Should Don Cherry be in the HHOF?

[Bear of Bad News]

People really need to understand that Cherry was born in the Great Depression, grew up during World War II and then lived through the height of the Cold War at a time where political correctness did not exist. There was a nuclear arms race, the Soviets were the enemy and it was an "Us against them" world dynamic. And that dynamic extended to the ice as well, see all those battles between Canada/NHL teams and the Soviets. So It's understandable that Cherry always had some prejudice against Russians, pretty much everyone did.

I had old relatives born in the 20s, they're dead now but I remember my great-uncle who was a WWII veteran, he was a big Habs fan and I used to watch hockey with him as a kid and he used to complain that the Habs didn't have enough French Canadians and he didn't like Europeans. People like my great-uncle or Don Cherry, people from those older generations grew up (and played pro hockey in Don's case) in a time where only North Americans played in the NHL and Russians/ iron curtain was perceived as the enemy. So it's understandable that they have their prejudices. They grew up in a completely different world then what we millennials know.

I haven't seen anyone in this thread complaining about how Cherry feels about the Soviet Union, so it's weird to defend it here. However:

 

[beowulf]

As a broadcaster maybe...even then he never did play by play or commentary for a game, just a sometimes devisive show between the 1st and 2nd periods. Is that enough to get into the Hall?

 

[BostonBob]

Imagine having Bobby Orr, Phil Esposito, Jean Ratelle, Gary Cheevers, Johnny Bucyk, Brad Park, Rick Middelton, and Ray Bourque on your team in a span of 5 years and having 0 Stanley Cups.

Imagine doing a bit of research before posting. First of all - Cherry never coached Ray Bourque as Bourque's first season was in 1979-80. Secondly - certainly the Bruins had lots of talent on those teams but unfortunately they were not as good as the Montreal team during that period. Montreal was loaded with future HOFers during Cherry's time in Boston - Lafleur, Dryden, Robinson, Savard, Gainey, Lapointe, Lemaire and Shutt.

 

[tarheelhockey]

There’s plenty of racists in the hall, hard to judge people from a different time. This is coming from a super left lib

While I agree with the general principle that people shouldn't be judged too harshly for having the biases of their era, there's a huge difference between simply being racist on some private level, versus going on television and whipping up racism as a form of comedy to a mass audience.

 

[RSPens]

Whether you like him or not, what did Don ever do to even be considered for the Hall?

 

[ResilientBeast]

Imagine doing a bit of research before posting. First of all - Cherry never coached Ray Bourque as Bourque's first season was in 1979-80. Secondly - certainly the Bruins had lots of talent on those teams but unfortunately they were not as good as the Montreal team during that period. Montreal was loaded with future HOFers during Cherry's time in Boston - Lafleur, Dryden, Robinson, Savard, Gainey, Lapointe, Lemaire and Shutt.

Yeah and they didn't just lose the Habs they also lost in the first round to Chicago with Esposito and Orr having incredible seasons in 74-75 and they also lost to the Flyers in 75-76

 

[Hockeyholic]

Would be cool if Sportsnet brought him back.

 

[ResilientBeast]

Would be cool if Sportsnet brought him back.

Why so people can hear the ranting of a dinosaur?

 

[JaegerDice]

Good lord no.

What has he done for hockey other than make it closed off to people outside his rigid view of 'acceptable' participants.

He's a stupid, xenophobic old man who's understanding the game is only slightly better than his compassion for people different than himself.

He's trash. He's not worthy of remembering, he's best left forgotten.

 

[IceNeophyte]

I think it should be the Hall of Fame, not the Hall of PC, and I don't think anyone can deny that he was quite famous.

 

[tarheelhockey]

I think it should be the Hall of Fame, not the Hall of PC, and I don't think anyone can deny that he was quite famous.

Sure, but what did he do that qualifies him for the HOF?

The San Diego Chicken is also famous, that doesn't mean it qualifies for the Baseball Hall of Fame.

 

[Islay1989]

Sure, but what did he do that qualifies him for the HOF?

The San Diego Chicken is also famous, that doesn't mean it qualifies for the Baseball Hall of Fame.

His claim to fame is basically being a jingoistic, xenophobic, thinly veiled racist who collected points alking about the troops. If he wasn't a clown he wouldn't have gotten the attention he got in the first place.

 

[IceNeophyte]

Sure, but what did he do that qualifies him for the HOF?

The San Diego Chicken is also famous, that doesn't mean it qualifies for the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Jack Adams award. A very long running media career whether you liked him or not.

 

[tarheelhockey]

Jack Adams award. A very long running media career whether you liked him or not.

The Jack Adams doesn't mean much for HOF candidacy. Jacques Demers has two of them and he's nowhere near being inducted.

Broadcasters are recognized with the Foster Hewitt Award. Awardees are honored in the HOF, but they are not members of the HOF. It seems like Cherry would have won this decades ago if he were ever going to win it, but theoretically he could still do that and at least be displayed as a recipient in an HOF exhibit.

The only other avenue is for him to qualify as a "Builder", which is an interesting way to describe someone who took the contrarian position on pretty much every attempt to expand the game to new audiences.

 

[Bear of Bad News]

The San Diego Chicken is also famous, that doesn't mean it qualifies for the Baseball Hall of Fame.

To be fair, a lot of people discount the San Diego Chicken's 1973 American League Manager of the Year award because it was the first year of the designated hitter.

 

[tarheelhockey]

To be fair, a lot of people discount the San Diego Chicken's 1973 American League Manager of the Year award because it was the first year of the designated hitter.

Better him than the roided-out Mr. Met (check out that head)

 

[JaegerDice]

I think it should be the Hall of Fame, not the Hall of PC, and I don't think anyone can deny that he was quite famous.

Being famous doesn't make Cherry any more worthy of an HHOF nomination than being famous makes Paris Hilton worthy of an Oscar.

 

[Hockeyholic]

Why so people can hear the ranting of a dinosaur?

Better than what they currently have.

 

[SoupNazi]

Why so people can hear the ranting of a dinosaur?

It's easier than going to a museum and listening to an animatronic dinosaur display, I guess.

 

[SoupNazi]

I think it should be the Hall of Fame, not the Hall of PC, and I don't think anyone can deny that he was quite famous.

I think you're twisting the definition of a hall of fame there.

 

[Tarmore]

Don Cherry HHOF

AS a player: LOL
AS a Coach: Debatable
AS a broadcaster: IMO absolutely YES, he was a fixture on hockey night in Canada. Lots of times in my youth when Cherry was super popular I was at parties the music was blaring, people were dancing etc and the hockey game was on. When Coaches Corner came on the music was shut off and everyone stopped and watched, when it was over we went back to the party. He influenced multiple generations of hockey players and fans.

 

[Voodoo Child]

The answer is yes.

However, he probably should have retired from HNIC around 2010.

Tyler Foli.

 

[Weztex]

Would he ever accept the honor if there’s Swedes in there?

 

[TheBeard]

Love him or hate him there’s no denying that he was synonymous with hockey in the 80s and 90s. He was iconic for his brash mannerisms but anyone that watched hockey at that time enjoyed Don Cherry, even if they won’t admit it now. He should he in the HOF and it pisses me off that when he dies there will be more people celebrating the fact because of a few things he said at the end and very few people mourning his loss.

 

[Pizza!Pizza!]

Don Cherry is the greatest living Canadian. Fight Me.

His podcast is entertaining and enlightening, SportsNet NHL coverage is not. Doesn't matter how much your [mod edit] feelings got hurt, the man was a big time personality that's been involved with NHL hockey for half of the league's existence. He has done tons of charity work and pushed for a lot of safety measures in the game. There are currently people that are less deserving in the HHoF and I'd wager a fair amount that most of the pre-1970s inductees likely held views that were way way more 'politically incorrect' than anything Cherry ever said in his ramblings.