Tough times call for drastic measures

Before you read too much into the title, I'm not about to ramble about the stuff we hear and think about every day.  My main objective is to bring back an argument that hasn't seen the amount of light is should in the past couple of weeks.  That argument is simply, should Torts remain the head coach of the Rangers?  This was discussed early in the year.  Too early in the year.  We were all disappointed at the "tease" the Rangers gave us and we were left wondering how the team is structurally.  In my opinion, every team begins and ends with the coaches.  In the thick middle of this is of course the players.  Since we have discussed the players numerous times, we know exactly who is on the team.  That can't change no matter how hard we express our displeasure.  So players aside, no excuses, how has the coach been doing?

How has Torts' tenure with the Rangers been?  In the words of our friend Greg Caggiano, a joke.  Torts never fit with the team.  He was the wrong coach to begin with.  Media hype had us and the hockey world believing the Rangers needed a coach with "fire".  The only "fire" I have seen is under the boiling pot cooking the Rangers.  Truth is, the Rangers were fine the way they were.  A team that made the playoffs four straight years, playing a winning style of hockey, for a coach that seemed like the perfect fit.  Once you begin questioning the team, you can't look back.  Last year's team was a victim of circumstance, and a bad run had us all confused, demanding for something better.  Changes were made, starting with the coaching staff, and tweaks were made to the roster.  We were given a box of chocolates from the organization with a note promising only the best from the changes.  Well, about a year later, we still demand something better.  If changes were to be made again, let's rinse and repeat, and change the coaching staff, starting with the head coach, John Tortorella.

So why has Torts' tenure been a joke?  To sum it up, he is responsible for the product on the ice, and the product has been a joke.  He made statements proclaiming his extensive conditioning would allow the team to continue running instead of stopping to take a breather.  He said his up-tempo style of play will produce more goals.  He said there will be no excuses, and his implementation of "everyone is accountable" will make the team, play like a team.  So far, I haven't seen anything of the sort that makes me believe Torts is the right guy for the job.  There have been a lot of problems with the way Torts has handled situations.  Unnecessary benchings and playing favorites when it comes to ice-time, to name two, has plagued the team.  Being 67 games into the season, it looks like he is nothing but a bunch of unfulfilled promises.

In my honest opinion, Torts is a good coach... for another team.  He has lost this team.  Nothing he says or does can change this fact.  I've had these feelings for a while, and I still stick with it.  I've been patient, but I'm too much a Rangers fan to continue to be patient.  It is easy to tell in New York when something just isn't working right.  I want the Rangers to make the playoffs.  Very much so.  I am disheartened at the sight of a failed season.  I am also disheartened at the sight of seeing all the respect gained for the Rangers, that took four years to earn, be thrown away in one season.  I am not looking for a change in coach before the season's end.  There is still fifteen games left, and I don't want the organization to make the same mistake it did last season by firing the coach at this time.  But regardless of seeing the playoffs or not, I believe firing John Tortorella is the right thing to do.  The Rangers need someone else at the helm, because the marriage of Torts and the Rangers has been filled with nothing but problems, and it should be heading towards a divorce.

So I say to you, the Rangers should fire Torts.  I believe this is the best thing for the team.  We aren't talking about players, who is on the team, or anything along those lines.  There are no excuses.  The man who supposedly has none, should know.