Mike Richards Has It Half Right: It's Time To Shut Up

Philadelphia Flyers captain Mike Richards is steaming mad at the media. His disgust and criticism stems from his belief that the media is “making things up” and that stories about Flyers players partying too much are fodder.

Richards has struggled to play nice with the media at times this season. Clearly, Richards has it in for certain media types, which, in time, is bound to cause an all-out war between the two sides.

Early on in the season, there were numerous reports that Richards was, in fact, no longer willing to talk to certain members of the media. On the surface, it would appear as if Richards was a bit fed up with the Philadelphia media in particular and its perception of himself and his team—which was poor, at best.

While there are better ways of protesting, I am reminded of the old adage, “if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all." Perhaps this was Richards’ plan? Better to say nothing than evoke more controversy by calling out the media…

Richards’ early attempts to remain silent took a turn in the other direction when Richards "got into it” with several members of the Philadelphia media after the Flyers' 5-3 loss to the Washington Capitals Sunday night.

Further, in an interview with The Hockey News , Richards lamented that he felt the local media was too tough on the Flyers and, in fact, were “throwing the team under the bus.”

Let’s face it, hockey fans: When things are going well, the media in general is full of praise. When things go south, the media is bound to call out players, coaches, and management alike.

Richards has every right to be fickle with the media. That said, as the captain of his team, Richards must learn to take the criticism in stride. Allowing some guy with a microphone and notepad in his hand to get to him simply is not worth it, and shows a measure of immaturity on Richards’ part.

I think Flyers defenseman Chris Pronger said it best when he stated his opinion on the situation: “You can have the highs and the lows, or you can just ignore it all, whether good or bad, and just go out and play and perform.”

Richards would do well for himself if he took Pronger’s words and ran with them. Forget about the media; let them weave their web of deceit and misdirection. In the end, Richards knows what is right and what is pure speculation. After all, he is living the dream.

Sure, it would be nice if the media would just shut the heck up, but that's never going to happen. With that in mind, here is what Richards should be focused on: the Flyers six-game homestand.

Starting Tuesday night against the Columbus Blue Jackets (a Western Conference team), the Flyers will face five Eastern Conference teams during that six-game stretch, including the New York Rangers, Carolina Hurricanes, Pittsburgh Penguins, Atlanta Thrashers, and the New York Islanders.

Each and every one of these games will have playoff implications. With just four points separating the 16th and final playoff spot from 25th overall in the NHL standings (heading into Tuesday night's games), it is imperative for the Flyers to win each and every head-to-head battle against Eastern Conference foes from here on out.

A loss to the wrong opponent, and the Flyers may be on the outside looking in when the playoffs roll around.

If you think things are bad now, imagine what the media will be like if the Flyers miss the playoffs, Mr. Richards?

While I understand Richards’ frustrations, one has to think the best thing for him to do at this time is to (with all due respect) shut up, put his head down, and play some inspired hockey—which he is very capable of.

If Richards allows the media to get to him, then he—and his team, for that matter—lose, and nobody, including the media, wants that.

Here’s hoping Richards can forget about the distractions of the media; whether he chooses to forgive is entirely up to him.