Shaun Newman Podcast - Ep. #139 - Don Cherry

Episode Date: December 23, 2020

The one & only Don Cherry hopped on to talk about hockey greats, his lowest point & life after Coach's Corner.   Let me know what you think   Text me! 587-217-8500

Hi, this is Brandon Holby. Hey, this is Tanner, the Bulldozer Bozer. Hi, this is Brian Burke from Toronto, Ontario. This is Daryl Sutterin. Hello, everyone. I'm Carlyagro from SportsNet Central. This is Jay On Right. This is Quiddiquity coming to you from Tuffman, Saskatchew. Hey, everybody, my name is Theo Fleary.

This is Kelly Rudy. This is Corey Krause. This is Wade Redden. This is Jordan Tutu. My name is Jim Patterson. Hey, it's Ron McLean, Hockeynet in Canada, and Rogers' hometown hockey, and welcome to the Sean Newman podcast. Welcome to the podcast, folks.

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We've got lots of different options. I want to find something that can work for the both of us. Now, let's get on to that T-Barr-1, Tale of the... the tape. Originally from Kingston, Ontario. He played one game in the NHL for the Boston Bruins. Over 700 games in the minor leagues. He spent five years as the coach of the Boston Bruins

where he made the Stanley Cup finals twice. He spent one year as the head coach of the Colorado Rockies. In 1981, he was hired by the CBC as a color commentator, but it would be a year later in 1982 where he made his big impression on his debut on Coach's Corner. For the next 37 years, he coached. hosted the show, becoming part of the fabric of the Canadian culture. I'm talking about Mr. Don Cherry.

So buckle up. Here we go. Hey, this is Don't forget. Listen to Sean's broadcast. It's one of the best. Well, welcome to the Sean Newman podcast. Today, I am joined by Mr. Don Cherry. Sir, how's it going?

Very good, good. I'm doing my podcast now and the Twitter, and I have a lot of fun. thank you very much for having me on the show. Appreciate you hopping on, Don. You know, a lot of Western Canada always, we think awfully high about your views. And I know a lot of people always wonder, how is Mr. Cherry these days?

The podcast is a roaring success for yourself, the grapevine. How has been the change from going, you know, live broadcasts every Saturday night and more to doing the podcast? Well, I do miss I do Coach's Corner. I had a lot of fun doing it, and I look forward to it. Well, when you do it for over 40 years,

you sort of look forward to it. And I do miss it. There's no doubt about it, but you have to do what you have to do. And I did what I had to do, and I felt the same way. And I think a lot of people from the Westfield the same way as I do.

And the podcast, my son, Timothy, and my daughter, and Del, my grandson, he's the guy that makes the sound so good. And we go over and we sit around and just shoot the breeze and have a lot of fun. And Tim has a lot of questions. He has the questions there. I don't quite understand it quite as much. I should, but he understands it.

And I have a lot of fun. And the Twitter is, we were picked one of the best podcasts of, 2020 and my Twitter has over 800,000. So I still have a lot of fun. And long as it's fun, that's the main thing. Well, I got to say, Don, A, getting you on before Christmas. I'm sure you get this all the time. But growing up in the Newman household, one of the staples of Christmas morning was we'd give Dad a box of turtles, followed quickly by in his stocking, Rockham Sockham. And so the Newman household every morning on Christmas Day was eating chocolate, watching your Rockham Sockham videos. And we did that for, you know, up until obviously I moved out of Mom and Dad's House. But even after we'd come back for college, me and my older brother Harley,

we still did it until, you know, we finally were both married and had kids of our own and that kind of thing. But I assume you get that all the time. But you entered everybody's houses on Christmas morning, at least around these parts. and for you to come on and be on December 23rd right before Christmas is as close to I can get as bringing Rockham-Sock-M-Back-M-back for the people here in Lloyd Minster and, you know, surrounding communities. Well, isn't that nice you to say that? Again, it was my son that did it, Timothy, and we did it for over 30 years. We thought 30 years was enough, and I don't think too many people have a CD anymore, but we did it for. for 30 years and Tim again was instrumental in doing it all and

I had a lot of fun doing it. We did it I remember we had a, we had differed I remember one time I went and I tried on I was more a kilt one time and I picked up the wrong kilt and Rose was small and I, holy smokes I haven't put on this much

weight and I couldn't put on the kilt so we put it on backwards and it was really funny we did put it on backwards and we did it in the Hall of Fame. Well, I forget which one that was, but we had a lot of fun doing it, and I'm glad Hardy and you listened to it.

And we did have a lot. Again, if you don't have fun doing it, then there's no sense of doing it. That was a lot of work for 30 years. We did it for 30 years and had a lot. And Timothy was the head guy that did that too. Well, you guys did an exceptional job. We were at work.

We pulled it up on YouTube there the other day. It's honestly impresses me about going back to those videos. I didn't realize we quote that all the time, right? Like one of my, I had Cheever's, Jerry Cheever's, obviously your favorite goaltender on the podcast a little while back. And I was explaining to him one of my favorite stories that you've said is about Bobby Orr embarrassing the Atlanta Flames, where he goes end to end on a penalty kill.

Nobody wants to go behind the net, and he ends up going, and then he tucks the goal in. And we got watching it, and I can't believe how many things you say in Rockham-Soccombe that as a kid you internalized and, you know, don't lay on the ice, you know, tea time, all the things that are in there were just became so much ingrained

in the Canadian hockey culture, I guess. Yeah, it, we, We had, like I say, but a lot of kids listened to it, and if you notice, there was never any swearing in it. The same as a podcast, there's never any swearing. And I did my books. I did four books with number one author in the book. I don't understand that. I just told the story to Al Strachan.

You remember Al? He used to write for the Gazette, and I think of the son. But, no, it, they were all, kids, people weren't afraid to have the kids listen to. the Rockham Sockhams or the books or anything like that. There's never an end the podcast. There's never any swearing in it because I know a lot of kids listen to it. And I just don't go for it. I mean, when I played and when I coached, I guess I was pretty bad with the swearing on that.

I'll tell you a funny story. We're in, I was just thinking of it the other day. I was drawn to Maple Leaf Gardens. Believe it or not, when it first started the gardens, and I coached the people used to go and get a hot dog they'd be in amongst the bench and they had to put police at the other end to stop to wait until a commercial will come on

and I remember this older lady which about 12 rows up and I was coaching the Bruins and she said, Cherry, you got a filthy mouth and all she was about my mother's age and did I ever feel bad? So I went up and I sat and while the game was going on I'm talking to her

and I said to her, no, man, you've heard the language before. She's, yeah, but I didn't pay $200 for it. So it was, as you know, and as Harley knows, that there's never any swearing in Rockham'sawkins, and I just don't believe in it. And when I did my banquets, too, I remember I was in Lloyd Mistur, I did a banquet, and I was, I knew, some of the other guys used to swear,

used to say that F word all the time. I don't know. I think they just did it. I don't know why they did it, but they did it. But I never did. And I think that's why a lot of kids watch Rockabstalk him not, because it was a tough, you know, we never had, I think we only had three fights in it, the whole thing.

Everybody thinks of Rockabstacken was banging and, you know, but it wasn't. It was teaching the kids' safety and the whole deal. So I was quite thrilled that we lasted 30 years. Not too many people last. 30 years and something. Well, I tell you what, you're earning brownie points with my mother right now, because from time to time I may have the odd colorful comment come out on the podcast,

and my mother always listens. She always gives me hell about it, Don, and I have to apologize. Your mother knows, always listen to your mother, and you'll never go wrong, and that's that. I'm glad she agrees with me. Now, growing up, Dawn, did, like, did you see, you know, I mean, nobody could see how. I highly doubt you could see that, wow, you're going to do all these amazing things. You're going to have this career that is, you know, you were voted number seven of most, what was it, most popular Canadians, most famous Canadians, something like that.

And I remember thinking, like, just think about that. A guy who commentates is one of the most influential Canadians of all time. But when you were a young guy, did you ever go, like, wow, I want to make the NHL. I'm sure you're like every other Canadian. But as a young guy, did you see that coming? No, I tell you the truth. I was very stupid when I was young that I never paid attention in school. I don't know what I was thinking.

And all I did was want to play hockey. I did play hockey, but I played in the American League. And when I was through, I had no trade, I had no education. I didn't. I couldn't get a job. job. And I'm going to tell you the truth. This is the truth of late Mr. Hospital on that. I know you're doing it. So I'm going to tell you the truth that I was unemployed. I couldn't get a job anywhere. I think it was

19. I forget. But it was anyhow, it was a recession. It was in down the States. I was living in Rochester, New York. And I established myself as the world's worst car salesman. And I tried to I just couldn't approach people cold. I just couldn't. I was just, I don't know why I was too shy or something. I don't know, whatever it was. And I was, I was down and out, and I really was,

and I know what it's like to be unemployed. And it's tough, it's tough. It was, six months, I couldn't get a, I couldn't get a job. And I had a family and the whole deal, and I said to the Lord, I remember one day I was, I laid down, I go to have an app. And I said, I don't even deserve a nap. And that's how bad I fell about myself.

And I said, I remember I got my knees, and I said to the Lord, I said, this is it? I mean, I'm 36 years old and I'm finished. I swear to God, honestly, it's hard to believe. But a voice said to me, get back into hockey. And I never thought about getting back into hockey. And I made a comeback. I'm going to hurry this through. I made a comeback.

And halfway through the season, I get, I got made coach. and three years from that I was coached Bobby Orr. But I remember getting on my hands and knees or on my knees and the end of the Lord, I said, am I finished? And I couldn't get a job. I had no trade. I had nothing. And nothing was going right.

And from that day on, three years from that day on, I was coached Bobby Orr. So, you know, it just shows you to never give up. because nobody was lower than I was. No trade and no education, no nothing. And it was a tough time to go, and I know a lot of guys are out west, having a tough time with the oil and all that

and everything like that. So don't give up. Trust in the Lord, and it'll work out. You're talking, you went back. I think that's, that right there, what you just said is probably every, there's a lot of people out here, Don, that need to hear that because it is some pretty low times out west.

Specifically in our area, it's an agricultural town, but oil has oil and gas, the energy sector has really done wonders to this part of the world, and it has been taking a beating not only this year, but years previous and everything going on. There's a lot of people hurting, so I appreciate you sharing that because I think that'll speak to a lot of people. Well, I don't talk about that too much, but I feel that there are some guys out there

and I know how they feel because, you know, it's a tough when you've got a family and, yeah, I had no money coming in, I had no money coming in and, but the Lord, I know it's easy for me to say, but

it was tough deal. And three years from then I was coached of Bobby York. You imagine that. And you know, and Bobby Orr, I remember I stood on the Boston Gardens and, you know, holy smokes, is this really happening to me? And so don't give up, but I remember. And I remember that in the Boston Gardens. And you know what's a funny thing. I got asked by one of the owners of Rochester, but at the time it was Bob Clark, and I remember his name, Bob Clark,

and he asked me to coach the high school team. Well, I remember I was just as nervous coached the high school team because that's how they get started. You know, coach minor hockey, you know, you change the lines and have the practice and everything. So when I got made coach halfway through the season in Rochester, I was ready to go because I changed lines and I did everything in high school.

It was a tough tale, but you never know what's going to happen. You got to keep you got to keep plugging. I 100% agree. I find it very fascinating, Don. You know, all your success that you've had, you know, in my lifetime, all I've ever known you to be is a successful guy. I think that's a lot of people. I was born in 86.

So by the time I was old enough to remember anything, Rockham Sockham's were already rolling along. I think the first one came out in 89. So, you know, and you were already on Coach's Corner by the time, you know, that was just part of the fabric of our society back then and Saturday nights and watching you and Ron McLean. I had Ron on, oh, midsummer. And I was saying it was such a nice balance of society, I figured. Skip Craig, who used to be a Boston brewing just before you got there. Oh, I remember, yeah. Great guy. And he was on the podcast and he said something to me, Don, that has absolutely

stuck with me since he said it. I can never shake it. His hockey mirrors society. And I always thought Coach's Corner mirrored society. You had Ron with his ideals and you had Don with his ideals and they were just, they were such a perfect compliment. I always thought, and that's what made it entertaining, right? You both weren't bashing. Well, I don't, I still don't know what somebody asked me about that.

And I said, I still don't know. I just went out and spoke like the regular guy, and I tried to get things that I thought people would be interested in. And, you know, I just, we just, it was 40 years. I think it was 40 years we're going. I think I was going on 1980, I think it was, and this year got terminated. But I went from 1980, and when I first started out,

I used to do color. and I used to favor the boss of Bruins too much and they told me you can't favor the boss of Bruins. You can't be doing that, Don. Yeah, I got told that. And my last day of color, Craig McTavish scored the overtime goal or something or a sort of goal, and I said, we're beating them.

Montreal, I said, we're beating them tonight. That was the last time I ever did color. So at the end, they said, well, Ralph Melody, who liked me, I guess. And he said, we'll just put him out at the end of the first period and give him three or four minutes. How can he get in trouble there? Little did he know.

Do you remember the first time you got that little segment, Dawn? And was it well-received? What was the first coach's corner like? I don't remember. I was on with Dave Hodge. I don't think Dave liked me very much. And I don't think he really wanted to be on. But I was on with Dave Hodge, but I don't remember the very first one.

But I remember the very first one with Ron McLean. Ron had a habit of looking down all the time. And they told him, you've got to stop looking down. You've got to stare. You've got to talk to the people you're being interviewed. And I remember the very first one I was doing for them. There was a great big, you know, when you stare something at something, he was staring at a great big tear running down.

Holy, is this guy going to cry every time he does it? coach's corner. But I remember that one. That was a funny one. And he didn't quite get it the first year. So he was very serious. You know, I think he comes from Red Deer. And I used to kid him all the time and everything.

And he didn't quite get it. Then all of a sudden he just snapped into it and got carried. But, I mean, the first year, anyhow, he didn't quite get it. He's very sensitive guy. and I know he comes from red deer. He thinks very highly of red deer and all. He's always talking about red deer. So, yeah, that was the first one.

I remember the very first one I did with him. I don't remember the first one I did with Dave Hodge. I can't remember. I was always in trouble all the time. I don't know why, but I always was. They were going to fire me about 10 times. I don't know how I ever lasted 40 years is beyond me. I remember the one guy.

He was the head of the thing, and he said, and we had a meeting, and I remember it was down at the Blue Chase. They had it, and I didn't want to meet me in his office, I guess. And he says, my legacy's going to be, he says, I'm retiring at three months, he says, my legacy's going to be is that I get rid of you. I said, we'll see.

And never did. But I know he'd like to, what is it, the whole bunch of them would have liked to get rid of me. And I don't know how I lasted 40 years, Now that I get talking about it. I really don't. I was supposed to be gone to. But I thought,

and that thing they had with the greatest Canadian, it was called the greatest Canadian. Well, I don't consider myself the greatest Canadian. I think it was, I was on TV. I think they knew me. That's the only reason that they voted for me. And I remember a guy out West had a license, had the Wild Rose from Alberta.

And I still have it hanging up. that said vote for, vote for, and had a cherry on it. I framed it, and I still have it in my office. It really made me feel good. No, I don't remember the first one with Hodge, but I remember the first one with Ron. Did you ever, you know, you are a guy who says what is on his mind, and that is a rare characteristic these days.

My grandmother used to be the same way. She used to just tell it. There was no splitting words, right? It was, I say what I mean. And today is a little different than that. Did you ever get accustomed to some of the backlash you received on? Was that, like, I highly doubt it was enjoyable, but I assume after like the first 10 times, you're like,

yeah, this is going to send them running, right? Like, I mean, because as many people that loved you, there was always the opposite that just wanted to hate. on you. You mentioned a guy wanting to get rid of you in his career. Like that, I mean, that's got to be almost like a surreal experience to have somebody say that. No, I remember my very first write-up that was bad rate up about me. It was a good friend of mine, and I thought he was a good friend. Well, he still is. Or he was. It was a writer for the sun, I think. No, and it wasn't the sun. It was a star, trying to star, and it was

Trent Frane. I remember, I was, holy smoke, did he give it to me? I didn't know. You know, I had never had a bad write-up before. I didn't know if I could go on, I didn't know if I could go on Coach's Corner, tell you the truth.

It was so bad. I mean, you know, I forget what it was, but it was my, and then I got tough on that one, then I got a little tougher and a little tougher. And actually, tell you the truth, I didn't mind them at all.

I didn't, they wanted to rate bad things about me. I remember one lady that writes, she's still writing, by the way. She lists about ten things of, and one of them was the misogynist. I don't even know what a misogynist was.

I thought it was massagin people. And what else? She called me a troglonite. I said, what the hell is a troglonite? And I found it was a little midget, I guess, that lived underneath a bridge. she was reaching for a lot of things I was

anyhow to answer your question I got used to them and I didn't the people that didn't like me I just took them where they came from they were left wing that did not like me

and I didn't like them so it didn't make any difference didn't bother me but the first one holy smokes I remember I didn't know whether I could go back if I could do hockey in Canada again tell you the truth.

Yeah, well, I can imagine that over a lifetime of having that, you eventually become accustomed to it, but like all of us, the first one must have stung. It must have been a dagger to you. It was. I didn't, and I

think it was Saturday morning, and I didn't know if I could go on television that night. It hurt so bad because I didn't, you know, I didn't think I was that bad. And, holy smokes. And then, like I say, you get used to them. And I got a lot of bad ones.

But I look forward. After a while, after a while, you look forward to them. And it doesn't hurt you at all. But the first one, if you've never had it before, it's pretty tough. Yeah. I certainly can't say, I'm pretty, as you can tell from 20 minutes, Don, I'm pretty, I don't know, relaxed. I consider myself a young guy at 34, which to the 20-year-old I'm old, but I look at you, Don, and I go, you're a guy who's lived a lot of life. You've seen a lot of things and been around some very interesting people. Had a fortunate run in your career, I would say.

I'm fortunate. Well, I just mean that in the sense that you're absolutely right. You could have been done. You could have to last as long as you did without having a major, not only just an incident on air, but just, you know, like life could have hit you somewhere and you could have been going left instead of right. And I mean, to sit and get to pick your brain for an hour is something I will never forget. And I just want to, I want to soak in all the knowledge you got in between your ears and see if there's some things to learn. Well, I tell you the truth, as I said before, with the Lord, you know, I mean, I can hear a lot of guys, I can hear a lot of guys, I listen to this guy talking, but it's a true story. And I do believe in the Lord. I go to church, try to go to church, and I was down, I just, nobody's down and out more than I was. I had nothing going at all.

Really, I had nothing in fact, let's see what year was that? That would have been, that would have been back. in the 60s, I think. I made a comeback. And like I told you, like earlier, I told you it about the thing it was. So I've had a pretty good life. And as they say, there's a lot of days behind me than there are in front of me. But I've had a good time. And this big thing is, my son, Timothy, is the guy that does it all. And I've been very fortunate. And like I said, those guys. I know some guys are listening right now that are unemployed. I know how you feel because I

remember my mother phone and say, asked, how are you doing? I used to get mad at my mother. How am I doing? You get mad at your mother. And it was tough, and you have a good woman. I had a, you know, she'd never complained and

it was, I don't know what I was done. If she had to complain and, you know, and had to been whining all the time in her. but she knew I'd somehow come out of it, and at least I think she did anyhow. I read, and now this for all the ladies listening, when you talk about a good woman,

I read in the minors you moved 53 times. Yeah, I remember Rose when we had a, when I told her we were going through her. And she was from Hershey. She lovely home in Hershey, and Hershey's like a paradise, you know. And she said, where's three rivers? I didn't know where three rivers Quebec was either.

And I remember taking the, we had a cardboard box, and she was taking the ketchup hat, again, the ketchup and the mustard and stuff like that, it was half full because we couldn't afford to buy new mustard. I remember the cardboard box putting in half, ketchup and stuff like that. We couldn't leave it because we couldn't afford to buy new stuff over there. And I remember halfway through

I had a car with bald tires on it. I remember we were somewhere in Quebec. I don't know where it was. And the car wouldn't start. We'd get soft for gas and the car wouldn't start. And it was about 11 o'clock at night and it was, you know, it was cold. It was right

in the middle of winter. Let me out in the middle of the winter. and we went into the coffee shop and at Sydney my daughter was with me she was about she'd be about three or four and yeah she about three or four and I said now let's all pray that the car starts

because they were going to close up at 11th I don't know what we would have but a froat to death and car started and I was lost and I was I was so I got there we had a play and had a need Eaton and Rose went in a motel.

And I played that afternoon. Imagine I had to play that afternoon. And on the way, the guys, the guys that are listening, he'll say, and the guy said, come on, I got to stop for one beer, you know, and I said, well, I better stop, you know, I better get back to the motel. And they said, no, no, no, you're going to come on, you have one. You know, I have one in two. And all of a sudden, look at the watch, and it's about,

4 o'clock. You know, the game is over. Well, it must have been late in that, but 6 o'clock. And I got packed to motel, and Rose hadn't eaten for about 24 hours. She was eating chocolate parts. So I went and Alowiser at a place called the Golden Rooster. I'll never forget it. And Sidney came and I give Cindy a bunch of dimes and she played the one, they had one-arm band. So anyhow, I wrote it with Aloysia. And back in those days, there was only six teams in the National Hockey League. And it was six teams in the American League, 16 in the Western League. Oh, in the Central League, there was six.

So that's, I think it was, it worked out to be about 18 or something like that. But there was, and defensemen, there was six, they'd carry five, so there was 30, there was 30 defensemen in the whole, and the whole, in the National Hockey League. Now there, I think they carry about eight, and there's about 30, so there's about three or four hundred right then. But back in those days, if you didn't make the National Hockey League, you were, you're, you're, the American League was good,

was the second best. Western League was the third best, the Central League. The whole, all of hockey from the year before, like from back then would be playing in the National Hockey League right now. But it was only 30. Imagine that, only 30 defensemen in the whole world. in the National Hockey League. Hard to believe.

Hard to believe. That's a fine company you were in. Yeah, they were all good. They make the National Hockey League now. And it was tough hockey. It was big boy hockey back then. It was a lot tougher. I don't think it was better, but it was tougher.

And the guys back then, there would maybe about three or four guys could really hammer a puck on a team. But now everybody can shoot a puck. I mean, everybody got those fix and everything. And it's a lot different now than it was back in those days. And, I mean, I'm glad the players are making the money they're making now. I mean, we knew, we went in, I remember with Pudge Shimlack,

signed my contract and he decided. He said, don't you want it? I said, well, are you going to give me any more money? No, I said, well, what's the sense to arguing with you? And Putsch, he was, he was in Springfield before he went to the National Hockey League. He said, well, I'm going to the National Hockey League. But a lot of people don't remember Punch Himalak. Punch Himlock was, I think he had one force down in Cups with Toronto Maple Leaf.

So I had, and I hit the tough guys. I hit Hap M's in my junior. He was probably the smartest guy I ever played for, but he was the very nice guy. And then I went to right from him, and I went to Eddie Shore. Geez, I hit the tough guys, I'll tell you, boy, there's nobody tougher in the world than Eddie Shore. He was a tough guy. We'll call him eccentric now. Back then, I think he was nuts, but we'll call him eccentric now the way the world is going.

We have to be careful. What was one of the tough things that Mr. Shore had you do, maybe in a practice? Well, I was a tough one. Brian Kilroy, the winningest coach ever, junior hockey. And a fantastic book, Don. That's a fantastic book. There's a guy you should get on, too, is Brian Kilray. He got stories about any shore more stories than anybody.

And Eddie Shore really liked them. And I didn't like me. I don't know why. I guess I still, I never did anything back back to him. He just didn't like me. But he liked Brian Killery. He liked guys that get skate with their knees bent. And unfortunately, I was one of those guys that stiff-legged skater.

He never liked me He thought I was too Too rough Imagine Eddie Shore thinking I was too rough I remember I was saying Mr. Cherry If you could visualize That in reality

Your maneuverability is nil That's pretty good I didn't know what he was talking about But anyhow He sent me to Tree Rivers And then I think a year later He sent me to Sudbury, Ontario So he didn't like me

But he liked Brian Kilroy Boy, Brian Kilroy could go an hour easy. He knows, he knows, he was with Eddie Shore. In fact, he liked Eddie Shore so much. He was with the L.A. Kings. He got the first goal for the L.A. Kings. And he wasn't, I don't know, he didn't like it there. And he has to go back to Springfield.

I couldn't believe anybody would ask him back to Springfield. But he did. And he's winning a coach ever, and I think he's, what, 2,000 wins or something. like that, won the Memorial Cup coached the year in OHL. So he's the guy you should get on too. You know, in your lifetime,

in your career of playing in the minors, to coaching in the NHL, to being on hockey night in Canada and commentating and everything, can you believe how far hockey has come? Like, I mean, from

the days of six teams to we're about to have 32, the money, the availability to watch games, you know, like growing up, it was Saturday night. There wasn't much, you know, and if you were older than me, you remember the days of the radio and curl up around it, listen to Foster Hewitt and things like that. Can you believe? I remember when we were young, we used to play, we used to skate all day at the school, middle school and then we'd come home and we'd play a road hockey and your mother would come in my

mother would come in and we'd have our bath we'd have her cocoa and we'd sit and we'd listen we'd fall asleep after a while because we were young and we used to listen to foster hewitt and he never did the first period he did the he did a second period and somehow or another just hearing the voice of foster hewitt give you chills just to He was more popular than the players. And just listening to Foster Hewitt was really something. I know people can't believe it. They watched listening or listening to radio, but it was a big deal.

And I suppose, I guess hockey, and then back in early days, they were just trying to make a leaf on. That's why they're so popular, I guess. But I remember when I was a little boy listening to Foster Hewitt, and he'd come at the end of the first period and he'd say the score is 3-0 for Toronto or something and you know the players used to do something they don't do anymore the only time they do it

the only time they bang the boards is after a fight you ever notice that but they used to bang it after a goal and somehow you had a feeling close to the players you could almost hear the players bang the boards and the players don't bang the boards now except both teams bang the boards

is after a fight which is that you know and they're trying to get and the fighting is down all the fighting is down and everything is what do you think is but the guy's making the money now holy guy guys making uh guys making three million dollars that

that scored 14 goals if you scored 14 goals before you didn't hang around too long but you know McDavid, whatever money he's getting, he's getting a lot of money. He deserves every penny because he's the best hockey player in the world as far as I'm concerned. And I saw him when he was a minor, when he was a minor. He was Vanham, actually.

And he was terrific back then. There's another guy. He came up and play with Roland McEwen. I remember he was a defenseman. I see somebody's picked him up. I forget who's picked him up. But both of them come up and played Bannam Hockey for the Toronto Maple Leafs. You knew David, you'd just say and look at him, boy, he's the best player in the world.

When you mention, well, A, as an Oilers fan, we get to see McDavid and Mr. Dryside will do their magic every single night. Hopefully, sooner than later, we'll go a little deeper in the playoffs. I know a lot of this area, we've had a tough go for a few years, but with some of the best players in the world suiting up for the oil, it's been a lot of fun watching because I wasn't old enough

to remember the glory days of the boys on the bus of Grexie and Messier and the list goes on and on. The only time they were on the bus is when they went from the Marine to the airplanes. Who are they kidding? The boys on the bus, back to the bus. That was Whoever thought that up

His boys in the bus They all flew out there And they had a great club Where would they go on the bus They never went anywhere in the bus Maybe they go to Calgary And I had to laugh

When I read that boys in the bus They never spent the bus We used to spend eight and ten hours on the bus And In the American Hockey League That was the way we played I mean, we got used to the bus. I went from junior hockey right to the American League,

and I didn't know any difference. But I had to laugh when I saw the headlines boys on the bus. They had a great club. And, no, you're very lucky out there to see you get to see McDavid. I know they don't go far in the playoffs. Drysidal. At least you get to see McDavid, the best player in the world. And, you know, the fans are pretty good there.

they don't boo. And, you know, I've always said that. I'm not saying that because I know the, you know, the, you know, the, Euler fans had listened to that. But if you listen to them, they don't boo the power play, which is, well, I guess even when they had a bad power play, they don't have a bad power play now, but they had a bad power play back then. And they didn't boo, which was great. I, as a player, I used to appreciate that because every other city does the same thing.

they boo the power play and Montreal they boo the power play and Toronto here they it's not going they booed so as a player I always I always remembered that they didn't boo the power play funny hey you know you talk about greats McDavid and then you know just in passing of Grexky and the boys your first year coaching you get to I'm a defenseman Don and I've heard the stories it's probably why I enjoy him embarrassing the flame so much

on your rock'em-sock and tape is Bobby Orr is arguably from anyone who saw him play the best player ever. And that is so many people talk about that. What was it about Bobby Or, A, that was just so bloody impressive. But two, you would have been around when he signs with Chicago Blackhawks, and I've read the stories on it, but maybe you can impart some wisdom from being around it back then. Well, I know there's young defensemen listening out there, and I'll give you just the year he played for me. He had 46 goals.

Now, that's hard to believe. No kidding. 46 goals. He had 89 assists, and he was plus 123, and he had over 100 minutes and penalties. I mean, when you think of that, I mean, that just tells you enough who is the great. And I, he's unbelievable.

I mean, the big thing about him, he could skate. him and coffee. Coffee was the same type of skater. Only he used to go to the outside. And Bobby, unfortunately, used to go to the inside. And when you went to the inside, back in those days, they really hit. And that's why, you know, a lot of people don't realize that he retired at 28 years old. 28 years old.

And defensemen, if you look at coffee and that, they were just coming into their prime at 28. and a defenseman, as you know, you played. You just started to learn the game. It takes you that long almost, and he retired at the top, at the very top. Let's see, he won the scoring title. He won't scoring title twice. That's the defenseman. And he went to Team Canada.

He was picked the MVP, and then he went to Chicago. And nobody ever saw him at Chicago, because I think he only played about 17 games or something like that. So nobody ever saw him on the way down. that's why anybody that saw him play and nobody ever saw him on his way now because we all get older but they only saw him at the very top

and imagine that 46 goals coffee was I think coffee was close to that I forget but coffee was him and coffee were the best skaters I ever saw one I'd read and maybe even Ron had said this too

about your love or fascination with Hollywood, whether it be movies, commercials, et cetera. I mean, you're iconic for your suits and just the way you presented yourself, which will be forever emblazed on my brain. What was it about Hollywood that you enjoyed so much, Don? I don't know. I get all the books on them, and like Anthony Hopkins and guys like that. and Harold Flynn, and I just don't know.

And I read all the books on the producers. I read that one book. It was by Robert Evans. The kids says in the picture. And I don't know. I go from Hollywood to Sir Francis Drake and Lord Nelson. And I think if you read the books on Sir Francis Drake or Lord Nelson, and you'll see how my philosophy in life is.

And I don't know why it is with Hollywood. I was always reading books sometimes. Ron used to make fun of me. I'd read the books on Joe Crawford or somebody like that. And I would always hide the cover, A, because people would make fun if you didn't. Yeah, I did. I did. I read all the stories on, you know, I've got.

I've got all the books, but to Francis Drake and Lord Nelson, to me, and Shackleton, and guys like that, I used to read about books all the time and everything. I don't know why, but I just did. And he used to make fun of me all the time. I watched a documentary, or it was kind of a mini-series documentary kind of thing, and part of it was behind the scenes of Coach's Corner, I understand a bit, but I was always very impressed on how much time you guys spent

and specifically you on what you were going to say on your segments. I don't think the average person realizes how much time Dawn was spending figuring out what he was going to say and running it by guys and making sure that it was the right thing, or maybe the most impactful thing? Well, I tell you the truth, I used to have Kathy Broderick was she was there. She had red hair, I remember.

She was just, and she knew, she picked things out. And she'd tell me before, you know, we talked about Saturday morning. But I didn't go over with Ron. And we used to, at 9.30, he used to get up. But we used to talk over. Well, can you mention this? Can you mention that? I know if they don't mention the Alic Cup and things like that anymore. That was the big thing with me because amateur, that was an amateur in the Amateur Cup.

I don't know why. And I used to have a lot of fun. Well, I just, the big thing is that I did what I didn't, and I think that what's got me in trouble is that, that a lot of people didn't like it, but I used to try to do it if the older hockey players would watch it. And it seemed to work out pretty good, but if the older hockey players would like it,

I didn't want them to think I was a phony. I think that's what, I think that's, I remember a lot of things we said, I don't want to do that, I don't want to do that. But I used to talk about the older players a lot. I think a lot of people, I used to get sick of me talking about body more, I guess. But I used to have a lot of fun. I think you talking about the older players and the stories from the past was what made it so genuine to me, right?

Like, you're talking about your experience. You had a career, man. Like all the years in the minors, making the Stanley Cup finals, coach of the year. I mean, just listening about it here this morning is, like I say, it's something I won't soon forget. Here's one for you that's a blast from the past, Donna. I did not realize this, and I assume people from our area maybe new at the time, or maybe it's been long forgotten. But I had read a story last night that said when the Saskatoon Blues were going to be a thing, the St. Louis Blues for people who were recall, we're going to move to Saskatoon,

become the Saskatoon blues. Bill Hunter was bringing them here. I think it was 1980. Well, Bill, yeah. And you had agreed to be the head coach. Yeah, and we were one step away, and he brought me to the arena, and showed me the arena.

He said we can put another 5,000 on each end, and we can get up around 16,000. We were all set to go, and we were all, and somebody stepped in a checker dome down there. I forget them. get the guy's name. Anyhow, he bought the club, and they didn't

not want to go. They said that it really makes me laugh. That was before, you know, they said, Edmund, they said, the people at West, they didn't realize the people at West will drive 200 miles to see a game. It doesn't mean a thing. And, well, Bill, he had it all set up, boy,

and him and Vye, and his wife, and they were all set to go, and he was, he was, he was, boy, And boy, did he ever promote? I'll tell you that. It would have been a success. He would still be going. But we're only one guy away and one guy stepped in and bought it.

The NHL did hockey at West. It'll never go. Boy, they were wrong. They were wrong because as we know in Saskatchewan here and you've hit the nail on the head, people are willing to drive an awful long ways to see professional sports. Just take a look at the same. Saskatchewan Rough Riders. I tell you what, they got the best fans probably across any sport because it's the only professional, well, now they have the rush, but at the time, it was the only

professional sports Saskatchewan had. So I married a girl from Minnesota, and I was at a Vikings game, and sure enough, there's the green Saskatchewan Ruff Riders jerseys walk around. And being a Saskatchewan, boy, you got to go talk to them now. And then you sit there and have a beer with them, and it's awesome, and that's what Saskatchewan, they're proud of where they're from, and they're proud of their team. And if the St. Louis, or Saskatoon Blues had ever happened on,

you probably would have been an absolute legend in Saskatchewan, bigger than you are right now. And the blues would probably be one of the strongest teams right now, I bet, because if it ever came to Saskatchewan, they never would have let them leave. Never. And they had a brand new arena, and he could put 5,000,

and we're all set to go. go. And I was all set to go, too. I was really looking forward to it. By God, some guy stepped in and the National League give it to him. We were going to pay more money in the whole deal and everything. It didn't make any difference. They did not

want a team out west. Boy, can you imagine it? Well, we've been like the rough riders. We'd be packing them in still out there. And it was terrific. Wild Bill was so disappointed. I remember I remember phone of me telling me that somebody had stepped in,

but he thought he hadn't. And that would have been, but we would have, we would have been packing them in, still packing them in there, and boy, what a team that would have been. Well,

one other, one other team that you coached, that is no more, was the Colorado Rockies. And I did not realize this until I started, until I started doing some research on it, Don, that, you know,

watching you growing up, the name Hardy asked, Just, I, everybody knew it, the Swedish sieve, right? Like, I just, and then I started reading the story on the Colorado Rockies, and I'm like, oh my God, Hardy Astrum was the goalie there. I'm like, well, that makes sense, right? I guess I just, as a kid, I always thought it funny, uh, how the stories went. The Colorado Rock.

He was a bad guy. No, I don't. He wasn't a bad guy. It's only problem with talk. Yeah. Well, he was with New York. I think you end up. We ended up with him, and I think the general manager, Ray Muron,

had signed him to pretty big money. So he let us die with him. And, you know, a big thing we had, Dougie Fevelle, who was about not, and he had, and I found out later, he had a big argument with Ray Mirron. And I couldn't figure out why we didn't have Dougie Sevel. And he had a big argument with a guy named he was General Manager. and I remember he'd give me a book when I first went there

and all I know about hockey he opened it up and had blank pages. Little did I know. But I remember Hardy, he was the bad guy. He really wasn't a bad guy. He was from, I think it's from Sweden. His only problem was puck.

And we had a pretty good club. I mean, we had René Rivera, we had Bobby Schmots, we had Lanny McDonald. Nanny McDonald got 25 goals and 45 games. We had a real good club. What killed us was our goal. I went from Boston Bruins that had terrific two goalies, the Jilly Chilbert and Jerry Cheever and Jerry Cheever to Hardy Astrum.

I paid the price. I paid the price. I wonder what Hardy's doing. I think he's coaching now. I hope he's got a good goaltender. Well, he became he became famous off the, well, like I say, already asked him. The name just sticks with me even to this day because I just remember the Swedish sieve. Oh, it was a great memory. I remember the very first practice we had. You flip it, it flipped it in, and I flipped

it in, I flipped it in a buck to him, and he missed it. I went home and I said to Rose, I said, you better be ready. I said, I don't think we're going to be here around too long with that goaltender. And we weren't. And I think he, I think he I think he stayed for the two years after I left too. And then they moved to New Jersey, I think it was. New Jersey, yeah, New Jersey.

I think it had to be, it had to be, they were, you know, they were ready to pack it in. I think I, nobody could let a team die like that because we had a pretty good club. Well, I'll slide it into our final segment here, Don. Once again, do really appreciate you coming on. The Crude Master Final Five I showed it to Heath and Tracy McDonnell The supporters of the podcast Since the very beginning

It's just five quick questions for you, Don And then I'll let you get on with your day The first one always is If you could sit down And I know you've sat down With a lot of people But if you could have one person to sit down with That you haven't had yet

Or maybe you'd like to do again Who would you want to sit and have a beverage with Just to pick their brain? Well, you live? You mean alive? or in the past would be Sir Francis Drake. I would like to talk to him and learn how he became such a leader. But I think Bobby Orr was, and I talked to him quite a bit.

And I think Bobby Orr. Okay. You're dropping a few names there. But him and I talked quite a bit. If you were commissioner of the NHL for a day and could either put in a rule or take out a rule, what would you do? Well, first of all, I'd get the icing straight note. I mean, that is still, but I think the instigator rule is the worst rule ever put into hockey. A guy that starts the fight could get 10, 7, and you have a guy sticking.

No, it's the gator rule. That would be the one rule I'd take out. I think it's absolutely ridiculous. But I have to admit that Betman, Gary Bettman, doing a pretty good job. the salaries have gone from about Zippel to, you know, so I think I can't knock Gary Betman. I know I have no affiliation or anything now, but he's done a pretty good job with the money the guys are making.

Well, my favorite player to this day growing up, I got a picture of him and Gordy sitting in the studio here with Steve Eisenman, his Steve Eisenman. I was wondering if you got a Steve Eisenman story. Well, you know, you see that picture of him, and they sported a sports set of scoring that goal. It was a great goal. It was the top corner of an overtime goal.

Yeah. And he let it go. A lot of people don't realize that he was jumping around. Players jumped on him and hurt his knee. He couldn't play. He got hurt doing the celebration. And you'll see that goal quite a bit because it's a great goal. He shoots it from the right hand side, and he puts it in the top corner, and you see him jumping around.

A lot of people don't realize, but he was a great little guy. He was protected by the Bruse Brothers, Joey Kosher and Bobby Probert. And he always give credit to those two guys that Bobby Probert and Joy Kosher. So, Eiserman, he's got a good job now. I don't know what he's trying to do in Detroit. and I did a great job at Tampa and I think he wants to stay in Detroit. Well, I hope he, I always cheer for Detroit because of Stevie Eisenman. Yeah, he's always loved how he conducted himself and still conducts himself.

And when he was on one knee in the playoffs, their last run, man, was there anything more, I don't know, endearing? Like, I mean, just like, man, you want to see that guy win. You could just tell every shift hurt. He blocked shots, and he had a bad knee. I knew he had a bad knee, and he's still blocking shots. And everybody loves, if you don't love Steve Eisenman for the way he played, heart and soul, he was the heart and soul of Detroit of all those great clubs. The nickname Grapes.

Now, obviously, last name Cherry, to me it probably makes sense. But was there a guy, or how did the nickname Grapes come up? Well, Jerry Eamon, he was from out west, and he was a great guy, and he was kidding me all the time, just to play on the name Cherry. And Jerry Eamon was the guy that gave me that name, and he played for the Toronto Maple Leaf, and I think he had 11 assists one. He really played well, and he played with me in Springfield. And he was great.

I always thought he'd be a great coach, and he ended up a scout for the Islanders, I think it was. but it was Jerry Eamon that gave me the name. He was a good guy. He would have been a great coach. Your final one, I was watching some of your earliest interviews that I could find. And one of the questions you used to ask the NHL players that I really enjoyed was, who's helped you on your way? Who helped grapes on his way?

Well, Bob Clark, I'd have to say, one of the owners for our, that he got me to coach the high school team. He says, you're not doing anything. You're unemployed. That's true. And he was the guy that gave me the call that, do we want to coach the Rochester Americans? Holy night, and I didn't.

I had no money coming in. And he says, don't you even want to know how much for paying you? I said, no, I just want the chance. So I'd say, the Lord, first of all, and then Bob Clark was the guy that got me started. and I know nobody's ever heard of Bob Clark, but he was from Rochester, New York, and he was the guy that got me started,

first of all with the high school and then with the Rochester Americans. One bonus one then for you, Don, is maybe what's one of the best lessons you learned along the way? Huh, I never had that one asked me. Well, say what you mean, and mean what you say. It got me fired at the end, but I always meant what I said,

I never, I think the people saw that I wasn't a phony. I never wanted to be a phony. And everything I said on television, I met every word of it, and unfortunately, it got me fired. But, oh, well, you have to do what you have to do. Appreciate it, you coming on, Don. It's been an absolute treat. The longest one I've ever done in my life, and I can see you're a good guy. and that's why I did it. My voice is starting to go. I've done it in a long time.

And God love you and keep up, keep up to good work. Thanks, Don. Hey, folks, thanks again for joining us today. If you just stumble on the show and like what you hear, please click subscribe. Remember, every Monday and Wednesday a new guest will be sitting down to share their story. The Sean Newman podcast is available for free on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, and wherever else you find your podcast fix. Until next time.