Shortly following the news that the co-host of Coach’s Corner on Hockey Night in Canada had been fired, the Toronto Sun has reported Don Cherry’s response.
It was on Saturday evening that Cherry made much-criticized and controversial remarks that led to his firing, which took aim at immigrants who don’t wear poppies for Remembrance Day.
Don Cherry stirs controversy with rant on immigrants not wearing poppies. “You people love… that come here.. you love our way of life, you love our milk and honey, at least you could pay a couple of bucks for a poppy…” #HNIC pic.twitter.com/r3WQ0ZalaJ
— Kamil Karamali (@KamilKaramali) November 10, 2019
Earlier today, Sportsnet President Bart Yabsley said the decision to let go of Cherry came after discussions the above remarks.
Statement from Sportsnet: pic.twitter.com/LRKrww0AQ1
— Sportsnet PR (@SportsnetPR) November 11, 2019
Don Cherry spoke with Joe Warmington from the Toronto Sun following the firing, expressing that he stood behind his comments.
“I have just learned I’ve been fired by Sportsnet for comments made on Coach’s Corner November 9th,” Cherry told Warmington in a phone interview this afternoon. “No problem.”
Cherry added, “I know what I said and I meant it. Everybody in Canada should wear a poppy to honour our fallen soldiers.”
Saturday’s rant is the latest in a string of controversial comments in Cherry’s 40 years on air, where he’s also taken shots at women, progressives, French Canadians, and others.
“To keep my job, I cannot be turned into a tamed robot,” said the legendary star to the Toronto Sun.
He also did admit that being fired on Remembrance Day does hurt “because I would have liked to continue doing Coach’s Corner. The problem is if I have to watch everything I say, it isn’t Coach’s Corner.”
“I want to thank everyone who has watched Coach’s Corner over the last 35 years,” he said.
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