The CBC Saturday “took the unusual step of clarifying its position" on issues hockey analyst Don Cherry addressed in his "Coach's Corner" segment during Thursday's season opener, according to Derek Abma of the WINNIPEG FREE PRESS. Cherry during the segment “used strong language to criticize some former NHL tough guys.” He “identified a handful of former NHL pugilists he says are now against fighting in hockey because of the recent off-ice deaths of enforcers” Wade Belak, Rick Rypien and Derek Boogaard. CBC Exec VP/English Services Kirstine Stewart said, "I wish to clarify, in no uncertain terms, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp.'s position on this issue. Don's comments reflect his own opinion. While we support his right to voice that opinion, we do not share his position.” Stewart added that she “had spoken with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and made clear the network's position on such issues.” CBC spokesperson Chuck Thompson said, "We just wanted to ensure that we clarified the CBC's position on player safety" (WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, 10/9). Cherry said that the "only regret he had concerning his highly publicized Coach’s Corner segment on Thursday was that he referred to former NHL enforcers Chris Nilan, Stu Grimson and Jim Thomson as ‘pukes.’” Cherry: “There are kids watching and that’s not an appropriate word. That’s the only thing I would do over again.” In Toronto, Mike Zeisberger wrote, “You can bet you won’t hear any whining from their executives when the ratings go through the roof for Saturday night’s edition of Coach’s Corner, a direct result of the public anticipation of Cherry’s reaction to the firestorm his Thursday comments created” (TORONTOSUN.com, 10/8).
LOYAL PARTNER: The GLOBE & MAIL’s Bruce Dowbiggin writes "HNIC" co-host Ron MacLean Saturday tried to "undo the PR damage wrought by his having sat mute during Thursday’s initial episode." Knowing Cherry “would never take a backward step, MacLean felt it his sacred duty on Saturday to protect his friend and partner from himself.” Instead of challenging Cherry’s “outrageous statements, MacLean fed Cherry with softballs like ‘Any regrets?’, ‘What you meant was …’ and ‘You didn’t say this, I want to make this perfectly clear …’” The cumulative effect “was a supplicant MacLean in the face of a still-defiant Cherry.” But Dowbiggin notes, “Saturday was too late. CBC needed MacLean to do his job on Thursday” (GLOBE & MAIL, 10/10).
