Mike Richards - Are you four years old?

“He's a guy that'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. 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.” 

In case you didn’t hear or you live under a rock, those were Mike Richards’ asinine comments characteristic of a prototypical whiner on PK Subban after being shutout by the Habs. 

Really Mike Richards? Really? 

For shits and giggles lets just take a walk down memory lane to exemplify how you are the biggest hypocrite in the world and don’t have respect for anyone but yourself. Don’t get me wrong, you were great playing for team Canada in Vancouver in 2010 when you won that gold medal. But as soon as you put that putrid orange sweater over your head, you turn into a self-righteous individual who can’t handle losing nor can you demonstrate the level of respect that other players deserve both on and off the ice. Let’s take a quick look at your actions in the last 3 years: 

- Evegeni Malkin March 16, 2008 

o You just about sliced Malkin’s neck open by flaying your leg in the air the way a figure skater would when performing a triple axel. Don’t tell me you had no control over your leg while you were falling down, you deliberated lifted it higher. I’m pretty sure gravity makes items, including legs, fall down not go up. And your smug look on the bench after the incident with your little smirk makes me want to vomit. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsRaBdKs3Xk 

- Alex Kovalev April 24, 2008 

o Game 1 of the conference semi-finals. Kovalev is skating into the offensive zone with the puck and you drop your shoulder, turn your left knee outwards and nail Kovalev with a knee on knee hit. No kidding you got a penalty for kneeing. Last time I checked a clean check was conducted with one’s shoulder. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLOl1_fx4FY 

- David Booth October 24, 2009 

o Hmm. Where should one begin with this one; how about you just about decapitated Florida’s best player, left him lying on the ice like a paraplegic and provided him with the repercussions of a long term concussion that he will never recover from. Very respectful to ruin someone’s career with a blindside hit when he didn’t even have the puck. Also, you are the reason that the blindside hit rule was instituted in this league. Congratulations on your achievement. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qeN3QTw8iz4 

- David Krejci May 5, 2010 

o Because the hit on Booth wasn’t enough in the same year, you went ahead and broke Krejci’s wrist and ended his season in the playoffs. Sure your hit was clean, but you deliberately took advantage of someone who had his head down who was about 140 feet away from your own net. Seems like a good way to get past teams in playoffs series, just injure their best players. Oh and just to serve you right, Boston did score on that play following your shameful hit. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4L2xWdogVo 

Now, after just looking at some snip-its of your illustrious, Stanley Cup losing career, you have the audacity to sit there in a post-game interview after the Canadiens blew you out and discuss respect in the NHL? What deluded planet do you live on Mike Richards? Evidently you can’t handle the fact that a rookie defencemen has more balls than over half the veterans in the league and is more skilled than the majority of defencemen on your team. 

For someone who wears the “C” on his chest, your time would be better served setting an example for the rest of your teammates on how to bounce back and win the next game, not mopping, whining or complaining about members of the opposition. Give your head a shake and stop being four years old.