So it turns out the NHL does have balls when it comes to the NY Rangers after all. Yesterday when Steve Zipay had interviewed John Tortorella after practice, it seemed as if the whole ugly display would just disappear as the Rangers chose to just sweep it under the locker room, logo rug.
"I've been asked, as far as that situation, not to comment on that." Torts told the media. He was told to say that by his boss, the NY Rangers (who are owned by Cablevisoin, which also owns Newsday... and News 12.... and TV station MSG and MSGPlus... and any other media outlet you can find on Long Island. I'm really getting tired of seeing that disclaimer in every hockey article I read in Newsday. I KNOW WHAT THE HELL THEY OWN!!! 90% OF MY MEDIA COVERAGE!... but I digress....)
The whole scene was caught on video from various angles and replayed on Youtube over and over again.
It shouldn't have happened, but John Tortorella is a passionate man in a passionate sport coaching a team that fans are passionate about. They are passionately loved and passionately HATED. But he is the Coach, he is supposed to know better.
In Larry Brook's NY Post article this morning he stated that there is actually a memo from September of 2008 that states there should be no contact with fans and specifically indicates the spraying of water. Hmmmm.... Ladies and Gentlemen, first the League gave us the "Avery Rule" and now we have the "John Tortorella Rule."
Thou shalt not spray water upon fans in the arena. Will they elaborate on that memo and continue "thou shalt not brandish hockey sticks in a threatening manner or poke them through the seams of the glass"?
He let the fans get the best of him. It was disappointing considering he is a quality coach. As my husband said to me this morning, if he felt the situation was out of hand he should have walked the team off the ice until the arena security could get it under control.
I liked that idea. It would have been classy. However, it also may have started a riot. But Tortorella should not have become so angry as to need to be restrained. Did he seriously think he was going to jump into the stands and take on the heckler Mano y Mano? Who does he think he is? Mike Milbury? What kind of shoes you wearing John? If they have laces, it doesn't work.
The Rangers will hit the ice at 2 pm today on their own turf. The Ranger fans do not have the greatest reputation for crowd control. I wish Coach Boudreau luck this afternoon. He just may need it.
Rockin' the Red.... all day long! Go Caps, Go Devils!
*photo from the National Post.
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5 comments:
"Who does he think he is? Mike Milbury?"
LOL!!!!!!!!!! Yesterday I had dinner with another Isles fan, a Bruins fan, and a couple of Rangers fans... and when the topic came up this is the firsst thing we were all saying lol!!! How could you not?
Ha, the Tortorella rule: "Dont throw things at fans. Aaaaayyyyy!"
Good morning 7th Woman, excellent thread as always but I would like to point out that Mad Mike used the shoe off that stRanger Fans own foot as the drumstick he beat out a rhythym on his head with. Now where is the Youtube video for that moment of pure hilarity? Hopefully we will soon have our Lighthouse project underway and then we can offer the NHL an alternative source of 'better than average' NHL TV ratings and perhaps we can then see appropriate levels of discipline enacted upon those players (Avery) and other personnel deserving of it. While many raise the possibility of Queens as a possible alternative to the projects location I would like to add the former Pilgrim State site to the dialogue should the TOH's intransigence continue - with some infrastructure upgades you have access to the Sagtikos, the LIE and the LIRR along with a large parcel of property that needs to be developed because if TOH is uninterested in the Tax revenues that the Lighthouse will interject into their budget...
Oliver: I agree, the Town of Islip site would work well and I'm sure that the surrounding area would welcome the Lighthouse project. Sadly, Charles Wang is a Nassau County kinda guy and I think it will be a hard sell to budge him. But it is certainly a better alternative to keep the Islanders ON Long Island. Queens is just WAAAAAAAYYYYY to close to the BlueShirts.
In Larry Brook's NY Post article this morning he stated that there is actually a memo from September of 2008 that states there should be no contact with fans
Hmmmmmmmm
very interesting
I agree that it will be a bit difficult to sell CW on the Pilgrim State site but the reason that I offered it up was not because I thought it had a high likelyhood of coming to fruition. The semi organizwd opposition to the LHP being demonstrated by Kate Murray and her cronies basically boils down to them acting the role of a modern day Joan of Arc swinging their sword about as the defenders of Suburbia. As such the Queens site for a 'Queens' type of development does not provide much leverage because it is exactly what they want to have occur. However if their principal competition for location of the Islanders new home arena comes from another suburban county like Suffolk, if their loss of tax revenue becomes Suffolks gain...
Well then that cuts the legs of their arguement out from under them. Yes there would have to be some changes -the independent league baseball stadium might have to become a combined Soccor and Lacrosse Stadium that could serve as the home for both Professional and College Teams playing those sports with both Mens and Womens teams serving as principal tennants and a ready made fan base already existing in the nearby neighborhoods.
Also I would like to add an item to a previous thread you posted vis-a-vis things you would like to see at the refurbished and//or new home of our beloved Islanders - several acres of Solar panels up atop the buildings roof to make the project more green and provide LI with some much needed additional electricity generating capacity during that time of the year when it is most needed.
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