Don Cherry drops the gloves over new public comments from Ron MacLean.

Don Cherry has finally had enough.

All the way back in 2019 Cherry was unceremoniously fired from Hockey Night in Canada where he hosted Coach's Corner, one of the most iconic segments in Canadian hockey, for decades after a rant about the wearing of poppies, or lack thereof, around Canada on Remembrance Day.

While Cherry's rant that day was a memorable one to be sure, one of the biggest takeaways that many observers of the incident had at the time was the conduct of Cherry's longtime friend Ron MacLean. In spite of the fact that he had nodded along in agreement as Cherry went off on his rant, MacLean would throw Cherry under the bus just days later when he publicly spoke out against his long time friend.

"The attack on immigrants was improper and I was not happy with it — it goes against my ethics," said MacLean in a recent interview with The Kingston Whig Standard.

It would be during that same interview that MacLean, who in my opinion betrayed his long-time friend on that fateful day, would try to rewrite the narrative of Cherry's exit from Sportsnet and Hockey Night in Canada. MacLean, whose public image has taken a battering in the wake of the controversial moment, claimed during the interview that this was all part of some grand exit strategy orchestrated by Cherry himself.

"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," said MacLean in an attempt to change the narrative. "And I thought he did it well."

MacLean would even try to reframe Cherry being fired as something positive rather than the terrible blow that it has obviously been to Cherry for all these years.

"Ultimately, that’s what needed to happen," said MacLean. "It was liberating. Don needed out and the time was right. (Remembrance Day) was his last swing, taking a stance that’s unpopular, but that feels good in his world. For Don, it’s all a fight. It’s all a battle. So he was happy and I’m happy for him."

That was certainly a mouthful from MacLean and perhaps he thought that word of his comments wouldn't reach the ears of his now former friend, but unfortunately for MacLean they did just that. To the surprise of absolutely no one, the entire Cherry family refutes MacLean's version of events completely.

"It makes no sense," said Cherry's son Tim Cherry as per the Toronto Sun.

Since that fateful day in 2019, Cherry has largely avoided throwing MacLean under the bus for the role that he played in helping force him out the door, but it seems that these recent comments from MacLean have caused Cherry to reach his breaking point.

"I am very disappointed in Ron, that he would bring this up," said Cherry of MacLean's recent comments. "I am very disappointed that he would reach back five years and do this."

As for any talk of an exit strategy, according to Cherry that was a complete and total fabrication on the part of Ron MacLean.

"No, I wasn’t looking for a way out. I was surprised," Cherry said. "I never even thought of that."

While Cherry didn't hurl any insults at his former friend, it was clear that this latest stunt from MacLean has perhaps put an end to their decades long friendship. When asked how he felt about his former co-host, Cherry's words were damning.

"I don’t have any feelings toward Ron," said Cherry.

A video of Cherry's conversation with Toronto Sun journalist Joe Warmington reveals that MacLean is no longer welcome in the Cherry household, with the edict coming not from Cherry himself but rather from his wife Luba Cherry.

"Not with the wife he isn't," said Cherry of MacLean being welcomed in his home.

That Cherry managed to remain classy and collected in the face of yet another betrayal at the hands of his decades-long friend speaks to the man's character, and you can see that character on full display in the short clip just below: