<p>You have to take Don Cherry for what he is - an old school hockey guy and a VERY proud Canadian.</p>
<p>Living in Detroit, I grew up with Hockey Night in Canada. Foster Hewitt in the gondola at Maple Leaf Gardens, Dick Irvin and Danny Gallivan from the Forum in Montreal and now Don Cherry and Ron McLean.</p>
<p>BTW - Ron McLean is a great studio host for a multiple of sports, including the Canadian Olympic coverage. A first class guy all the way. Early on he seemed intimdated by Don Cherry on Coach’s Corner, but he now gives as good as he gets. The last time I visited the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, they had a room set up with a tv showing non-stop Coach’s Corners.</p>
<p>On another subject, if you are tired of the fluffed and puffed US news anchors, check out the CBC’s Peter Mansbridge, CBC News Chief Correspondent and anchor of The National, CBC Television’s flagship nightly newscast. Another first class guy all the way.</p>
<p>Okay, guys, if you’re going to start the Crosby bashing, I’m going to ban you from my thread. Seriously, hate on Versus all you want but the personal stuff isn’t necessary. </p>
<p>As for Don Cherry, I don’t have to take him for what he is, I don’t have to take him at all! Except that I do, if I’m watching HNIC. They’re always touting how popular he is with the masses but I don’t know one single soul who likes his schtick. Most people switch stations during Coach’s Corner so they don’t have to listen to him. I don’t know how Ron McLean stands him, other than the fact that Cherry is ensuring that McLean continues to make the big bucks.</p>
<p>Cardinal, I was joking, mostly, hence the winking smiley. I get that people may be sick of hearing about Sidney but is that a reason to “loathe” him? I guess maybe I look at things differently about players I dislike. I’ve been a hockey fan and attending professional games for 47 years and have certainly disliked players but that dislike is always related to their behavior on the ice. The old EHL was full of players like that. Chris Pronger is a lightweight compared to some of the guys who played in the EHL back in the 60s. I don’t understand hating on a player because he happens to be arguably the best player in the world and gets a lot of attention by the media. Like I said, hate the way that the media fawns over him but I don’t see that as a reason to hate him as a player. Sean Avery on the other hand? He deserves every ounce of venom that he attracts. :)</p>
<p>I can hate on Avery (and we root for the Rangers after the Sabres here), but my daughter would literally kill me if I started hating on Sidney. She adores him, but since she is currently in college (playing on the women’s hockey team) in Chicago she’s been all about the 'Hawks for the past 4 years. I swear she can identify the team by the backs of their heads, without their sweaters on! But I digress. I really can’t tell you why I don’t like the Red Wings, but I feel about them like I feel about the Dallas Cowboys - I just don’t like them. I know they’ve had some wonderful teams, with great players like Yzerman and Howe, and Hasek, but I just don’t like them. So we’ll have to see, will it be the Sharks, or the Preds, or maybe the Canucks will prevail. Though I suspect it’ll still come back to rooting for the Eastern Conference, whomever the rep may be.</p>
<p>Yes, it started with the hit on Pacioretty and then continued through the series with Ference, Marchand, Lucic. Too many incidents to recount in detail. Hockey is a rough game but the dirty stuff and clear intent to injure is brutal and the refs need to do a better job of controlling it. I fear for the Bruins/Flyers series in this regard, because both teams have players who are often guilty of this kind of play. My H says they deserve each other but I’m hopeful that the nonsense will stop.</p>
<p>Another broken-hearted Sabres fan here…I just hope our old buddy Dwayne Roloson keeps it up for the Lightning, no Crosby bashing here but it is good to see teams move on that haven’t in a while…</p>
<p>I don’t hate Crosby. I do hate the announcers that feel the need to talk about him all the time. Well, I do hate him b/c he is a Penguin, but I hate all Penguins equally.</p>
<p>Except for Matt Cooke. He should be kicked out of the league for his inexcusable headshots.</p>
<p>soccerguy, I was surprised by the outcome of both games but my guess is that the next in those series will yield a different result. Just a little over an hour til the Flyers and Bruins. I’m glad that they’re starting the Vancouver games early, at 6 local time, so that those of us in the East can stay awake for the entire game.</p>
<p>I had to listen to the Sharks/Wings over internet radio because a friend and I were driving south to do a bike ride today. But it all ended well, both the game and the bike ride.</p>
<p>Tired, tired, tired this morning but happy with the outcome. I did feel sorry for Luongo on that tying goal, though. He had made so many terrific saves through the game and really was the reason that the game was even close. 3:00 and 7:00 today!</p>
Seriously, hate on Versus all you want but the personal stuff isn’t necessary. </p>
Just a little over an hour til the Flyers and Bruins. I’m glad that they’re starting the Vancouver games early, at 6 local time, so that those of us in the East can stay awake for the entire game.</p>