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John Tortorellas much-maligned relationship with the media has been a major talking point ever since his hiring in Vancouver. The new Canucks head coach was on TSN Drive with Dave Naylor on TSN Radio 1050 and his rapport with the media was once again the hot topic. "No matter if its in Vancouver or wherever, and Im very fortunate for another stop here, when youre told youre no longer wanted as a coach, you end up reflecting and assessing," said Tortorella. "Ive done some pretty stupid things along the way... Im going to try and get some of the stupid things out of the way." Tortorella is going from one hotbed media market, where his relationship with reporters was always contentious, to perhaps an even bigger hotbed media market. "I know the scrutiny and the pressure and the media and I think I need to do a much better job at cultivating a relationship. There will be mistakes along the way but I certainly need to straighten a few things out as we begin this." Its easy to say the right thing at introductory press conferences, but Tortorella says he really has learned from the past, and will be better with the Vancouver media. "Its not so much saying it, I believe it. Listen, Im not going to go out to dinner and hang with the media but I need a working relationship." As the 12-year veteran coach says, hell work to be more amicable, but hell never be buddy-buddy with reporters covering the team. "Its not going to be a love-fest here. I still have a job to do." Reports stated Tortorellas relationship with players in New York was at times as difficult as his relationship with the media. Asked if he cared what players think about him, Tortorella had a definitive answer. "No. I dont think you can as a coach. In Vancouver, I think its one of my biggest jobs to try and get guys to another level. Theyre a good team. They havent gotten to a level to win the Stanley Cup. Its my job to try and push them there." "The way I look at it and the way I introduced myself in the interview was, to get to the next level, I just think there has to be a little bit more stiffness. And the mental part of the game, Im anxious to work on with them." While one of his main tasks may be motivating his players to reach the next level, another big one is dealing with Roberto Luongo and the teams goaltending situation. "I watched it last year from afar and I thought those two players (Luongo and recently-traded Cory Schneider) handled themselves tremendously. It was a really precarious situation." "I have talked to Roberto after the Schneider deal was made and I hope what will help him is that you have new guys coming in as far as a coaching staff." "I think Robertos a hell of a goalie. He isnt a backup... Hes going to be the backbone of our team." According to TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger, Tortorella is looking to fill out his coaching staff by adding former Dallas Stars head coach Glen Gulutzan as an assistant. Cooper Kupp Jersey .What they got was a bevy of players chipping in to pick up the slack.Josh Smith scored 18 points and James Harden added 17 as the Rockets used a balanced scoring effort to outlast the Mavericks for a 99-94 victory. Orlando Pace Jersey . Jose Bautista homered for the fifth straight game in the sixth inning, following a two-out solo homer by Melky Cabrera. Edwin Encarnacion led off the seventh with a homer to tie the game 3-3 and, with two out in the seventh, Munenori Kawasaki came through with the two-out single to score pinch-runner Steve Tolleson with what proved to be the winning run. http://www.officiallaramspro.com/Customized/ . With the players association in the midst of meetings in Las Vegas, a vote will be held on Friday to decide the CFLPAs presidency and other executive positions. Cory Littleton Jersey .S. -- Carl-Antoine Delisle snapped a tie in the third period with his second goal of the game to lead the Tigres past Cape Breton 4-3 in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action Wednesday as Victoriaville won its eighth in a row. Eric Dickerson Jersey . And though his comeback night didnt quite go to script, Bryant couldnt help reflecting on the work necessary to get back on that court -- and all the months of steady labour ahead to reclaim his game. Bryant had nine points and eight rebounds in his season debut, but Amir Johnson scored a career-high 32 points in the trade-depleted Toronto Raptors 106-94 victory over Los Angeles on Sunday night.TORONTO -- Lexie Lou will get a shot at winning Canadas most prestigious horse race. Lexie Lou earned a commanding 4 1/2-length win Sunday in the $500,000 Woodbine Oaks. In fact, Lexie Lous winning time of 1:49.77 was better than the 1:50.78 posted by Queens Plate favourite We Miss Artie in the $150,000 Plate Trial Stakes earlier. That left Lexi Lous handlers with the question whether to run her against the boys in the Queens Plate on July 6 or chase the remaining two legs of the Triple Tiara for Canadian-bred three-year-old fillies. Conditioner Mark Casse missed Sundays race while attending a horse sale in Florida. But the six-time winner of Canadas top trainer award said he spoke with owner Gary Barber and the decision was made to point the filly towards the Plate. "As long as shes healthy and happy that will be her next stop," Casse said in a telephone interview Sunday evening. Assistant trainer Kathyrn Sullivan represented Casse at Sundays race, however she was unable to call him afterwards with the good news. Thats because Sullivan lost both of her cellphones in the walking race prior to the race. "I havent talked to Kathryn yet," Casse said with a chuckle. "She did text me saying she was a nervous wreck. "But were fortunate to have a lot of great people working with us and I know she did a terrific job." Jockey Patrick Husbands had Lexie Lou, the 2/1 second choice, sitting second behind stablemate Wild Catomine for much of the race before surging into the lead and cruising for her fourth victory in 11 career starts. The $300,000 winners share boosted her lifetime earnings over $630,000. Wild Catomine, also trained by Casse, was second in the nine-horse field, with Llanarmon taking third. Paladin Bay, the 2/1 favourite, was fourth. "We took a good run at her, like we always do, but Lexie Lou found another gear out there, she just took off again," said Gerry Olguin, the jockey aboard Paladin Bay. "I thought I was going to be second . . . she got tired at the end." Sundays race was just Lexie Lous second since being purchased by Barber and first without blinkers. Husbands rode Lexie Lou to a third-place finish in the $150,000 Fury Stakes event May 10 and felt blinkers werent necessary. "The last time she never relaxed," Husbands said. "We worked her twice since the last race without blinkers, no problem. "In the post parade, she was relaxed."; Only five Oaks winners have gone on to win the Queens Plate, the first jewel of the Canadian Triple Crown and this countrys most prestigious horse race.dddddddddddd The last was Inglorious in 2011. Sullivan said while Lexie Lou would give away size to the colts in the Plate, shed have the speed needed to compete. "Shes light and just floats on the track and theres definitely advantages to that," she said. "I think youd find some people would say thats the kind of horse youd want and youd find as many other people saying the other (bigger is better). "Shes put on a little weight and sort of filled out a little bit in the last month. Shes just got that big, long, beautiful stride." And theres the matter of Lexie Lou posting a faster time than We Miss Artie did in the Plate Trial, both races covering 1 1/8 miles. "Yeah, I know," Sullivan said with a smile. "Thats also a debate that will rage on." We Miss Artie was the overwhelming 1/5 favourite in the Plate Trial, and with good reason. The Todd Pletcher-trained bay colt was the Queens Plate Winterbook favourite this winter and finished 10th in the Kentucky Derby on May 3. Sundays race was not only We Miss Arties first since the Derby but first-ever at Woodbine. He found himself sitting third, boxed in along the rail at one point but jockey Javier Castellano patiently waited for an opening and when it appeared, he had more than enough horse to respond. "I think I rode the best horse in the race, I think I rode with a lot of patience," Castellano said. "I let him settle . . . when we turned for home we asked (for) a little bit and he give me a good kick." Assistant trainer Ginny DePasquale admitted being concerned about We Miss Arties dire standing late in the race. "There for a moment you get a little nervous but we knew he would come through in the end," she said. "Hes got a big heart and found an opening and went on. "Javier just kind of saved him at the wire a little bit." Sullivan was impressed with We Miss Arties late kick. "Hes a much nicer horse than he is on paper, weve always thought that," she said. "You could see at the top of the turn as soon as he got some room he was full of horse, full of run. "He will definitely be very tough to run against." Majestic Sunset was second in the seven-horse field, with Tower of Texas taking third. ' ' '