Don Cherry's career has always been full of bumps: A few years before NHL coaching, he found it difficult landing even a construction job, and had to work as a painter for $2 an hour. Cherry does much better on TV than he ever did as an NHL coach. After failed attempts at head coaching, he heads up Coach's Corner on Hockey Night in Canada, as well as hosting his own TV show Grapevine. The outspoken Cherry attributes the bumps — and the successes — to his frankness.

Don Cherry, with his bull terrier Blue, appears with Harry Brown to talk family.

"Come on, what do you think this is, a ballet practice?" scoffs coach Don Cherry to his charges in a sports lottery commercial. The ad has unexpected consequences: taking umbrage at the snub to his profession, ballet instructor Bruce Monk challenges Cherry to see if he can keep up during a real ballet practice. Cherry agrees. Though he's let off the hook after a few stretches and jumps, the experience teaches Cherry a new respect for the art.

Gilles Duceppe says Cherry's comments in Nagano insult Quebecers.

Politics. Female hockey players. Homosexuality. In this episode of Friday Night with Ralph Benmergui, no topic is off limits for the ranting Don Cherry. And Benmergui eggs him on: Would you run for politics? Do you think there's room for women in the NHL? Then, he pulls out the biggest stop of them all; special guest Scott Thompson. In this CBC clip, the outspoken gay comedian of Kids In the Hall fame arrives, and nuzzles up — literally — to an apprehensive Cherry.

As It Happens challenges Cherry for sexist comment in sports lottery commercial.

Before the hollering, headlines and high collars, Don Cherry played hockey. After years in the minors, the NHL Boston Bruins drafted Cherry and he hit the ice for the first (and only) time during a 1955 Stanley Cup playoff game. His unanticipated debut came in Game 5 against the Montreal Canadiens after a teammate was injured. Cherry later coached the Bruins, and subsequently the Colorado Rockies, but was fired from both positions two years back-to-back.

Canadians weigh in on what they think of Don Cherry.

Saturday night's all right for fighting, at least on Coach's Corner. An irascible Don Cherry regularly uses the popular commentary segment (appearing during Hockey Night in Canada game intermissions) to blast any player who gets his back up. This week's target is Pavel Bure, the subject of a nasty contract negotiation rumour. Defending the Russian superstar is his coach, Pat Quinn, who more than matches Cherry's bile. As we see in this montage of their separate interviews, tempers quickly flare.

Don Cherry's remark about 'Europeans and French guys' prompts outrage and investigations.