A real f--kup, not the usual BS that people get up in arms about.
I don't have a problem with him riding a young player who's lazy or sloppy or won't listen, he's an equal opportunity asshole, it's when coaches play favorites that locker rooms divide. The reason he doesn't ride Cates is the same reason you never saw any HC ride Couts, the guys who know what they're supposed to do are always the favorites of the HC.
And I don't care about Tort'isms, he's colorful, he's not some automation behind the bench spewing cliches. He's fun to watch, has an expressive face, obviously is into the game. And says some off the cuff shit, but he's gotten a bit more reserved as he ages.
I like his style of play, no, he's not an offense first guy, but he's not a "circle the wagons" guy either. This team plays fast and hard, I can't remember a Flyers team that consistently back checked like this team does. The forecheck is aggressive, not send one guy and play it safe. He's very aggressive using D-men on offense and encourages them to pinch.
Where he's conservative is entering the O-zone, what he wants are players "who know their limitations." If you lack the skill to deke a guy at the blue line and can't make a clean entry, then dump it in. If he had McDavid, I doubt Torts would say anything as long as McDavid back checked hard to catch up to his mistakes. But when you look at the talent on this team, who would you give permission to gamble on a regular basis? The lack of talent dictates dump and chase.
Torts could throw a baby goat off the roof of the WFC and we'd get paragraphs desperately explaining why it was actually a really smart decision on his part and how Torts looked especially handsome while doing it.
