Many times Cherry, whom I sometimes disagree with, has outshone his brethren when it comes to predictions and thoughts about the game.
I doubt the journalists who hate him have earned, nor command, the respect Cherry does. Don Cherry is in the community for various causes (including organ donation), he always sets a few seconds on his segment to honor a fallen police officer (most recently the slain QUEBECOIS POLICE WOMAN from Laval) or a young hockey player who suffered life-altering injuries. Don Cherry always finds a moment for the people and the fans. Above all, Cherry has a keen sense of his Canadian identity and history — though I am sure his politics run contrary to Quebec's. Which is fine. That's what it is to live in a democratic society. He is constantly paying homage to our troops (when so many of us forget) and our collective history — which serves as a reminder that Cherry cares and there is little proof that he is a decadent barbarian. So he makes some of us cringe at times. Big deal. Saddam makes me cower. Not Cherry. It's all in the way out take him.
He has been called a troglodyte and a racist by those who don't understand him or don't watch him on a regular basis. One of the enduring myths is that he "hates" French-Canadians, yet I have seen him praise Quebec hockey players before my own eyes. One of his all-time favorite players is Guy Lafleur.
His attire has been the subject of much derision (the irony, of course, is that most people in the media have the fashion sense of a Mongolian) and has been called a know-nothing wannabe coach (Cherry compiled a .597 winning percentage in six seasons with the Boston Bruins, taking them to the Stanley Cup finals in 1977 and 1978 — only to lose both times to the Montreal Canadiens — arguably the greatest dynasty ever).
So say what you will about Don Cherry. Behind the big thumping chest lies a complex individual, and sports have always been riddled with them from Dick Butkus to Ted Williams to Bobby Knight. On the surface they are malignant characters. Scratch a little and you find men with intricate world views who take words like loyalty, honor and accountability to high art. It's not hard to find Don Cherry when put in this light.
Funny, eh? Journalists pride themselves on being instinctive and perceptive. When it comes to Don Cherry, however, they have failed miserably. The paupers, on the other hand, pass with flying Cherry red colors.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Radigan Neuhalfen
Please spend time with Mongolians before torpidly insulting them.
2 - alessandro nicolo
Huh?
3 - RJ Elliott
Great post! Cherry is arguably my favorite Canadian (other than Pam Anderson and the late, great John Candy).
4 - Matthew T. Sussman
Can you speak Mongolian? I can't speak Mongolian! Not even Mongolians can speak Mongolian!
5 - RJ Elliott
"Stop breaking down my shitty wall, you stupid Mongorians!"
6 - alessandro nicolo
I don't speak Mongolian but they onced pillaged and burned my whole town. It was awful . Wasn't Ghengis Khan a Mongolian? Hun, Mongolian - it's all the same, right? Did they not terrorize and maraud through history at one point before their impressive but unenlightened empire collapsed without a trace? Maybe I should get to know a Nazi before I write about Hitler next time? How this went from Don Cherry to Mongolia is a hoot in itself.
7 - Radigan Neuhalfen
An analogy would be if someone here in Mongolia were to unthinkingly accept a stereotype of Canadians as a culturally backward people from a barren and isolated land and remark, “Most people in the media have the fashion sense of a Canadian.” If that person had spent time with Canadians, then she or he would most likely be disinclined to utter such a needless insult.
The emerging Western scholarship regarding the Mongol Empire presents it as one of the most enlightened social systems ever to have existed, institutionalizing and promoting free trade, religious freedom, technological innovation and propagation, and the unprecedented and as-yet unequaled era of expansive peace known as the Pax Mongolica.
A prominent and popular recent work on the subject is Jack Weatherford’s *Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World.*
Rather than collapsing without a trace, the Mongol Empire was the mainspring of the truly impressive unification of China, Russia, and Persia, countries which all continue to exist to this day as massive national entities. The Mongol and Mongol-descended dynasties themselves ruled these and other regions for hundreds of years, persisting in Central Asia even into the 20th Century.
This discussion is indeed far removed from the subject of the original piece, but an unreasoned insult must be addressed.
Here in Ulaanbaatar, we did see the *South Park* episode featuring Mongolians attacking the “shitty wall,” and it was hilarious.
8 - alessandro nicolo
Radigan, please. The tongue in cheek humour went right over your head. For a guy who watches South Park you're quite the selective chap. Do you realize what you're making an issue over? Go and reread. Spare me about the 'utter needless insult' I happen to be in the Canandian media - it's an observation and an opinion - an accurate one at that. Outside the ones who work in broadcasting who get to wear Italian suits from Zegna (hello Sportsnet you lucky dogs) people in the media and academia are not ones to care for attire - and don't tell me Mongolia had a positive effect on the catwalks of Milan and Paris. ;<) So who's making the wrong call here? I didn't realize the PC police reached all the way out there. Guys, am I missing something here? Normally, I am very reasonable and an overall nice guy and I'm sure Radigan is too but this is just plain dumb and will not be continuing this. Er, thanks for reading...I guess.
9 - alessandro nicolo
I lied. One more thing, Radigan. If Mongolians choose to view Canadians in such a light all the power to them - I ain't going to take a sword to anyone. You're free to do so. I'm not the type to take issue with this. Besides, very few major designers come from Canada. Come to think of it, I should have used Inuit instead of Mongolian. Matt, change Mongolian to Inuit. I know they can't dress for a fact. I think this would be best for all parties involved. Cough.
For the record, I was aware of Mongolia's longer-term effects. Thanks for the lesson. I was referring to a classical interpretation of some scholars about the empire. I did take, Radigan, a 'Barbarian Invasion of Rome' class in University in which we discussed the Mongols. I still think Genghis was mental like Tamerlane. He is one of the most feared men in world history. Unless he started a Peace Corp I am unaware of. Can I use the word mental, Matt? One final thought, please excuse the sarcasm. I do appreciate the comments but I feel they were slightly misguided.
10 - RJ Elliott
Genghis (and the male members of his immediate family) raped so many women in the lands they conquered, the results can still be seen today:
An international group of geneticists studying Y-chromosome data have found that nearly 8 percent of the men living in the region of the former Mongol empire carry y-chromosomes that are nearly identical. That translates to 0.5 percent of the male population in the world, or roughly 16 million descendants living today.
...
His descendants extended the empire and maintained power in the region for several hundred years, in civilizations in which harems and concubines were the norm. And the males were markedly prolific.
Khan's eldest son, Tushi, is reported to have had 40 sons. Documents written during or just after Khan's reign say that after a conquest, looting, pillaging, and rape were the spoils of war for all soldiers, but that Khan got first pick of the beautiful women. His grandson, Kubilai Khan, who established the Yuan Dynasty in China, had 22 legitimate sons, and was reported to have added 30 virgins to his harem each year.
FYI...
11 - alessandro nicolo
Oh those fabulous fornicating and feared Khan's - all their chromos running and marauding amok without purpose across a vast empire. Such beauty. I hope Cherry is not reading this! I still don't know what the fuss is about - all I did was allude to attire. Cripe, Is that such a cultural crime? Hmph, Mongorians, can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em.
12 - Radigan Neuhalfen
Alessandro, my friends and loved ones are Mongolian.
If you were to leave unchallenged a callous insult of your friends and loved ones, then you would be unworthy of the respect or affection of anyone.
I understand that you probably did not realize, perhaps due to a cultural milieu that includes such unilateral notions as "Barbarian Invasions," that you had tendered such an insult. That is why I left the original comment to inform you that you had.
I wished not to be patronizing in my "lesson," but I do believe that these ideas are new and compelling to many in the West and that they are worth disseminating.
Regarding fashion in Mongolia ;) and the "wrong call," this is excerpted from the IFA website:
"Last year's fashion runways were dominated by one influence: Mongolian traditional design. . . The country has become a synonym for sartorial flare and rugged beauty. . . Mongolian fashion is proudly strutting the catwalks of the world."
Here's the link to the full article:
I do not know any Mongolian who insults Canadians, in a "just plain dumb" manner or otherwise, so why would a very reasonable and overall nice Canadian unconcernedly insult Mongolians and refuse to apologize, or to even acknowledge the power of his words and the insinuations that they convey?
13 - alessandro nicolo
Callous insult? Radigan, are you serious? Unilateral notions? Apologize? For what? For something you completely misunderstood and exgaggerated? Mother of Lords, 874 articles and this is the first time someone suggests I apologize and I have been far more provoking. Radigan, save your energy for real battles. Seriously, this is kind advice. I'm of Italian heritage and let me tell you if I went after everything that is negatively said about Italians I would have no life. Just the French alone make all sorts of comments. It is what it is. Americans make fun of Canadians all the time. It's parody. The course was a University class given by one of the world's most respected historians and the term 'barbarians' was a term used by Ancient Greeks and Romans to describe...aw fricken forget it. No, the ideas you posit are not new in the West. Many are aware of the new Mongolian scholarship. The West is not as stupid and ethno-centric as some may claim - all that leftist mumbo jumbo self-loathng. Yuk. Good for the Mongolians on the fashion end but hey Conan wasn't exactly well dressed. Can you confirm that Genghis was a sharp dresser? I doubt it. Not with all that blood on his shirt. I need help here. Radigan, come and hang around these parts then you'll understand. For now, it was a harmless post about a hockey commentator. Matt, did you change that to Inuit yet? This guy is not getting it - even though I kinda like him. He's got spunk.
14 - alessandro nicolo
I did read up a little on Mongolian fashion. Came across a Mongolian model who was killed in Malaysia. Crazy story. Sad. Still, Radigan, you need to understand that the Mongolians I was referring to were the Mongols of the Khan's. No matter how you want to spin it the Khan's were ruthless. Nothing to do with contemporary Mongolia. Yes, I could have used anyone (maybe an even more approriate analogy) but this is what I used because quite frankly it was not the point. It's great to see Mongolia progress and express itself on the world stage - nice clothes. The more we tongue in cheeked this thing the more you came at this post like, a - cough - Hun. ;<) I don't think anyone will make much of it. Now please, I beg you, make a HOCKEY COMMENT!!! ANYONE!!!
15 - Matthew T. Sussman
I'd change Mongolian to Inuit, but some would call that ethnic cleansing.
16 - alessandro nicolo
Hilarious. Gosh, wouldn't Amnesty 'round here. I guess we're stuck.
17 - Phillip Winn
One thing is clear, those with Mongolian friends and loved ones are humorless and not very smart. Every single one of them, without exception.*
They make good stir-fry though. Mmmm, Mongolian BBQ.
Good grief! Great article on Cherry. I only heard him a few times, catching my hockey as I do south of the border, but I think you've captured his essence.
* Um, I was kidding. Duh.
18 - alessandro nicolo
Din, ding, ding! Phillip you win a special prize for commenting on Cherry! Thanks. I've mailed you a doughnut. Hope you don't mind maple glazed. Seriously, glad you liked it.
19 - KHUBILAI KHAAN
It is just unbelievable. How come everytime when there is a issue about Mongolia or Mongolians, people start talking about our history or our kings. Whatever they did in the world, whatever they did to make this world more better place like today with a freedom of speech and with a freedom to choose their own religion, with a chance to exchange their ideas; with a opportunity to trade without any fear or pressure: it is nothing to do with contemporary Mongolia. In addition, we never ever killed someone or nations without any reason.
I wanna say, only Mongolians know their history more than anyone else. Whereas for the loosers there is a always reason or a bullshit stories, so don't trust your history!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You guys said Mongolians and Mongolian Great Empire lost without any trace. Ok guys, wherever you go, I can guarantee you can always see or find a little piece of our history.
Don't insult us, We are Mongolians (Turkey, Uzbekistan, Republic of Buryatia, Republic of Tuva, Inner Mongolia, 20% Afganistan, Tatar, Korea)
20 - Mark Saleski
i have a mongolian hat. it's awesome for running the snowblower.
seriously.
21 - One question
Before Mongolia invaded Europe, first do you guys used wear a pants and second do guys used to wear silks. Well, I am sure they didn't use to.
I am sure all of you, saw the star wars, if I remember it correctly some of the actresses were wearing the Mongolian traditional clothes
Please please don't copy our traditional cloths if you guys hate our culture, history and Mongolians. We used to wear much better clothes than now, Imagine it was 800 years aga
22 - Pico
Don Cherry? Didn't he used to play in Ornette Coleman's band?
-P
23 - Vern Halen
I bought some cold weather mittens at an Danish import store - the were in a bin marked "Mongolian Yak Herder Gloves." $6 a pair. When I got home, I found a tag inside them that said, "Made in Taiwan from 100% man-made materials." I bet Don Cherry bougt himself a pair of those after he gave up that gig with Ornette to coach Bobby Orr & the B's in Beantown - I mean, it's a small world, after all.
24 - alessandro nicolo
Arghhhhh! Am I in the Twilight Zone? You mean there's a second one? Kublai comes back from the dead? The tyrant has spoken! We are not to speak about Mongolia ever - again! What's next the Mongorian embassy will issue a statement? All this madness reminds me of the episode of when the Aussies were mad at Homer and Bart on The Simpsons.Matt, ok I understand your concern about ethnic cleansing so let's go with an extinct people - Leprechauns or Incans. I don't think they have access to the Internet. Better yet, let's start over. Mark, was the hat expensive?
25 - alessandro nicolo
One question; er, yeah.
Pico, yes. Don Cherry was also a jazz musician. Never could get into Ornette Coleman.
Vern, it's very possible. Mongolian clothing fits nicely on a hockey rink. Bobby Orr - what a legend.
One thing is for sure, I don't think satire hit Mongolia. Are there any Mongolian comedians? Radigan, I am sure you will let us know. They probably also read Jabberwocky.