A seemingly common problem for nearly every sports league that has returned, or is set to return, is what to do when there's no crowd noise to drown out the profanity that takes place in the heat of a competitive game among professional athletes. What makes things easier is that some players have taken it upon themselves to be more considerate about their language.
Take Capitals center, and notorious hockey heel, Tom Wilson as an example. While talking to reporters on Monday, he said he'd have to watch what he's saying.
"Less boos and less cheers I get at home. It'll be weird. I'm gonna have to watch, I guess what I'm saying. Less F words and stuff like that."
— NBC4 Sports (@NBC4Sports) July 13, 2020
Tom Wilson knows it will be an adjustment with no fans or crowd noise at games in Toronto. #Capitals #ALLCAPS @nbcwashington pic.twitter.com/meLrf9V83p
On the other end of that spectrum is Columbus Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella, whose outbursts behind the bench and postgame rants have become a staple of his coaching tenure. He was a bit more direct with his answer, and a bit more on-brand with it as well.
Torts needed no time at all to get back into mid-season form... #CBJ pic.twitter.com/WPLyWJtkCp
— The CBJ Artillery (@TheCBJArtillery) July 15, 2020
"I really don't give a s---, quite honestly," Tortorella said.
It's certainly one of the calmest situations that the Blue Jackets coach has ever swore in the context of being asked an NHL question. Most of the time when he's cursing as a coach, it's in the middle of a passionate rant about something that went wrong in a game his team just played. For example, here's Tortorella losing it over a mistake in the review process during a game against the Blackhawks.
For those interested in more Tortorella-at-the-podium anger, he was included in three of Sportsnet's "Top 10 NHL Soundbites of All Time."
