'People tuned in to see how bad I was': Don Cherry reflects on Grapevine TV years in new book

"Grapes...Back with 'The Greatest.'"

That was the line used before commercial breaks on Grapevine — a half-hour sports show hosted by Don Cherry between 1982 to 1993.

During that time, Grapes interviewed many hockey legends one-on-one. He recently published some of his fondest memories from his early years on air in the book Don Cherry's Sports Heroes.

The following is the edited interview from The Calgary Eyeopener on Tuesday between Don Cherry and CBC Radio host David Gray: 

Q: Most people think of you next to Ron MacLean, but you had your own show back in '82?

I did, Grapevine. I didn't know MacLean and I think he was a weatherman in Red Deer at the time. Yeah, I didn't know if I could do it! I remember, I'd screw up and the audience would laugh — and the more they laughed, the more I'd screw up.

So I had a tough time the first year. I think people tuned in to see how bad I was, to tell you the truth.

So you weren't the highly-polished professional we know today?

Oh, thank you very much — I didn't know I was polished! No, I really did have a tough time, and then my son took over as director and he said, 'Just be yourself.'

Then I got going there, and I wasn't bad, and we had some great guys — we had Bobby and Gretzky and boxers and billiards champion Cliff Thorburn. We had everybody!

Q: What's your trick to getting good answers out of athletes?

I'll tell you what we did, like [Maurice] "Rocket" Richard for sure, he was very, very suspicious when he'd come on. So we told him the questions before, and they really liked it that they could think a little bit.

I feel sorry for some of the guys that ask, 'Tell us your favourite song' and, you know, the guy is just thinking and thinking.

They knew the questions that were coming. I didn't try to make myself look clever. I wasn't a journalist or nothing like that. I would just make them look good.

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Q: They're all media trained now. They're told elaborate ways of saying nothing.

Yeah, that's right. And you get some of them on. 'What did he say? Nothing.' But they don't want to get caught.

Back then, the reporters protected them a little. And now, boy, they make a mistake, they're jumped on pretty good. Wayne Gretzky, before he retired, you couldn't get anything out of him. But now, he speaks so well. Well, he is selling a book now, so he's got to get out there and hustle.

Q: Says the guy whose selling the book and hustling!

Yeah, right!

Q: MacLean, you guys have had this on-air relationship for so many years. I've got to ask though, do his puns drive you crazy?

Really, I have to tell you, at the start of the season, it's not bad. But when we get into the playoffs and we go every other night — after two months, they really do get on your nerves.

With files from the Calgary Eyeopener