Don Cherry to the Americans: We’re going to kick your ass
February 25, 2010 · 48 Comments
Don Cherry predicts Canada and the United States will advance to the gold medal game of the men’s Olympic hockey tournament on Sunday.
And then it will be payback time for the Canadians.
“I can hardly wait until we get at the U.S.,” he said in an interview. “I can hardly wait.”
Cherry said U.S. players made a mistake when they slagged the Canadians after defeating them 5-3 last Sunday.
Cherry, the Hockey Night In Canada commentator and radio show personality, appeared on the Jim Rome show this week during which U.S. commentators ragged him about Canada’s loss to the Americans.
“They were giving it to us (Canadians) pretty good,” he said. It was, ‘This is your game. How goes it feel? And you’re going to lose again.’ They were kidding, but they weren’t kidding, if you know what I mean.”
“I said we are going to win the gold. This was before the game against Russia. I said, we’re going to meet your guys in the final and we’re going to kick your ass.”
After the U.S. win over Canada, least two Americans players, Jack Johnson and Ryan Kesler, told reporters they hated Canadian hockey players.
Johnson chartered a flight to Vancouver to participate in the Olympic opening ceremony, but didn’t extend an invitation to Los Angeles Kings teammate Drew Doughty, who’s playing for the Canadians.
“When the U.S. players said they hate Canadians, I mean that is dumb to say stuff like that,” Cherry said. “But you know what? I think they do.”
Cherry is impressed by the Canadian team, which started slowly in the tournament but dominated Russia, winning the quarter-final 7-3.
He believes the 1976 Canada Cup team, for which he was a member of the coaching staff, was more talented.
“But I’ll tell you one thing. You’re never going to get a bigger team than that. It’s the biggest (Canadian team) I’ve ever seen. Holy smokes.”
Cherry noted the 1976 team had Bobby Orr, Denis Potvin, Larry Robinson, Serge Savard and Guy Lapointe on defense.
“I don’t know if anybody on the team could make that defense. The fourth line was (Marcel) Dionne, (Darryl) Sittler and (Lanny McDonald), so it was a pretty good line.”
Cherry rates Canada’s goaltending as above average.
“(Martin) Brodeur (against the United States) wasn’t bad, but he was just good. He played good, but not great. (Roberto) Luongo was good too (against the Russians), but he wasn’t great, either. He made a couple of good saves.”
He said he’s a little surprised the third goalie, Marc-Andre Fleury, wasn’t given a start.
“Here’s the funny thing. Fleury was the hottest guy going down the stretch than both of them. And he won the Stanley Cup last year. I thought he was the MVP. But they’ve made up their mind and he’s not going to get in.”
A surprisingly low audience for Canada’s 2-0 win over the United States in the gold medal game of the women’s hockey tournament on Thursday. Only 5.8 million viewers. I was expecting something closer to eight million.
UPDATE: CTV revises the women’s auidence to 7.5 million.
CTV and its affiliated cable channels drew 10.5 million viewers for the Canada-Russia men’s hockey quarterfinal on Wednesday, just short of the 10.6 million that watched Canada-United States last Sunday. CTV, alone, drew 9.3 million.
Bouquets for Joannie
NBC analyst Scott Hamilton on Joannie Rochette’s bronze medal performance: “I’ve never seen such a superhuman amount of courage and determination. What an inspiration.”
Announcer Tom Hammond: “It is the stuff of Olympic legend.”
Invoking the U.S. Miracle on Ice 30 years ago, CTV’s Chris Cuthbert said, after the Americans scored six goals on Finland in the first period of Friday’s semi-final, “The Finns might remember the first period as the Debacle on Ice.”
NO APOLOGY NECESSARY
So, the Canadian women returned to the ice, at the empty Canada Hockey Place and had a bit of celebratory fun. They were drinking champagne and beer, a few were smoking cigars. Marie-Philip Poulin, who scored both of Canada’s goals against the Americans and is 18, was drinking a beer. The drinking age in B.C. is 19, but in Quebec it’s 18. What a scandal.
The only mistake made here was Hockey Canada apologizing to the IOC . Hockey Canada should have told the Olympic body that nothing would be done, no apology needed, and also suggest the committee stick to more important things, like doping and various other IOC scandals. Hockey Canada president Bob Nicholson was correct to tell IOC president Jacques Rogge, in some many words, to shut his mouth about the women’s game being on notice. What a jerk this guy is. The Globe and Mail’s Roy MacGregor writes about this here.
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Finland winning the Women's Hockey bronze just maybe the boost the game needs. The country's president is a huge backer of the program & with her support, there will be increased funding I'm sure. Add to that, Finland is next door to Russia.
Russia will not be embarrassed on home ice & especially after Medvedev's comments today, there will be a boost in resources there too.
Both Rogge & Hailey Wickenheiser had great points. Rogge mentioned a discrepancy in the sport & he's bang-on! The tournament, let's face it folks was at times, just brutal Hockey. Wickenheiser nailed it right on the head too when she said other countries need to throw in a few bucks too.
The Sochi Games will be a lot more competitive as there should be 5 decent teams, Canada, US, Finland, Russia & Switzerland
I believe in Nagano the vaunted Steve Armitage winning her race when it was Le May Doan.. he got a doover on subsequent replays .. so don't tell me Armitage is prepared.
I am puzzled by the fact that, for whatever reason, this blog has been inexplicably kind to the ugly triumvirate of Rod Smith, Catriona Le May Doan and James Cybulski. If there is one character that epitomizes the unpreparedness and general ignorance of facts that is the hallmark of this Olympic coverage, it is Smith.
He completely lacks the kind of knowledge and insight about the sport of Long Track Speed Skating that we used to get from Steve Armitage. Smith tries to cover up his incompetence with a lot of bluster and very loud yelling, but that doesn’t hide the kind of buffoonism that seems to be the benchmark of Mr. Pelley’s expectations.
Le May Doan, who probably doesn’t know any better, seems to focus on a couple of themes for each broadcast and they are subsequently repeated ad nausea. She has become impossible to listen to. Cybulski looks as if he is wondering where the puck and sticks are (and based on his juvenile comments about dating practices, perhaps thinking about some ad hoc physical activity). As a result we didn’t get any insights about the ice machine fiascos (a controversial and political issue due to the fact that the gear was provided by GM – a major sponsor – and widely covered by the European media), the electronic timing problems (Smith and Le May Doan bemoaned the fact that they didn’t have a clue what was going on, as if the viewers did know!), the noted ice conditions that make these Olympics unusually tough on the skaters (what about an interview with the ice maker?) and general confusion that have plagued the skating oval.
At one point in time, Smith became all discombobulated about running out of sticky notes and glue stick due to the changes in the starting order. At such a time you hope that the man was kidding, but I have a sneaky suspicion that he was not!
I think people on the blog have referenced the overuse of Le May Doan's tired cliches, of "this is a great pairing" and the "gutsy skates". The one person I never want to see on television ever again is Lisa LaFlamme. She just seems totally lost and her and Duthie are so awkward together I find watching them to be torturous.
"How refreshing it will be to enjoy the professionalism and quality of the Brit commentators during the forthcoming World Cup coverage. They will show us how it can be done."
- Here is a classic example of how British commentators handle a fellow countryman winning a world class event while distancing themselves from the accomplishment. –
[youtube wl3gjwH-TPI&fe... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wl3gjwH-TPI&fe... youtube]
Thank the Lord in the US we have Doc Emrick for big game hockey play-by-play. In the NY area, thank God we have Doc Emrick, Sam Rosen, and Howie Rose for play-by-play. Our national cable [Versus] announcers/director/etc. just plain suck. Suck. Emrick is a gem. And I'm glad I'll be hearing him Sunday at 3p ET.
Unfortunately [as you Canadians know] we also have to put up with that old shoe-flinging, franchise-wrecking goon Milbury, too.
I spent the last week in the States, so Emrick/Olczyk were the only option (and none of the games featured McGuire!). Really enjoyed their work together – I thought Eddiie O broke the game down really well for the casual viewer – without insulting the hardcore. I know which feed I'll be watching tomorrow.
And did anyone else catch Gord Miller putting Canada in the final with 10 minutes to go?
NAW.. no franchise fee……..
AND no stay over..
If they get stopped on way home..
Just have to say they are delirious…
Had to listen to Pierre McGuire..
Would hold up in ANY court in Canada !!!
If we even get that far, I almost want Canada to lose to the US just so Don can shut his mouth.
I would feel sick if we lost….GO CANADA!!!!
I found myself wishing that Rod Black and Jennifer Robinson would talk less, so that Liz Manley could talk more. She was clearly the smartest, most articulate skating commentator in that booth. Thank God she was there…
It seems the only other thing they analyze is goaltending, which clearly is an important factor but there are other facets to the game. More in depth disscussions about the other teams I could have used as well, I would have liked to no more about the Norwegian, Swiss and German teams but instead all I had was discussion about Cindy and Brodeur.
Having 3 buddies over to watch Canada game tonight…
Got a new beverage game…
Take a drink every time Pierre McGuire says something stupid…
THANK gawd for TSN & Sportsnet… so I will be able to watch
the highlights of the second and third period Saturday morning !!!!
please make sure you guys have plans for rides home… or at least room for them to stay over…. nobody will get out of that game sober
is there a franchise fee for me and my friends to play at our gathering?
didnt take long for drinking game to start …less than 90 secs in he says slovaks arent working at establishing a forecheck..,,, they had only crossed the blueline once it was an off side,,,,, then of course 3 min later they were forechecking quite decently
I have been almost beside myself with the poor quality of commenting in the hockey program. The panel of Crosby Fan Club cheerleaders, perhaps with the exception of the always-polite Bob McKenzie, has been disgustingly cavalier. They have consistently turned a very good Canadian team into a collection of Crosby hangers-on — while totally ignoring the incredible contribution of Jonathan Toews — our highest point-getter to date, and an amazing +9 in four games…as well as the unsung contribution of Iginla, Staall, Weber and Morrow. With Getzlaf and Perry getting off their blame-train with good performances, can we now expect this group of tunnel-vision prognosticators to acknowledge that Canada's efforts against Russia was a team one…and there's no I in team.
Kim Yu-Na was the runaway winner for the gold, but it was VERY tight in that 2-4 range. You could have swapped those three skaters in any direction and been able to justify it. That last young American skater did in fact have a phenomenal free skate, but don't forget she was eight points behind Joannie Rochette going in. Joannie Rochette had a terrific short program, which saved her bronze medal in the end.
The one thing that hasn't been talked about is how much better the depth is in women's skating as compared to a few years ago. There was a real lull after Michelle Kwan's departure from the scene, but the quality is now better than ever. In previous years, for instance, the performances put in last night by Rachael Flatt of the U.S. and Laura Lepisto of Finland would have been good enough for a medal, but not this year.
I found it quite by accident. There was little or news initially on CTV when Joannie Rochette's mother died so I turned to CBC Newsnetwork to see if it was being reported there – and it was. Then I stayed tuned and caught some of the vignettes.
Not sure what Heather Hiscox is doing there …
I believe the American skater was too far behind in points to catch up, despite her excellent skate last night.
Very true!
Sometimes Canadians sound like petty, whiny, jealous people who constantly complain about the big house on their street. “Look at those Wilson’s, they’ve got the pool, the new kitchen reno, the landscaped garden, what a bunch of show-offs, etc…”
Does anyone believe that Americans even wonder what we’re thinking??? But of course, we have Tommy Douglas and great free health care (note the sarcasm).
I was wondering if anybody had been catching the reports that are being filed from Vancouver on CBC News Network. Although it very much pains me to admit it, these brief vignettes by Scott Russell, Steve Armitage, Scott Morrisson, Kerrin Lee Gartner, etc. almost make me nostalgic about past CBC Olympic coverage.
Knowledgeable people, using multi-syllable words and complete sentences, telling compelling, succinct and interesting stories, just imagine!
But oh no! Here is that hack Heather Hiscox again – feeling better already.
I didn't see NBC's coverage, but were they pissed a Canadian bumped out the American at the end?
To be totally honest, I think Rochette did fantastic under the circumstances, but actually thought the last American girl had a better overall skate. I was surprised she didn't beat Rochette for bronze. There was a delay in the final judgment there, so obviously the judges were conflicted. Perhaps with emotion over substance?
Either way, proud of Rochette. Good for her.
We're so obsessed about what the Americans think of us.
Kind of like Ottawa hockey fans' obsession with what Toronto is thinking. It's called hand-wringer syndrome.
Well put!!
I did not Joannie Rochette’s skate last night, but classy comments from the NBC crew.
While I find the commentating of the events has improved by CTV since the start of the Olympics, they still have trouble setting up the historical context of the sport and event.
I have learned to go to CBC NewsNetwork (or whatever it is called now) to fill in the gaps. Even though they do not have TV rights to the games, they do have reporters on site and are also have packages about athletes (from many countries) and background on the different sports. Best is Scott Russell.
(And yes, the Brits do a great job at commentating any sport)
With the arrival of television, the traditional role of the play-by-play announcer changed forever. “He shoots, he scores” was really irrelevant since we could see that for ourselves. Play-by-play coverage needed to speak to what was going on as opposed to merely reporting it. By augmenting the visuals with relevant background, explanation and insight, the overall experience would be enhanced. Hence the introduction of “expert commentators.”
Since most of us are only exposed to the majority of the Olympic events once every four years, we very much rely on the commentators to explain the intricacies of the sport, point out strategy and report on findings only available from those on the scene.
Besides the noted exceptions, we have not been getting that. Since it seems that the criterion to get a spot behind the microphone is the ability to walk and chew gum at the same time, we have been subjected to a bunch of vocabulary-impaired yahoos who believe that the show is about them rather than the athletes. Their diarrhea of trite homerisms is an insult to most of the viewing audience.
How refreshing it will be to enjoy the professionalism and quality of the Brit commentators during the forthcoming World Cup coverage. They will show us how it can be done.
Further to that, unfortunately some announcers go out of their way to describe the obvious. Can someone please tell Bob Cole that the viewers can clearly see ‘the defenseman is carrying the puck up the ice, slowly, looking for someone to pass to?’ In this case, less is definitely more.
Here is a classic example of how British commentators handle a fellow countryman winning a world class event while distancing themselves from the accomplishment.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wl3gjwH-TPI&fe...
At some point, maybe Mr, Houston and his fans will grow tired of piling on Jamie Campbell…we can hope
Why? Campbell's calls during these games have been laughable. No wonder he got pulled off Sportsnet's largest property
Who are you, his brother, cousin, or friend, as if you aren't, I can't imagine anyone coming to his defense. His play-by-play was beyond atrocious, and for the consortium to put him in that role, knowing that Canada would be winning lots of medals there, is unforgiveable, as it took away a lot of the enjoyment for me to have to endure his calls.
Umm….Brian G, …lighten up a bit.!!
Sean M you must be the only one in "this great country" besides Mike (the flunky) Hogan on the Fan 590 Radio who actually thinks Jamie Campbell did a good job calling the boarding and "tricked up" skiing events. The only explanation for your devotion to Campbell is that you must be his drinking buddy, or a relative. The guy flat out failed in his assignments and probably set his career, what is left of it, back 15 years.
In recent columns Mr. Houston has lightened up on Jamie Campbell and given credit where its due. If you actually listen to the coverage, Campbell has rebounded after a weak start and done a very credible job.
Uh-oh. Freestyle skiing. Canadian in the lead going into the last jump. Is Campbell ramping up for another THIS GREAT COUNTRY!?????
First of all, don't be surprised if the Finns beat the U.S. in the semi-final. Secondly, Canada would be foolish to look past the Slovaks. I have believed for the last week or so that this Slovak team is the dark horse team of the tournament. They will undoubtedly give Canada a much stiffer test than the Russians did. Don't forget that Slovakia beat Russia too.
Slovaks are giant killers these olympics, under the radar but with a solid core of talent. Finns are hungry their country has had a disastrous olympics and they want it to end with some positives.
who cares. World juniors baby.
World Juniors = Three exciting games in a tournament of forty games. Thanks for buying into the TSN hype though.
The Stars's Cox tries and fails, miserably, to defend himself in L'Affaire Brodeur. There's a reason his blog is called The Spin (with no rinse cycle).
http://thestar.blogs.com/thespin/2010/02/sticking...
Cox's bald dome disappeared up his own backside years ago and his work suffers for it. Big fish, small pond syndrome, only he doesn't realize the pond is pretty small. Most people I know rarely read him anymore. Paul Hunter is a much better hockey writer and so is Feschuk when he ventures into hockey.
Don Cherry is saying what every Canadian is thinking. Revenge.
And nice eh. Phil Kessel hates us.
And he plays for the Maple Leafs.
And we traded away two first round picks for this peice of garbage?
I shakes my head.
It was Ryan Kesler who made those comments, not Phil Kessel. But Kesler plays for Vancouver, so you'd think he'd be a little more tactful.
Even worse, The Laughs have the insufferable Ron Wilson (U.S. Team coach AND Brian Burke U.S. Team GM) in the same position! Man do you guys in TO suck American teet!
Glad to see Mr. Houston feeding us some media (some of the hacks) commentary/review but I am here to say that don cherry does not represent Canada or Canadian hockey fans (even though some of us agree that a USA kicking of a$$ will be more than welcomed). He's his own mouthpiece. It is a blessing that he and his CBC cohorts are not televising these Games (despite some pretty shoddy work by the consortium).