John Tortorella is known for many things, a two-time winner of the Jack Adams award, the 10th all-time winningest coach in NHL history, the eighth coach to man a bench for 1,500 NHL regular-season games, and the fact that he is no-holds barred. The Flyers’ marketing team perfectly captured his essence and proved that when it comes to Philly in-game product promotion, even Torts isn’t safe.
The Flyers bench boss is well known for his propensity to use colorful language during his pressers with the media. Apparently, Gritty is very sensitive to Torts’ choice of vocabulary, which would make your mother reach for a bar of soap if she was in earshot.
In a recent promotional video put out by Philadelphia to promote their “Gritty Earmuffs Giveaway”, Gritty is portrayed sitting in a Flyers press conference. Next to him is a security agent of sorts.
“Let the kid play please…” Tortorella starts.
Anticipating what is to come, the man-in-black leans forward, signaling Gritty with a quick “earmuffs.”
Gritty reaches down and places the orange and black earmuffs over his ears (?), seconds before Tortorella rips an expletive.
Tortorella has been consistently highlighted by the NHL for his lack of appropriate journalistic language, occupying three sections in this 2020 SportsNet video featuring the NHL’s top 10 soundbites.
The commercial is supposedly a nod to a scene from the 2003 movie “Old School,” where Vince Vaughn is seen walking around a home with his children. Vaughn and friends then make some non-child-friendly plans for the home and throughout the conversation Vaughn’s character says to his child, “Can you earmuff it for me?”
The giveaway is one of many that Philadelphia has rolled out this year, including a Flyers beer stein, a Star Wars poster, and a Coors Light luggage tag.
The earmuffs feature Gritty’s orange face with a black band and will be handed out to the first 10,000 fans who enter Wells Fargo Center on February 27th during the Flyers’ contest against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
