It took an hour of listening to Montreal sports radio, but I was finally able to yank the clip of Mike Richards calling out P.K. Subban after the game last night. Here we are.
The transcript:
“He’s come in the league and hasn’t earned respect. 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 and hopefully someone on their team addresses it, because I’m not saying I’m going to do it but something might happen to him of he continues to be that cocky.”
Of course, Montreal fans are going ballistic about this today, saying things like “the league should look at” what Richards had to say and other nonsense like that. Actually, that particular comment came from a reporter being interviewed on TEAM990 in Montreal. Didn’t catch his name.
It’s kind of funny, though. They get on their high horse about respect and how Richards has none, mostly because he laid a vicious hit a year ago that he already answered for, and that’s the only thing they have to hold against him. Then Subban himself says after the same game that HE respects Mike Richards, obliterating any case these people have against the Flyers captain.
He’s usually a soft-spoken guy, but every once in a while, Richards says what’s on his mind. It’s a breath of fresh air in a league where too often guys talk to the media with muzzles over their mouths.
Personally, I hope he never stops speaking his mind. (Of course, it helps when he’s right, too.)
