WARMINGTON: After MacLean's overdue apology to Grapes, others need to follow suit
It was a sorry excuse for how to treat a longtime friend and partner, one that deserved a big 'I'm sorry' from one broadcast star to an even bigger legend.
Article content
That mea culpa had to happen and now it has.
Article content
Article content
Cherry was owed the apology. He is owed one from MacLean for what he did back then — essentially saving his own hide and throwing his partner to the wolves. But his comments in the Kingston Whig Standard, which ran in other Postmedia papers, were unconscionable.
Article content
MacLean told award-winning sports scribe Gare Joyce, 'I think that pneumonia scare was it. The pneumonia said to Don, 'It's time.' He had to think, 'Why is this grind suddenly so hard?' He was ready to have an exit strategy. From that moment on, he was plotting a way out. The first opportunity (to end Coach's Corner) was going to be a happy one for Don. And I thought he did it well.'
Article content
Article content
The story also said Cherry was in a Boston hospital as a result of the pneumonia.
Article content
Article content
Cherry said he was not in a Boston hospital, did not miss time on his show that season or the beginning of the next and did not orchestrate his exit. In fact, he told the Toronto Sun he feels management was looking for a way to move him along.
Article content
Whether the information was correct or not, MacLean should not have talked about Cherry's health nor made the suggestion his departure was the result of an elaborate 'exit strategy.'
Article content
BREAKING— Cherry disputes MacLean's claim 'Poppygate' was TV exit strategy | Toronto Sun https://t.co/nK6ju1W5Od
— Joe Warmington (@joe_warmington) July 12, 2025
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Province
14 hours ago
- The Province
The Bookless Club: Are you a good water steward?
In the not-too-distant future, we're going to have to get a lot better at how we run the taps. Water is getting more and more precious each passing day. Each and every one of us is going to have to get better at how we use this increasingly valuable resource. Photo by Brent Calver/Postmedia / Brent Calver/Postmedia When I was a kid, a hose could run in the driveway for hours while we waged water fights with neighbourhood adversaries. The sprinkler could be on until someone remembered to shut it off. You could wash your car daily if you were so inclined. On the 'Wet Coast' we thought water was limitless. In fact, if we thought of water at all, we thought of it the same way we thought of air — infinite and everlasting, as well as incorruptibly benign. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Today, we live in a different world. Heat waves and wildfires are increasingly common. More populous cities put new stress loads on our existing water supplies. In response, watering restrictions have evolved to become ever more restrictive and now begin earlier in the year and end later — Oct. 15 in Vancouver. You've got to get up early on the weekend if you don't have a sprinkler system, as manual lawn watering is only allowed between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. Civic governments exhort us to be mindful of how we consume water. They offer tips like turning off the tap while you brush your teeth or taking shorter showers. Really? You don't say? Do we really need to be told to do something as obvious as turning off the water while brushing? If we're relying upon these sorts of simplistic behaviour modifications to save the day, we're all in big trouble. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. There are so many ways to reduce water consumption, and our forebears were great at it. Simple things like putting a bucket in your shower to catch what would have just gone down the drain. Keeping a jug close to the sink to catch the water wasted while getting to the temperature you desire is an easy adaptation. Cooking water can make a great instant liquid compost that can be added directly to the garden when cooled. And say good-bye to the 10-minute shower, for gawdsakes! In the not-too-distant future, we're going to have to get a lot better at how we run the taps, and it has little to do with how long your shower is. It turns out that Artificial Intelligence uses water like a sorority house on a Saturday evening. Data centres demand vast quantities of cold water to cool the computers that keep things like your online photo available to you, your cloud service running, your music playlist at the ready. Meta's new data centre is said to use about 500,000 gallons of water daily to keep operational. And the data centres still in the planning phase are expected to consume even greater quantities of water, because the more powerful the A.I., the thirstier the technology. Essential reading for hockey fans who eat, sleep, Canucks, repeat. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Most of Canada's data centres are located in Quebec and Ontario where there are large populations and relatively cheap renewable electricity, but it seems everyone wants in. Alberta has been actively campaigning for data centre investment in the north of the province. B.C. has already launched itself into the data centre business with Bell Canada opening a 'supercluster' of six data centres in locations such as Kamloops and Merritt. These centres have all sorts of requirements — space, manpower, ideally a dry climate — but chief amongst them is water. So, if you think your watering restrictions are tight now, just wait. Water is getting more and more precious each passing day. Each and every one of us is going to have to get better at how we use this increasingly valuable resource. And it's well beyond just turning off the water while brushing your teeth. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Jane Macdougall is a freelance writer and former National Post columnist who lives in Vancouver. She writes The Bookless Club every Saturday online and in The Vancouver Sun. For more of what Jane's up to, check out her website, This week's question for readers: Question: Are you a good water steward? Any tips on how to conserve water? Send your answers by email text, not an attachment, in 100 words or less, along with your full name to Jane at thebooklessclub@ We will print some next week in this space. Last week's question for readers: Question: Do you grow plants from seed? What have been your successes and failures? • I thought it was my lack of gardening skill when my planted seeds did not grow. I could count on my two hands the number of seeds in the packages. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Lynn Foster • We moved to a new home this year and along the back wall of the house was a long bed with succulents. I'm not a fan of succulents so I took them out and this spring planted Black Eyed Susan seeds. To my delight I now have a wonderful showing of rows of Black Eyed Susans which brighten up the yard. Caroline Brooks • I love packages of flower seeds. I buy two or three packages of wildflower seeds every year. I seed some of them in the fall in large planters on my deck and add the rest in the very early spring. No fuss, just water the surprises that pop up and enjoy them all. Every year I have lots of interesting blooms to enjoy. Barbara Brown • In the middle of March I had the crazy idea that I wanted to see something grow. At my age — I am 87 years old — most things in my world are shrinking or declining, so I bought a package of Russian Sunflower seeds. I stuck about half a dozen seeds into a dirt-filled tray, moisturized the soil, and several days later they sprouted. Next, I transferred the four-inch-high plants into a flower box that is sheltered from the exterior weather. By the end of April their height exceeded one meter. I now had to support them by tying them to wooden sticks. Their growth didn't slow down. I had to water them twice a day. By the middle of May I dug out the 'little forest' and gave away all except one plant that I transferred to a sunny spot in my front yard. To make a long story short, that plant is now no less than 2.5 meters tall with its flower measuring 12 inches in diameter. Whenever I look at it, it seems to smile at me. Nature is simply miraculous. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Peter Zirpke • I grow everything except tomatoes and peppers from seed. And I mean sown directly into the garden. I don't buy them all. I harvest seeds from dill, leaf lettuce, Italian parsley, butternut squash, acorn squash and nasturtiums, year after year, for 30 years. The lettuce and parsley are better than others I have tried. And the seeds keep well. I have planted seeds that are several years old and they germinate the same as the first year. I don't have good luck with yellow wax beans or harvested seeds. I keep all my seeds in the fridge until they're planted. Venny Xaronski • A number of years ago, at my old house, I decided to grow sunflowers from seed. They did indeed germinate, but they took quite some time to actually bloom. Finally, the two pots in front of the garage produced beautiful flowers. My neighbour across the street was the first to notice this timely event. She called me right away to let me know. We were so excited you would have thought I had just given birth. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Mary Lem • Many years ago, my neighbour gave me some Scarlet Runner bean seeds she had obtained from a man whose mother had brought the ancestor seeds from England in 1935. Every year since, I have saved some of the crop and grown them successfully the next year — too successfully, as I always have more seeds than I can find space for. I feel a sense of obligation to continue the line that is now at least 90 years old. Ironically, my neighbour stopped growing them years ago because her husband didn't like them. Maree Monahan • I have planted many flowers from seed in hopes that my garden will look like the many photos you see in magazines. It's taken a while but I think I have succeeded. In the spring, out come my mini green houses and grow lights set up in my living room. Yes, the living room! Starting soil is bought and the process begins with seeds saved from last year's crop. After about six weeks of nurturing they are ready to go out into the flower beds. Zinnias are my go to flower with purchased plants as filler if needed. Gardening is believing in the hopes and dreams of future days. Love it, as do the bees and butterflies! This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Trudy Halliday • My mom and I were part of the rash of home invasions in 1997. A group of people broke in one spring night while we were sleeping. We were assaulted and held hostage for several hours as they ransacked our home. When they left and the police arrived, we were taken to the hospital to be checked out. We were lucky — the next weekend a woman was murdered during one such invasion. I had a chance to ask them why they were doing this. They didn't have an answer for me. My mom met the aftermath of that night by choosing to put bars on the windows and, later, resisted opening a window, even on a warm summer day. I remember thinking during the invasion I was not going to let this define who I was. I am not saying it was not a traumatic night, but I still believe the best of people and regularly have my doors and windows open to let in the breeze and even have occasionally, I must admit, forgotten to lock up at night. Patricia T. Celebrity News Vancouver Canucks News Sports
Toronto Sun
2 days ago
- Toronto Sun
Corey Conners goes low at The Open, golfer uniquely celebrated in hometown
PORTRUSH, Nothern Ireland — Corey Conners' regular group at his Listowel, Ont. coffee spot likely hadn't even sat down for their morning cup when their pal was rolling in one last birdie at Royal Portrush on Saturday. More on the golfer's morning hang later. On Saturday, Conners gave Canadian golf fans a nice surprise to wake up to at Royal Portrush, catapulting up the leaderboard at the Open Championship by shooting a five-under 66. 'I felt like there were a few more scoring opportunities and I could be a little bit more aggressive with my approach shots,' Conners told the Toronto Sun after his round. After making the one-over cut on the number Friday night at 8:30 p.m., Conners and Germany's Matthias Schmid were back at it again first out of the gate on Saturday morning. The Canadian didn't waste any time, birdieing the first hole for one of six birdies on the day and leaving the course after a speedy 3-hour-and-50-minute round in a tie for 10th position, at least temporarily. 'I really hit a lot of quality shots today. I think there were a few more opportunities where the wind was helping you get it close to the pin locations,' he said. Conners also birdied his last hole of the day, rolling in a 42-footer after a rare mis-hit iron shot. Worried he might have too much club, and trying to take a little off his shot, Conners flared his approach to the right but caught a break as it banked back onto the putting surface. How good was he hitting it on Saturday? It was the only mis-hit Conners could remember. 'I was pretty solid the last couple of days,' he said. 'I can't really think of too many.' After some struggling with his putter over the first two days, Conners decided the answer was to lean even more heavily on his exquisite ball-striking and try to hit the ball a little closer to the hole. That might not sound like rocket science, but around Portrush's dangerous links caution is usually the best policy. But after discussions with his caddy Danny Sahl and swing coach Derek Ingram, and considering that even Conners is finding his iron play mightily impressive this week, the 33-year-old opted to get slightly more aggressive with his approach shots on Saturday. It paid off. 'It's a nice strength ot have for sure,' Conners said of his ball-striking. Conners has one more day of Open Championship golf ahead, then he will head back home to Listowel, two hours north-west of Toronto, where the global golf star spends his summers with wife Malory and the couple's two young children. 'It's a nice place. It's just home,' Conners said. 'It's where Mal and I grew up and we can live pretty simply. We built a nice house there and I enjoy reconnecting with family and friends that we are away from so many weeks a year.' This is the third summer the family has spent back in Ontario after living full time in Florida earlier in Conners' career. At last count, Listowel had a population of just under 10,000. Ten-thousand people and one famous golfer. 'Yeah, everybody knows me but I'm just a normal guy,' he said. 'And I really feel like a normal person there. A lot of the people in town and around the golf course have known me since I was growing up. I know they are really proud of me but they know me as just a simple person.' Conners says he spends most of his time at Listowel Golf Club, the course he grew up on, and at home where his children Reis and Tate have plenty of room to play. One day a few years ago, the golf club was short-staffed so the 24th ranked golfer in the world jumped behind the counter. Because, why not? 'I came out of retirement from the pro shop and hopped behind the desk and checked people in,' he recalled. Back to his golf game for minute. With a swing that has been the envy of many of his peers for years, but a putter that has at times held him back, I asked Conners if he has ever wanted to trade and be a lights-out putter rather than a great ball-striker. Conners cut the question off mid-sentence. 'I'd pick being in control of my ball from tee to green for sure,' he said. 'It keeps things as simple as possible out there when you're hitting a lot of fairways and a lot of greens. Not a ton of stress. It's nice to always be able to fall back on that.' According to the golfer, he has seen plenty of positives with his putter this season and he pointed to the first two rounds at the Masters in April. For two days at Augusta National, Conners says he wasn't striking the ball anywhere near his standards but stayed in the mix on the strength of his putter, even on some of the toughest greens he faced all year. His comments are backed up by statistics. For the season on the PGA Tour, Conners ranks 47th in strokes-gained-putting, picking up 0.223 strokes against the field on the greens. If he can keep it up, 2025 will mark the first season of his career where he finishes the year positive in that important category. 'I've seen a lot of bright spots with the putter this year,' he said. 'And that's happened more and more. It's frustrating to have some off days, but I've had plenty of good days that have given me relief.' Conners arrived at Portrush ranked 14th in the season-long FedEx standings. In previous majors this year, Conners has tied for 8th at the Masters and tied 19th at the PGA Championship, before being forced to withdraw from the U.S. Open with a wrist injury suffered in an Oakmont bunker. Away from the PGA tour, home in Listowel he's just a regular guy. Although that changed slightly a few weeks ago. 'I've got a statue of myself at the golf course now,' he said. 'It wasn't my idea for sure, but it's pretty cool.'
National Post
2 days ago
- National Post
Corey Conners goes low at The Open, golfer uniquely celebrated in hometown
PORTRUSH, Nothern Ireland — Corey Conners' regular group at his Listowel, Ont. coffee spot likely hadn't even sat down for their morning cup when their pal was rolling in one last birdie at Royal Portrush on Saturday. More on the golfer's morning hang later. On Saturday, Conners gave Canadian golf fans a nice surprise to wake up to at Royal Portrush, catapulting up the leaderboard at the Open Championship by shooting a five-under 66. 'I felt like there were a few more scoring opportunities and I could be a little bit more aggressive with my approach shots,' Conners told the Toronto Sun after his round. After making the one-over cut on the number Friday night at 8:30 p.m., Conners and Germany's Matthias Schmid were back at it again first out of the gate on Saturday morning. The Canadian didn't waste any time, birdieing the first hole for one of six birdies on the day and leaving the course after a speedy 3-hour-and-50-minute round in a tie for 10th position, at least temporarily. 'I really hit a lot of quality shots today. I think there were a few more opportunities where the wind was helping you get it close to the pin locations,' he said. Conners also birdied his last hole of the day, rolling in a 42-footer after a rare mis-hit iron shot. Worried he might have too much club, and trying to take a little off his shot, Conners flared his approach to the right but caught a break as it banked back onto the putting surface. How good was he hitting it on Saturday? It was the only mis-hit Conners could remember. 'I was pretty solid the last couple of days,' he said. 'I can't really think of too many.' After some struggling with his putter over the first two days, Conners decided the answer was to lean even more heavily on his exquisite ball-striking and try to hit the ball a little closer to the hole. That might not sound like rocket science, but around Portrush's dangerous links caution is usually the best policy. But after discussions with his caddy Danny Sahl and swing coach Derek Ingram, and considering that even Conners is finding his iron play mightily impressive this week, the 33-year-old opted to get slightly more aggressive with his approach shots on Saturday. It paid off. 'It's a nice strength ot have for sure,' Conners said of his ball-striking. Conners has one more day of Open Championship golf ahead, then he will head back home to Listowel, two hours north-west of Toronto, where the global golf star spends his summers with wife Malory and the couple's two young children. 'It's a nice place. It's just home,' Conners said. 'It's where Mal and I grew up and we can live pretty simply. We built a nice house there and I enjoy reconnecting with family and friends that we are away from so many weeks a year.' This is the third summer the family has spent back in Ontario after living full time in Florida earlier in Conners' career. At last count, Listowel had a population of just under 10,000. Ten-thousand people and one famous golfer. 'Yeah, everybody knows me but I'm just a normal guy,' he said. 'And I really feel like a normal person there. A lot of the people in town and around the golf course have known me since I was growing up. I know they are really proud of me but they know me as just a simple person.' Conners says he spends most of his time at Listowel Golf Club, the course he grew up on, and at home where his children Reis and Tate have plenty of room to play. One day a few years ago, the golf club was short-staffed so the 24th ranked golfer in the world jumped behind the counter. Because, why not? 'I came out of retirement from the pro shop and hopped behind the desk and checked people in,' he recalled. Back to his golf game for minute. With a swing that has been the envy of many of his peers for years, but a putter that has at times held him back, I asked Conners if he has ever wanted to trade and be a lights-out putter rather than a great ball-striker. Conners cut the question off mid-sentence. 'I'd pick being in control of my ball from tee to green for sure,' he said. 'It keeps things as simple as possible out there when you're hitting a lot of fairways and a lot of greens. Not a ton of stress. It's nice to always be able to fall back on that.' According to the golfer, he has seen plenty of positives with his putter this season and he pointed to the first two rounds at the Masters in April. For two days at Augusta National, Conners says he wasn't striking the ball anywhere near his standards but stayed in the mix on the strength of his putter, even on some of the toughest greens he faced all year. His comments are backed up by statistics. For the season on the PGA Tour, Conners ranks 47th in strokes-gained-putting, picking up 0.223 strokes against the field on the greens. If he can keep it up, 2025 will mark the first season of his career where he finishes the year positive in that important category. 'I've seen a lot of bright spots with the putter this year,' he said. 'And that's happened more and more. It's frustrating to have some off days, but I've had plenty of good days that have given me relief.' Conners arrived at Portrush ranked 14th in the season-long FedEx standings. In previous majors this year, Conners has tied for 8th at the Masters and tied 19th at the PGA Championship, before being forced to withdraw from the U.S. Open with a wrist injury suffered in an Oakmont bunker. Away from the PGA tour, home in Listowel he's just a regular guy. Although that changed slightly a few weeks ago. 'I've got a statue of myself at the golf course now,' he said. 'It wasn't my idea for sure, but it's pretty cool.'
