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Burke also targets Cherry’s co-host MacLean

Ron MacLean - Hockey Night In Canada

Don Cherry isn’t just angry at Leafs GM Brian Burke for the lack of Ontario-born players on the Toronto Maple Leafs and his biggest problem with Burke might not even be the fact that he complained to Cherry’s superiors about Grapes. What might have pissed Cherry off the most is that Burke decided to also target his co-host and old friend Ron MacLean.

What’s Burke’s problem with MacLean? Apparently, in MacLean’s words, Burke “feels that I egg Grapes on.”

MacLean said that Burke went to his superiors, but he thinks Burke was trying to get them “muzzled” rather than fired. To make the situation even more bizarre, Burke decided to call MacLean up before lodging his complaint.

“He said ‘I am feeling kind of lousy doing it this way without talking to you first,’” MacLean said, referring to Burke. The Leafs GM gave MacLean the opportunity to meet with him, but MacLean turned down the offer. He also told Burke that his job was not to present the audience with “all rainbows.”

“I am not losing any sleep over it,” said MacLean. “I understand Brian is under a lot of pressure and he treats each day like it’s a hockey game. A general manager of such a major professional sports franchise should be able to handle it but it’s the way he is.”

MacLean also said that he forgives Burke. Cherry, on the other hand, might not be ready to put this all behind him.