Friday, November 19, 2010

Mike Richards sounds off on PK Subban

I'm no expert on unwritten rules, but I'm pretty sure Mike Richards is breaking one right about here.
“He’s a guy that’s come in the league and hasn’t earned respect,” Richards told Team 990 after the game.

“It’s just frustrating to see a young guy like that come in here and so much as think that he’s better than a lot of people. You have to earn respect in this league. It takes a lot. You can’t just come in here as a rookie and play like that. It’s not the way to get respect from other players around the league.

“Hopefully, someone on their team addresses it, because, uh, I’m not saying I’m going to do it, but something might happen to him if he continues to be that cocky.”
Richards, on fellow hockey player Parnell Karl Subban, sayer of these all these things blockquoted, is doing three things wrong here:

A) As much as Pierre McGuire would love to disagree, it's not like Mike Richards has really accomplished anything tremendous in his five years in the league. He's been to the Cup Finals as a captain, sure, but for the first few years in the league Richards was a bit of a shit-disturber as well. Nobody complained, well, because he was also a good hockey player.

B) I'm pretty sure Mike Richards isn't keeping what's on the ice on the ice. Code breaker? Again, I'm no expert on unwritten rules.

C) "Something might happen to him if he continues to be that cocky..." that's not a very smart thing to say, particularly when the guy in charge of suspensions is on the defensive.

So what if Subban is just a rookie? It's not like it's something he can help. If a guy is holding back on being a hard-nosed defender early in his career, well, he probably shouldn't be in the NHL.

The fact that Subban is under the skin of a rival Captain like this is sort of proving that Subban is extremely effective at what he does. He's not just an agitator, he's just a good, tough defenseman who may take a few liberties here and there because, hey, it's effective, and he's not gaining a reputation as a pest.

But if the long-standing veteran with year upon year upon year upon year upon year of experience wants to disagree, that's his prerogative. If somebody goes after Parnell Karl, us at the 'Eh' Factor will likely be the first to rush to his defense.

I wonder how Aaron Asham felt after the 14-game old rookie Richards took him on in a fight. That was in Asham's sixth season. What about respect?

Subban's chirps get under Flyer's skin

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