Don Cherry blasts Ovechkin on HNIC

[Allsmokenopancake 0]

Interesting point by Cherry (and MacLain) that OV has seemingly toned down his celebrations since this 'controversy' started. Anybody who watches the Caps on a regular basis care to confirm or deny that? Sure looked like Cherry was right with the clips they showed on Saturday night.

Ovechkin celebrates the big goals with passion, a winning goal, a go ahead goal, a tying goal etc.

But if it's a goal where they are losing or where they should have won etc, his celebrations are not as exuberant.

He is not constantly over the top, but if you look at his scoring (most of his goals come in the third) he has 10 game winning goals, and 30 or so goals at home, where his celebrations are well received by the home team fans.

He does not go over the top on the road, or when the team is down (except maybe in philly, or other places he gets booed excessively)

This is not a question of whether the kid has class, anyone who sees him interact locally, or even on a larger scale, knows that he has it in bunches.

The glove kiss and point, that's for his brother who died, who he credits with getting him into hockey.

Some people, like cherry, just decide that it's going to be their focal point for a while. But, there is no accounting for what comes out of an idiots mouth when they are given a soapbox

[mrusse01 0]

Well judging by his reaction with the shootout winner, looks like Boudreau might have said something to him.

[Allsmokenopancake 0]

Well judging by his reaction with the shootout winner, looks like Boudreau might have said something to him.

He didn't. Boudreau came out and said he didn't. Said Don Cherry has his opinions, but he's not going to tell Ovie to change how he plays the game, when he plays the way he plays

[cdoug55 0]

Oh boy...watching the Caps/Tampa game and did anyone just see Ovie's goal celebration. Now that is def. going to get a reaction from Cherry.

[rebel96 0]

Was he dancing? saw the goal, didn't catch all of the celebration. Looked kinda soccer like.

[cdoug55 0]

Hahaha yeah, he put his stick down and started doing a little dance over it like it was a fire

[rebel96 0]

At the intermission he said that the whole line was supposed to join him in doin it....but they didn't. He said it was supposed to be something like "Feelin' hot, hot, hot!"

I guess, fair enough, he hit 50 so he deserves a good celebration but seriously.....he' went from a little over the top (before cherry's views were aired) to a little cooler on the celebrations (after cherry) to flaming.

[tro 4]

I know Ovie likes to have fun, but now he is being an ass, "my stick is too hot, I can't pick it up", shut up, hug the team and skate to the bench.

He needs to really show some CLASS on this one. I don't think I really had a problem with him celerbrating until tonight.

Of all the players in NHL history who have reached 50, and there are alot, this was the worst display I have ever seen. Good thing he did this crap against a team like Tampa, if he was playing the flyers/bruins ect, I think they would have knocked his head off.

[UMWhockey 0]

Bet it will be on sportscenter though... isn't that what the NHL wants?

[raygunpk 0]

There's no such thing as bad press..

[rebel96 0]

neither boudreau or tocchet liked it apparently...... http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_dadd...?urn=nhl,149347

If he'd done it at home, well that's one thing, but in some other teams building, not good.

[steve66 45]

I'm looking forward to the reaction on this one. Crosby airs his views that he doesn't like it and gets slammed for whining, then AO pulls a TO celebration.... this could be a funny debate.

[mrusse01 0]

I'm looking forward to the reaction on this one. Crosby airs his views that he doesn't like it and gets slammed for whining, then AO pulls a TO celebration.... this could be a funny debate.

I don't think it's much of a debate, he looked like a complete asshole. Not only was a retarded, pre-planned celebration in the first period of a road game, but it was a stupid celebration at that. At least when TO pulled the Sharpie out of his sock it was original and kind of funny.

Anybody who's been defending OV's celebrations on this thread has a bit of egg on their face right now.

I like how he asked Mike Green to join him in the celebration prior to the game, and Green refused. I can hear Donald S. now, 'GOOD CANADIAN BOY!!', haha.

[cdoug55 0]

He obviously did it because of Cherry's comments. He's just getting a rise out of people. I didn't really like it and thought it was dumb...definitely going over the line now. But I do like how in that Yahoo article the author suggests that when Tampa goes to Washington there will be some pay back....ummm where was the payback last night. If they didn't attempt to do something about it last night then there won't be any payback next time. Not from a team like Tampa. I don't think he should have even pulled this on a team like Tampa because what is the point? There is no one on that team to really get a rise out of, not like he did it in Philly or in Pitt (now that would be funny).

[ArcArsenal 0]

I especially liked it when he motioned for other players to come join him...and they just skated up, gave a little hug and jet.

[Allsmokenopancake 0]

Don Cherry took credit for his toned down celebrations. Ovechkin was showing Cherry that he wasn't an influence on him.

That said, it was a dick move by ovechkin. I have defended his celebrations here because they have ALWAYS seemed spontaneous, and passionate.

This was pre-meditated, and stupid. Hopefully this was just to prove a point to cherry about his supposed influence over him, and it's back to business as usual tomorrow against the canes

[UMWhockey 0]

guess i called that one. Wasn't it highlight of the night on sportscenter and this was oepning day of the NCAA tournament

[Allsmokenopancake 0]

Coach Bruce Boudreau said this morning that he has spoken to Alex Ovechkin about his controversial goal celebration.

"We had a little talk," he said. "I won't say what we talked about, but we talked."

After a pause, Boudreau added: "It's the first and only time I've seen that happen in all the time I've been watching Alex. I've never seen him do a celebration like that. But I don't expect it to happen again."

Ovechkin said he was not trying to disrespect anyone or the game. He was just being himself. But he also said he's not going to change because people don't like his goal celebrations.

"Bruce asked me what I mean to do this," Ovechkin said. "I just have fun. He said people might think I don't respect different team. But I respect everybody. I don't want to show bad things. I show my thing. It was not disrespect."

"Everybody right now don't like my celebration when I score a goal and jump to the glass or do something like that," he added. "But I only do something new. It's just my thing. I was just happy that I scored 50 goals."

[RiSeOnFiRe 0]

Being only 20 years old, a lot of people would say i have a warped view on things, but i think a youngermans opinion is just as valuable as an oldermans. To me, i see nothing wrong with his celebration. When you score as many goals as this guy, bring your team from oblivion into the spotlight, and do something no one has done for 12 years, you have earned a right to have some fun on a big goal. If he was pulling crap like this every other goal, then go ahead and call him an asshole. However, 50 goals if you all remember used to be the pinnacle of a goal scorer's season. So if hes gonna do something like this on his 50th and 60th goal of the season, have at it. I only wish it was at home, but you cant exactly plan when your going to hit 50. Its not like he skated to centre ice and did a raindance or anything. And as for tampa being offended, Ive seen Vinny skate almost the length of the ice doing his Bow and Arrow thing, so TB cant really complain. And when your hearing 'Did you see OV's celebration last night?' over and over through out your day, it only seems like a good thing to me. If all the kids are talking about it (your future fan base) it can only be seen as a good thing. Again, if this was any random goal, id be pissed. But for 50, i feel its alright.

[mrusse01 0]

And when your hearing 'Did you see OV's celebration last night?' over and over through out your day, it only seems like a good thing to me. If all the kids are talking about it (your future fan base) it can only be seen as a good thing. Again, if this was any random goal, id be pissed. But for 50, i feel its alright.

I'm 25, and my friends and I email back and forth all day (the joys of office life), and the only reason Ovechkin's celebration came up in our conversation is because of how stupid it was. The idea that 'no press is bad press' is absurd, I have no idea how it exists in popular culture as some kind of known fact. Ask A-Rod if he thinks his 'press' about steroid use was good press for him, I bet he would beg to differ.

The thing is, that was a sick goal. Who else in the league is going to score on a 1 on 3 with a snap shot like that...and you can't even really blame the goalie on the play? But instead of everybody talking about how one of the great young goal scorers maybe of all-time scored an amazing goal for his 50th of the season, all you have is people talking about his celebration afterwards.

The whole making a point to Cherry argument is pretty weak as well. If OV really wanted to make a point, wouldn't it have been better to exaggerate NOT celebrating after that goal?

[interpathway 9]

I'm split.

Great goal. Loved the exuberance of the celebration.

Hated that it was pre-meditated and how it ended up looking to everyone there and on T.V.

I hope that it was just a knock at D.C. and we wont be seeing it again, and I assume you guys agree (both OV celebration lovers and haters).

[RiSeOnFiRe 0]

As far as Arod getting press, umm well baseball is already popular. Thats only gonna hurt HIM, not the sport. Hockey is not as fortunate. If it gets people talking about hockey, and then realizing how skilled OV is and gets the sport some more fans, im all for it. Im not saying the celebrating directly bring in fans. but it gets people talking, and by word of mouth, people talking about hockey is still people talking about hockey. I believe in the 'theres no such thing as bad press' theory. I say let Ov be as colorful as he wants, its something every other major sport has, and something that hockey has none of. Avery in New York is another good example. while the majority of hockey fans dont like him, the average new yorker loves the guy. The NFL has been dubbed the 'No Fun League' but it seems to me the NHL is right on its heels.

[chippa13 1844]

But Ovechkin's celebrations don't get people talking about hockey, they only get hockey people talking.

[RiSeOnFiRe 0]

I think the hockey community is just too uptight. He scored 50, hes one of the best in the NHL, if not THE best. Let OV be OV, sit back relax and enjoy the show. Even some of the sens seem to find it funny and enjoyed it. check the vid on TSN.ca Again, the NHL lacks character and its something OV brings more than any other player.

Chippa has a good point though, but maybe some of this will get into the US sports media, unlikely though as its March Madness and that tops pretty much everything.

Edit: Just found this, seems to go along with my point. http://torontosportsmedia.com/uncategorize...n-go-overboard/

[psh 25]

I think the hockey community is just too uptight. He scored 50, hes one of the best in the NHL, if not THE best. Let OV be OV, sit back relax and enjoy the show. Even some of the sens seem to find it funny and enjoyed it. check the vid on TSN.ca Again, the NHL lacks character and its something OV brings more than any other player.

Chippa has a good point though, but maybe some of this will get into the US sports media, unlikely though as its March Madness and that tops pretty much everything.

It was Sportscenter' s Highlight of the Day yesterday. That's the pinnacle of sports press, and on March Madness opener no less. Well done, Alex.

The two journalists at The Hockey News who have addressed the issue so far are also giving Alex a pat on the back:

http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/2456...rth-of-fun.html

http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/2456...t-not-quit.html

I prefer Ovechkin's spontaneous celebrations, but to the extent his handwarming routine brought the NHL positive press and to the extent it was a response to Cherry's vapid and hypocritical natterings, count me in Alex's camp.