Sour Grapes

Don Cherry is at it once again. During a segment of Coach’s Corner on Hockey Night in Canada this past Saturday, Cherry condemned the behaviour of the Russian World Junior’s Team by saying the following: “We (Team Canada) went out in honour. Sorry to say, the Russian’s didn’t. They (Team Russia) got drunk, carried off the bus, got thrown off the plane...I can’t stand people who can’t stand liquor.” To which my response could only be, “Neither can I, Don. Neither can I.”

Of course I now assume what Don meant to say was he couldn’t stand people who perhaps couldn’t hold their liquor or who exhibit inappropriate, harmful and improper behaviour while under the influence of alcohol. In which case, I couldn’t agree more. But I would also agree to the old adage, people who live in glass houses, or at least people who report about people who live in glass houses, shouldn’t throw stones.

There is and has been an unhealthy and dangerous pattern of alcohol use and abuse in the world of hockey and particularly the NHL. The Russians do not hold a monopoly on this market (well maybe with vodka). Don might want to take a walk down memory lane and do some touch ups with that broad brush he seems to be painting the Russian Juniors with.

In 2003, while driving drunk, former professional hockey player, Rob Ramage caused the death of his friend Keith Magnuson, former Chicago Blackhawks captain.

In 2007, Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mark Bell rear ended a car and seriously injured a driver while drunk driving.

April, 2007, former hockey goaltender Ed Belfour and Finnish player Ville Peltonen were arrested after assaulting police officers in Florida while drunk.

July, 2007, NHL brothers, Eric, then 21 and Jordan Staal, then 18, were arrested and charged with disorderly conduct and Eric with underage drinking, while celebrating at Jordan’s bachelor party.

Chris Pronger, Dominick Hasek, Milan Hejduk Sergei Fedorov are all NHL stars who have been convicted of alcohol related offences.

And the next time any of us including Don stops off at Tim’s for a double double, we and he might want to reflect on this. In 1974, Tim Horton was killed while driving drunk.