Mike Richards Waived

[Podein25]

@ruxpin

 

For a guy who didn't like hockey he sure won a helluva lot at it....

 

I think parts of the game came quite easy to Mike. He's a natural center who has a real good instinct for many aspects of the game. I think all that hockey has taken a toll on his smallish frame. And he never worked on his foot speed. Because he didn't have to to succeed. And now it's too late.

[pilldoc]

This is probably way out there, and I'll probably get crucified for asking the question but what the hell:

 

Does anyone get the impression that Richards doesn't really even like hockey?  I just suspect that he likes the lifestyle associated with it (recognition, girls, money, girls, fame, girls, etc., girls) but not necessarily the job itself or the work that goes into it.

 

Clearly, he wanted nothing to do with the off-ice responsibilities of being a captain.

He apparently didn't want to do the off-ice work like lifting, training, being in under curfew, etc.

 

It just seems to me that the guy had a tremendous amount of talent and on-ice smarts and was able to more than get by on that (while making a pretty good paycheck) but when age started happening--which it always does--and talent had to be subsidized with WORK he was either unwilling or unable and, therefore, his play and effectiveness dropped.

 

I don't know, of course, but just suspicious of this looking from the cheap seats.

 

Anything is possible...heck I know surgeons who are in it strictly FOR THE MONEY.  They have very little if any bedside manner and could really careless about the patient...so yeah I guess anything is possible.  However, like @Podein25  said...he sure did win alot!!!

[radoran]

However, like @Podein25 said...he sure did win alot!!!

And when Alexander saw the breadth of his domain, he wept.  For there were no more worlds to conquer.The benefits of a classical education.

- Hans Gruber

[AJgoal]

This is probably way out there, and I'll probably get crucified for asking the question but what the hell:

 

Does anyone get the impression that Richards doesn't really even like hockey?  I just suspect that he likes the lifestyle associated with it (recognition, girls, money, girls, fame, girls, etc., girls) but not necessarily the job itself or the work that goes into it.

 

Clearly, he wanted nothing to do with the off-ice responsibilities of being a captain.

He apparently didn't want to do the off-ice work like lifting, training, being in under curfew, etc.

 

It just seems to me that the guy had a tremendous amount of talent and on-ice smarts and was able to more than get by on that (while making a pretty good paycheck) but when age started happening--which it always does--and talent had to be subsidized with WORK he was either unwilling or unable and, therefore, his play and effectiveness dropped.

 

I don't know, of course, but just suspicious of this looking from the cheap seats.

 

Rux, anything is, indeed, possible. I went down this rabbit hole of thinking when I found out that anyone playing hockey in North America is elligible to be drafted, no declaration necessary. Imagine a kid playing hockey because it got him an NCAA scholarship (or whatever benefit he gets in Juniors - I admit, I don't know). Kid's really good, but he hates it, only does it because it's getting him the degree (or whatever) he wants. Then he gets drafted, imagine the pressures to play, even if he doesn't want to? Family excited that you're going to make millions of dollars, teams planning your future, agents, teammates... How hard would it be to stand up and say no, I don't want to? I mean, imagine the outrage of a fanbase because their draft pick REFUSED to play for THEM?

 

Heck, take Pat Tillman. I don't know how much he loved playing football, but he believed so much in joining the Army that he gave up an NFL career and was killed overseas. He can't be the only one who held something else more important than playing a sport he was really good at for a living. But I knew a ton of people in the ARMY who called him an idiot for giving up the NFL to risk his life as a Ranger. Imagine how many people might have been telling him that to his face? And then imagine if he's an 18 year old kid facing all that pressure?

[ruxpin]

@ruxpin

 

For a guy who didn't like hockey he sure won a helluva lot at it....

 

I think parts of the game came quite easy to Mike. He's a natural center who has a real good instinct for many aspects of the game. I think all that hockey has taken a toll on his smallish frame. And he never worked on his foot speed. Because he didn't have to to succeed. And now it's too late.

 

Yeah, he sure won a lot.  But that doesn't really negate the hypothesis (classical education).

 

The second part is pretty much what I'm saying.  He was just kind of au-naturel until that by itself didn't really work anymore.  You have to actually enjoy something before you're willing to actually work for it.  Maybe it is an Alexander thing and he grew bored.  But I think there was something lacking from the beginning.

 

But I don't buy the smallish frame thing.  This isn't directed at you (because it seems to be a fairly common comment regarding him), but I actually think that's crap.  I mean, he's 5'11" and 200 lbs. (I think that's probably a little  high, but it's what is on his profile on hockeydb.com).  He's not huge, but he's not tiny either.  There have been a hell of a lot of players that had long careers (not booted at 29!) who played with grit and with an edge.  I mean Brian Trottier, for example, was almost the same exact height and weight, and he was a battler.  He wasn't summarily kicked out of the league for not giving a crap.   He may not have won an Olympic Gold because back then the Olympics were authentic.  But he won 6 cups.  I just don't buy the smallish frame thing as a valid argument.

 

He either never really enjoyed it to begin with or he grew bored.  Either way, he always seemed to think (my opinion) that actually working for it was beneath him.

 

As for Alexander, they called him "the Great."    Richards, for all of his accomplishments, could have striven to be great.   Being sent from the big leagues for lack of effort and being unwilling to do the work at 29 is not the way to strive for that.

[ruxpin]

Rux, anything is, indeed, possible. I went down this rabbit hole of thinking when I found out that anyone playing hockey in North America is elligible to be drafted, no declaration necessary. Imagine a kid playing hockey because it got him an NCAA scholarship (or whatever benefit he gets in Juniors - I admit, I don't know). Kid's really good, but he hates it, only does it because it's getting him the degree (or whatever) he wants. Then he gets drafted, imagine the pressures to play, even if he doesn't want to? Family excited that you're going to make millions of dollars, teams planning your future, agents, teammates... How hard would it be to stand up and say no, I don't want to? I mean, imagine the outrage of a fanbase because their draft pick REFUSED to play for THEM?

 

Heck, take Pat Tillman. I don't know how much he loved playing football, but he believed so much in joining the Army that he gave up an NFL career and was killed overseas. He can't be the only one who held something else more important than playing a sport he was really good at for a living. But I knew a ton of people in the ARMY who called him an idiot for giving up the NFL to risk his life as a Ranger. Imagine how many people might have been telling him that to his face? And then imagine if he's an 18 year old kid facing all that pressure?

 

Completely agree.  

 

I'm coming across strong about Richards, particularly in my response to Podein, but it wasn't even initially meant as an indictment.  It's just I have a feeling he could be an example of what you're describing in your first paragraph.  I forget where he's from, but it may even have just been a ticket out of town.  Maybe not enough girls there (I had to).  I just wonder about his liking it.

 

If that's the case, he has certainly accomplished enough to call it a day.  He has his trophies and his money and the rest of his life to do whatever he now chooses to do.  I wish I was able to do something I didn't particularly like for 10-12 years so I'd be where he is today.  

 

Like I said, not so much accusation as wondering if that was the case all along.

[radoran]

I don't think you "get by" at something you don't particularly like and succeed at the highest levels in history.

 

I just don't. YMMV - which is fair.

 

But it is not at all uncommon for people in their late 20s early 30s to look at their lives and say "is this really what I want to be doing?" - not just in sports but in life.

 

I don't think Richards was ever a gym rat and I do think he "skated" to an extent on natural talent.

 

This is another place where the "Next Bobby Clarke" thing is shown up for the farce it is.

 

Mike Richards has always had to basically do what he was inherently capable of.

 

Clarke worked his ass off to get what he got and was always out to prove something to someone. Even in the GM chair, when he went into exile after his first stint with the Flyers - he was always trying to prove people wrong. He got Minnesota into the Final and the Panthers made the Final the year after he left.

 

Of course, Clarke then hit the wall in 2006 and said "what am I doing this for?" (allegedly...)

 

Having taken a different path, Richards might well have said the same thing, just earlier in the timeline.

[Podein25]

@ruxpin

 

Might be boredom, sure. Might be off-season conditioning. Who knows? Only Mike - and maybe Frosted Tips - knows what's really going on. He recently got engaged, so maybe he just got too comfortable. 

[brelic]

You have to actually enjoy something before you're willing to actually work for it.

 

I don't even think this is true.

 

Let me back up - I'm on board with what you're saying. That Richards may not particularly *like* or *love* playing hockey. It's just what he does. MILLIONS of people are in exactly this situation at any given time. They don't like what they do - apparently that's 80% of the population in recent workforce surveys. EIGHTY!! That's a whole lotta people doing something they don't like.

 

Just because he gets paid a lot to do it doesn't really change anything - this is what he happens to be successful at.

 

Back to the 'liking' something, I can't help but think of Andre Agassi. He had a hatred for tennis because it represented everything his father forced him to do. But he was incredible at it. #1 in the world. So he worked and worked and worked at it (ok, maybe not willingly?) even though he really had this growing ball of anger inside him.

[AJgoal]

I guess the difference here, Brelic, is that that 80% of the workforce can't afford to give up doing what they don't like to do something else. They therefore have to work at what they don't like because they'll have trouble getting by if they don't. Richards seems to not have needed to work too hard to get to his peak, where he earned 8.4 million dollars for one year of employment. Assuming he had a modicum of intelligence about managing his money, Richards easily should be able to move on to do whatever he wants, even if what he wants to do is "nothing."

[brelic]

I guess the difference here, Brelic, is that that 80% of the workforce can't afford to give up doing what they don't like to do something else. They therefore have to work at what they don't like because they'll have trouble getting by if they don't. Richards seems to not have needed to work too hard to get to his peak, where he earned 8.4 million dollars for one year of employment. Assuming he had a modicum of intelligence about managing his money, Richards easily should be able to move on to do whatever he wants, even if what he wants to do is "nothing."

 

Yes, that's true. It shouldn't change the fact that there are probably a number of hockey players who are 'meh' about the whole thing, if statistics hold true. Usually, those 'meh' players would be weeded out from the NHL because they don't have the drive to make it there, just like in most other areas of life. But a few of them slip by

[radoran]

Richards easily should be able to move on to do whatever he wants, even if what he wants to do is "nothing."

 

 

[AJgoal]

OK, you're probably right on that. I mean, how many kids grow up in the US playing soccer, football, or baseball because their parents make them?

[ruxpin]

Back to the 'liking' something, I can't help but think of Andre Agassi. He had a hatred for tennis because it represented everything his father forced him to do. But he was incredible at it. #1 in the world. So he worked and worked and worked at it (ok, maybe not willingly?) even though he really had this growing ball of anger inside him.

 

yeah. I think I'm with you on this.   So let's rephrase (to something arguably very different) and say it's much easier to work hard at something you enjoy.  Otherwise, it's more likely your just punching in and out at the time clock and doing what you absolutely have to (and either nothing or very little more).

 

Would you buy that?

[AJgoal]

You mean like Marshawn Lynch? "I'm just here so I don't get fined."

[brelic]

yeah. I think I'm with you on this.   So let's rephrase (to something arguably very different) and say it's much easier to work hard at something you enjoy.  Otherwise, it's more likely your just punching in and out at the time clock and doing what you absolutely have to (and either nothing or very little more).

 

Would you buy that?

 

Yes, I would. Classic 'disengagement.'

[flyercanuck]

Anyone else think Richards might have some company coming in Manchester?....over the last 3 years he's outscored Dustin Brown (who plays on the top line) and Brown actually has the larger caphit. I don't see the Kings enough to gauge either player. I know Brown can out-dive him...but he obviously isn't putting up much offence.

[Samifan]

Anyone else think Richards might have some company coming in Manchester?....over the last 3 years he's outscored Dustin Brown (who plays on the top line) and Brown actually has the larger caphit. I don't see the Kings enough to gauge either player. I know Brown can out-dive him...but he obviously isn't putting up much offence.

 

Richards wont have to suffer in Manchester too long. The Kings are moving their AHL affiliate to Ontario California starting next season. The AHL is holding a press conference today to annouce 4 or 5 franchises are moving out West. So Richards and Carter will only be seperated for 3 months

[mojo1917]

This is probably way out there, and I'll probably get crucified for asking the question but what the hell:

 

Does anyone get the impression that Richards doesn't really even like hockey?  I just suspect that he likes the lifestyle associated with it (recognition, girls, money, girls, fame, girls, etc., girls) but not necessarily the job itself or the work that goes into it.

 

Clearly, he wanted nothing to do with the off-ice responsibilities of being a captain.

He apparently didn't want to do the off-ice work like lifting, training, being in under curfew, etc.

 

It just seems to me that the guy had a tremendous amount of talent and on-ice smarts and was able to more than get by on that (while making a pretty good paycheck) but when age started happening--which it always does--and talent had to be subsidized with WORK he was either unwilling or unable and, therefore, his play and effectiveness dropped.

 

I don't know, of course, but just suspicious of this looking from the cheap seats.

@brelic I immediately thought of Andre Agassi also.

 

I do think Rux's theory is plausible.

[Samifan]

Richards getting settled in Manchester! 

 

 

 

[fanaticV3.0]

@ruxpin

 

For a guy who didn't like hockey he sure won a helluva lot at it....

 

I think parts of the game came quite easy to Mike. He's a natural center who has a real good instinct for many aspects of the game. I think all that hockey has taken a toll on his smallish frame. And he never worked on his foot speed. Because he didn't have to to succeed. And now it's too late.

 

You don't have to like something to be good at it.

[fanaticV3.0]

This is probably way out there, and I'll probably get crucified for asking the question but what the hell:

 

Does anyone get the impression that Richards doesn't really even like hockey?  I just suspect that he likes the lifestyle associated with it (recognition, girls, money, girls, fame, girls, etc., girls) but not necessarily the job itself or the work that goes into it.

 

Clearly, he wanted nothing to do with the off-ice responsibilities of being a captain.

He apparently didn't want to do the off-ice work like lifting, training, being in under curfew, etc.

 

It just seems to me that the guy had a tremendous amount of talent and on-ice smarts and was able to more than get by on that (while making a pretty good paycheck) but when age started happening--which it always does--and talent had to be subsidized with WORK he was either unwilling or unable and, therefore, his play and effectiveness dropped.

 

I don't know, of course, but just suspicious of this looking from the cheap seats.

 

It's not out there at all. Science even says so.

 

Ricardo Mayorga used to brag about how much he smoked, drank, and didn't train. I don't know if he disliked boxing, but he certainly didn't want to put the time in.

 

Richards' attitude is the definition of a loser. If this is how his career ends, this will be his legacy, not the 2 cup teams he played for. We're not talking about a guy who was forced into retirement because of injury or chose to go out while still on top (Jim Brown, for example). He's still a young man. He's in this predicament because this is how he chose to go out. It's not exactly sudden either. His production has been down a few years now, the GM has been down on him for a few years too, and this is the 2nd team he's had issue with.

[brelic]

Richards' attitude is the definition of a loser. If this is how his career ends, this will be his legacy, not the 2 cup teams he played for. We're not talking about a guy who was forced into retirement because of injury or chose to go out while still on top (Jim Brown, for example). He's still a young man. He's in this predicament because this is how he chose to go out. It's not exactly sudden either. His production has been down a few years now, the GM has been down on him for a few years too, and this is the 2nd team he's had issue with.

 

That might be your judgment (and perhaps others) of him - as a loser. But I highly doubt he would consider himself that at all. He's done nothing but win, and with minimal effort. There's a huge part of the game that's cerebral too, and Richards has great hockey IQ. 

 

I guess what I'm trying to say is that there's no right or wrong way to 'be' a hockey player. Richards grew up, practiced the sport, won at every single level (while being captain many times along the way), is financially set for life, and is still only 29 years old.

 

That's pretty spectacular in my books. If he doesn't find a new hockey home, he'll go on and do something else.

[fanaticV3.0]

That might be your judgment (and perhaps others) of him - as a loser. But I highly doubt he would consider himself that at all. He's done nothing but win, and with minimal effort. There's a huge part of the game that's cerebral too, and Richards has great hockey IQ. 

 

I guess what I'm trying to say is that there's no right or wrong way to 'be' a hockey player. Richards grew up, practiced the sport, won at every single level (while being captain many times along the way), is financially set for life, and is still only 29 years old.

 

That's pretty spectacular in my books. If he doesn't find a new hockey home, he'll go on and do something else.

 

That's not totally true. Winning is a part of a career that's also been filled with several negatives. Mike Richards isn't the kind of guy you can talk about the end of the day and bring up nothing but positives. This conversation, and the current state of his career, isn't on the table because of those positives either. This is a very flawed player. One that has (or had) talent, but essentially quit in his late 20s. Mike Richards has won, but he hasn't "done nothing but win" and all of the criticism about him is as fair as the praise. It's all true and has a place when discussing his career.

 

The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.

 

 

Ever hear that quote? Seems appropriate when you compare their time in Philly (or even now in LA that the team is struggling) vs the 2 cup runs. Richards and Carter have talent. They are also opportunistic leeches.

[brelic]

That's not true. Winning is a part of a career that's also been filled with several negatives. Mike Richards isn't the kind of guy you can talk about the end of the day and bring up nothing but positives. This conversation, and the current state of his career, isn't on the table because of those positives either. This is a very flawed player. One that has (or had) talent, but essentially quit in his late 20s. Mike Richards has won, but he hasn't "done nothing but win" and all of the criticism about him is as fair as the praise. It's all true.

 

Sure, this is all very true. But it's your judgment of him. 

 

At the end of the day, if Mike Richards looks at his career and is happy with what he's accomplished, that's wonderful. He's happy. All of the external judgments don't matter one iota in the grand scheme of things. It's all about how he evaluates his own successes and failures. The criticism and praise are meaningless as far as his own personal fulfillment are concerned - there are people who are universally praised that have killed themselves because they were so unhappy, and there are universally hated people who have had inner peace. External judgments matter very little.