Hockey Night in Canada analyst Ron MacLean seeks to clarify comments after comparing players in Rangers-Capitals series to 9/11 first responders
'They are like police officers. They are like firefighters,' MacLean says before Game 6
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Ron MacLean, pictured here with his Hockey Night in Canada co-host Don Cherry, sparks controversy with his comments before Game 6.
Ron MacLean admitted it was a crazy comparison, yet he made it anyway. And it has drawn fire ever since.
On Hockey Night in Canada on CBC prior to Game 6 of the Rangers-Capitals series Wednesday night, MacLean controversially likened the players on both teams to first responders of the 9/11 terrorist attacks as footage of Washington D.C. rolled in the background.
After beginning his analysis prefacing that both teams' home cities were targets of the attacks, MacLean made the following comments:
"It's crazy to compare what the emergency responders did during that time, but a spirit has to start somewhere. And as you enjoy this series between the New York Rangers and the Washington Capitals Game 6 comin' up - 3-2 New York - you can't help but be struck by the players and the way they've played these games."
His analogy then became more direct.
"They are like police officers. They are like firefighters," MacLean said. "You can't fight fire with ego. Brad (Richards) knows that. The pain these men have faced. The price they keep on paying. The hearts they keep on lifting. It's been through and through, five games in. You see the commitment, they're ready to go again this evening in Game 6 at Verizon Center in Washington."
MacLean tried to pull back from the shocking comparison as he finished.
"We all know about the firefighters. Our worst day is their everyday. Been a joy to watch," he added.
The segment set the web abuzz, drawing mostly negative reactions from people on Twitter. On Thursday, MacLean released a statement through CBC in an attempt to clarify his remarks.
"Washington and New York. The two cities united by the tragedy of 9/11. I, like everyone on the planet in his or her lifetime, saw beyond the horror, the single greatest testament to the strength of the human spirit in the efforts of the first responders," he said in his statement.
"We never know if we'll have that spirit. The bravery, the resilience. As I made clear, the hockey games in no way compare. However Sports has proven a worthy training ground in nurturing the qualities which beget that spirit. To say he plays like a firefighter or a policeman would instantly conjure the traits an athlete most desires, especially in New York and Washington. There could be no higher praise of a player, no greater choice of a role model. But as I said of first responders, 'Our worst day is their everyday'. They stand alone."
Fellow CBC analyst Don Cherry defended his co-worker's comments on Thursday, saying he was surprised people were upset over them, according to the Toronto Star.
"We think hockey players are the top people in the world. We think they're tough, that's all Ron was doing. For people to take it out of context is just unbelievable to me," Cherry said.
