SD’s Lockout Log: That Time Don Cherry Asked Me For Cookies

The NHL lockout has made me look back on my mini-career so far (or whatever the hell it is), and I’ve realized that I have a bunch of stories I’ve never told before. Last time I told you the story of that time I interviewed Jordan Eberle with a bagel.

Someone recently asked me if I’ve ever met Don Cherry, which reminded me of, well, that time I met Don Cherry.

So here’s the time Don Cherry asked me for meatloaf…

It was back when I was an intern with The Fan 590 (now Sportsnet 590 the Fan). I don’t remember exactly when it was, but if it was while I was there, it was probably 2008-ish, and I was probably 20-ish. Great start, Steve. Boring, unnecessary detail. Way to really grab the reader…

Anyway, I spent most of my time at the Fan in a room called the “bullpen”, where most of the interns and some of the producers would work. It has a lot of computers, TVs, recording equipment, etc. It also has Ryan Fabro‘s coveted Paul Ysebaert Trophy as the best offensive player in ball hockey.

Around the corner, there’s the office kitchen.

I take my lunch out of my bag, walk around the corner, and head to the kitchen to warm it up. What’s on the menu? Leftover meatloaf from the night before. Yes, my mom made it. Make all the “typical blogger” jokes you want, but my mom’s meatloaf kicks ass so you fartknockers can eat a booger!

Just as I go to turn the corner to go into the kitchen, I hear this booming voice go “ARE THOSE COOKIES?”

“Huh? Wha?”

I look up and it’s Don Cherry.

It was a moment I had thought about since I was a kid, and it was made even more surreal by what he was wearing.

He was dressed exactly like the picture you see above, minus the octopus. Black tank top, black sweat pants, running shoes – I think he might have even had the hat. In a way, it was like seeing the Wizard of Oz behind the curtain, except that was disappointing and this was awesome.

Grapes has a syndicated radio show/podcast called “Grapeline” that he does with Brian Williams. I knew they recorded it out of one of the studios at the Fan, but I usually worked evenings and I had never seen either of them walking around. You can forgive Cherry for not being in his trademark high collar, snazzy suit, and themed tie. He was in his “radio wear” we’ll say.

“ARE THOSE COOKIES?” he asked again, pointing at my container.

“Oh uhh…No. No, this is just meatloaf. My mom made it.”

There was a lady in the room. I don’t know who she was, but she gave me a look that seemed to say something along the lines of “Wow, you just met one of your childhood idols, and you just told him that your mommy still makes you meatloaf.” Ugh…

“OH OK BECAUSE I WAS JUST TELLING HER HOW I COULD REALLY GO FOR SOME COOKIES!”

Then he said something to the lady along the lines of “ALRIGHT, SEE YOU LATER, EH!” and left the room.

All I remember after that was just standing there, still holding my mom’s leftover meatloaf, thinking “…What the hell just happened?”

To be clear though, let me just say that Don Cherry wouldn’t recognize me even if I was wearing a name tag. I don’t know him, I just met him and deprived him of cookies once. I did meet Don Cherry one other time, but that’s another story, for another time.