Somehow, I don't think Don Cherry is making any friends in Hockeytown today after his appearance on ESPN's Sportscenter last night. The world didn't end, thankfully, but shortly after Cherry proclaimed that he "loves Hockeytown USA," more commonly known as Detroit, Michigan, he called it "a redneck town." I'm not from Detroit but I can't imagine that line is going to go over well.
Cherry was responding to a question from John Buccigross asking why he thought that the Red Wings were having attendance problems. To paraphrase, Cherry was making the argument that Detroit wanted to see rough and tumble hockey that was common when Joey Kocur, Bob Probert and Darren McCarty patrolled Joe Louis Arena. McCarty has made a comeback and has re-joined the Wings this year, but the others are gone and there's no question Detroit is a bit softer than in the past. It's hard to say that is what's keeping people away from the gate, though.
There's some truth in that there are probably people in Detroit who want to see more beatin' and bangin' at their hockey games. But somehow I imagine it's got more to do with Detroit's early exits the past few years and a struggling economy. Or maybe it doesn't, because right now, nobody seems to have any concrete reasons as to why the President's Trophy winners located in Hockeytown can't sellout the building.
But like him or loathe him, hockey fans that are familiar with Cherry know that this type of talk is nothing new from him. The question is -- did ESPN?
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Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 4)
1. dressed up like a hawaaian pimp
Posted at 6:54AM on May 11th 2008 by KJ
2. Cherry missed it big time on this one. Attendance is down in Detroit because the economy sucks. People can't afford the tickets. Detroit has always been a great sports town, and was recently voted the overall best in pro sports. Don simply had his rather large mouth engaged before his brain, which isn't unusual for him. One thing about the bad economy in Detroit, Don gets a good deal on his pimp clown suits there because of it.
Posted at 7:03AM on May 11th 2008 by Gil
3. so whats he tryin to say? rednecks are poor? psh. we are 'rednecks' and we are definatly not poor.
Posted at 7:17AM on May 11th 2008 by N8VGIRL
4. How can anyone call Detroit a "redneck"town? Detroit is NOT in the South! How stupid. Also, Detroit is very diversifed in which people live there, culturewise. Unless everyone is saying "Ya'll" and they live in trailers and sit outside the General Store with the rest of the good old boys in the SOUTH, there is no way it can be called a "Redneck" town.
Posted at 7:29AM on May 11th 2008 by alissa
5. Redneck is a southern term. Detroit is a blue collar town which means pretty much the same thing.
Posted at 7:29AM on May 11th 2008 by John S
6. "it's the economy, stupid."
Posted at 7:47AM on May 11th 2008 by debirchs
7. Us rednecks live in northern michigan, not detroit, our governor has made us the poorest state in the country, so we can't afford tickets, if she keeps going this way, there won't be enough people left in michigan to fill Joe Louis.
Posted at 8:03AM on May 11th 2008 by joy keathley
8. Hey, Don Cherry... kiss my redneck arse.
Posted at 8:03AM on May 11th 2008 by Angiebaby
9. Wow Alissa that was something. You obviously have never been to the south. There aren't many towns where the good ol' boys gather down at the general story anymore. The south, believe it or not, is very diversified with people from all over the world living here and most people don't live in trailers. You posted several sterotypes of southern people and clearly you don't have a clue as to what the south is like. I can't judge whether or not Detroit is a redneck town because I've never been there, but there are rednecks everywhere. And by the way, it's spelled y'all, not ya'll.
Posted at 8:03AM on May 11th 2008 by Jmw1431
10. With A Last Name Like That ( CHERRY ) And A Clown /Pimp Suit ; How Can He Be Taken Seriously ? Detroit Doesn't Need To Worry About Cherry The Clown Getting His Panties In A Wad !!!
Posted at 8:10AM on May 11th 2008 by LostTraveler
11. I would be very careful of calling any body, or anywhere a "redneck" dressed in that crazy, outlandish costume...he needs to look in the mirror....
Posted at 8:36AM on May 11th 2008 by chuck
12. It is definately the economy. As far as the South being full of rednecks, I've been to NW Arkansas many times and to a couple country bars there and it seems like they are proud of being rednecks. But their interpetation of being a redneck is different than that of a Northerner. To them it doesn't mean being poor and living in a trailer. It means being proud to be a Southerner. That's my interpetation, anyway.
Posted at 8:38AM on May 11th 2008 by Michigan_Mom
13. who wants to go downtown and be murdered
Posted at 8:50AM on May 11th 2008 by c
14. Rednecks are funny. http://www.RedneckLaughs.com
Posted at 8:52AM on May 11th 2008 by Redneck Randy
15. it certainly isnt a redneck town based on their crime and murder rate.
Posted at 9:04AM on May 11th 2008 by Ray
16. He looks as if someone puked on Colonel Sanders
Posted at 9:10AM on May 11th 2008 by JohnQ
17. I guess it all depends on how you define redneck. I live in Tx.. We all be rednecks down here. lol
Posted at 9:29AM on May 11th 2008 by txsnowy
18. AOL sucks dick
Posted at 9:38AM on May 11th 2008 by WBC
19. Doesn't he realize that all sports in America were invented by the black man ? How redneck is that ??
Posted at 9:38AM on May 11th 2008 by Black Christian Man
20. Keith Olberman, what can anyone say, a stupid jerk gets his own stupid show on the most stupid network.ESPN owes MSNBC a great big thank you for taking Keith (stupid jerk) Olberman away, ok I will thank you MSNBC, thank you, thank you and please keep him all the stupid jerks need their person to report the news to them.
Posted at 9:48AM on May 11th 2008 by drb107