Cherry blasts Brian Burke

[hf101]

Some pretty funny stuff. Burke goes behind Cherry's back to try to get him fired.

[habsguy26]

He's actually right here. Burke is such a hypocrite.

[Phillygrump]

I thought he'd be blasting Burke for firing Wilson after extending him a month ago. I should have turned the video off after he made that point seconds in. Don Cherry is a retard in a flashy suit.

He sounds like a grouchy old man b*tching outside a hardware store. I don't know what else I'd expect from a disgruntled Laffs fan. Its like listening to Skip Bayless complain about the Cowboys. Idiots whining about their favorite team, that just happens to also be the bandwagon team in that sport, fall on deaf ears for me.

Toronto sucks

Cherry sucks

and don't forget:

the Cowboys suck

Skip Bayless sucks

and the Cowboys suck

[Vanflyer]

@Phillygrump

While I don't always agree with him, there are three reasons why I like Cherry (and his suits are not one of them):

1) He always says what he means and means what he says. He has been campaigning for YEARS about the equipment and changing it back to the older days so players are more accountable to themselves and others.

2) He is a HUGE supporter of youth hockey and does a ton for it. While it might be Canadian youth hockey- it is still youth hockey.

3) He ALWAYS supports the troops- regardless of whether he agrees for the cause that they may be fighting for.

On this particularly issue, while you always want to ice the best team, you would think that there would be at least ONE home town kid on the Leafs.

[Phillygrump]

@Vanflyer

You probably know him more than I do and listen to him more often. THose are good things to advocate, but the guy rubs me the wrong way. I don't mind that he speaks his mind. The NHL NEEDS guys like that desperately. I think Americans appreciate someone that does that too. But still he comes off like he's slamming American hockey players and to me that is kind of counterproductive to the NHL.

[Vanflyer]

@Phillygrump

Make no doubt about it- he is a loud mouth, but that is his shtick and what draws ratings. It is like the Howard Stern phenomenon (you know why he has such high rating from BOTH people that like him and don't like him: they are waiting to hear what he says next).

He definitely comes off like he is bashing American hockey players (being half American myself), but really he is just fervently patriotic and loyal to Canada and Canadian hockey. Certainly he has a definite bias towards Canadian hockey players- especially because he is so devoted to the youth programs, but I don't think its to the point where he doesn't acknowledge the skill of other countries hockey players (in this case American).

With him, you just have to always remember that he is a total Leafs homer (and thus the rants about Burke) AND that he truly believes that hockey IS Canada's game (despite the prowess of the Swedes, Russians AND Americans, etc.).

What he does for youth hockey will always get him a pass in my book- because probably nobody else in Canada does as much or has such a profound impact as a singular person.

[Phillygrump]

What he does for youth hockey will always get him a pass in my book- because probably nobody else in Canada does as much or has such a profound impact as a singular person.

Well, I guess I'll give him a pass for that then.

[blocker]

Well, I guess I'll give him a pass for that then.

Me too.

I know Don Cherry can be mouthy, but I think he's good for hockey. We need all the ambassadors we can get. Also, He's very gracious toward fans. I've seen him wait with humor and grace while people fumble with cameras.

Edited March 4, 2012 by blocker

[Podein25]

LMAO @

"you're friend Brian Burke?!" and,

"Let me talk about Saskatchewan"

You know what's also funny about this? One of the Leafs trolls on Philly.com - was it Tucker? - always tried to play the patriot by accusing us Canadian Flyer fans of being traitors. They should be ashamed.

Shame, I tell you. Oh yeah, the Laughs Continue

[phlfly]

Thanks for sharing.

He is right, it's pathetic Leafs organization, before Burke opened his mouth, he should be put team in playoff, then say something. Like I said before Burke is hockey Andy Reid.

[Miller Time]

One wonders how long Burke can last if the Leafs do not get in again?

Yeah, Don, us damn Americans are pretty useless. Only know how to do things like win wars and land on the moon.

Edited March 6, 2012 by Miller Time

[hf101]

TORONTO - It was as if somebody kicked his dog Blue.

Turns out part of what set Don Cherry off Saturday night to such emotion was that his old friend and Coach’s Corner partner Ron MacLean had been lumped in with him. The two became one in complaints from Maple Leafs GM Brian Burke to the CBC.

“I didn’t like it,” said Cherry of his 26-year Coach’s Corner partner being involved in Burke “going behind our backs to our bosses” to tell the CBC if they want the Maple Leafs as part of the new contract they “should get rid of Cherry and MacLean.”

Say it ain’t so.

For his part MacLean confirmed that Burke did indeed go to their superiors.

“I don’t think it was as much to get us fired as much as he wanted to see us muzzled, which is ridiculous,” said MacLean.

To his credit, MacLean said, Burke telephoned him before he actually met with CBC Executive Director of Sports Properties Jeff Orridge, who like Burke is a Harvard educated lawyer, several days after the NHL all-star game weekend.

“He said I am feeling kind of lousy doing it this way without talking to you first,” MacLean said of the Burke call.

MacLean was offered a chance to meet with Burke before the meeting but declined — explaining to the Leafs president their job is not to present “all rainbows” in their broadcast.

“Brian feels that I egg Grapes on but in his call he was cordial,” MacLean said.

Cherry and Stephen Brunt were on Sportsnet 590 The Fan Tuesday with Bob McCown saying Burke also met with the league with similar concerns.

Said Brunt: “At the Board of Governors I guess what was implied was if you guys want to get this contract, if want to renew Hockey Night in Canada when it comes next year, you better get rid of this guy.”

Said Cherry: “That’s what I heard, too” with word being presented to the governor’s “don’t forget we are going to be guys in charge here and this guy’s a loose cannon.”

Burke in an e-mail did not respond to questions about this. In an earlier e-mail Burke told me he liked both MacLean and Cherry but had complained about their weekly “vicious” attacks on his coach and team “quietly and professionally” and that “they leaked it.”

The CBC has also not commented on this issue.

Meanwhile MacLean said Orridge did not divulge the discussions of the meetings which happened two days after the Burke phone call.

“I am not losing any sleep over it,” said Ron. “I understand Brian is under a lot pressure and he treats each day like it’s a hockey game. A general manager of such a major professional sports franchise should be able to handle it but it’s the way he is. I like him a lot and he is a good guest.”

He said he harbours no resentment over Burke going behind he and Don’s back to their boss.

“I forgive Brian,” said MacLean. “It’s over as far as I am concerned.”

But for Cherry, who told McCown and Brunt “it wasn’t a very Irish thing for Burke to do” when it comes to forgiveness, there can be a different time frame.

MacLean laughs.

“Don gets mad at me, too, sometimes but he always comes around,” he said. “Actually he and Brian are similar like that.”

And MacLean made the point that while Burke is under scrutiny “don’t forget Don is under enormous pressure to deliver to his audience too.”

He said it didn’t surprise him that Cherry would take offence to somebody complaining about him and be the enforcer for his old buddy and teammate.

“He has had my back before when necessary and I have done the same for him,” he said.

During the playoffs on the road they often end up “buying a 12-pack” and watching the late game in the hotel room.

“I will drink seven and he will drink five,” Cherry said. “We are like Frick and Frack. Sometimes, mostly in the playoffs, we have a foxhole mentality.”

It would, he said, be difficult to drive a wedge between them.

“We are close friends.”

Brian Burke found that out first hand this week.

http://www.ottawasun.com/2012/03/07/both-cherry-and-maclean-were-burkes-targets

[bryanc]

Some pretty funny stuff. Burke goes behind Cherry's back to try to get him fired.

I've hated Burke ever since he pulled that **** move with Peter Zezel when he was GM in Vancouver. What a heartless puke.

[flyercanuck]

I don't agree with a lot of things Cherry says. He's become a parody of himself. But he's right in what he's saying here. And it's not a knock on US born players (whom Cherry generally groups along side Canadians).

Burke went behind his back (and MacLeans) to get them fired for voicing their opinion. An opinion, which in fact turned out to be correct (about Wilson) who Burke fired weeks after giving him an extension. Cherry is then pointing out that a team in Toronto should so obviously have players that grew up playing in an area where the largest percentage of NHLers come from. Instead he goes out of his way to bring in Americans, and 4 years later...STILL hasn't made the playoffs. That's not a knock on Americans, it's a knock on Burkes horseblinders. This is the guy who said no more trading away draft choices, then traded picks that ended up being Tyler Seguin, Dougie Hamilton and Jared Knight for Phil kessel. Kessel is a skilled American player who the Boston Bruins didn't want on their team. Go figure.

Maybe if Burke would spend more time doing his job, and less calling press conferences to let people know he has nothing important to say, making sure his face or voice is in the media every single day, and stop worrying what one mans opinion is, his team might be closer to a playoff spot after FOUR years than it is to last place in the entire league.

[JackStraw]

@flyercanuck - ok, but besides all that you have to admit Burkie is doing a great job!

[flyercanuck]

@JackStraw

Jack, as a Flyer fan, I LOVE the job Burke is doing. This media pig was hailed as the Messiah when he was hired. He's taken a borderline playoff team, and after 4 years and 6,000 press conferences later, he has a borderline...actually if you really reach, has a borderline playoff team. good job! And he thinks CHERRY should be fired????