bring Al Strachan back.

What the hell?! You always have interesting takes... Often complete opposite from what I'm thinking...

As for Cherry, I find him entertaining and I think ultimately, that's his purpose. He doesn't add anything in terms of insight, but that's what I think the other panel is for. Cherry is excellent for laughs with his incoherent rambling and instances like the "bunch of jerks" are reasons enough for me to enjoy his segments.

[Erick Estrada]

I rarely watch coaches corner. Don's opinion isn't really relevant to me anymore so I don't particularly care one way or another if coaches corner continues. I'm not going to campaign for them to shut him down because it's obvious some older viewers and easterners like to hear what he has to say so who am I to say they shouldn't be able to watch his segment?

I think the bigger issue at hands is Rogers once again cheapening the product by cutting corners once again. The NHL better be paying attention to what's happened since they sold out to Rogers as this has been dark times for NHL television in Canada. I kind of feel the NHL has taken Canadians for granted that we will just continue to tune in for substandard telecasts and maybe that's true for the hardened fans but this is not a way to sell your product to younger generations of viewers that have many options today.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by codynw

I'd vote for him over Trudeau at this point...

No, no you wouldn’t.

Jesus Christ guys, come on...

Trudeau deserves a little more respect and Cherry deserves a lot less.

[getbak]

I've always heard that Coach's Corner basically pays for itself through its sponsorships. The only way I see Rogers dumping it is if that has changed.

[ricosuave]

Glad to see it, guy should have been put out to pasture 20 years ago, well past his prime.

Nostalgic? Sure. But way overdue.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

No, no you wouldn’t.

Jesus Christ guys, come on...

Trudeau deserves a little more respect and Cherry deserves a lot less.

Jesus Christ probably deserves a little more too... 😉

The thing with Cherry isn’t about respect although I get annoyed when people call him senile or other age related insults. That is disrespectful.

It is whether you want to watch him or whether there are better options. Maybe it’s time to rethink what could be done with that time. At one point it was about breaking down the actual on ice action. Thing is everybody does it so what would be different? What Cherry used to be good at was highlighting things that were different and having an opinion.

[dammage79]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

No, no you wouldn’t.

Jesus Christ guys, come on...

Trudeau deserves a little more respect and Cherry deserves a lot less.

Says the American. A standard house cat is a better option than 99 percent if politicians. I'd vote for cherry just so we could watch two senile old men scream at clouds together. And then cherry would drop trump in one shot. Take over america and we won a war no one ever started.