Don Cherry publicly calls out journalist Steve Simmons.

It appears that former National Hockey League head coach turned legendary hockey broadcaster Don Cherry is not very happy with one particular sports reporter in the Toronto media.

Over the week end Steve Simmons published some comments in the Toronto Sun in which he hinted at the possibility that the host of Coach's Corner had reached the end of his road as far as Hockey Night in Canada was concerned. Now to be fair to Simmons here I think his comments have been uncharitably interpreted due to his reputation as a journalist. Simmons never said Cherry would not be back, he merely touched on the fact that there were rumblings that Cherry had not been renewed 

Here is the relevant section from Simmons' article:

One thing that hasn’t been confirmed for the next season of Hockey Night In Canada: the return of Don Cherry and Coach’s Corner. Rogers is cutting all over the place, which included the removal of Bob McCown on radio and television and Doug MacLean doing the same. Cherry is handsomely compensated for his work. Not sure if this is a place they want to go with the 85-year-old.

Again to be fair to Simmons here it is made clear by his last sentence that he does not feel this move would be a good decision, but nonetheless his poor judgement in the past when publishing stories has led to him getting burred over these comments. Things got even worse for Simmons on Sunday night though when in the late hours of the evening Don Cherry himself took to social media to publicly call out the veteran Toronto journalist.

"I must say I am hurt and disappointed that my friend Steve Simmons would suggest in his Sunday column that Hockey Night in Canada might not want me back for next year," wrote Cherry. "I was told a week after the playoffs I would be back. The question I ask is this… why didn’t my friend Steve phone me and ask me?"

Now I can not speak to the personal relationship between Cherry and Simmons so perhaps there is a very good reason for Cherry to feel slighted here. One thing is certain though, the public is definitely on Cherry's side in this dispute.