ESPN Ups Coverage Of Hockey?

by Brad Lee on May 6, 2008 10:35 AM CDT

Don Cherry is not a fan of Fruit Euros.

By Brad Lee

Sure the World Wide Leader in sports has John Buccigross and the mulleted Barry Melrose to talk pucks, but they've decided to kick it up a notch. They're going to put Don Cherry on SportsCenter here in the U.S. Anyone who is prone to seizures caused by garrish suits or negative commentary about European hockey players may want to change the channel.

AOL Fanhouse gives us some details (via the Globe and Mail):

"I guess they like my jackets," the Hockey Night in Canada personality said yesterday.

Cherry and Hockey Night host Ron MacLean will leave the CBC's Toronto studio for the road to cover the Philadelphia Flyers-Pittsburgh Penguins series, which will start on Friday.

Cherry will do live hits by remote for ESPN's SportsCentre at the end of each Flyers-Penguins game.
Of course Cherry will be following the Eastern Conference. Shocking development there.

Cherry was on NBC playoff broadcasts last season and was mostly unmemorable. But ESPN, home of Gasbags on Parade according to Al Michaels, gives its personalities a much longer leash to be opinionated and even controversial. And while you may disagree with Cherry's brand of rock 'em, sock 'em hockey (that's fine), this is still a good thing. By getting the most recognizable, spirited, opinionated media guy from Canada exposure with the NHL on ESPN, the league will gain some inroads for returning to the most popular sports cable channel in the world and maybe even grow the sport among some non-hockey fans who happen to be watching. We just hope he's not wearing this:

Sorry if that photo gave you a seizure

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Comments

why does espn care, half the time, when the do the contant bottom crawl, the nhl isnt even there although ncaa wrestling is thank god!!!

by Childhood Trauma on May 6, 2008 1:11 PM CDT reply actions

On the crawl the other night, they had the Canadiens playing the Flyers.

by Brad Lee on May 6, 2008 1:39 PM CDT reply actions

Rock on. Don Cherry for President.

by JGB on May 6, 2008 1:47 PM CDT reply actions

Anything to prevent hockey being followed by Professional Bullriding is fine by me.

by Chia on May 6, 2008 2:28 PM CDT reply actions

I hear ESPN may be hiring a full time NCAA Wrestling analyst, and letting Barry Melrose go.

by Chris Gift on May 6, 2008 10:43 PM CDT reply actions

Does ESPN need a towel-flinging commentator? Maybe we could get him out of town.

by Mr. Particle on May 7, 2008 9:19 AM CDT reply actions

maybe they need a stick waving commentator with a bad spleen too?

by Childhood Trauma on May 7, 2008 9:35 AM CDT reply actions

And if only the “worldwide leader” needed a girl to run in-between period festivities…

by Poor College Student on May 7, 2008 10:08 AM CDT reply actions

in between period…

um between hockey periods or the girls periods?

by Childhood Trauma on May 7, 2008 11:13 AM CDT reply actions

the former, definitely the former

by Poor College Student on May 7, 2008 6:48 PM CDT reply actions

I dunno about ESPN picking up NHL coverage… This year, we were treated to over 2 weeks straight of double-headers during the first round, on VS. Does anyone really think that ESPN would have offered that much coverage? And during the regular season, expect the WWL’s broadcast sked to be heavy on the NYR, NYI, ANA, SJ, and, if they stop sucking, LA. There’s something to be said for being a large fish in a small pond after all…

by Tim on May 8, 2008 6:20 PM CDT reply actions