Check(er) it out

So the playoffs have begun, which means Don Cherry will be coming at us from whole new unexplored worlds of awful. And why not kick things off with a suit that is clearly the cousin of last year’s yellow and black checkered number? No, seriously, why not?

And while we’re at it, why not throw in a strangely incongruous Winnie-the-Pooh tie?

Ahh, it’s good to be back in the playoffs. (Sorry about the quality of these pictures, folks, I had to grab them from a CBC stream online. I’ll upload some higher quality images if I can get my hands on ‘em.)

Lime-green Cherry

I know I’ve said this before, but it’s like Don Cherry is trying to make us all go blind:

Also, a tie featuring a weightlifting Mickey Mouse. I just…?!

Quality sure will last you

Don mentioned in the After Hours tonight that he’s had this particular three-piece suit since he was coaching in Boston, and praised its quality for having lasted him so long. I have no reason to doubt this, as it’s somewhat more sedate and less garish than most of the jackets it has been his wont to wear since.

His tie, on the other hand, was his usual crazy—and this time has words. From a distance, it looked a bit like a pit bull with leaves, but on closer inspection is revealed to be a parrot. The writing on the tie says “Lil Burkie” (presumably referring to Leafs GM Brian Burke) and “Lil Blue” (which refers to the pit bull somehow? I guess?), and the main sentence says “This tie has special value if you own a puppy or a parakeet” (which is odd, since the bird is a parrot, not a parakeet). Whatever. Some things mere mortals like me were plainly not meant to understand.

Ripples of pink

Pro sports tend to make a deal out of October as Breast Cancer Awareness month (except, apparently, the CFL, which will fine you for wearing pink gloves). Don Cherry has, in years past, had a spot of trouble matching his pink tie to a suitably pink jacket, and this year, he seems to continue that trend. Once again, he gave Ron MacLean a bit of an earful for saying the tie was pink, and that consequently his tie didn’t match.

(For once, I agree with Don—the tie is not, in fact, pink—though I personally think, as I have previously, that the mismatch between the tie and the suit jacket is not his biggest problem.)

Welcome to a new season

So here we are in the 2010-11 NHL season! Should be an exciting one. Even if the Nordiques aren’t back in Québec, the Jets aren’t back in Winnipeg, and the swallows aren’t yet back in Capistrano, we’re back here at the Don Cherry Jacket Watch with some fresh gawking at our favourite commentator Don Cherry. Let’s get right to it.

And like a kid on Christmas, let’s unwrap Don Cherry’s jacket (uh) and take a close look at that tie of his:

Yep, that’s how we start off the year in Grapesland: all real class-like. Gotta love it. Or something.

We’ll be back throughout the season with more DCJW. Stay tuned.

Don Cherry continues the checker theme

Yes, yes, this isn’t the first time Grapes has worn this jacket on the air. But wearing it during the Stanley Cup finals—that’s special. I think he must be going for some kind of checker motif this Cup season. We know that traditionally he picks out his suit fabric from the drapes section of the the fabric store, but I’m pretty sure this one didn’t come from there. I think this came from the tablecloth section or the placemat section or something. And then it was given to his tailor to make into this quadruple-breasted (yep, count those rows of buttons) monstrosity. I mean, jeez. (Note also the pastel-landscape(?) tie, which really helps this outfit.)

Bonus pregame shot!

Don Cherry is trying to make you blind

Seriously. There’s no other explanation. Here’s his amazing jacket from the first game of the 2010 Stanley Cup Finals on the ice in Chicago.

I just…yeah. Wow.

Also, since you can’t see his tie in the on-ice shot, check it out during Coach’s Corner:

Yes, that is some sort of strawberry/chocolate sundae thing?! With a cherry on top?!!?!!1!11!?!one

By all that is holy.

St. Patrick’s Day was last week

Even though the Coach’s Corner crew celebrated St. Patrick’s Day last week, the lure of wearing green—specifically lime green—was apparantly too much to resist for Don Cherry this last Saturday. (For long-time fans of the Don Cherry Jacket Watch: yes, we have seen this jacket before. But since that was only in standard definition and on a different TV show, this week we bring it to you in all its high-definition glory on the hallowed Hockey Night in Canada set.)

Don Cherry and the Bull Shirt

We’re back after a terrific Olympic break, and so are Don Cherry and the Coach’s Corner! Don was in Boston the other night to drop the ceremonial faceoff, and as usual, his clothing did not disappoint:

Of course, any such trip requires a souvenier or two, and Grapes came away with a few trinkets. He put on the hat for a few seconds of tonight’s Coach’s Corner (a good thing, too, since it clashes horribly with the dark blue velvet of his suit jacket), but tonight’s highlight was a great turn of phrase from Ron MacLean, who dubbed the T-shirt (from the Boston TD Garden’s famous “bull gang”) Don Cherry’s “Bull Shirt”. I see what you did there, Ron.

Don Cherry does Shakespeare

The CBC broadcast this year’s Hockey Day in Canada festivities from Stratford, Ontario, home of the famous Stratford Shakespeare Festival. And what better way for Don Cherry to honour this location than with a little acting? Don graced us with a few lines from some Shakespare plays: the best was when he did Macbeth’s famous soliloquy about life, and wagged his thumb in the general direction of Ron MacLean when he said “It is a tale told by an idiot.” Anyway, enjoy these pictures of Don in golden robes (and a purple necktie) fit for royalty: