All-Encompassing Tortorella/Sather Thread

[indfin]

The press conference thing is hilarious. 3 years here and you guys still don't get how he operates. If things are rough with the team, he's going to try to divert some media attention away from them and to himself so the guys on the ice can better focus. He doesn't care if he looks like an ass doing it.

It isn't megalomania and it's not ego. It's good off ice coaching. There are plenty of things with him I'm unsatisfied with. This is one thing I'm fine on.

With all due respect, the media focus on the Rangers isn't really all that significant. Even this time of year, with only basketball and hockey playing, the top sports stories are spring training baseball and off-season NFL moves ... then the Knicks ... then the Rangers. Check out the NY Post website ... three headlines are football, basketball, and baseball. You literally have to scroll 20 stories down to find the first NYR mention.

I can't begin to say what his motivation is ... maybe he feels that he would rather answer questions about his own behavior than have to comment on his players. Personally, I think he hates having to deal with the press and is particularly abrasive when things aren't going well.

 

[Kel Varnsen]

The idea that Tortorella is some sort of genius for diverting attention or pressure away from the players is insane.

Media attention? Pressure? Are you kidding me? These guys have it easy compared to places like Montreal or Toronto, never mind the other NY teams. Tortorella isn't drawing attention away from the team, he's just a total dick.

The Yanks, Mets, Giants or Jets would never get away with the crap the Rangers pull. The moronic press conferences, the BS re. injuries etc. In a real league the Nash situation would be a scandal.

When Torts starts with his "it's none of your business" crap when someone asks about injuries I want to scream. The press are the conduit to the fans ie. the paying customers. He's saying it's none of our business.

I've got 40+ years invested in this team. And in my case, unlike his, the $ just go out not in.

The problems with style of play and use of players has been talked about earlier in the thread. I think the modern day NHL has passed this guy by; it's time for a change.

/rant

Why are you entitled to know the details about a player's injury? I think that's just a really strange mindset. What about doctor patient confidentiality? That's not to say I expect the coach not to know, but why the **** is it any of your business? As fans we buy tickets to the games, merch, etc. We don't buy press conference tix or pay the doctor bills, so if the coach thinks withholding injury info or game strategy from the public (or really other NHL teams) can make the on ice product even .00000001% better than I'm all for it. And anyway, Torts gives the most entertaining press conferences in all of pro sports BY FAR, so really again this is a weird fan complaint. You want Bill Belichick up there? Rex Ryan? Or just one of the other 99% of coaches who go up there with their coachspeak, boring the hell out of everyone?

Did this new era of Modern Hockey start at the beginning of this season? Because Torts had a decent amount of success last year culminating in being a finalist for the Jack Adams award.

 

[Tawnos]

With all due respect, the media focus on the Rangers isn't really all that significant. Even this time of year, with only basketball and hockey playing, the top sports stories are spring training baseball and off-season NFL moves ... then the Knicks ... then the Rangers. Check out the NY Post website ... three headlines are football, basketball, and baseball. You literally have to scroll 20 stories down to find the first NYR mention.

I can't begin to say what his motivation is ... maybe he feels that he would rather answer questions about his own behavior than have to comment on his players. Personally, I think he hates having to deal with the press and is particularly abrasive when things aren't going well.

A strange argument. How many beat writers do the Rangers have? Beyond the local guys, how many national press media personalities are going to talk about how the Rangers are struggling? It doesn't matter where in the newspaper the articles show up. There is media pressure. Take it out of NY media context and think about it in the context of the more closed system of the NY Rangers.

I'm honestly surprised that so many people are in the dark on how this works. Tortorella tightly controls his interactions with the media. He always has. It's no coincidence that these things ONLY happen when the team has adversity. We know he likes to play mind games. How is this any different?

 

[NYRKindms]

A strange argument. How many beat writers do the Rangers have? Beyond the local guys, how many national press media personalities are going to talk about how the Rangers are struggling? It doesn't matter where in the newspaper the articles show up. There is media pressure. Take it out of NY media context and think about it in the context of the more closed system of the NY Rangers.

I'm honestly surprised that so many people are in the dark on how this works. Tortorella tightly controls his interactions with the media. He always has. It's no coincidence that these things ONLY happen when the team has adversity. We know he likes to play mind games. How is this any different?

With all due respect this is easily the easiest big city to play hockey in regarding media attention. The Rangers are so far down on the list of what the sports writers care about in this town. The newspaper reporting is one thing mentioned above, look at the local tv news, The rangers are lucky if they announce they have a game on.

There is little to no media pressure on the rangers. The beat writers consist of the 3 NY newspapers and a bunch of small town papers. And even then the readership of those newspapers don't really care about hockey.

The funniest thing was Torts was on the other side not that long ago. You would think he would be at least civil to the media.

 

[BroadwayBlues]

It will be like my birthday when he's gone.

 

[indfin]

A strange argument. How many beat writers do the Rangers have? Beyond the local guys, how many national press media personalities are going to talk about how the Rangers are struggling? It doesn't matter where in the newspaper the articles show up. There is media pressure. Take it out of NY media context and think about it in the context of the more closed system of the NY Rangers.

I'm honestly surprised that so many people are in the dark on how this works. Tortorella tightly controls his interactions with the media. He always has. It's no coincidence that these things ONLY happen when the team has adversity. We know he likes to play mind games. How is this any different?

Maybe you are right about his motivations ... or maybe he just doesn't handle adversity well and goes into the bully/obnoxious Tortorella when things aren't going well for him/his team.

I am not going to rule out the possibility that you are right ... but I don't see how you can rule out the other possibility, either.

As to how many national press media personalities will talk about the Rangers struggles? Not sure ... probably not that many (perhaps if they have an utter collapse of a season ... or their coach goes off on some local reporter or cameraman). How many national press media personalities are there for the NHL?

 

[Dagoon44]

Angery Torts

@AngeryTorts this is funny flow him

 

[Kel Varnsen]

A strange argument. How many beat writers do the Rangers have? Beyond the local guys, how many national press media personalities are going to talk about how the Rangers are struggling? It doesn't matter where in the newspaper the articles show up. There is media pressure. Take it out of NY media context and think about it in the context of the more closed system of the NY Rangers.

I'm honestly surprised that so many people are in the dark on how this works. Tortorella tightly controls his interactions with the media. He always has. It's no coincidence that these things ONLY happen when the team has adversity. We know he likes to play mind games. How is this any different?

Some people just don't get it. A bunch of the reporters fall into the trap year after year, I guess it's not too surprising some fans fall for it too.

I love that this discussion itself is accomplishing what we're arguing Torts is trying to do to the media. Us arguing about why Torts is doing what he's doing is time we're not *****ing about the team.

 

[offdacrossbar]

Some people just don't get it. A bunch of the reporters fall into the trap year after year, I guess it's not too surprising some fans fall for it too.

I love that this discussion itself is accomplishing what we're arguing Torts is trying to do to the media. Us arguing about why Torts is doing what he's doing is time we're not *****ing about the team.

i love how torts seems to be such a great manipulator of the press. hes so smart and so in control. he so good at deflecting attention away from his "playing like garbage" hockey club. im impressed.

i dont consider what torts does in his pressers entertaining. hes rude, condescending and arrogant.

and i wish he were just slightly better as a hockey coach.

 

[indfin]

Some people just don't get it. A bunch of the reporters fall into the trap year after year, I guess it's not too surprising some fans fall for it too.

I love that this discussion itself is accomplishing what we're arguing Torts is trying to do to the media. Us arguing about why Torts is doing what he's doing is time we're not *****ing about the team.

Judging by the # of posts in various other threads on HFBoards, I think it's safe to say that folks have plenty of time for both

 

[Tawnos]

Some people just don't get it. A bunch of the reporters fall into the trap year after year, I guess it's not too surprising some fans fall for it too.

I love that this discussion itself is accomplishing what we're arguing Torts is trying to do to the media. Us arguing about why Torts is doing what he's doing is time we're not *****ing about the team.

Exactly.

I'm extremely concerned about the lack of adaptation to the roster, but I understand it. If something worked so well last year, you want to keep it going. I've seen him adapt to his roster once, but it took too long and we missed the playoffs. Hopefully that doesn't happen this year. Running out of time.

 

[Whiplash27]

NY Media is a joke when it comes to hockey. If any Rangers player has issue with the media attention then they need

 

[*Bob Richards*]

This is a team that couldn't out-headline the Knicks despite placing first in the East.

If media attention is their problem....

 

[nyrangers1991]

This is a team that couldn't out-headline the Knicks despite placing first in the East.

If media attention is their problem....

You're not Haley.....

 

[silverfish]

I suspect these boards, if the Rangers lose tonight with a near full lineup, are going to be an absolute **** show.

People are going to be jumping off ledges and the fire Torts wagon will be in full effect.

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

Some people just don't get it. A bunch of the reporters fall into the trap year after year, I guess it's not too surprising some fans fall for it too.

I love that this discussion itself is accomplishing what we're arguing Torts is trying to do to the media. Us arguing about why Torts is doing what he's doing is time we're not *****ing about the team.

Actually, I've seen articles how he's been a hothead and bullied around his own teammates in high school when things weren't going well. He is not manipulating the media.

If he was really that smart to manipulate the media 'on the fly' in the few minutes of a press conference, he'd actually have some sort of ability to make adjusments during a 2.5 hour hockey game.

He's just very emotional and gets his dander up quickly when anyone challenges or questions his decisions.

 

[haveandare]

Team loses while missing half the roster - proof that Torts should be fired.

Team wins with everyone back - crickets.

Can't say I'm surprised.

 

[ImIdaho]

Team loses while missing half the roster - proof that Torts should be fired.

Team wins with everyone back - crickets.

Can't say I'm surprised.

PP is still ****. Another 5-on-3 that went down the drain. They won 1 game. Yippee! Canyon of Heroes, here we come!

..Let's see if they can now sustain a winning streak.

Oh, and half the roster? Please, do not confuse the Senators with the Rangers.

 

[Dorado*]

Would encouraging supposed Elite players to shoot one timers on PP be the job of a coach ? Nash had a monster game again but still confused as to why he didnt one time one shot on the PP yesterday ? He fired a bunch of logo hunting muffins on the PP but no one timers .

 

[Blueshirt Believer]

Would encouraging supposed Elite players to shoot one timers on PP be the job of a coach ? Nash had a monster game again but still confused as to why he didnt one time one shot on the PP yesterday ? He fired a bunch of logo hunting muffins on the PP but no one timers .

Nash isn't really a one timer guy. What he does mainly on the PP is control the puck along the boards, create space, or rip wrist shots while driving to the net.

 

[Dorado*]

Nash isn't really a one timer guy. What he does mainly on the PP is control the puck along the boards, create space, or rip wrist shots while driving to the net.

I noticed that and I applaud his play he was an animal.
Against the Jets Stralman had an assist from a tip in and a goal and several shots on goal . He can one time the puck why doesn't he get fire unit PP time . MDZ and Brad still are stagnant on PP

 

[Ail]

Team loses while missing half the roster - proof that Torts should be fired.

Team wins with everyone back - crickets.

Can't say I'm surprised.

One win, albeit a good one, against a slumping TB doesn't absolve Torts of any deficiencies in his coaching and player management.

Torts looks good in good games because he doesn't have to adapt and the holes in his strategy aren't noticeable.

All lines were clicking for the most part and even Richards had a good game, but it doesn't surprise me someone would bump this thread preemptively and claim, "Ha! Where are the complaints now!?" Which is just as dumb as saying, "OMG fire him! 1! 1!" after one bad loss.

 

[stenis22]

Personally i liked he's roster last night, putting Richards with nash and hags might be the way to get him going..

On the negative note Gaborik can't play 3rd line with Boyle.. I think Torts is having trouble
finding a spot for him with the cally-steps-pyatt line having great chemistry.

I'm really not on the fire torts wagon but we need a few wins in these next couple of games

 

[haveandare]

One win, albeit a good one, against a slumping TB doesn't absolve Torts of any deficiencies in his coaching and player management.

Torts looks good in good games because he doesn't have to adapt and the holes in his strategy aren't noticeable.

All lines were clicking for the most part and even Richards had a good game, but it doesn't surprise me someone would bump this thread preemptively and claim, "Ha! Where are the complaints now!?" Which is just as dumb as saying, "OMG fire him! 1! 1!" after one bad loss.

In my opinion, a good deal of the team's failures have been on the players, so Torts doesn't have a tremendous amount of deficiency to be absolved of with one good win.

Who bumped the thread? It was only 5 or 6 down when I commented and there were other comments the same day.

My point, which was admittedly put pretty immaturely, is that half the board gets their torches ready when the team loses with a ton of roster players out (the sens can win right? one example of a team overcoming adversity means every single team should be capable of doing the exact same thing) and then when everyone is back and the team plays a solid game, there's no talk of the coach at all. He gets the hate when they lose and he never, ever gets the praise when they win. Let's not forget this is a all encompassing discussion thread, not a "torts sucks" thread.

 

[Heyoooo*]

Personally i liked he's roster last night, putting Richards with nash and hags might be the way to get him going..

On the negative note Gaborik can't play 3rd line with Boyle.. I think Torts is having trouble
finding a spot for him with the cally-steps-pyatt line having great chemistry.

I'm really not on the fire torts wagon but we need a few wins in these next couple of games

This.

This is also what I mean when I say Gaborik is getting used to Nash being the main offensive threat. Hes trying to figure out where he fits with him. As you play with guys more, you learn their tendencies, etc. and everything molds into place.

Callahan, Stepan and Pyatt are doing great and so are Hagelin, Richards and Nash.

Where does that leave Gaborik? He cant be on third line with Boyle.