Tim_panaccio
In the face! In the face!

It turns out this whole season was like the opening cartoon scene from Who Framed Roger Rabbit. While we could all see the destruction on screen, once the curtain was pulled back, it became apparent that the entire production was fucked from the start. Baby Herman was a cigar smoking prima donna who looks up girls skirts every chance he gets, the director lost his cool, and Roger couldn’t remember his lines – Look! I can give you stars – all while Eddie Valiant (Panaccio) looked on, thinking he really knew what was going on with the toons.

It seems Mike Richards didn't take too kindly to being called "moody and withdrawn" by CSN's senior beat reporter:

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Geronimo EKIA. Panotch is reeling.

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This isn't the first time a player has had a problem with Panaccio. Back in October, Nikolay Zherdev wouldn't speak to Panaccio because he thought he was in the Russian mob. Panaccio is Italian

Richie's comment was clearly regarding this article, written by Panaccio last night, which said that Lavs and Richards weren't even speaking to each other by the end of the season:


Sources CSNPhilly.com talked to in the past month said the same thing.
 
“That’s incorrect information,” Laviolette told CSNPhilly.com on Monday night. “I can’t control what guys write or say. 
 
“If you ask me a question if we were talking at the end of the season, the answer is, ‘yes.’ I have a relationship with Mike and I think it is something we can work on over time.”
 
And that in itself is illuminating.
 
Because in the almost two seasons Laviolette has been here, the relationship between himself and Richards – who can be moody and withdrawn – is still not developed.
 
Laviolette admitted that relationship is still in its infancy and needs more work, though he said he had no issues with Richards. 

 

Perhaps this is why Richie gets his sports news from Crossing Broad.

Ryan Bright presented a much more positive view of the relationship between Lavs and Richie: [Philly Sports Daily]

“I wish we were practicing today,” Laviolette said, when questioned on his captain’s leadership abilities. “I don’t think you should go on a witch hunt for Mike Richards just because we’re not. That doesn’t make sense to me. This is the same guy who led this team to within two games of the [Stanley] Cup last year.”

Laviolette continued, deflecting more questions on Richards’ ability to lead.

“I think Mike has the respect of his peers and the guys in this room,” said Laviolette. “You’re talking about a who has offensively put together some good seasons in a row here and a guy that ultimately led this team to the Finals and within two games of the Cup. So I’m not sure the line of questioning here.”

 

The truth is probably somewhere in the middle, but, either way, Richards sniped Panaccio for his "false" reporting. Perhaps when you consider his upcoming wrist surgery, maybe Richards is truly deserving of the moniker, Shorthanded Assassin. Product placement!

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[Related: The Flyers continued their mourning at the Borgata]