torts comments are bang on

[riffraff]

16 minutes ago, ItsMillerTime said:

Lol look at booth smiling in the background.

Yeah I noticed that right away.  It would have been so entertaining.

[Mathew Barzal]

Feels bad to have to play in this tourney but looks bad if you don't play in it. Bottom six players can get away with ducking out because there are easy replacements, not the case for the big guns.

[Raymond Luxury Yacht]

I highly doubt any of Team USA will sit for the anthem, but I wouldn't care one bit if they did.  Sometimes making a statement is uncomfortable.  If an anthem is an expression of a national identity, but is no longer an accurate representation that identity, then use it to make a statement, that's an ideal of a free country.  That's my opinion on that.  As for Torts, he's using the "civil disobedience" as a tool to promote patriotism, which is also his right.  I support both Kaepernick and Torts making their respective statements, both are coming from a genuine place.  If a Canadian wanted to use our national anthem to expose or highlight injustice, I wouldn't take that as an insult to our military history.  Like I said, sometimes we need to be made uncomfortable to see injustice and support a solution.  I totally wouldn't politicize sports myself, but I respect Kaepernick and Torts for standing up for their beliefs, as long as they accept the outcome.  We have freedom of speech, not freedom from it.

[Monteeun]

20 minutes ago, Raymond Luxury Yacht said:

I highly doubt any of Team USA will sit for the anthem, but I wouldn't care one bit if they did.  Sometimes making a statement is uncomfortable.  If an anthem is an expression of a national identity, but is no longer an accurate representation that identity, then use it to make a statement, that's an ideal of a free country.  That's my opinion on that.  As for Torts, he's using the "civil disobedience" as a tool to promote patriotism, which is also his right.  I support both Kaepernick and Torts making their respective statements, both are coming from a genuine place.  If a Canadian wanted to use our national anthem to expose or highlight injustice, I wouldn't take that as an insult to our military history.  Like I said, sometimes we need to be made uncomfortable to see injustice and support a solution.  I totally wouldn't politicize sports myself, but I respect Kaepernick and Torts for standing up for their beliefs, as long as they accept the outcome.  We have freedom of speech, not freedom from it.

I also want to add that alot of change for the better throughout our history has been through civil disobedience. 

[elvis15]

5 hours ago, timberz21 said:

Then why did the Sedins skipped the World Championship and show up for the World Cup.

 

And why does our goalie at the World Championship were Pickard and Talbot and now it's Price, Crawford and Holtby.

 

Superstars don't have problems skipping the World Championship...pretty sure they wouldn't mind skipping the World Cup if they really didn't want to be there.

Between injuries and playoffs a lot of players can't take part in the World Championships. It's the end of a long season for a lot of them, and older players like the Sedins would definitely have to weigh recovery against prolonging their season. Price, well, he'd been off for how long and was going to jump right into an international tourney? Crawford finished just before the tourney started and Holtby after it had started. Sure, players join mid-tourney often enough, but it's not a guarantee when they haven't been a part of the initial selection group.

 

Looking at the World Cup, players all over are finding ways to not be included in the rosters even after a summer off. Price has missed a lot of reps and would likely welcome the time to get his game shape back. Even then we're seeing players being replaced on the rosters all the time and there have been reports players aren't that interested in this tourney and would like to be able to miss it as well.

 

[darkpoet]

7 hours ago, thejazz97 said:

 

more like:
 

 

[darkpoet]

With regards to the stand or not stand issue:

You can be proud of where you're from, and still protest the people running it.

I like that I'm from Canada, proud? meh, IMO nationalism is a disease. The people running this country? No, i don't like them, and I'm not proud of them, so they can all go pound sand.

Does that mean I can't wear a Canadian jersey? Of course not. The country are the people, not the nincumpoops running it. 

just my 2 bits.

The last person who should be talking about pride/honour and what it means is Tortilla. Go eat a bag of chips you frackin' blowhard... 

[Mr.53]

I hope someone sits. Call him out on his bluff. "If a man expresses his constitutional rights gauranteed by the American Supreme court I will bench him! Freedom, yay America!" I hope the whole team sits. I like Torts even less now.

[Fantomex]

I think the Kaepernick situation and what Torts is talking about is quite different. International events, regardless of the NHL's lame marketing, should be treated for with respect, for you are playing for your country. Kaepernick isn't playing for TEAM USA, he's playing for a company. If he wants to respectfully decline to stand for his national anthem to raise awareness of social issues inside the USA, then he's perfectly entitled to do so.

[timberz21]

22 minutes ago, Fantomex said:

I think the Kaepernick situation and what Torts is talking about is quite different. International events, regardless of the NHL's lame marketing, should be treated for with respect, for you are playing for your country. Kaepernick isn't playing for TEAM USA, he's playing for a company. If he wants to respectfully decline to stand for his national anthem to raise awareness of social issues inside the USA, then he's perfectly entitled to do so.

Agree, if anyone wanted to protest against USA, they would not sit during the anthem....they simply wouldn't wear the sweater in the first place by declining the invitation.

 

Plus I doubt it will happen, because the audience will be much smaller for the World Cup of Hockey in the US, than even a preseason NFL game.

[Tortorella's Rant]

A better and more effective protest would've been to skip playing on the team altogether. So to sit the anthem but still represent you country by playing is like saying "I care, sort of, but not really enough to do more than the bare minimum."

[chon derry]

2 hours ago, Tortorella's Rant said:

A better and more effective protest would've been to skip playing on the team altogether. So to sit the anthem but still represent you country by playing is like saying "I care, sort of, but not really enough to do more than the bare minimum."

noice ,torts rant about a torts rant.

[Tortorella's Rant]

6 minutes ago, chon derry said:

noice ,torts rant about a torts rant.

#yolo

#dicksoutforharambe

[Monty]

3 hours ago, darkpoet said:

With regards to the stand or not stand issue:

You can be proud of where you're from, and still protest the people running it.

Absolutely.

 

There are many, many documentaries that people should check out. But I highly suggest watching Winter on Fire or The Square. Tell me the people in those countries are not patriotic and hate their country.

 

Wanting change for your country doesn't mean you therefore "Spit on the flag, soldiers, and 'merica'." The North American general public is incredibly spoiled and, generally, don't get riled up about anything except how long their internet is down for. Sad. So for Torts to basically say, "If someone wants to exercise their freedom of speech, they can eat sh*t", he's a massive hypocrite.

[chon derry]

1 minute ago, Tortorella's Rant said:

#yolo

#dicksoutforharambe

to be followed up by a chon derry rant about a don cherry rant, stay tuned , hate the guy! 

[GB5]

3 hours ago, Fantomex said:

I think the Kaepernick situation and what Torts is talking about is quite different. International events, regardless of the NHL's lame marketing, should be treated for with respect, for you are playing for your country. Kaepernick isn't playing for TEAM USA, he's playing for a company. If he wants to respectfully decline to stand for his national anthem to raise awareness of social issues inside the USA, then he's perfectly entitled to do so.

I think I am agreeing with you on this. Whether it's your country, your team or the company you work for, one needs to understand that when you are on the clock or wearing their colours, you play by their rules within the confines of the law of course.

If one disagrees then they have the right to either resign their position or do their protesting off the clock and out of uniform outside of the workplace and not do so while representing their employer or having the appearance that you are representing your employer/country/team..

 

 

[Canuck Surfer]

You know I actually agree with Torts on this one. But its case specific.

 

Yet I don't think any USA player suggested they would not stand for the anthem?  So he's just flipping off at no one who has actually disrespected anything yet? That's just Torts!

 

The idea here is playing for and representing your country.  If there is a protest, withdraw your services.  And make it known why.  I actually would respect and admire that! But stand if you have decided to represent your country. And there should be anthems at international contests. I have no opinion as to whether we should, or should not have the anthem played at everyday NHL games.

[-Vintage Canuck-]

Stu Bickel backed up John Tortorella's sentiment about punishing players who disrespect the national anthem.

 

"Love this. Although I always stood for the anthem and he'd often sit me anyways."

 

[smokes]

I don't see any hockey players sitting for the anthems, they tend to conduct themselves in more of a classy manner than NFL players.

[Vinny in Vancouver]

4 hours ago, Mr.53 said:

I hope someone sits. Call him out on his bluff. "If a man expresses his constitutional rights gauranteed by the American Supreme court I will bench him! Freedom, yay America!" I hope the whole team sits. I like Torts even less now.

I've never been a Torts fan, but wow, you completely misrepresented what Torts said. Not cool. Here, let me quote you what he said,

"Try to understand me. I'm not criticizing anybody for stepping up and putting their thoughts out there about things. I'm the furthest thing away from being anything political. No chance I'm involved in that stuff. Listen, We're in a great country because we can express ourselves. And I am not against expressing yourselves. That's what's great about our country. We can do that. But when there are men and women that give their lives for their flag, for their anthem, have given their lives, continue to put themselves on the line with our services for our flag, for our anthem, families that have been disrupted, traumatic physical injuries, traumatic mental injuries for these people that give us the opportunity to do the things we want to do, there's no chance an anthem and a flag should come into any type of situation where you're trying to make a point.It is probably the most disrespectful thing you can do as a U.S. citizen is to bring that in. Because that's our symbol. All for [expressing] yourself. That's what's so great. Everybody does. But no chance when it comes to the flag and the anthem. No chance...But if I was ever involved in a situation where someone is trying to make a point, and they have a perfect right to do that, but to disrespect our flag and anthem, as I said yesterday, they would not play. If that ever happened, there's no question, it's just not right. And it's not black, white, blue, red. It has nothing to do with the politics of all of this. It's just not right. This is our country. Our people are fighting for our country, our flag and our anthem. That shouldn't come into this equation at all. There are other ways of doing things."
 

Earlier Wednesday, a member of the U.S. Army addressed the team but neither Tortorella nor the members of Team USA would describe the exchange.

"We are playing hockey," Tortorella said. "Other people are doing real stuff. This gentleman who spoke to us this morning is doing the real stuff. Life and death. We just want to give to our country in our own little way. Quite honestly we are entertainers. What this man talked about in our locker room and what he does casts a huge shadow over us as far as what we're doing."