Cole's calls

I was struck by a thought early on Saturday evening: there is an uncanny amount of Bob Cole in CBC’s new intro the Hockey Night. His calls seem omnipresent, yelling names from hockey’s modern age: Yzerman, Gretzky, Lemieux. He appears more, perhaps, then any other of the long list of Hockey Night personalities, but there’s one key difference: he’s the only one who doesn’t say his name.

Perhaps this is because his voice is so well-known among hockey fans. Perhaps it was a slight oversight. But perhaps – and this is my point today – the CBC is quickly moving towards the post-Bob Cole era.

For almost all of the 1980s and right up until last year, Bob Cole was the voice of Hockey Night In Canada. He called most of the Islanders four Stanley Cups, as well as all of the Oilers (in an oddity, the only year he didn’t – 1986, when CTV broadcasted the games nationally – the Oilers were upset by the Flames in the second round).

His streak at the microphone is not something altogether unheard of at the CBC. Foster Hewett called games for 40 years, for example. But in an age where announcers quickly become media personalities or spokespersons – one need only to look at John Madden or Marv Albert, for example – Cole remained primarily a hockey guy.

Not to say he didn’t dabble. He called Olympic events (including hockey). Curling.

But he never did anything self-promotional: there was no The Bob Cole Interview. No Bob Cole Hockey, though he did voice over work earlier this decade for 2k Sports. No books. Not even a radio show.

Granted, Cole was far from universally loved. Often criticized as a homer for the Leafs, the team whose games he usually broadcasted, Cole remains an enemy to a segment of devoted Habs and Senators fans. Fair enough. Others cite his tripping over names – Sedin becomes Sundin, etc - as a peeve.

But then, if some announcer from the past, like the always-objective Ray Scott, replaced Cole, these same fans would be complaining about the dry commentary: “Starr… to Dowler … touchdown” doesn’t sell like it used to. Fans love colour, they love subjectivity: this is why Gus Johnson is popular. This is why Chuck Swirsky is popular.

It’s why ESPN Classic used to use a Brent Musberger soundbite in its ads.

Anyway, just a thought about Cole.

Cherry's time has come

Don Cherry is a buffoon, a loudmouth and a relic from a bygone era.

Don’t think this is some kind of backhanded compliment; it isn’t.

For almost as long as he’s been on CBC’s presentation of Hockey Night In Canada, Cherry’s shtick is that he’s an opinionated loudmouth with some fairly popular views on hockey. Which is true: when he was at his peak, Cherry was one of the better analysts out there.

But, as the cliché goes, that was then and this is now.

No longer do any of his comments hold much weight. When asked about fighting in the NHL, his answer isn’t one of intelligence. It’s an insult, a sarcastic reply to anybody who has the gonads to question Don ‘n’ Ron.

Last Saturday, Don’s answer to the reniewed question of hockey violence was to show a 16-year old clip (From a playoff game between Los Angeles and Edmonton, I believe) where he was dressed as a character, sarcastically mocking anybody who thought hockey didn’t belong in the game.

In the midst of a huge playoff race in the East, Don’t main concern was that fighting, that aspect of the game that he loves so much, was going to be taken out. Instead of making any kind of argument, Cherry just showed off his new tie, adorned with doves, “The new mascot of the NHL”.

Again, a sarcastic comment that adds nothing to the debate.

It almost seems that all year, Cherry’s Coaches Corner segments have less and less to do with hockey, and are increasingly just a place where Cherry feels he can talk about whatever. Lately, he’s been on a Support The Troops kick, showing off ties, hats and car accessories bearing that slogan. It’s nice that he cares about the soldiers overseas, but he’s doing this during a hockey telecast.

Think about how silly it would be if any other famous figure started acting in the same way. If John Madden wore an oversized earring and mocked anybody who called football too violent during a pregame segment. If Tim McCarver started hawking Support The Troops hats during baseball telecasts. If Reggie Miller said that Europeans shouldn’t be playing basketball during a halftime show.

I doubt they’d be keeping their jobs.

And why Cherry’s keeping his is beyond me.