The CBC's Don Cherry, once "at risk of becoming a dinosaur," has "roared back to being Canada’s Lion in Winter and hockey’s most outspoken voice, well into his fourth decade as a broadcaster," according to a profile by Curtis Rush of the N.Y. TIMES. Cherry has "maintained a following of mostly male, hard-core hockey fans even amid the chorus of critics who say he is out of touch with the times." Cherry in the past had been criticized for "droning on about hockey’s best pugilists when the NHL was turning toward more skill and speed." But CBC Producer Kathy Broderick said that competition "forced Cherry to evolve." Rush noted by "establishing a Twitter presence, with an account of 800,000 followers that is managed by Broderick, Cherry is adapting to modern methods of communication." When he wants to comment on Twitter, Cherry will "write down his thoughts on paper and call Broderick, who posts them and waits for the mentions to erupt." An "unabashed right-wing conservative, Cherry has used his TV platform to pay tribute to the police and the armed forces and has used Twitter to scold 'left-wing media.'" Meanwhile in his weekly "Coach's Corner" intermission segment during "Hockey Night In Canada," Cherry "tries to be the conscience" of the NHL. He also "tries to avoid contact" with players, coaches and GMs, because, in his "code of honor, if you are friendly to them, you can’t criticize them." To prepare for "HNIC," Cherry and co-host Ron MacLean will "scribble notes during the week and let Broderick know which video clips to retrieve." On Friday, Broderick "sends out an email to both of them with possible options." Cherry and MacLean then talk early Saturday morning, and a "final list is drafted." Cherry then speaks to Broderick around 11:00am, "signing off with the phrase, 'I’m going to be brilliant as usual'" (N.Y. TIMES, 12/25).
