Don Cherry released the first episode of his new podcast “Don Cherry’s Grapevine” after being fired by Sportsnet. Cherry was fired over comments calling on everybody to wear a poppy for Remembrance Day.
During the episode, Cherry addressed the reaction following his comments and his eventual termination as host of “Coach’s Corner.”
“Evidently I said something and everybody knows what I said and I offered to explain, not an apology but I guess I was going to smooth it over but they made conditions that made it impossible for me to do it,” said Cherry.
“I just couldn’t do it and I guess I bit the bullet. I don’t know what else to say, I said what I said and I still say everybody in Canada should wear a poppy.”
Since being fired by the network, Cherry has stood by his initial comments and claimed what he said was taken out of context.
“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, young men died over there for our way of life and we do our way of life and we love the milk and honey. Yes I used the word milk and honey because that’s what we have: we have the best country in the world,” said Cherry.
Several current and former hockey players have spoken out in Cherry’s defence in the past week. Colorado Avalanche player Nazem Kadri agreed that his comments were taken “out of context” and was “sad to see him go.”
Hockey Hall of Famer Bobby Orr also claimed that Sportsnet’s decision to fire Cherry was “disgraceful.”
Former Calgary Flames star and best-selling author Theo Fleury also told True North that CTV displayed a “double standard” after one of the hosts from “The Social,” Jessica Allen made comments disparaging young “white boys” who like hockey.
“Every small town who has a rink is the hub for the community. Hockey gives Canadians a sense of pride. It’s our identity,” said Fleury.
