Shaun Newman Podcast - Replay Don Cherry

Episode Date: July 3, 2025

Throwback Thursday to episode #139 where I got to speak with Don Cherry. Don Cherry is a Canadian hockey personality. A former minor league defenseman and coach, he played one NHL game with the Boston Bruins in 1955. Cherry coached the Bruins from 1974 to 1979, leading them to four straight division titles and two Stanley Cup Finals, earning the NHL Coach of the Year award in 1976. He gained fame as a broadcaster on Hockey Night in Canada from 1980 to 2019, co-hosting "Coach’s Corner" with Ron MacLean, known for his outspoken, colorful commentary on hockey, support for tough play, and patriotic views. To watch the Full Cornerstone Forum: https://open.substack.com/pub/shaunnewmanpodcastGet your voice heard: Text Shaun 587-217-8500Silver Gold Bull Links:Website: https://silvergoldbull.ca/Email: [e-mail] Grahame: [phone]Bow Valley Credit UnionWebsite: www.BowValleycu.comEmail: [e-mail] Use the code “SNP” on all ordersProphet River Links:Website: store.prophetriver.com/Email: [e-mail]

This is Viva Fry. I'm Dr. Peter McCulloch. This is Tom Lomago. This is Chuck Pradnik. This is Alex Krenner. Hey, this is Brad Wall. This is J.P. Sears. Hi, this is Frank Paredi.

This is Tammy Peterson. This is Danielle Smith. This is James Lindsay. Hey, this is Brett Kessel, and you're listening to the Sean Newman podcast. Welcome to the podcast, folks. Happy Thursday. Happy throwback Thursday. Yeah, we're going back in the Way Back Machine,

grabbing a couple episodes from, you know, a little ways back in the old SMP, history. But before we get there, how about we talk a little silver and gold, shall we? The number of balances of silver needed to buy an ounce of gold now at near 30-year highs. Silver is now, silver is now a bargain price when compared to gold. It's a perfect time to protect a portion of your savings with silver, and silver gold bowl has a wide variety of best value silver for every budget. Simply text or email Graham for details, whether you're a seasoned investor or new to precious metals. Graham will work with you to answer your questions and recommend the best products to meet your investing goals. Whether you're on silvergoldbill.com or dotCA, just

make sure to reference the Sean Newman podcast. Well, when it comes to plumbing and heating, these guys have been keeping homes, farms, and businesses running smoothly since 2010. I'm talking about Guardian, plumbing, and heating. And one of the things that really sets them apart is how they make life easier for their customers. They've got technicians on shift from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. every single day, including weekends, and they don't charge you anything extra for evening or weekend service. That means you can get the help you need on your schedule without worrying about surprise costs.

All you got to do is go to Guardianplumbing.ca and find out all you can and more about Guardian plumbing and heating. They're protecting their customers from the unexpected through innovative solutions. Look no further than Guardian. Rec tech power products. For the past 20 years, they've been committed to excellence in the power sports industry. Summer is upon us, which means if you're in the mood for fishing boats, oh yeah, they got those Lund fishing boats. You want a little pontoon? Yeah, they got those two.

Maybe you're into the bush and you want to side by side. You're getting the point here, folks. You should stop in on the west side of Lloyd Minster, see their showroom, tell Ryan I sent you, and take a look at all the things they offer. They got a wide selection of top-end brands there. You will not be disappointed with rec tech. I'm telling you.

They're open Monday through Saturday. Their showroom is almost second to none, I would say. And whether you're on the golf course or at the lake, anywhere in between, they can help get the right machine for you. Just go to rectech powerproducts.com and everything is there. You can see everything they're working with. I really suggest if you're driving through Lloyd Minster, though, you stop in and say hello.

Planetcom, when you're busy running a growing business, trying to stay on top of the ever-changing world of information tech, well, it can be overwhelming to say it at least. Yeah, you're telling me. And they want to take care of that for you, leaving you to do your thing while they do theirs. For the past 22 years, Planetcom has been there to boost your productivity by proactively managing every aspect of your IT infrastructure,

are both in cloud and in the house, and it ensures you're not too tangled up in technology to get anything done. If you want to see one of their products, just go to the shan Newmanpodcast.com, my original website. That's a long story. Regardless, PlanetCom has helped build the new one, and you can check it out. And if you want to check them out,

go to planetcom.com. For all your tech needs. Ignite Distribution is a high-service supply company based in Wainerate, Alberta, specializing in automotive parts, and a wider range of experience. additional products, including safety equipment, welding, supplies, fasteners, and janitorial items. They're operating as a Napa Auto Parts retailer.

And I'm telling you, Shane Stafford is the guy you want to get a hold of. 780842-3433. They don't come much higher. I was talking about Caleb Taves on the other episodes. Shane Stafford's another one of those guys that if you want to make sure your business is running smoothly, look no further than Shane Stafford and his team at Ignite Distribution. We have the Cornerstone Forum. I'm just keeping it in your brain.

It is coming back in 2026. As we get more information, we will make sure to keep you guys up to date. We have the new studio here, hopefully coming sooner than later, as soon as I get back from holidays, we'll be hammering some things out. Really excited to unveil that, to be in there, to be honest.

And we're doing a cleanup in August. I don't know how much I'm checking my phone right now, but if you're interested in being a part of cutting down some trees and that type of thing, and you're wanting to help, you know, you can get your name on the value for value, well, come lend a chainsaw. Just shoot me a text,

and I'll probably have the date by now figured out of when that is going to be. As you're noticing today is a throwback Thursday, and for the month of July, we're going in the way, way back machine and picking out some episodes that have caught my attention, maybe yours as well and well make sure to stick around at the end of the episode i've re-listened to all these and i jot it down some notes because you know some of these i i haven't

listened to well probably none of us have listened to in a long time but uh lots of times i you know an episode sticks out to me maybe i really listened to it maybe i don't i'm i made sure to go back and re-listen to this and so at the end of these episodes i have a couple extra thoughts so made sure to stick around for that if you're listening or watching on spotify apple youtube rumble x make sure to subscribe Make sure to leave a review. Make sure to share with a friend. Make sure to hit Retweet.

Make sure to do all the things. You're all wonderful. And I appreciate you hanging out on a throwback Thursday. Now, let's get on to that tale of the tape. Originally from Kingston, Ontario. He played one game in the NHEL 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 co-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. So 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 live broadcasts every Saturday night and more to doing the podcast? Well, I do miss doing Coach's Corner. I had a lot of fun doing it, and I look forward to, 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 that I should, but he understands it, and I have a lot of fun. And the Twitter, 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-Sockham back for the people here in Lloyd Minster and, you know, surrounding kids. 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 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 different, I remember one time I went and, um, I went and, uh, I tried on, I was more a kilt one time, and I picked up the wrong kilt, and Rose was small. And holy smokes, I haven't put on this much weight, and I couldn't put on the kilt. So we put it on backwards.

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 it was a lot. We had a lot of fun doing it, and I'm glad Hardy and you listen to it, and we did have a lot, again, again, if you don't have fun doing it, then there's no sense of doing it. But that was a lot of work for 30 years. We did it for 30 years and had a lot of,

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 honestly impresses me about going back to those videos. I didn't realize we, we did. quote that all the time right like one of my i had i had cheevers jerry chevers obviously uh your favorite goaltender on the podcast a little while back and i was explaining to him uh one of my favorite

stories that you've said is about bobby or embarrassing the Atlanta flames uh where he goes end to end on a penalty kill nobody wants to go behind the net and he ends up going and then you know he tucks the goal in and we got watching it and i can't believe how many things you say in in Rockham Sockham 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, 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, 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 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 of that. I'll tell you a funny story. We're in, I was just thinking of it the other day. I was drawing 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 them, wait till, wait till, to, wait till, to, you know,

a commercial will come on. And I remember this older lady, it was 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 on, 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 bucks for it. So it was, as you know and as Harley knows that there's never any swearing in at Rockham Sockham's. 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 some of the other guys used to swear. You 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 rock up sock and that because it was a tough

I think we only had three fights in it the whole thing everybody thinks of rockum sock and was banging and you know a lot 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, but always listen to your mother. You'll never go wrong. And that's that.

I'm glad she agrees with me. Now, growing up, Don, 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 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 un-appled. 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, you know, when I was through, I had no trade, I had no education. I couldn't get a job. And I'm going to tell you the truth. this is the truth of late minister hospital on that. Oh, you know, 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. And I think it was but 19, I forget. Anyhow, it was a recession. It was 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 tell cars.

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 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's tough.

I was, six months, 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 laid down, I go to have a nap. And I said, I don't even deserve a nap. And that's how bad I felt 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 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 mean, I couldn't get a job. I had no trade.

They had nothing. And nothing was going on. 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, it was a tough time to go on.

I know a lot of guys are out west. I have 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 rate 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.

uh, specifically in our area, um, it's a, you know, an agricultural town, but, uh, 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, uh, not only this year, but years, years previous and everything going on. There's a lot of people hurting. So, uh, I appreciate you sharing that because I think that'll speak to a lot 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. 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 Bobby York. You imagine that. And, you know, Bobby Orr, I mean, I remember I stood on the Boston Gardens and, you know, holy smokes, is this really happening to me? And don't give up, but I remember. And I remember that in the Boston Gardens.

And you know, it'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, school team. Well, I remember I was just as nervous coach of 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, because I changed lines and I did everything in high school. It was a tough deal, but you never know what's going to happen. You got to keep, you got to keep

plug it. Oh, 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'm, I was born in 86. So by the time I was old enough to remember anything, Rockham Soxom'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, like 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 Skip, yeah. Great guy. And he was on the podcast, and he said something to me, Dawn, that has absolutely stuck with me since he said it. I can never shake it. Is 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. And 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, 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 Boston Bruins too much, and they told me, you can't get, for 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 them out at the end of the first period and give him three or four minutes, and 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 all 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 me in the eye, had a great big tear running down. Holy, is this guy going to cry every time he does 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. 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 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 takes 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 liked you, what is it, the whole bunch of them would have liked to got 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 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, 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, 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 Coach's Corner, tell you the truth. It was so bad.

I mean, you know, I forget what it was, but it was my friend. 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 She's still writing, by the way She lists ten things 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 did she call me Troglanite What the hell is a troglonite And I found it was a little A little midget, I guess That lived underneath a bridge

She was reaching for a lot of things there was. Anyhow, the 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. It 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. 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, I didn't think I was, I didn't think I was that bad. And, holy smokes. And then, like I say,

you'd get used to them. And I got a lot of bad, ones then but I look for after a while after a while you look forward to them and 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 I'm pretty I'm pretty as you can tell from 20 minutes done I'm I'm pretty I don't know relaxed I like to 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. And 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, and see if there's some things to learn. Well, I tell you the truth, as I said before, it was the Lord, you know, I mean, and I can hear, I can hear a lot of guys now, 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, 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. So I've had a pretty good life. And as they say, there's a lot more, 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. You know, she never complained. And it was, I don't know what I was done. I don't know what I was done if she had a complaint. and, you know, and had to been whining all the time and everything. 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 to Thruhe River. and she was from Hershey. She's a lovely home in Hershey, and Hershey is like a paradise, you know. And she said, where's three rivers? And I didn't know her 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 putting in the 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 ball tires on it and 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. It got me out in the middle of winter. And we went into the coffee shop. And Sydney, my daughter was with me. She was about, she'd be about three or four. Yeah, she'd about three or four.

And I said, now let's all pray that the car starts because they were going to close up at 11. I don't know what we would have but a froat to death. And the car started. And I was lost. And I was, I was, I was, I was, so I got there, we had to play and, and had Niednettin and Rose went in a motel. And I, I, I played that afternoon. Imagine I get there to play that afternoon.

And on the way, the guys, the guys that are listening, it will say, and the guy said, come on, don't you 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 be able to come on. have one. Well, you know, I have one in the tomb. All of a sudden, I look at the watch, and it's about four o'clock. Oh, you know, the game is over. Well, it must have been late on that, about six o'clock. And I got packed to motel, and I hadn't eaten for about 24 hours. She was eating chocolate parts. So I went in and, um, all the wives were at a place called the Golden Rooster. I'll

ever forget it. And Sydney came and I gave Cindy a bunch of dimes and she played the one, they had one arm bandit. So anyhow, I wrote it with all the wives and, you know, back in those days, it was only 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, and the Central League, it was six. So that's, I think it was, it worked out to be about 18 or something like that. But there was, and defense,

defensemen, there was six, they'd carry five, so there was 30, there was 30 defensemen and the whole, and the whole, and the national hockey league. Now there, I think there's, they carry about eight, and there's, but 30, so there's about three, 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, of, all of hockey from last, from the year, you were, you were, you were, you were, the 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 can 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 can win I remember with Pudge Shimlack I signed my contract and I he just 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 of arguing with you? And punch, he was in Springfield before he went to National Hockey League. He said, well, I'm going to National Hockey League. But a lot of people don't remember Punch Himlock. Punch Himlock was, I think he had won four Stanley 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 here. Brian Kilray, the winningest coach ever in junior hockey. And a fantastic book, Don. That's a fantastic book. There's a guy you should get on, too, is Brian Kilary. He got stories about any sure more stories than anybody. And Eddie Shore really liked him. And he didn't like me.

I don't know why. I guess he still like. 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 rough. Imagine Eddie Shore thinking I was too rough. I remember him saying, Mr. Cherry, if you could visualize it, 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 Three Rivers

And 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's 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 asked 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 with 2000 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 our 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, eh? He did the second period. And somehow or other, just hearing the voice of Foster Hewitt give you chills. He was more popular than the players. And just listening to Foster Hewitt was really something. I know people can't believe it. They're watching our 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 beliefs on. That's why they're still 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, 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. Except both teams bang the boards is after a fight

which is, you know and they're trying to get and the fighting is down all the fighting is down and everything. Funny thing is. But the guy's making the money now. Holy guy. Guys making $3 million dollars that

scored 14 goals. If you scored 14 goals before, you didn't bring 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 Bannum, actually. And he was terrific. And he was terrific back then. There's another guy who, He'd come up and play with Roland McCune.

I remember he was the defenseman. I see somebody's picked him up. I forget who's picked him up now. But they both of them come up and played Batham Hockey for the Toronto Maple Leaf. You knew David, he'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. Driesite 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 done, 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 guy they were on the bus is when they went from the, from the from the marina to the airplanes.

Who are they kidding? Boys on the bus. Back to the bus. That was, whoever thought that up was boys in the bus. They all flew out there and they,

you know, they had a great club. Where would they go on the bus? They never went anywhere in the bus. The only, maybe they go to Calgary. And I had to laugh when I read that boys in the bus. They never spent the,

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 and dry siddle. at least you get to see

McDavid, the best player are 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, you know, the Euler fans are listening 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. 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, it's not going, they boo. So as a player, I always remember that. They didn't boo the power play. Funny, eh? You know, you talk about greats, McDavid, and then, you know, just in passing of Gretzky and the boys, your first-year coaching.

I'm a defenseman, Don, and I've heard the stories. It's probably why I enjoy him embarrassing the flames so much on your rock-and-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 Black, 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. He had 46 goals. He had 89 assists, and he was plus 123, and he had over 100 minutes in penalties.

I mean, when you think of that, I mean, that just tells you enough who was the great. And I, he's unbelievable. I mean, the big thing about him, he could skate. Him and coffee. Coffee used to, 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, you look at coffee, in 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't 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 a boot. 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 what, but coffee was, him and coffee were the best skaters I ever saw.

One, I read, and maybe, and 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 I... like Anthony Hopkins and guys like that and Arrow Flynn. 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 test in the pitcher. 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 Joan 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, and 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 Don 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 do, at 930, 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 a lot of people didn't like it, but I used to try to do it if 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 or, 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 we 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. 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. 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.

I think 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 would be packing them in still out there. And it was terrific. Well, Bill was so disappointed.

I remember I remember phoned and me telling me that somebody had stepped in. but he thought he had it, 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 doing some research on it, Don,

that, you know, watching you growing up, the name Hardy Astrum, just, everybody knew it, the Swedish Sevres, 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 how the stories went. The Colorado Rock. He wasn't a bad guy.

No, I don't. He was a bad guy. He just couldn't stop a puck. Well, he was with New York. I think we ended up with him, and I think the general manager, Ray Miron 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 Miron. And I couldn't figure out why we didn't have Dougie Fevelle. 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 plans. Mike 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 he's from Sweden. His only problem was Pucks. 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, we had a real good club. What would kill us was our gold. I went from Boston Bruins that had terrific two goalies to Jilly Chilbert and Jerry Cheever's 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 con While like I say Artie Astrom the name just

sticks with me even to this day Because I just remember the sweetest sieve Oh, those are great memories. I remember the very first practice we had. You flipped it, it flipped it in, and I flipped it in. I flipped it to Pacto, 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 too long with that goaltender, and we weren't. And I think he stayed for the two years after I left too. And then they moved to New Jersey, I think it was. Yeah, New Jersey. Yeah. 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, I think 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 McDonald, 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're 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. and 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 gate a 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 Zipple to, you know, so I think I can't knock Gary Bettman. 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 he's scored a lot of sports net of scoring that goal. It was a great goal. It was the top corner of the overtime goal.

Yeah. And he let it go. a lot of people don't realize and 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 Bruise brothers,

Joey Kosher, and Bobby Probert. And he always give credit to those two guys that Bobby Probert and Joy Kosher. So, Eisenman, 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, hope, I always cheer for Detroit because of Stevie Eisenman. Yeah, he's always loved how he can do. 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. Like, 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 son. 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 assist 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 Heeman 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, I'm one of the owners for 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 to give me the call that do we want to coach the Rochester Americans It's holy night, and I didn't have, 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, Dawn, is maybe what's one of the best lessons, you learned along the way? 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 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 it's been an absolute treat and this is the longest one I've ever done in my life

that I can see you're a good guy and that's why I do it my voice is starting to go have done them in a long time and God love you and keep up keep up the good work thanks Don hey folks thanks for tuning into the first throwback Thursday you know this was Don Terry has been requested an insane amount in recent months, days, weeks years, I don't know, all the things

and you know I always send this episode because I'm like well I have had him on and I've tried to get him back on and you know his team has basically said that you know he's not doing interviews like this anymore and I chuckle about it because at the end he says you know this is the longest interview I've ever done

I'm like, well, that's cool. And I don't know if that's true or not, but certainly it was, you know, re-listening to it. It's still surreal to me that, you know, like everything I said in there, you know, one of our things in the Newman household growing up on Christmas morning was we'd always buy dad a box of turtles and get him the latest Rockham-Sacham. And we'd always watch the Rockham sock-em together, you know? And I don't know if we were unique in that

or if that was just, you know, like a ton of Canadian families. I always assumed there was a ton of Canadian families. And, you know, to finally, like, to get him on was surreal. Do I wish it was in video? Yes, you know, we did it. I was, I can't remember who I was telling the story to. Maybe the brothers, like, they told me I had to be a phone call. And I was like, back then, I'm like, a phone call.

Oh, man, how am I going to pull this off, you know? So, of course, you know, just solve your problem. Sean, and I did it through a Skype call. I recorded a Skype call, and I remember I download a bunch of different things. It worked, and I tested it out on Dustin, I think, to make sure that I didn't bungle it, because I'm like, I only get one shot at Don Cherry. And, you know, like, just one of those surreal moments when you hear him say, Hey, Sean, how's it going today?

And you're like, oh, my God, I'm talking to Don Cherry. Like, I don't get too starstruck that often, but certainly Don Cherry did that to me. You know, and the other thing, well, no, I got a few things here written down. But, you know, I always say Ruben Mays was the first guy on the podcast who mentioned God. And although that might be true, and certainly the thought I had back then was, do I even put that in there? I'm still, like, kind of shocked at how much Don Cherry points to the Lord as, you know, trusting in the Lord. And, you know, even when you ask, you know, I forget if it was a mentor or somebody who helped him long in life, he mentions people, but he always says the good.

Lord. And I think that's pretty cool. Like I didn't realize, you know, I, I've always said when they removed Don Cherry from Coach's Corner, you can love or hate Ron McLean. And I assume a lot of people hate Ron McLean. But they really balanced society. Don Cherry represented one side and Ron McLean represented another. And when they got to go at it, you could hate Don Cherry, you could hate Ron McLean, but you got to see both sides. And when they took out Don Cherry, it was like open season on everything he stood for. And I didn't realize it, you know, as a younger man, how much he points to faith, right? Like, I mean, it's quite evident in the interview, I think, you know, and, you know, I just,

another thing of where they just removed something and made it open season on a certain segment of the population. You know, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, paying a hundred bucks to go to a hockey game and not to hear the swearing. And, you know, it's, it's funny. Back then, the novelty of swearing on a show was, was, was, was real. And, you know, it took a lot of years of me doing this, a lot of episodes to finally just, like, you know, it doesn't mean I'm not, I'm perfect.

I, I, I do swear from time to time. I don't think there's, you know, I'm not going to judge anyone else. I'm just trying to control my tongue. And, you know, it's interesting to hear Cherry talk about the no swearing. And then my final thought, this is just more of a personal thought, I guess. I guess this is what it is, you know, doing this. I've never re-listened to an episode and then giving off, you know, an extra few minutes. But Don mentions my brother Harley multiple times.

I obviously mentioned them to Dawn at the start. and I was really intrigued at how a guest mentioned something I'd mentioned, you know, like they always talk about like when you listen to somebody, like you should really listen, right? And, you know, Don Cherry's the start of this podcast. Let's make no bones about that. But he brought up Harley multiple times, and I thought that was really cool not only for myself, but for Harley. Because probably a lot of you don't know this. but my brother Harley, when I first started this,

he listened to every single episode and then would give me feedback. And in the studio, he gave me two shadow boxes, one for my first 100 episodes and another for my second 100 episodes. And I probably think after he realized I was going to go berserk on podcasting, he stopped there. But in the back of the shadow box, it has every name of every guest I had in the first 100, and then the same thing for the second 100. and he used to give me positive feedback.

And he was one of the guys, I didn't love the name Sean Newman podcast. I just didn't know what else to call it back then. And I didn't want it to be pigeonholed into, I just remember the idea of grassroots hockey or something like that. And I'm like, but I want to talk about everything. I don't, I don't got a good name. I'm just going to use my name.

And I like Joe Rogan, but I knew I couldn't say the Sean Newman experience because that would be way too close. I just, you know, I was like, all right, Sean Newman podcast. And Harley was the first, one to go, oh, it's the SMP. And I said, what did you say? So the SMP? And I'm like, oh, I got I like that. And so he helped me with so much at the early days. And I thought it was really cool for for Don to bring up his name multiple times. I assume that was cool for him too, because he was three

years older me. So, you know, every Christmas morning, me and him were the ones trying to wake all of our siblings up. And then, you know, we had bird calls and everything that we'd annoy people. You can just imagine. Oh, man, kids. We, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, do these things to try and get our older siblings up and our parents up so we could go open stockings and go down and have breakfast and watch rock them, sock them and everything. And for him to get mentioned multiple times, that was really cool. And it reminded me, you know, of how invested he was in the start, you know, the reason why it's SMP, the reason why the logo is that, the reason why it's a gold P and not all the same

color. All those things were conversations I had with Harley really early on. and, you know, just re-listening this. It just kind of hit me. I'm like, oh, you know, like, Harley was really invested. So, you know, there's so many of you now that are sitting here after Don Cherry replay episode that are just as invested. And I don't know how to repay that.

I just, like, I just really honored that you'd all be here on a replay of Don Cherry and that you would, you know, like so many of you have been very, understanding is not the right word, encouraging of me taking some time away with family and to just recharge and, you know, like, I remember when I came back from Ottawa and I took the 53 days off, there was a bunch of people that were very upset that I left.

We need you. We need you right now. Meanwhile, I was falling apart, and, you know, like, my life was falling apart. Everything was falling apart. And a few of those people actually ended up responding a week or two later, apologizing. But, you know, like, I guess the reason I bring it up is I just appreciate all of you

so much for being along for this journey, for giving me different thoughts on guests, on, you know, never, I've had a couple different people apologize for texting too much. There's no such thing, you know, like I don't need to respond back to every text. I try to see them all. You know, as I'm leaving for holidays, I think the texts are up past 600. it again and you know like part of that was the wrath party interview that really hit the text line hard I guess and so I apologize if I don't get back to everybody but I don't even think I need to do that because all of you as you sit here listening are such wonderful human beings I have the greatest audience under the sun I don't care what any other podcaster says and I just appreciate you

being along for the ride I hope you enjoyed the replay the froback Thursday of Don Cherry I got another one that's special to me coming up next Thursday. I've, this is probably, the one coming next Thursday is probably the episode of my podcast, the entirety of that I've listened to the most. And I don't even, it just is,

it's, it's just for me. And I, I sit and I listen to it again. And I'm like, man, this is, I'll get into that next week,

but I just, it's just so, I don't know, it's just one of those moments in time where I'm sitting there. And I'm like, I can't believe what's happening. is happening, you know? Now, that's a personal thought, a really personal thought, because I've tried explaining it, and I just don't know if anyone else understands. Maybe you do. Maybe shoot me

a text, and you can totally can. Either way, this is the first throwback Thursday. We have five of them in July. If you have suggestions, I think I have an open spot. I've kind of, I think, my first two are solidified. They're already in the ready to roll. I've already listened to. I've already listen to them. I've have my calendar of what I'm going to listen to and jot notes on. But if you really feel compelled that you got one that needs to be replayed again, I've had a ton of suggestions come in, but certainly I will take them all and then think about it and try and release the best quality replays on throwback Thursdays. So either way, thanks for tuning in to a replayed episode. Maybe it's the first time you've listened to it. Maybe you were here from the beginning.

appreciate you being along for this ride and listening to some thoughts. God bless you all and look forward to, you know, a few more weeks with the family, but looking forward to, you know, your guys' thoughts and some more throwback Thursdays here coming in the week's upcoming. So anyways, have a great Thursday and the rest of your week.