Mike Richards VI (UGH): The Armageddon Edition (MOD NOTE POST #1)

[fivehole32]

Two days after the alleged incident this happened with Toyota.

http://www.wsj.com/articles/toyota-executive-reportedly-arrested-for-drugs-in-japan-1434624904

Certain countries do not look kindly upon bringing certain substances across borders. This however is not the reason for termination. I believe totally it is the cover up.

Think of it this way. DL consummates a trade with another team, NHL approves. Two weeks late MR is brought up on drug trafficking charges. The team that has MR rights now has to deal with a Voynov situation that they are blindsided with. You don't think that team is going to come after DL and secondly MR value is nothing until the charges or trial are over.

 

[417th]

It's a Schedule I in Canada.

http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/c-38.8/page-24.html#h-28

You beat me to it.

 

[santiclaws]

Somewhat, but the arbitrator isn't going to be someone off the street from jury duty. My educational backround is law, and while I am not saying I have any definitive or advanced say here, what I will say is there is zero percent chance that precedent is ignored regardless of what sport was involved or when it occurred.

Define "ignored." Will the NHLPA bring it up? No doubt. Will the arbitrator discuss it? Probably. Does the arbitrator have to rule on the basis of the prior arbitrator's decision or in a manner that is consistent with it? Absolutely not. Technically speaking, the arbitrator doesn't have to follow the law at all. Obviously, a competent arbitrator will do his best to make sure that his ruling is consistent with the law. But the arbitrator in this case can interpret the law in a drastically different way than a prior arbitrator. Again, an arbitrator's decision is not law. It is not legal precedent by definition. It is an opinion of a private individual, and no more.

 

[kenito7]

The Kings will obviously argue that a trafficking charge in the 80s in the MLB was a different circumstance.

And like many have said, that's likely not what prompted Lombardi to term the contract. The more I think about it, the more obvious it becomes that Team Richards attempted to gag order this mess until he got his big pay day.

Lombardi has a bonafide case for termination if he has proof of it. The American public hasn't exactly been fond of cover ups in recent years...

This would be called fraud and if it could be proven it would be grounds to terminate anyone's contract or employment. May not be that easy to prove though.

 

[The Butcher]

I have a problem with it. I've known a ton of athletes. I know they're not going to be saints and I don't expect them to be. I also would be surprised if someone else still on the team is partying like Stoll and Richards were. I wish they'd stick with a reasonable amount of alcohol and banging loose women. I don't approve of them doing hardcore drugs at all, but I'm not naïve enough to think it doesn't happen. It's going to happen to some extent and I accept that. I've got friends and family who've done the same and they're not all bad people or anything like that.

But there's a difference between someone doing it, and doing it and not being able to handle their "partying" to the point that it becomes obvious to the public and/or a detriment to their job. I like to drive fast. Sometimes I go a little over the speed limit. But I haven't had a ticket in over a decade and I don't drive over the speed limit to the point that I become wreckless and crash into other vehicles or get caught by a cop and hauled into jail. I also like naked women. But I don't want hardcore porn all over network tv for a 5 year old to see. I like horror movies but again, I don't want my 4 year old watching Saw III. Do you see the difference? It's not just whether or not they do it that's the problem. It's discretion, or lack thereof and if it's affect on their performance. If I'm an owner or a fan and a player is getting paid millions of dollars, if he's out partying he better still be able to play at a high level otherwise I'm not going to be happy about it, and rightfully so. If it's all over the news cuz he can't keep it under control, I'm not going to be happy about it, and rightfully so. All I ask is use some discretion and don't do it to the point it affects your job performance. Some may not agree with society's current drug laws and say they're wrong, and I can see an argument for that. But the people expressing such a view should also realize that the society that creates & maintains those drug laws they don't agree with is the same society that pays these guys millions of dollars to put a puck in a net. Let's have some perspective over who is in a fortunate position here. Society is a double-edged sword/a two-way street, and all that jazz.

Richards had plenty of chances and he blew it. I don't want him to burn in hell or anything cruel. I want him to get help and hope in the end he lives a happy life. But I also want him off the team and hopefully with a terminated contract.

My educated opinion is that hard drugs are more common in pro sports than most people realize or admit. The ones that are sloppy or arrogant enough to get caught are the ones that could lose their careers.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

And again, this is something that Lombardi is willing to risk his reputation for? I'm going to assume, fully aware of what it means if he doesn't have something to back up this course of action? Dragging a player through the mud, dragging the league into a fight with the PA, and an all around devil may care attitude toward the CBA? Just because he was a stupid sucker last summer? It's possible.

Totally agreed and that's the angle I've tried to discuss but people seem to have their minds made up (elsewhere, not here). DL and Solomon just going out on a whim? Please. This isn't a "welp might as well try and see if it sticks" scenario; this has everything to do with the reputation of the team and GM. If DL tries something frivilous and fails, he can kiss his job goodbye. No, these guys are entering on solid grounds, of that I have no doubt, and even if those grounds are just some shade of the info we're privy to, you'd better believe they have bullets for that gun beyond what we've discussed thus far.

This would be called fraud and if it could be proven it would be grounds to terminate anyone's contract or employment. May not be that easy to prove though.

Now that is an interesting angle.

 

[KingLB]

Not to completely derail the thread. But I know many people now-a-days that don't consider "coke" to be a "hard drug". Its seen more as a party drug similar to Molly where you do it every once in a while and move on. Add to the fact that Coke gets out of your system so much faster, and I have no doubt that it could be more prevalent in sports than weed is.

 

[Ron*]

Not to completely derail the thread. But I know many people now-a-days that don't consider "coke" to be a "hard drug".

Are those the same people that keel over from a heart attack 25 years prematurely?

 

[The Butcher]

Not to completely derail the thread. But I know many people now-a-days that don't consider "coke" to be a "hard drug". Its seen more as a party drug similar to Molly where you do it every once in a while and move on. Add to the fact that Coke gets out of your system so much faster, and I have no doubt that it could be more prevalent in sports than weed is.

Those people are called crackheads.

 

[KingLB]

Those people are called crackheads.

Let me guess, your closer in age to Ron than to Stoll or Richards.....?

 

[The Butcher]

Let me guess, your closer in age to Ron than to Stoll or Richards.....?

36 and have been around the block. Coke is considered a hard drug in 98% of all social circles and walks of life.

 

[SettlementRichie10]

It has to be fraud. I'm all but convinced at this point.

Lombardi contacted Richards' agent on draft day to inform him a trade may be imminent. Agent is forced to inform Lombardi of border incident.

It HAS to be. That's the only thing which stands a chance with a neutral arbitrator.

Can anyone find any language in the SPC which discusses informing your club when/if you're in potential legal trouble?

Edit: or anything about fraud/misrepresenting yourself in general?

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

It has to be fraud. I'm all but convinced at this point.

Lombardi contacted Richards' agent on draft day to inform him a trade may be imminent. Agent is forced to inform Lombardi of border incident.

It HAS to be. That's the only thing which stands a chance with a neutral arbitrator.

Can anyone find any language in the SPC which discusses informing your club when/if you're in potential legal trouble?

Edit: or anything about fraud/misrepresenting yourself in general?

Would that not be on the agent/representative rather than Richards at that point though?

I agree with the overall premise that withholding info of legal troubles pre-buyout (as well as nixing any trade value) may cross into that interesting territory, I'm just still not sure that gets pinned on Richards.

I mean, it could be the SUM of all this crap.

 

[Captain Mittens*]

36 and have been around the block. Coke is considered a hard drug in 98% of all social circles and walks of life.

The Butcher is right. Despite its current social acceptibility, coke is a hard drug.
It not only has servere health consequences, and it also fails the people steal to get it test.

 

[SettlementRichie10]

Would that not be on the agent/representative rather than Richards at that point though?

I agree with the overall premise that withholding info of legal troubles pre-buyout (as well as nixing any trade value) may cross into that interesting territory, I'm just still not sure that gets pinned on Richards.

I mean, it could be the SUM of all this crap.

Richards' signature is on the contract, not the agent's. It's still Richards responsibility.

Sure, the agent could be at "fault," but it's still ultimately on Richards. You can't defer responsibility like that with something you're contractually obligated to do (like inform your team of a serious legal matter).

If anything, that would open up Richards to a major lawsuit against his agent/agency when the dust settles, but I don't think it'd get him out of committing fraud, either himself or by proxy.

 

[Deleted member 93010]

Not to completely derail the thread. But I know many people now-a-days that don't consider "coke" to be a "hard drug". Its seen more as a party drug similar to Molly where you do it every once in a while and move on. Add to the fact that Coke gets out of your system so much faster, and I have no doubt that it could be more prevalent in sports than weed is.

Molly is also a hard drug. Sure many people can use either coke or molly occasionally without it negatively affecting their lives, but that doesn't mean they aren't hard drugs.

 

[Chain]

Would that not be on the agent/representative rather than Richards at that point though?

I agree with the overall premise that withholding info of legal troubles pre-buyout (as well as nixing any trade value) may cross into that interesting territory, I'm just still not sure that gets pinned on Richards.

I mean, it could be the SUM of all this crap.

I'd imagine Richards agent taking the heat for it could open them up to all kinds of legal trouble themselves, couldn't it? I could just see how that conversation would go.


Dean Lombard: "Why weren't we notified about Mike Richards border incident until 2 weeks after it happened?"
Newport Sports: "It wasn't brought to the Kings attention because we hadn't gotten around to it yet. It's not Richards fault."
Dean Lombard: "So why didn't Newport Sports inform the Los Angeles Kings for 2 weeks about it, impeding our right to negotiate trade deals involving your client - especially around the draft when a lot of trade deals are done."
Newport Sports: "Uh..."
Dean Lombardi: "Good thing you guys are lawyers. You're going to need all the legal counsel you can get with the lawsuit we're sending your way."



That also begs the question...who DID tell Lombardi Richards was arrested? If it wasn't Richards or his agents that's going to make Richards look worse.

 

[kingsfan28]

Richards' signature is on the contract, not the agent's. It's still Richards responsibility.

Sure, the agent could be at "fault," but it's still ultimately on Richards. You can't defer responsibility like that with something you're contractually obligated to do (like inform your team of a serious legal matter).

If anything, that would open up Richards to a major lawsuit against his agent/agency when the dust settles, but I don't think it'd get him out of committing fraud, either himself or by proxy.

The other thing that stinks is the gag order placed by someone to all the reporters covering the story. I mean, its not like they told a guy with a hockey blog not to report it or else, it was EVERY well known reporter/broadcaster refused to divulge what they knew in fear of a lawsuit I presume. TMZ is the only one who told them to pound sand and broke the details.

 

[niomosy]

Would that not be on the agent/representative rather than Richards at that point though?

I agree with the overall premise that withholding info of legal troubles pre-buyout (as well as nixing any trade value) may cross into that interesting territory, I'm just still not sure that gets pinned on Richards.

I mean, it could be the SUM of all this crap.

I suspect it's going to be a sum. The Kings will likely have to throw everything they can at the arbitrator to get this through.

To your point regarding Richards' agent not following through, wouldn't that still be on Richards as it's ultimately his responsibility to report this? That the agent is the typical process is a matter of player convenience. If I'm wrong on that, someone tell me.

 

[CJV123]

The Butcher is right. Despite its current social acceptibility, coke is a hard drug.
It not only has servere health consequences, and it also fails the people steal to get it test.

and "lose their careers and family to abuse it" test

i never tried it because it scares me to death seeing the price people will pay to stay on it

 

[The Butcher]

I bet steam is blasting out of super conservative Christian uncle Phils ears right now.

 

[The Butcher]

The Butcher is right.

It could just be a strange coincidence.

 

[SettlementRichie10]

I bet steam is blasting out of super conservative Christian uncle Phils ears right now.

That's another thing people are undervaluing here. Uncle Phil is one of the wealthiest and most powerful owners in the league. Imagine the army of lawyers he can deploy with a single phone call.

 

[gnarls barkley]

That's another thing people are undervaluing here. Uncle Phil is one of the wealthiest and most powerful owners in the league. Imagine the army of lawyers he can deploy with a single phone call.

but can they fight against all the ironclad arguments from the main board???

 

[LAKings88]

I still have a bad taste in my mouth about this year.

As to illegal drugs, I can't see behind closed doors. I don't know what LA was doing to provide deterrence or rehab for its players. I don't know how long suffering they have been with their players. I do know that if I was caught with drugs by the police or a boss my job as a teacher would be in serious jeopardy.

Stoll was likely gone anyway but I know DL was big on him. The free agent status made it easier to walk away from that situation. Would they have terminated his contract if had three more years on it? Would they have wrapped their arms around him and sent him to rehab?

Voynov is tough. Innocent until proven guilty. If he is found guilty the natural consequences will likely fall into place. LA doesn't seem to want to wait for a trial for Richards before condemning him but they will for Slava. Guess the buyout date puts some pressure on such a decision. It makes me wonder if this really has anything to do with whatever Richards moral misconduct was or is it truly a business issue like damaging a trade or having a visa revoked?

Richards-Kings have not been able to give him away. How long have they know about these issues? Was any relapse or continued abuse of substances addressed and amended in his contract after the DL talk last summer? How big of an investigation is actually going on? DL and co. are jumping on this situation to help their cause and I'm not sure I can blame them for trying. Call a spade a spade. Hope they can prove it.