Rebuild is harder than Tortorella could have imagined

PHILADELPHIA >> There wasn’t much hope late last season that the Flyers were going to become contenders any time soon, but at least the titled know-it-alls were committed to halting the fall.

There was Chuck Fletcher, saying his team was a player or two away from substantial improvement. There was Dave Scott, who was running things at the time, vowing, “we’re going to get this right.” There were the typical noises squeaking from the players that it was just a matter of a break or two.

Then, eventually, there would come John Torotella, a coach who would rarely tolerate failure. And even though he had been around the NHL long enough to know a decrepit roster when he saw one, he had a plan to generate a turnaround.

“We’ve got to get some skin,” he said, about the same time his four-year, $16 million contract was signed. “We’ve got to grow some skin.”

Toughness. That’s what Tortorella would demand. Pride in the franchise, and in specific, pride in the emblem. A determination to find a way to win no matter the circumstances. “I want,” he had said, “this team to be harder.”

The team is not harder.

And Tortorella’s job, as it is turning out, is harder than he any horror novelist could have believed.

There were the Flyers the other night, after dragging

is surreal this is happening tonight. I’m so excited. Game on, let’s go.”

PAT MANZI >> Manzi was the head football coach at Bishop McDevitt from 1982 to 2016. His teams went 189151-5. He coached the Lancers to back-to-back undefeated seasons in 1986 and 1987 and won Philadelphia Catholic League Coach of the Year four times.

“It’s certainly a tremendous honor considering the outstanding coaches in Montgomery County,” Manzi said. “To be a part

of that is certainly very special. It’s humbling, but certainly a great honor.”

Manzi was inducted into the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame and Bishop McDevitt Hall of Fame in 2016 and was the Maxwell Football Club Robert T. Clark Award recipient in 2017.

BILL ZIMMERMAN >> Zimmerman coached wrestling for 34 years at Harriton High School. He led his teams to 335 wins and 14 league championships.

“It’s exciting to be inducted into the hall of fame anytime,” Zimmerman, an Abington High grad, said.

“I’m very thankful. It’s fun. This is a great organization.

I’m pleased, very much.”

Zimmerman was inducted into the Pennsylvania Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1993, Abington High School Hall of Fame in 1994, Southeastern Pennsylvania Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2002 and Harriton High School Wall of Fame. HONOR ROLL >> Kevin Shields (Visitation CYO, East Norriton Baseball Little League), Frank Cecconi (Plymouth Jr. ABA League, SpringFord Youth Athletic League, Sting Softball) and Kevin Flaherty (Whitemarsh Little League) were honored for their volunteer work as members of the Community Coaches Honor Roll.