Richards rips media
The Philadelphia Inquirer Blog - Flyers Report: Broad Street Bull
Richards rips media
Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer
WASHINGTON _ For the record, I hate writing about the media, but....
When a player makes accusations that Philly media members "make things up," it strikes a nerve.
That's what Flyers captain Mike Richards did in the latest edition of The Hockey News.
Richards is a terrific, gritty player who has been compared to a young Bobby Clarke. Personally, I would rather write about his on-ice exploits than his whining.
But when he went national and erroneously charged the local media with being dishonest, well, it can't be ignored.
Richards took verbal shots at the local media in The Hockey News, then went on the offensive after the Flyers’ 5-3 loss to Washington Sunday.
Richards is The Hockey News’ cover story, and he is quoted as saying that “when you start losing, rumors start flying and people seem to just make things up to take a negative spin on things.”
After Sunday's defeat, Richards was asked to specifically name a story that was “made up.”
“The articles in the beginning of the year,” he said, surrounded by a media horde in the visitors’ locker room. “The drinking articles and things like that. All the articles _ (it’s) why I didn’t talk to you for a month.”
Asked to elaborate, Richards said, “You didn’t write an article at the beginning of the year that we’re out too much? You asked Lupes (former Flyer Joffrey Lupul) all the questions? Weren’t there articles….that said the players were drinking too much and said Richards and (Jeff) Carter were out all the time?”
Actually, no, although the nightlife issue was addressed because of comments made by GM Paul Holmgren. But we'll get to that later....
On Oct. 10, when Lupul made his first visit to Philadelphia since being dealt to Anaheim, he was asked whether he thought he and Scottie Upshall were traded because the Flyers were trying to break up the players who enjoyed the nightlife, Lupul shook his head.
"Upshall was moved last year at the deadline for cap reasons, and I was moved to get Chris Pronger, so I don't think that had anything to do with it," he said. "We were out a lot . . . but those young guys" - he mentioned Richards, Carter, and Scott Hartnell - "are definitely professionals and know how to handle themselves."
To me, Lupul was complimenting his former teammates _ and not throwing them under the bus.
The questions about the nightlife issue were asked because of comments made by Holmgren in the Bucks County Courier Times last June, and later in The Hockey News in July.
In those stories, Holmgren said, “Am I concerned about it (the nightlife)? Let me say this: The issue has been raised by John (Stevens, then the coach) and myself with all the players.”
In the latest Hockey News story, Richards said: “It’s Philadelphia – when you’re winning there are no problems in the world and you can pretty much do whatever you want. When you start losing, rumors start flying and people seem to just make things up to take a negative spin on things."
“That’s happened so many times this year already. In the first part of the year, nothing was going on, but all of a sudden when we’re losing, the media starts throwing us under the bus and bringing up things from the past that aren’t true. We have a great start and nobody’s saying these things, but we go on a little bit of a skid and everybody’s all over us.”
Veteran defenseman Chris Pronger put things in perspective.
"There’s going to be some negative articles when you're not playing well," Pronger said, "but for the most part, you’re trying to do a job and we’re trying to do a job."
And both sides do their work honestly.
"Personally, I would rather write about his on-ice exploits than his whining." Then do it. You, Sam, and your downsy equivalent at the DN are just awful. You don't understand the sport, and resort to covering the players' personal lives as a result. Apparently neither of you have an editor that understands the game either, since you both still have jobs. Richards is right, and that's a shame. At least Pronger apparently has the good sense not to bother reading this garbage. I changed my subscription to Sunday paper only, but I still deserve better than this.— justguessing- "To me, Lupul was complimenting his former teammates _ and not throwing them under the bus." Uh, are you serious? At no time did Richards accuse Lupul of throwing the guys under the bus. Are you just playing dumb?— MissMolly
- For those of you who think Richards isn't a good leader, you mustn't have watched him coming up through the junior ranks. He's a terrific leader but now he seems to be dealing with Pronger who to me desperately wants the "C" (he never really backs him when something like this comes up, you'll notice) and the hacks in the Philly media fraternity. The reason the Flyers didn't do much of anything over the past 3 years is on Stevens and Holmgren more than anyone. Now with Laviolette behind the bench, things are changing.— MissMolly
- Brett Myers was right... you really are a rah-tard. Stick to reporting high school volleyball. I always thought Timmay was an awful writer, but you're making me miss him.— MetalBill
- at least saying they are out drinking would give them an excuse. the alternative is they are not that good.— egmetzjr
- First, he didn't accuse Lupul of throwing them under the bus, he accused the media of doing so. Second, to blindly say he "erroneously charged the local media with being dishonest" shows your own bias and lack of objectivity. Is it even possible that the media makes up stories (or at least engages in a little hyperbole) from time to time? If so, you can't say it's erroneous. Sounds defensive to me. I do think the media in Philly has a tendency to focus on the negative stuff, even to the point of embellishing the stories you pursue. Not that it's necessarily totally made up, but you take an awful lot of license with some of the stories. And to the players, there's little difference between embellishment and making things up completely. Get over yourselves!— mbrown3
- I just love how the members of the media gets all up-in-arms when a athlete slams their reporting. Well Sam, did you ever stop to thing that Mike Richards feels that same sense of outrage about the stories printed in the media??? Get over yourself Sam...Richards anger is justified.— america
Comment removed.- You people make me sick. Quit making excuses for this high-paid baby! It is the job of a reporter to report! These guys are out partying and that's fine...as long as you can handle it. For Richards to say that this is a "made up story" is a disgrace! He needs to suck it up and play like a man or get the hell outta Dodge!— tfiggs
- Clearly, Richards doesn't have the maturity level to handle the 'C'. Look at his response vs. Pronger's response. Remember people, beat writers are supposed to give you more than just facts about the game, they are supposed to get inside it, the environment, the players etc. Richards needs to grow up and learn to deal with rumors.— delcofan
- You are covering hockey, not LiLohan in the Tattle section. I want to read about hockey, what they are working on in practice, injures, etc. Ask Richards what went wrong with the special teams against the caps, not his comments about the media. It's the Philadelphia Inquirer not the National Inquirer. They actually found someone worse than Timmy P.— rmg154
- When a player makes accusations that Philly media members "make things up," it strikes a nerve.....truth hurts doesnt it— LongtimeFan3
- It is only a made up story if it is a lie!! This is not a lie...this is a known issue. Richards is lying through his teeth!— tfiggs
- Sam... December of 2008 you were scheduled as the Flyers Fan Club guest speaker during their Christmas meeting... You blew off the group by not showing up, nor did you contact them in advance to state you would not be there... The meeting had no speaker that day... I hope you are proud of your professionalism on that occasion. Did you care for the team you cover and their fans? You showed no respect for the people who allow you to have a job that is a gift to you, based on your body of work and resume... Approaching Richards, the team captain, after a tough loss about a subject that was non-related was a bad decision, and very unprofessional, IMO... Stick to what the fans need to read, when they need to read it. The Media of Philly is pure Negadelphia, you prove that as a fact... face it and admit it, Sam, and get off the players backs.— phila47
- Hey, Phila47: I was scheduled to talk to the Fan Club, but the Flyers PR director gave me the wrong date _ and your event was already over. The PR director apologized and told me he called your president and told him/her that I'd be glad to do it at another time. Just wanted to clear it up. _ Sam Carchidi— wenonah
