Yap, yap, yap: The time for talking is over

Today is a big anniversary in local sports history.

Five years ago today, on the way to the Stanley Cup, then-Lightning coach John Tortorella told then-Flyers coach Ken Hitchcock, "Shut your yap."

Monday night, there were yappers all over the Forum.

Several hundred Lightning fans gathered for an old fashioned "town hall meeting" with team co-owner Oren Koules, General Manager Brian Lawton and brand new official head coach Rick Tocchet.

There were words and more words.

There was give and take and take and give.

Talk, talk, talk.

Good old ThunderBug spread joy around the Forum floor (actually, good old ThunderBug was laid off after the season, at least the guy who wore the costume was, along with about 35 other Lightning employees).

There were door prizes. And fans could buy equipment actually used by Lightning players. A Vinny Lecavalier jersey cost $2,000. The asking price for a Noah Welch jersey was $250. Heck, bidding for Noah himself would have topped out at $200.

Where were we?

History tells us that the first town hall meeting in American history took place at Independence Hall, where Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin told a group of colonists that they were not actively trying to trade Vinny.

This town hall was a nice idea, even if Lawton and Koules got cranky once or twice. Hey, they showed up, didn't they?

"I think that people who are going to support the team deserve answers," Koules said.

Despite the Lightning's rise from 30th in the 30-team NHL to 29th, fans are wondering just where this franchise is headed.

There were a lot of fluff questions, but there were a few fireballs. One was Debra Bell from Plant City, who has owned Lightning season tickets "since 1993, but maybe not after this year," she said. Bell confronted Koules about the universally awful Dan Boyle trade.

Meanwhile, Lawton, in that strange, hypnotic monotone that is fast making him a public speaking legend, repeated that the Bolts don't have plans to trade Vinny, though he left the door open, which he should have done. You never say never.

I say there's a good chance a Vinny deal happens. I also don't think town halls are Lawton's specialty. I'm not sure general managing is, either.

One fan reminded Lawton that former Lightning GM Jay Feaster once said he'd never be known as the general manager who traded Vinny Lecavalier. Lawton was asked if he was willing to say the same thing, and if he'd resign if he went back on his word. Yowza. It was a little unfair to Lawton.

Enter Koules and his one cowboy moment. He said, "Feaster probably said that after he was fired. He didn't have the guts to say it before."

Uh, Feaster said it in 2002.

Thanks for playing, Oren!

After more than an hour of back and forth, we were really no closer to real answers then when it began. The time for talk is over. It's like what Lawton said about the Lightning's historically awful defense last season.

"What does it mean? It means we damn well better get it done this offseason."

Words are just words.

We're about to find out if the Lightning are serious about not trading Vinny or fixing the defense or living up to Lawton's assertion that "Come the last five, 10 games of the season, we expect to be competing for a playoff spot."

And we're about to find out if fans like Debra Bell really will not show up if they don't like what's going on.

No more yapping.

By the way, happy anniversary, Torts.