Don Cherry Ought To Retire
The NHL Is Suffering From Tired Minds And Stale Arguments
The NHL has a major problem on its hands.
No, it's not poor attendance records in most US markets. No, it's not that there is no major US TV deal in place to bring in revenue. No, it's not the fact that its most storied franchise, the Montreal Canadiens, is supposedly for sale due to tough economic times. Nor is the NHL's major problem that with each passing year more and more kids are turning away from the sport in favour of soccer and baseball.
Ok, those ARE all major problems, but not the point of this piece. The National Hockey League has a major problem on its hands in the way of its personality, on and off the ice.
Alexander Ovechkin's 50th Goal Celebration
Highlighted by Alexander Ovechkin's 50th goal celebration in Tampa Bay last week, it became very clear that there is a severe cultural divide in the hockey community. Since Ovechkin’s “my stick is too hot” celebration – which by the way, is not original – last week, stuffed suits who call themselves hockey “experts” have gotten in front of any camera or microphone they could fine and have done nothing but come down on Ovechkin turning a nothing situation into what seems like the most insulting act any player could’ve done to possibly insult the game.
“He has disrespected the game” they cried. “He insulted the Tampa Bay players and fans” they whined. “He’s embarrassing himself” they bellowed.
Mike Milbury, Nick Kypreos and Pierre McGuire, Oh My!
Lead by Don Cherry, these over the hill, played out professionals did nothing but embarrass themselves in their attempts to hang Ovechkin by his skate laces for what he did.
Mike Milbury, Nick Kypreos and Pierre McGuire, among others, were livid with Ovechkin. Darren Pang, former NHL goalie and current Phoenix Coyotes broadcaster even said this week that he likes the fact that our game is duller and has more “professionalism” than the other major sports in North America.
Are you kidding? When did sports turn into the MET? Why is there such a desire from these aged analysts to keep the game “pure” and abide by traditions set by players decades ago?
This is where the culture divide becomes clear as day.
Paul Maurice, head coach of the Carolina Hurricanes loved it and said “We should have 20 more guys like him in the league” to a local Toronto radio station today.
Current San Jose Shark Jeremy Roenick thinks Ovechkin is fantastic and is begging the league to inject some personality into its players. He is tired of players being forced to walk on egg shells before, during and after games out of fear that they will be punished for showing some personality.
Talk to any hockey fan under the age of 30, nobody cares about that silly celebration, as they shouldn’t.
The league is handcuffed by these tired thoughts and stale ideas that are being spewed by most of its TV and radio personalities. The game has come a long way since these men were coaching and playing, there has been many rule changes and a plethora of players to come and go – the game is not the same as it was. So why is the NHL still tolerating the mentality and ideas of men who haven’t been inside the game for at least 10 years?
The NHL is in desperate need of a serious make over; it's overdue for guys like Matthew Barnaby and Barry Melrose, for example, to take the reigns of the NHL talking heads. Some fresh ideas, some honest opinion and some flamboyant goal celebrations are just what this league needs.
It was fun while it lasted, and there was some real god times along the way, but Don Cherry needs to retire. Hopefully all members of the NHL’s ‘old boys network’ will continue to follow his every move so once and for all, this stone-aged way of looking at the world's greatest sport can retire too.
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