Another Epic Press Conference for John Tortorella – Just Not How You Might Think

Love him or hate him, John Tortorella is someone you always need to tune in for, just to hear what he’s going to say next.

In his first availability since calling his team “soft” and an “embarrassment to the Philadelphia Flyers uniform” and saying some of his players “don’t have a clue” and that they don’t have “balls” to play meaningful games at this time of the season, Tortorella took accountability for what he’s not been able to accomplish as a coach – and was as philosophical as ever when it came to identifying where his team is and what they have in front of them.

He was, as always, blunt and transparent. He was, as always, endearing to the Philadelphia fans with his relentless passion to succeed with the Flyers. He was, as always, a hard-nosed coach demanding the best out of his players.

The things he said were honest assessments that coaches usually don’t share with the media in a public setting.

It was 15 minutes-plus of pure, raw, honesty. It may not make you feel better about the Flyers hanging on to the last playoff spot, but it should make you feel like they are going to try as hard as hell to make the unexpected a reality:

Here are some highlights:

On the public noise surrounding this team since January:

“I’m at a disadvantage – and this is certainly not an insult to you guys, but I just don’t read it. There’s too many other things that I need to worry about and I’m not as in tune to what’s going on – bigger stuff, of course, with Cutter (Gauthier) and all that stuff going on – but I do think sometimes it helps a team. I think if you handle it the right way it helps the team. I know we have a close group and one thing we are, from the coaches, Danny (Briere), Jonesy, the players – we are transparent. There’s no wondering what the guy’s thinking. To me, that’s the most important thing is that from our ownership right on down that we’re transparent with one another and I think we’ve done a pretty good job being transparent with you guys too. I think that’s so important, especially when we are in this situation and building this team so everybody has a chance to say what they want to say. If you’re truthful and you are honest and you care there’s going to be conflict because not everybody’s going to agree. You work through that together. I think that helps the room even more. I think that’s what’s going on here. I think it’s really healthy. Everybody gets freaked out around us when there’s some truth said or honesty brought out, but I think it’s so healthy because there’s no agenda. I think it’s so important for a locker room.”

Takeaway: Torts doesn’t read what we write. He doesn’t listen to what we say on podcasts or on radio interviews. He’s not on social media and isn’t paying attention. He only goes by what he’s been told is going on out there, and responds accordingly. But when it comes to his players, he’s open and honest. He leaned further into that as the questions continued.

On if he worries how players might respond to his press conference after the loss to the Islanders Monday:

“I don’t remember it all but it’s not just the second period. As I watch the tape, to me, it’s more than just the second period. I don’t worry about that. It always comes down to, ‘Oh they’re going to quit on him.’ It follows me around, and so be it. If a player’s gonna quit on me or players are going to quit on me because I’m trying to make them better people and better athletes, you got the wrong damn coach here and you got the wrong damn people here. I’m not sure what goes on. My job is, I’m going to push athletes. I have other things on my mind that I don’t give you, but I was in control the other night. What I said, I meant and quite honestly, when I watch the tape now, I’m more concerned than just the second period. Because I’m so proud of the team getting here and I guess now the narrative out there is … that they’re young and they’re not supposed to be here. We’re here. We’re here. Face it and let’s be better. I don’t think we’re ready to be better and that’s my problem with us right now. It’s my job. I have not done a good enough job to get them over the hump after playing those seven games (against the top teams in the Eastern Conference) and then each game as it goes down, we have six left and I haven’t done a good enough job to make them understand we have to be different now. We have to be at a different level. That’s my frustration with me and that’s my frustration with the team. If people can’t handle it, so be it.”

Takeaway: Well, that was a mouthful. From Torts admitting that the stigma of losing locker rooms follows him around, to saying if players quit on him then not only are they the wrong players but he’s the wrong coach for them. From doubling down on his comments from Monday night to saying it’s more than just one period, and they need to find another level to elevate themselves, and he takes responsibility for them not getting there. And finally, that he is frustrated with himself that he hasn’t been able to do it. It’s brutally honest. It should be greatly appreciated. And it’s evidence that whatever Torts does is calculated. Every step. Every move. Every comment. It’s all well-prepared. It’s all being done with one goal in mind – to win. He knows no other way, and he’s going to do it, or die trying. And for all the naysayers out there who say he always blames his players and never takes accountability, I give you this answer as evidence to the contrary. It’s not an everyday thing. This isn’t Andy Reid saying “I need to do a better job.” This is an intense hockey coach who is tortured by losses in which he felt he should have had a greater impact. You may not always degree with his decisions, but his ability to assess the situation is second to none.

On what he can do to get the team over the hump he was talking about:

“There’s not a lot of one-on-one meetings here. All our meetings, whether good or bad, or on a particular player, it’s done right in the locker room. It’s transparency. When you are coaching certain individuals and I’m coaching this guy who I’m not happy with – or happy with – I’m also coaching the other guys when you do it in a group setting. I used to do it when you bring them in your office. They won’t say anything to you. And you’re sitting there. Some coaches even have a chair that’s higher so they’re looking down at a player. I don’t do it that way. It’s off the cuff and in the room and who knows where it goes. I’m always prepared for it to go whichever way it wants to go, but I think it’s healthy that way. I don’t think we should be afraid of that. I don’t think we should make a big deal out of it. Sometimes you guys make a big deal out of it, and I get it, it’s your job and all that, but it’s not a big deal. It’s just honesty. I think it’s respectful to be honest that way. I want the same honesty back. Have the player come at me if he needs to come at me. That’s happened too and it’s turned into a really healthy situation.”

Takeaway: Torts thrives off of confrontation. It’s how he gets his edge. We know this about him. It’s not a surprise. But, at the same time, it’s how he views his job. It’s a necessary element to coaching up talented athletes. Others may handle it a different way, but Torts is always going to be Torts, and he’s unapologetic about it.

On leaning into the underdog role and the “nobody thinks we belong” here mentality:

“… It’s my job to make sure they understand where we’re at now. We’re not regular season now. We have put ourselves in this spot, let’s not fade away and say, ‘You know what, we’re not even supposed to be here.’ That sucks. We’re here and that’s where I think I’ve done a shitty job too. … I want to make sure we are going to go at this the proper way to give ourselves, when we are done on April 16th, to make sure we don’t say ‘Goddamn, why didn’t I do that? Why didn’t we get to that level?’ I don’t want regrets. I don’t know if we get it done. I don’t know what happens. But I don’t want us to fade now. … It’s about getting to another level and I do think some guys are struggling to get there and I think it can be taught. Some guys have it in them, but to get to another level, a level you don’t even think you know about that can be taught, that’s part of my job. so that’s what I want to happen, and whether we succeed or not, at least we can look ourselves in the mirror at the end and say we tried and we’re not there. We’re not there now and we have time to get there, but we’re running out of time.”

Takeaway: Torts is challenging himself to get his team to play at a level they maybe don’t believe they can play right now. That’s a tough task, but it’s one that he’s had success doing in the past with Columbus and one he feels he can do again with the Flyers. He admits that there isn’t much time left. The schedule might not be as easy as it looked even a week ago. Buffalo has fancied itself as a team that still has an outside shot at climbing into the playoffs. Columbus stinks, but the Flyers have proven you can’t take anyone for granted by losing to Chicago last week. Then there’s Montreal, who beat the Flyers already, the Rangers, who the Flyers have lost to three times (and they’ll be playing for home ice advantage throughout the playoffs), the Devils, who are fading but still technically in it, and then Washington, in what could be a win-or-go-home game to close the season. Torts recognizes that each game is a must win of sorts. Now he just needs to convince his players that they, in fact, can do it. Which is why we’ll leave you with one more great quote from Torts.

“This is such a great spot to be for us, where we’re at, and I know we didn’t think we would be here, but we’re here. That’s the point I’m trying to make – we’re here. Don’t talk yourself down. Talk yourself up and don’t let other people talk you down. I think it’s a great challenge for us here and I am looking forward to how the coaches handle it and I’m really looking forward to how the players handle it and see if we can find our way.”

It’s as if he is coaching more than the players. He is coaching the city, too. Will it work? We’ll find out in two weeks.

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