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Mike Richards IV: Started From The Bottom, Still Here *MOD WARNING Post #194*

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Herby said:
Just add it to the theories for the collapse...

Concussions
PED's
Wear and tear from games
Shoulder Injury
Ankle Injury
Conditioning
Viral Infection
Sutter
Partying
Fishing

It's a good thing MR is engaged to a Doctor.
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That's the fascinating part about Mike Richards, nobody really has a reason and in sports we want reasons. I really don't remember a player of Mike Richards' caliber completely fall off like this in all my time watching hockey. He doesn't look like Phil Kessel or Kyle Wellwood, he's supposedly healthy so no Jason Allison syndrome although he might be a good comparable. He's an enigma wrapped in a question mark. If he does get bought out I think Col. Trautman should be the one to deliver the news, it's over Johnny. It's Over!
 
The Tikkanen said:
I'm still shocked hockey fans never even mention the possibility of PED usage. In baseball when a players stats fall off a cliff it's due to one thing and one thing only-PED's. You go from feeling like the man every day to feeling weak and worn down when you're clean. You don't recover, you don't work out as hard, you lose muscle quicker, your estrogen levels go up and this is not a guy who was shy about what he consumed as a young man. You guys are suggesting that he is playing with post concussion syndrome which would be a huge lawsuit against the Kings and the NHL. This guy is healthy and has been cleared by doctors, that's a fact. And please don't give me the "he was never jacked" argument. Lance Armstrong was a tiny little man who used PED's regularly, it's not just for size it's for increased performance day to day and much quicker recovery time which would be crucial to NHL players.
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This is over the ****ing top. It is indeed approaching libel.
 
The Tikkanen said:
I'm still shocked hockey fans never even mention the possibility of PED usage. In baseball when a players stats fall off a cliff it's due to one thing and one thing only-PED's. You go from feeling like the man every day to feeling weak and worn down when you're clean. Yu don't recover, you don't work out as hard, you lose muscle quicker, your estrogen levels go up and this is not a guy who was shy about what he consumed as a young man. Youo guys are suggesting that he is playing with post concussion syndrome which would be a huge lawsuit against the Kings and the NHL. This guy is healthy and has been cleared by doctors, that's a fact. And please don't give me the "he was never jacked" argument. Lance Armstrong was a tiny little man who used PED's regularly, it's not just for size it's for increased performance day to day and much quicker recovery time which would be crucial to NHL players.
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Tests on Alexei Cherepanov after he died show'd he had been blood doping. (A method Lance Armostrong also used). It seems unlikely to me that's he's just an outlier.

The biggest tip off a player is using PED's isn't when they suddenly decline, it's when they suddenly get better. When they go from average to elite, or when an older player in decline suddenly looks better than ever. (There's a couple VERY respected hockey players that come to mind).

As for Richards. I don't think PED's are the reason for his decline. Contrary to popular belief, his decline hasn't been quick or sudden. He was in decline even before he got to LA.
 
johnjm22 said:
Tests on Alexei Cherepanov after he died show'd he had been blood doping. (A method Lance Armostrong also used). It seems unlikely to me that's he's just an outlier.

The biggest tip off a player is using PED's isn't when they suddenly decline, it's when they suddenly get better. When they go from average to elite, or when an older player in decline suddenly looks better than ever. (There's a couple VERY respected hockey players that come to mind).

As for Richards. I don't think PED's are the reason for his decline. Contrary to popular belief, his decline hasn't been quick or sudden. He was in decline even before he got to LA.
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I was looking at clips from the 2012 cup run, and man did Richards look dynamic. Richards always had that zig zag moves he used to make from east to west, which is lacking from his game now (sort of like Patrick Kane, but not to that level). Now he is very slow and just flings the puck whenever its on his stick.
 
I think it is an accumulation of damage done by concussive damage to his brain. There has been rumor that he has done several things to try and ameliorate his problems including both pharmaceutical and homeopathic remedies. It doesn't look like anything is working or at least not as well as they would need to be to get his game back. He still has game and if he was playing on a team that didn't require him to play physical two way hockey I think he would be a very capable contributor. He could also just need time to get his head back where it needs to be. Remember that Willie Mitchell needed a full season twice in his career to get recover from his concussion troubles to a level where he could be an effective player.
 
AlphaBravo said:
I was looking at clips from the 2012 cup run, and man did Richards look dynamic. Richards always had that zig zag moves he used to make from east to west, which is lacking from his game now (sort of like Patrick Kane, but not to that level). Now he is very slow and just flings the puck whenever its on his stick.
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IMO he's been in decline for about 6 years or so, but he's had his good moments along the way. They just became fewer and more far between as time passed on.

He was very slow and invisible during stretches of the 2012 season.
 
AlphaBravo said:
I was looking at clips from the 2012 cup run, and man did Richards look dynamic. Richards always had that zig zag moves he used to make from east to west, which is lacking from his game now (sort of like Patrick Kane, but not to that level). Now he is very slow and just flings the puck whenever its on his stick.
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He just stopped trying to push the play and embraced Sutter hockey.... with the slow break out.... slow up the ice... cycle in the corner.... did exactly what was asked of him.... and it's led to the current situation.

Also have to wonder how many of his defensive zone lapses are from being in a position to break out instead of covering his guy then, teammates turn the puck over leaving Richards in the wrong position.
 
Trolfoli said:
He just stopped trying to push the play and embraced Sutter hockey.... with the slow break out.... slow up the ice... cycle in the corner.... did exactly what was asked of him.... and it's led to the current situation.

Also have to wonder how many of his defensive zone lapses are from being in a position to break out instead of covering his guy then, teammates turn the puck over leaving Richards in the wrong position.
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And people LOL at some of the stuff Johnny Utah says.

Funniest thing posted in this thread since the 6 month viral infection excuse.
 
Eh, his remarks aren't surprising. That's always been his opinion, I've gotten used to it. Not the ellipses though............ .....
 
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Herby said:
And people LOL at some of the stuff Johnny Utah says.

Funniest thing posted in this thread since the 6 month viral infection excuse.
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There are wackos on both sides of the ledger. And people you should never make the mistake of trying to reason with.
 
Richard and Brown used to be legit top6 players...contributing offense and a ton of grit & intangibles...

Brown is a bottom6 player and Richards isnt even a NHLer anymore.....

How does this happen?!??
 
Bankerguy said:
Richard and Brown used to be legit top6 players...contributing offense and a ton of grit & intangibles...

Brown is a bottom6 player and Richards isnt even a NHLer anymore.....

How does this happen?!??
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Everytime I see a post like this it depresses me because of true it is. If Brown or Richards were a shell of their former selves the kings would have so much friggin depth.
 
Bankerguy said:
Richard and Brown used to be legit top6 players...contributing offense and a ton of grit & intangibles...

Brown is a bottom6 player and Richards isnt even a NHLer anymore.....

How does this happen?!??
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Playing like a running back for more games in 3 seasons than some teams have played in 4.
 
Brad Doty said:
Playing like a running back for more games in 3 seasons than some teams have played in 4.
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Agreed 100%. The Kings are putting a ton of miles on leases and now some of those leases are up and Lombardi is paying the price. It goes back to what Gretzky credits his Oilers team to turning into champions when they walked past the Islanders locker room after they won the Cup and there was no partying or screaming just ice bags and sitting. Some of the Kings players are paying the price for success and hopefully Lombardi can see what we're seeing and move on from the older vets who are clearly shot hockey players. Yes, we owe them as fans of a team who has sucked for most of it's existence and now we all expect success but it's not with older grinders. The Kings are going to have to move to an NFL style roster where once you hit 30 it might be time to move on. Williams, Brown, Richards, Regehr, Greene, Stoll-the Kings need to move on from all of these players. Brown is a 3rd liner making 1st line money otherwise I'd keep him. The Kings have traded Gretzky and Robitaille, no reason to think they can't move on from Brown.
 
Bankerguy said:
Richard and Brown used to be legit top6 players...contributing offense and a ton of grit & intangibles...

Brown is a bottom6 player and Richards isnt even a NHLer anymore.....

How does this happen?!??
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Your right. They both used to be legit. They used to be too legit. Too legit to quit. But now they're not legit. So they must quit......

We at least Mike is no longer legit or not this season anyway.
 
Bankerguy said:
Richard and Brown used to be legit top6 players...contributing offense and a ton of grit & intangibles...

Brown is a bottom6 player and Richards isnt even a NHLer anymore.....

How does this happen?!??
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2 cups and a conference finals appearance in-between?
the Kings have accomplished SO much as a team over the last three years on top of wearing their bodies down to the core... Ive been wondering if there is a point that pro hockey players become sort of complacent with their careers after accomplishing so much, or in the case of Brown and Richards, if its possibly just the grueling amount of games they played/abuse their bodies have sustained that is hindering their play. I dont know but I dont like it
 
theMajor said:
2 cups and a conference finals appearance in-between?
the Kings have accomplished SO much as a team over the last three years on top of wearing their bodies down to the core... Ive been wondering if there is a point that pro hockey players become sort of complacent with their careers after accomplishing so much, or in the case of Brown and Richards, if its possibly just the grueling amount of games they played/abuse their bodies have sustained that is hindering their play. I dont know but I dont like it
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The regular season needs to be cut back to around 72 games. These guys are playing too much hockey, and a reduction from 82 to 72 games would give them an additional 3 weeks off in the off season.

It's not likely to happen though because the owners and the players won't give up the money that comes with the extra 10 games.
 
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