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| Last updated at 10:43 AM on 25/08/08 |
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Don Cherry, legendary NHL coach and host of Hockey Night in Canada's Coach's Corner, stopped by Grand Falls-Windsor on Wednesday for the official opening of Don Cherry's Sports Grill. Kent Burton photo |
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Coach Cherry visits Grand Falls-Windsor 
KENT BURTON
Advertiser
The moment a black limousine pulled up to Don Cherry's Sports Grill in Grand Falls-Windsor on Wednesday, the onlookers erupted in cheers.
The restaurant's namesake, Don Cherry himself, made an appearance to sign autographs and pose for pictures with fans during their official opening last week.
Cherry sat down with the Advertiser before meeting with the hundreds of fans that lined up just to chat with him for a few moments.
"I'm happy to be here in Newfoundland - Bob Cole country," said Cherry.
"I talk about Newfound-land on Coach's Corner - maybe more than any other spot. I always talk about Newfoundlanders because I think they're the best people around."
Cherry said that he was impressed with the restaurant and admired photos he had never seen before lining the walls.
While the restaurant opened to the public last November, the National Hockey League season prevented Cherry from stopping by Grand Falls-Windsor until last week.
"We were just talking about how during the playoffs, (Hockey Night in Canada host) Ron MacLean and I go from April 8-June 9, we go every other night - MacLean goes for 30 straight days and then I go every other night," explained Cherry.
"The playoffs are the toughest, but other than that, I have a good time. To me, it's not working. We have a lot of fun and that's the main thing - you've got to have a lot of fun."
Cherry was hired full-time by CBC in 1981, where he began his broadcasting career with a brief tenure as a colour commentator before the creation of the Coach's Corner segment, which airs between the first and second periods during the first game of Hockey Night in Canada's doubleheader each Saturday.
The segment has been the subject of controversy since its inception due to Cherry's strong opinions and tell-it-like-it-is attitude. Any sort of criticism doesn't sit long with Cherry, which shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone who is familiar with his career.
"There's nothing you can do and you can't please everybody," he said. "If you please everybody then you're not doing your job."
"A whole lot of people get mad at it, but what the heck? You've got to do what you've got to do. I have to laugh at MacLean - he gets upset sometimes. When we get criticized, he gets upset, but you've just got to roll with the punches."
And while all is quiet on the Hockey Night in Canada front until October, the NHL has been buzzing with many players finding new homes through free agency during the off-season.
Cherry commended Detroit Red Wings general manager Ken Holland for snagging perhaps this off-season's top free agent in Marian Hossa ("When anybody can get Hossa for one year"), but one of the teams that he's most excited to see when the pre-season begins is the Toronto Maple Leafs.
"I like that one of the main things that I thought they did great was get (Curtis) Joseph to backup (goaltender Vesa Toskala) - I thought he played terrific last year," said Cherry.
"I like Jamal Mayers and nobody knows (Jeff) Finger, but I think he's going to be good. If they get another good scorer and one defenseman, I'd say they're making the playoffs."
However, should the Leafs make a Cinderella-like run at the Stanley Cup this season, there's a good chance that they'll be doing it without former captain - and face of the franchise - Mats Sundin, who has opted to test the free agent market.
The "Sundin Saga" has been the talk of the hockey world over the last two months, which kicked off with a staggering $20 million offer from Vancouver Canucks GM Mike Gillis to play out west.
But whether or not he's actually going to sign with the Canucks - or the Leafs, Rangers, Canadiens, Red Wings or any team for that matter - is not something Cherry will speculate on.
"I don't know - everybody says he's going to go to New York," said Cherry. "It's going to be tough when the Toronto Maple Leafs give him $70 million and he's going to walk away from them, but he should go back to the Leafs."
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25/08/08
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