John Tortorella suspended 1 game for game 5 antics

[Electrophile 3,554]

Stay classy, Torts.

[Lovin Jiri Fischer 147]

That they didn't agree with the suspension and that there would be no further comment.

Classy

[Dabura 12,232]

I can only imagine the kind of things he'd do and say in a Wings-Rangers. I mean, just out of pure frustration over the ass-whooping his team would receive.

[Dabura 12,232]

That they didn't agree with the suspension and that there would be no further comment.

I preferred their response to ESPN's inquiry:

When asked by ESPN.com if the team would be issuing a statement regarding Tortorella, a Rangers spokesman e-mailed: "No."

(http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/playoffs/2009/news?id=4097673)

[Uniblab 12]

Maybe I'm older than you guys, but I remember seeing lots of beer showers when I was a kid. And the subsequent charging into the stands by the players.

And bench-clearing brawls. Remember the Vendredi Saint brawl?

The refs didn't call every teeny infraction like hooking and holding, and the game had flow. Enforcers pounded the opposition gunning for the goal scorers.

Nobody, but nobody touched a goalie without getting jumped by the entire opposing team!

I also recall a few coaches blowing their cool big time. One even tossed a bench onto the ice.

Old-time hockey!

Just sayin'.

[esteef 2,679]

Avery hired the rowdy fan!

esteef

[hak 21]

video of the incident:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfioEUkF2eg

[Guest CaliWingsNut]

Someone needs to hand that man a blunt.

[shadow47 1]

One game is plenty. He should've just been fined. The Avery-hate on this board is off the chain btw, I can't wait until June when he's skating the Cup at the Joe in front of you all. Hold up, the Wings aren't making the Finals.

Edited April 26, 2009 by shadow47

[Guest mindfly]

Only torts could be suspended lol I have a hard time believing that babcock could flip like that and go crazy at a fan

[19Hockeytown5 0]

As a coach, he represents the Ny Rangers and the NHL. You just can't have him throwing objects into the crowd. What if that bottle had hit a kid or an old lady in the face? He should have just pointed the fan out and had him removed from the building.

A suspention might be a little harsh ( I don't know), but it certainly warrents a fine.

[softshoes 83]

As a coach, he represents the Ny Rangers and the NHL. You just can't have him throwing objects into the crowd. What if that bottle had hit a kid or an old lady in the face? He should have just pointed the fan out and had him removed from the building.

A suspention might be a little harsh ( I don't know), but it certainly warrents a fine.

Err, I believe he did hit a lady in face. I wouldn't agree with the suspension IF he hadn't started it. Hecklers have been around since forever, you just know some caveman was heckling his buddy cuz he could't get the fire started. Once you get to this level you should have a handle on it.

At least Avery has been keeping it on the ice....during the playoffs

[Hockeymom1960 5,107]

Maybe I'm older than you guys, but I remember seeing lots of beer showers when I was a kid. And the subsequent charging into the stands by the players.

And bench-clearing brawls. Remember the Vendredi Saint brawl?

The refs didn't call every teeny infraction like hooking and holding, and the game had flow. Enforcers pounded the opposition gunning for the goal scorers.

Nobody, but nobody touched a goalie without getting jumped by the entire opposing team!

I also recall a few coaches blowing their cool big time. One even tossed a bench onto the ice.

Old-time hockey!

Just sayin'.

I know, I know :punch:

Man, I miss those days .

[RedArmy 4]

he should have been just fined, suspension like that in play offs, ouch...

amazing how everyone here would be completely cool under control, if they were in the same situation

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

I think it's safe to say it would be a sign of the end of the world if Babcock ever got into something like that.

[Mors 201]

Caps fans trying to take over as scummiest fans in the league now that the Flyers have been eliminated?

[C-TownWing 0]

The fan probably deserved it, but that's just a line you can't cross. I'm ok with the game suspension, but I would've been ok with no suspension too.

[BlueMonk 102]

I'd love to know what the fan said. Coaches and players get heckled all the time. These guys play 40+ road games a year in hostile environments. Either it was something especially juicy, or Torts was just pissed his team was getting railed and blew a gasket over nothing special.

Either way, the irony is hilarious. The coach who benches a player for lack of discipline goes apesh** and tries to attack a fan with a hockey stick.

[Hocketownwest 11]

Tortorella is a undisciplined hot head, I can't imagine he is liked much less respected. He and Avery are perfect for each other.

"Sean you must do as I say not as I do"

Yeah thats going to work. Tortorella just lost any control he may have had over Sean

I can't wait to see game 6

[Mors 201]

I'd love to know what the fan said. Coaches and players get heckled all the time. These guys play 40+ road games a year in hostile environments. Either it was something especially juicy, or Torts was just pissed his team was getting railed and blew a gasket over nothing special.

Either way, the irony is hilarious. The coach who benches a player for lack of discipline goes apesh** and tries to attack a fan with a hockey stick.

I don't think it was words, I think it was the pouring of beers over the bench that set him off.

[dat's sick 1,002]

Tortorella is crazy. Just watch some of the post-game pressers that he's done this series. The one after game 5 was pretty funny.

"No questions? Well, ask them dammit." "Don't ask me that." etc.

He's obviously done some good things with the Rangers team, just getting them into the playoffs is an achievement, and they're still in the driver's seat in this series, but I would guess he's the kind of coach that sooner or later the players just stop listening to because they're fed up. I'm not going to count the Rangers out just yet, Lundqvist could win this series for them, but the coach losing it like this at such an important time when he has to get the team motivated to close the series (which is very difficult to do) is not a good sign for them. Also, they need Avery. Despite taking stupid penalties, he is important for them.

I've liked Babcock since day one, but more and more I'm realizing just how classy he is compared to many of the other coaches in the league.

Edited April 26, 2009 by dat's sick

[Earthhuman 8]

According to the NHL Constitution, he should have gotten the security personnel to handle it and eject the fans. Well, nhl.com says that, in fact, he did contact the security personnel and they obviously didn't handle it. I think a coach should be able to throw a water bottle at a fan. I'm a good person, but some fans are pissing drunk jackasses and need to be kept in check.

[BlueMonk 102]

I don't think it was words, I think it was the pouring of beers over the bench that set him off.

The pouring of beer came later. He squirted water at a fan first, presumably in response to something the fan said to him.

[55fan 5,133]

Interesting that (according to nhl.com) they had just issued a memo last Sept. specifically stating that squirting water on fans was no longer allowable.

Maybe old habits die hard.

They should hire fan-goons. Give us free tickets behind the bench, and we'll "take care" of any trouble with other fans. I'd do it. I'd get my butt kicked, but I'd do it.

[BlueMonk 102]

From ESPN:

So the New York Rangers coach threw a water bottle at a fan. If you knew what that fan was saying to Tortorella, you might not be so quick to come down on him.

"Well, I tell ya, I know the heart of the guy and I know the thing that triggered him," Jim Schoenfeld, who replaced Tortorella as coach, said Sunday before Game 6. "It wasn't any sling they threw at him; and there were many. It's what [the fan] said about one of his players.

"And you guys, it's easy to say you got to be in control, you got to keep in check, you got to turn the other way, there are rules; but there's a certain part of your being when you're a coach, and it's just like being a parent, and there's certain things you'll put up with when people slander your kids and there's a certain line that people cross. And that's what happened with John."

My guess what the fan said: "Hey, Tortorella. Avery is undisciplined and hurting the team! You hear that?! I said he's UNDISCIPLINED! He doesn't even deserve to PLAY today! Haha!"

And, well, Torts wasn't gonna stand for someone talking like that about one of his players.