Clarification Please

Perhaps it's all a misunderstanding.

But it sure sounded like Don Cherry was advocating stick-swinging as a means of exacting revenge on the hockey rink during his Coach's Corner segment on Saturday night's edition of Hockey Night in Canada.

And it sure sounded like he was directing that suggestion at children.

But maybe it's all an misunderstanding. You be the judge.

The topic was Ryan Hollweg, and his habit of bodychecking opponents from behind into the boards, a habit that has seen him twice suspended already this fall.

"I don't understand this guy," said Cherry.

So good so far.

"I have a solution, and kids. . .I have a solution to stop (Hollweg). . .would you like to see a solution to stop him?" asked Cherry rhetorically.

Then Cherry rolled video of an incident last year in which super-goon Chris Simon, after being hit from behind by Hollweg, got to his feet and took his stick to Hollweg's neck and head area in one of the ugliest stick-swinging incidents in recent years.

"Now here, he hits Chris Simon from behind. Chris has a solution," said Cherry as the video showed the ugly slash. "Funny how. . .it's all in perspective now. Nobody said anything about running him from behind. . .and, uh. . .if this happened a few more times maybe (Hollweg) wouldn't do it."

Then, perhaps realizing he'd gone to far with his advice-to-kids segment, Cherry tried to suggest he was just kidding.

"I'm just being smart," he said.

But when co-host Ron MacLean pursued the topic, Cherry made it clear he wasn't kidding at all.

"(Simon) got 30 games and Ryan's hitting guys from all over the place and he gets four (games)," complained Cherry, adding that Simon is his "buddy."

For years, of course, Cherry has extolled the virtues of fist-fighting on skates as a means of settling disagreements, always insisting that was the manly way to deal with such problems, and that fights were always preferable to stickwork.

Now, at least according to his comments Saturday, he believes stick-swinging is a justifiable response in certain circumstances, and that kids in minor hockey should understand that it may be advisable in specific situations to use their stick on an opponent.

But you be the judge. Go to cbc.ca and watch Coach's Corner.

Maybe this is all a big misunderstanding on my part. Understand, even though I disagree with most everything Cherry advocates, I like the guy. I've even written a column suggesting that it's a farce he's not in the broadcasting wing of the Hockey Hall of Fame.

But if he really believes it's sometimes okay to swing your stick at an opponent's head, I don't think I'll write that column again.

Comments

[nugentmania]

Don Cherry has been irrelevant for years. It's just a shame now that the CBC can't make a distinction between irrelevance and absurdity.

[Peter]

hm, damien, what was this post about? you know don, and you know when his serious and when he's just trying to make a point. and with the simon incident he had a point. besides, it's entertainment, it sure gave me a good laugh.

[Brian]

I think Cherry is simply stating there is a double standard in the league. Now if Hollweg runs a Montreal player from behind he will get destroyed by Big George however who would get the worse of it Big George. Big George would get the instigator penalty or even a suspension.
We can go back to the Bertuzzi incident also the main thing is the instigator penalty has to be removed. There has to be some sort of policing like the old days and maybe just maybe players like Hollweg would think twic before ramming someone into the boards.
To the kids it is not finishing your check by ramming a player into the boards.
I am for second chances so if Hollweg cleans up his act fine if not waive him right away. The NHL does not need players like Hollweg.

[Jason]

Damien,

I rarely agree with you, but you are spot-on here. I was in disbelief when they rolled the tape of Simon swinging his stick, and to hear Cherry say that this is some kind of "solution"!

The man has been entertaining over the years, but I think that the time has come for both Cherry and the CBC to move on. He has caused and is causing damage.

[PeterC]

The League won't stop it, Cherry's trying to embarass them. By the way I'd rather get a slash to the chest than a cross check head first into the boards. When someone is crippled, figure out who will be sued ( and lose). I hope everyone has lots of insurance.

[FlamFlim]

Don Cherry is an idiot. I don't even watch Coach's Corner anymore, there's no point. It's like reading a Rosie Dimanno column: Why piss yourself off by paying attention?

[Jonathan Rose]

Hi Damien

I think it was understood that Cherry was in a roundabout way trying to poke fun at the instigator rule that has led to both hits from behind and stick swinging. Not trying to defend any of the three alternatives, but I feel you are stretching a bit here.

[Davey Boy]

I took Cherry's comments as a shot at the league for not further punishing Hollweg. He was clearly making the point that if the league is not going to punish players for checking from behind, the players will have to do it themselves.

Friggin' spin doctor!

[Slodrive]

I understood this to be a pretty sarcastically veiled 'solution'. Essentially showing two equally dangerous acts with vastly different punishments.

To me, the message was in the ridiculousness. For those who follow along, Cherry hardly condoned the actions of Simon. He definitely provided the rationale for it -- but that's beside the point.

I left the segment questioning the NHL's inability to enforce dangerous hits from behind. I believe that was Cherry's objective.

[Bruce]

Don Cherry obviously hasn't been educated about the 2 wrongs don't make 1 right rule. If getting slashed in the neck by a stick hasn't taught Hollweg that hitting in the back is wrong, then nothing will. I say kick him out of the league before he does some serious damage to someone.
It's going to happen.......

[Lewis McClain]

Damian: What do you think? Cherry has vengence as the cure for most infractions. He may be right. Too much is up to the view of the referee. But please no stick work. That is not an option. Neither are guns,or knives. On another note. The Leafs need Sundin. There is not a scorer in the lineup. The team would have a hard time winning in the AHL. In fact i liked last years team better. They lacked disipline,but at least there was some excitement. This bunch would not be fun if they did win....

[Rob]

I think he thought he was being sarcastic. I doubt he would seriously advocate swinging a stick. He should have known better however, due to the large youth population that watches the show.

Hopefully he'll realize this and say something next week.

[Guido]

What Cherry was saying is that "an eye for an eye" stops these things. If there was no instigator rule, then Hollweg wouldn't be able to run around like a mad man. And I also think he wanted to defend his buddy Simon as if to say - this is why he did that.

I don't agree, but I had no idea how bad those hits were. I think this year's hits were iffy at best - but the ones from previous years were 100% dirty. The guy should have been suspend at least 15 games because of those previous hits. Hollweg obvious is clueless - there is no other explanation for why you do it that many times.

[Newton]

Damien, as a houseleague hockey coach nothing scares me more than hits from behind.

Despite strong campaigns to eliminate these hits from the game (the "stop" signs on the back of youth jerseys etc) such efforts have failed as the disciplinary ramifications for these hits simply aren't severe enough.

Cherry, frustrated at the disproportionate disciplinary response to hitting from behind vs. other incidents, was overzealous in his call to vigilante action but made a legitimate point: hitting from behind needs to be treated more seriously by the NHL.

The kids of Canada would benefit if this example was set at the game's highest level.

[Giller]

I watched this Saturday night and I could not believe what I was seeing/hearing. I have no idea what Don was thinking. You don't solve being hit from behind by hitting a guy in the head with your stick! You just pray you will be able to skate away and you let the league handle it. Now, granted the league does do a terrible job in punishing players for this very dangerous offence, but still. You cannot take the law into your own hands, whether it be on the streets of Toronto or on the ice.
Putting this aside, I do think Don deserves to be in the hall of fame. One bonehead call shouldn't deter from his years of service and, normally, well thought out opinions (whether you agree or disagree with the opinions).

[Nick]

He was just kidding. At 3:32 when Ron starts talking about Hollweg, he says, "now you have a solution to the problem which is funny." From 4:30 to 4:37 when Don says "I have a solution" and "would you like to see a solution to stop him?", his body language and facial expressions clearly indicate that he is joking, and on top of that, Ron starts laughing before they go to the clip. After the clip and after Cherry says "I'm just being smart", it's McLean that says, "No but it's funny because he (Simon) gets 30 games and Ryan... now..." and then Cherry echos him saying, "(Simon) got 30 games and Ryan's hitting guys from all over the place and he gets four!". So I guess it was all just a misunderstanding.

[Jonathan]

Damien,

You certainly have people you like to beat on and Don Cherry ranks near the top. You pride yourself on your objectivity but to me this shows your lack of it. If you can seriously believe that Don Cherry supports whacking people with a stick in the head then I think you must give up any pretence at being an objective observer. Don Cherry is a lot of things but he has never been a supporter of thuggery. All he was doing was pointing out that perhaps Hollweg should have got more for what he does (a point you have agreed with) when you consider his actions compared with Simon's who got a much worse punishment. Don't let your contempt for certain people spoil your beloved objectivity.

[Joey]

I don't think Cherry was justifying the stick swinging thing. I think he was making a valid point. Last year Chris Simon was the jerk of the league. It was cool for the media to jump on the "Kick Chris Simon out of the league" band wagon.

But because everyone was so focused on Simon nobody criticized Hollweg's hit from behind. Something he did quite a lot of last year and a little bit of this year already. Now it's no secret that Cherry likes to stick up for his buddies. He always has, but in this particular case Simon got 30 games for the stick thing and Hollweg (a repeat offender as well) has only got 4.

Is hitting from behind less dangerous?

[Ernest Reed]

Nope, never got the same impression that you did, Damien. Then again, I never get the same impression from any negative minded individual. Are you reading something into this statement? You should, you are a very negative individual. You should try life from the other side...You might be surprised to find a rather unique way of living other than yours. You are too much!

[Mobeen]

We as humans love violence and we glorify it in everything we do.

I would like to use TV programs as an example. We have so many crime shows and real life cop dramas dealing with only certain subjects as fighting, murder, crime, etc etc

Fighting in Ice Hockey is just tip of the Ice Berg. I think this is a much serious problem in our society, which should be addressed.

[Conn Smythe]

Don Cherry should have faded quietly in the night 10 years ago.

[Brandon]

Hi Damien,

You make us ponder sound points once again. I was scratching my head last Saturday Night watching Grapes myself. I only hope he was trying to make his point by showing that when a player crosses the line that the removal of the instigator rule is what Grapes wants and not swinging a stick! As such then said player that commits a blatant foul is dealt with instantly with by an opposing player without the opposition receiving a penalty. That is what many hockey fans would love to see as the current breed of players always produce a certain percentage that do not respect the game ie; Ryan Hollweg My personal opinion is that I would like to see the league kick out the Hollweg's of the sport instead of giving them free passes again and again. This goon did it 5 times last year with the Rangers and now twice this year with the buds. Which makes Colin Campbell's ruling bogus especially when you compare the leagues stance on a player like Michael Peca.

Keep on keepin on,
Brandon

[Adam A. Carbarundum]

Whereas I can see Damien's point and concern, Cherry brings about a much greater issue (likely without realizing it). The NHL's dicipline system is horrific and weak at best. How is a genuine "stiff" like Hollweg ever going to learn any lessons if the NHL keeps handing out candy bags to him for just being a bonehead? Sometimes, and I'm not condoning it whatsoever, you have to take matters into your own hands if the governing body won't. The NHL has to accept the lions share of blame in all of this. Let's face it, the NHL under Gary Bettman is weak and lame, not really worth watching most nights. Having losers like Ryan Hollweg and treating him with kid gloves does not exactly take away from my view, does it?

[Lost In Alberta]

I too was a little horrified by the comment. However, I think his point was that hitting from behind is unacceptable, and Hollweg is notorious for it. It does seem a little out-of-whack (pardon the pun) to give 30 games for the slash and then barely punish the hits from behind, which I think (hope?) is where Grapes was coming from. They are equally dangerous. I also think part of his point was, behavior like that eventually results in some sort of punishment from other players, and Hollweg will get his due. Personally, I despise that barbaric mentality in hockey, but it is reality in today's game, like it or not.

As an aside, you had to laugh when Cherry pushed McLean's hand out of his space!

[Jerry Noseworthy]

I watched the Coach's Corner episode on Saturday. It appeared to me that Cherry was reluctant to air the hits from behind, but when pressed, did so. He even stated he didn't want to air that particular segment. When it did air, I believe he was defending Chris Simon's poor judgement, albeit jokingly. He did say he was just "being smart".
Hollweg is the main problem here. How can he commit the same offense so many times in such a short period and continually receive minor suspensions? Do we have to wait until a permanent injury is sustained? I thought there was a graduated punishment scale for all infractions!!
I would suggest if he were an Islander, as Simon was, or Predator, etc., the penalty would be much more severe. Perhaps the sweater being worn impacts on the penalty as well.