Bleacher Report - Articles by Mike Doyon

Mike Piazza Calls It a Career: Happy Trails!

Mike Doyon — Tue, 20 May 2008 16:18:00 -0400

That's it...Mike Piazza retired today.

I've been a Mike Piazza fan ever since he broke into the Majors winning the NL Rookie of the Year award in '93. I was an even bigger fan when he was the '96 All-Star MVP. And I was kinda hoping he'd kick Roger Clemens' ass in the 2000 World Series when the Rocket tossed the butt-end of Piazza's bat at him. Unfortunately, nothing really happened in that Game 2. Same went for Mike and the Mets' hopes for a World Series title.

Although he never won the big prize, he certainly racked up his fair share of accolades.

How does this sound? The best slugging catcher in baseball history.

Pretty good ring to it. That's because it's the truth. In fact, he made me want to be a catcher growing up. Unfortunately, I couldn't hit like he could. My game was more defensive—like Charles Johnson—who Piazza was traded for in a blockbuster deal with Florida in '98.

He's leaving the game after 19 seasons in the Bigs. A 12-time All-Star, 10-time Silver Slugger, knocked out 427 career dingers, 1335 RBI's and held a .308 average with the L.A. Dodgers, Florida Marlins, New York Mets, San Diego Padres, and Oakland A's.

Any way you look at it, he was damn good.

Gonna miss ya, Mike!

Senators-Sabres: Ottawa Stacks Five on Buffalo in the Third

Mike Doyon — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 11:34:00 -0400

Do they really have to leave it 'til the very end of the game to wake up? If the last two games are any indication, then yes.

Nine third period goals in the last two games for the Ottawa Senators.

After giving up two quick ones in 25 seconds to Buffalo, the Sens' offence exploded for five goals in eight minutes to take a 6-3 vic and pretty much solidify the playoff fate for the Sabres. It was nice to see Dean McAmmond use his speed for a change when he drove hard to the net and got a nice feed from Vermette. That made it 3-2, but the fact that it was a short-handed goal woke up the Senators' offence. Opened the floodgates, if you will. Alfie tied it up going shelfy like only he knows how...ping!

I can't not write about my boy Volchenkov getting his first goal of the year with a blast from the blueline...ping! Oh yeah, it's worth mentioning that I was talking about how the A-Train hadn't scored a goal all season seconds before he sniped. Game winner to boot!

It's been quite the fall from grace for Buffalo this year, after capturing the 1st seed in the East in '07. Of course, no Briere and no Drury. Just Derek Roy, Thomas Vanek, and Jason Pominville to carry the load. Their D is nothing special either. I have no sympathy for them, though. It sure was nice to see Sabres fans sprint out of their seats when Alfie lit the lamp making it 5-3.

Let's see if the Sens can take the second of this home-and-home with Buff on Thursday at the SBP. Maybe this time they'll spread their goals out a little more.

Fred Couples Posts a 65, John Daly Cracks a Beer

Mike Doyon — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 14:58:00 -0400

At the time of this posting, Fred Couples has the outright lead at the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill in Orlando. I understand it's still early in the afternoon, but to me, that's pretty impressive for ol' Freddy C. At least we know he still has the raw talent to go low, as long as his ailing body holds up. For a guy who has had chronic pain in his back for years, he can still pipe a golf ball. He averaged 301.5 yards on his drives in Thursday's round. There's a reason he's called 'Boom Boom'.

On a less than enthusiastic note, PGA Tour bad boy John Daly has hit yet another speed bump in his 'eventful' career. He was disqualified from Bay Hill when he missed his Tuesday Pro-Am tee-time. Daly claims there was a misunderstanding with his tee-time, but he was likely out late the night before, lighting it up at one of Orlando's hotspots...or, any questionable dive that serves the sauce. It also didn't help that his swing coach, legendary Butch Harmon, quit on him on Monday saying, "the most important thing in his life is getting drunk." Pretty heavy stuff. Did I mention that he was only playing at Bay Hill because Arnie invited him? Talk about disrespecting someone you shouldn't be.

Last week, he shot 77-80 to miss the cut by a mile at the PODS Championship in Tampa, and even had Tampa Bay Buccaneers' coach John Gruden on the bag for him (pictured above). But missing the cut wasn't a big deal to Big JD. He spent his Saturday drinking in the Hooters tent behind 17 at Innisbrook drinking beer and signing bodyparts.

There are many people who think he should be kicked off the Tour. I'm not one of them. If tournament sponsors are going to continue to provide exemptions for him to play, then he'll be on the Tour. When he shows up for his tee-times, he's a pleasure to watch. The question is, how far can John Daly go before he's cut off for good?

Bruins-Senators: Martin Gerber Rules Ottawa's Net with Iron Fist

Mike Doyon — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 16:48:00 -0400

So it's looking more and more likely that Martin "Darth" Gerber will be the No. 1 'tender for the Senators heading into the postseason. He's not only been the Sens' best player for the past six games, but it also helps that his name's not Ray Emery.

Management doesn't seem to be a fan of ol' Razor these days. For good reason. He pretty much got John Paddock fired a couple weeks ago. Then he finally broke his silence this week with a half-assed apology to the coach who moulded him in the AHL. Add in the fact that he can't stop a beach ball on the short side when he does play, and you've got a pretty 'easy' decision.

Enter Darth Gerber. Dah da da da, Dah da da da da da daaaahh.

Although they managed to lose 3-1, 3-2, and 2-0 before winning 4-2 on their recent Left Coast trip, the Sens have at least had the goaltending they've been so desperately looking for. The blame for those three losses lands squarely on the shoulders of every skater on the team, not Gerber. Technically, he only let in 1 in L.A. They potted an empty-netter late in the third. Things turned around when they hit the desert last Saturday, though. Gerber played well, and the rest of them actually played defence. There's a concept. Backchecking, defensive coverage, physical play. Ya know, things that you should do every time you step on the ice if you intend to win the hockey game.

Last night's game against Beantown was no different. Gerber made some stellar saves which translated into offensive rushes and goals by Heatley. It was like watching Sens hockey of old. Quick transitions, bodychecks, great saves, and good ol' fashioned lamplighting. It's worth noting Heater's quality game. A nice 'trick to break out of his recent slump.

It's always nice to see a certain player step his game up when the rest of the team is struggling. Gerber has been to the Cup Finals 3 times. All 3 times he's had his rear-end planted firmly on the pine. If the last week is any indication, he'll be relegating that role to a player who needs to give his head a firm shake. Get used to sporting that beauty new cap, Razor. You could be sitting there for a while.

New York Yankees New Addition: Billy Crystal

Mike Doyon — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 14:41:00 -0400

Yes. It's true. Billy Crystal will be throwin' on the pinstripes of the Bronx Bombers for a spring training game this Thursday against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The question remains: what position will he play? Sit A-Rod and play 'em besides Derek Jeter on the left side?

Perhaps we'll see him and Jeets turn two a couple times...Or, maybe let him run around in the outfield chasing fly balls?

Wait a second, they're playing Pittsburgh. We all know they can't get hit it out of the infield. Which begs another question: when will Jason Bay jump ship and ditch the Pirates?

Anyway, where will Billy bat? He may not be lead-off material, but if his high school stats (.348 as a senior in high school) are any indication, he should be tucked somewhere between 3rd and 5th in the order. Imagine he hit a long bomb?

If that happened, I think Pitt should be kicked out of the league.

In Case You Didn't Know, Tiger Woods Runs the Show

Mike Doyon — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:48:13 -0500

Tiger Tiger Woods y'all!

It would've been nice to see Stewart Cink at least put up a fight today. But because Tiger is the man, Cink gracefully accepted a good ol' fashioned beat down at the WGC Accenture Match Play in Arizona.

Here's a ridiculous stat: Cink hasn't won a tournament in 86 starts, while in the same stretch Tiger has won 23 times.

And setting a tournament record with an 8-and-7 victory, Tiger has now won 15 of the 26 WGC tournies he has entered.

Let's be honest. Woods has beaten the professional golf world, picked it back up, and beaten it some more. It’s safe to say that if he’s in the field at any given event, he will be accepting the hardware come Sunday afternoon.

Just another tidbit: Woods now ranks fourth for all-time career wins with 63, stepping over Arnold Palmer. The exchange between the two should prove to be a very interesting one. Tiger's next stop will be Arnie's Invitational at Bay Hill.

Ray Emery: Weak Sauce

Mike Doyon — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 16:19:00 -0500

Dare to disagree? And even if you do, you obviously didn't catch the fine display he put on against Columbus last night. He didn't even look interested in stopping the gamewinner in the shootout.

It's hard to even comprehend the situation the Senators have put themselves in. I mean, two underachieving goalies who both belong at the end of a bench somewhere in the AHL. Yet, here we are. Sens fans get the pleasure of watching weak goal after weak goal bulge the twine (yes, I had to throw in that term) in the back of the net, night after night, while both rack up ample interest in their bank accounts.

The Poolsider brought up a valid point in our last transcontinental meeting of the minds. The way Emery is playin', he won't be in the NHL by the time he's 30. Keep in mind that's he 25. He's got another 2 years left on his $9.5 million contract. That's a lot of money to spend on Hummers, Lambos, and baby blue leisure suits!

If he doesn't get his act together in a hurry, Poolsider's forecast for the Razor may just come to fruition. Hey, at least he can fade away into oblivion like his idol, Mike Tyson.

Limited Profitability: Nike Sells Bauer Hockey

Mike Doyon — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 17:33:15 -0500

Declining profit margins have to be the only explanation for why Nike would sell off a company. Especially a company like Bauer.

The sale is reportedly worth $200 million to a U.S. private equity firm, Kohlberg & Co. The Montreal-based Bauer has been around since 1927 and has been at or near the top of the hockey world for as long as I can remember.

That's why it's kinda shocking to see them discarded like this.

I do recall some rumblings about a possible sale a few months ago, but never really thought Nike would drop the axe.

"It was a tough decision but one that was in the best interests of Nike and Bauer as we each look to maximize our respective growth opportunities," Nike CEO Mark Parker said in a statement.

So basically, they weren't making enough money for the head-honchos behind the Swoosh. Like they need more...but hey, business is business and if there's one thing Nike does well, it's maximizing their profits by making intelligent business decisions.

But, this announcement is not necessarily bad news for Bauer. Even though RBK squeezed themselves into the hockey space by dumping a boat-load of money into the NHL with the tight-fitting jerseys and all of the equipment, Bauer and its brand have remained near the top of the market. There's a reason they've been around for 90 years.

The underlying reason why Nike bought them in 1995 was because of their massive presence in the hockey marketplace. Nike wanted a piece, but didn't want to have to launch their own line of equipment.

Quick fix: Buy a powerful brand and market it as their own.

They've had their fun, built up a presence in the sport, and now they're out.

Panthers News: Richard Zednik Stable After Emergency Surgery

Mike Doyon — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 11:46:21 -0500

Having now watched the incident several times, and having seen the 40-foot stream of blood mark the ice at HSBC Arena, I'm comforted to know that Florida's Richard Zednik is in stable condition after surgery.

Talk about terrifying.

For those of you who aren't aware of last night's scare in Buffalo, I'll recap.

Puck goes into the corner. Florida Panthers' captain Olli Jokinen is hit and falls awkwardly; teammate Richard Zednik is behind him. Suddenly, Jokinen's skate swings backward and slashes Zednik in the neck.

It's pretty unbelievable that Zednik was able to skate off the ice, holding his glove to his throat. According to his teammates, Zednik was conscious but "pale and staring blankly at nothing" when he arrived at the bench with the help of trainers.

It seems as though nasty injuries have a way of happening in Bufftown. Earlier this year Kevin Everett of the Buffalo Bills broke his neck and wasn't supposed to walk again. He's now been walking for two months.

Remember when Buffalo goalie Clint Malarchuk's neck was viciously cut while playing playing St. Louis? If it weren't for a fast-acting trainer and a whole bunch of luck, he would have bled out.

It's something I like to call the Buffalo miracle.

Sure, Buffalo has put up with a lot of playoff disappointments with their Bills and Sabres, but there is more to life than sports success. Malarchuk and Everett have both beaten the odds.

Let's hope Zednik can do the same.

Senators-Panthers: Dany Heatley Scores Twice, Sens End Skid

Mike Doyon — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 11:06:37 -0500

Dany Heatley made his return to the Senators lineup last night, lighting the lamp twice to help Ottawa end a three-game skid. The Sens beat the Florida Panthers 5-4.

The Heater, who potted his 26th and 27th goals, couldn't have come back at a better time.

With the Montreal Canadiens inching ever so close to the Sens' coveted first place spot in the East, Ottawa needed a boost from a player who has missed their last 11 games with a shoulder injury.

During those 11 games, the Sens went an abysmal 3-8 and showcased how thin their lineup is without the back-to-back 50 goal scorer.

Let's not forget about the absence of captain Daniel Alfredsson. Without their feisty leader, the boys from O-Town have lost their double-digit lead in the conference, making it clear that if this team is going to go deep in the postseason like last year, they will need Alfie and the other top guns to be healthy and firing on all cylinders.

There was some good news out of Montreal last night, as the Maple Leafs downed the surging Habs 4-2. The Senators' lead is now back to three points, with what should be a fiery tilt against Montreal at Scotiabank Place on Saturday's Hockey Day in Canada.

There's a feeling around the nation's capital that another top-six forward needs to be brought in to plug some holes up front. If Peter Forsberg becomes unavailable, Patrick Marleau might be another option. The San Jose Sharks are looking for an offensive defenceman, and Joe Corvo could be the right fit.

If Wade Redden didn't have a no-trade clause in his ridiculous $6.5 million contract, he'd be out the door for the nearest bag of pucks. The same thing could be said about his defence partner Andrej Meszaros. Unfortunately nobody wants him.

NHL Loosens the Leash: Rick Tocchet Rejoins Wayne Gretzky in Phoenix

Mike Doyon — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 17:08:09 -0500

It's hard to believe that it's been two years since Operation Slapshot went down, but it’s even harder to believe that certain individuals within the NHL had a hand in the illegal gambling ring.

Among those implicated in the fiasco that shocked the hockey world was Phoenix Coyotes associate coach and former NHLer, Rick Tocchet.

Tocchet was at first said to be the main financial backer of high-level, underground operation that involved a New Jersey State Trooper, among many others in the northeast.

But as details surfaced, Tocchet became less and less a target of the investigation and was named simply as a participant. He pled guilty to promotion of gambling and conspiracy to promote gambling. These were minor offenses, and when all was said and done Tocchet received just two years of probation and a three-month suspension from the NHL.

Speaking of participants, whatever happened to all the talk about Janet Gretzky betting up to $500,000 on games? I suppose those details were swept under a very large rug.

In any case, Tocchet's three-month suspension has been lifted and he will be reappearing in the NHL tonight as the Desert Dogs host the Columbus Blue Jackets.

All this talk about gambling makes me want to go do a ProLine. Till next time...

Reality Sets In: The New York Football Giants Are Super Bowl Champs

Mike Doyon — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 12:28:18 -0500

First and foremost, I do not want to discredit any member of the New York Giants, including Eli Manning.

They played the best game of their collective lives on Sunday, and they deserved to win the Super Bowl.

Eli's drive in the final minutes of Super Bowl XLII was nothing short of miraculous. Nobody expected him to march 80 yards down the field, eating up the Patriots secondary and defensive line along the way.

Who would've expected Eli to elude four defenders and hurl the ball downfield to David Tyree, who made an absolutely unbelievable catch which put them in position to score.

Tyree caught it with one hand and held the ball against his helmet while falling backwards over Rodney Harrison. Unreal.

I think it's finally setting in that the New York Giants are the Super Bowl champions. It was an upset for the ages. Quite possibly the biggest in the history of the NFL.

New England Patriot haters out there can say all they want about Spygate, or how Bill Belichick and his players have no class. Whatever. They were an unbelievable team this year even without the New York Jets practice tapes.

(I mean, come on. A CFL team coulda beaten the Jets. Ok, well maybe not. But they'd probably cover the spread!)

The fact of the matter is that a better team won the game on Sunday. The Patriots will be back, and hungrier than ever next year. Enjoy this for now, G-Men, and well done.

PGA Golf: Tiger Loves Dubai

Mike Doyon — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 12:04:40 -0500

I would be lying if I told you that I'm getting tired of writing about Tiger Woods and his (worldwide) domination of whatever golf tournament he's playing in.

Truth is, it's absolutely unreal how good of a golfer he is. He's already done so much, with so many more outstanding years ahead of him. He seems to have kicked this season off on the right foot. 2 for 2 in 2K-ocho.

After winning the Buick Invitational, he disappeared like a Batman smoke grenade went off and ended up in Dubai. After a couple half-decent rounds to start the week off (probably because he just flew 6,000 miles), he capped a ridiculous final round off with a beauty roll on 18 for a 7-under 65.

Proving once again that he remains the standard for perfect performance.

But what was Ernie thinkin' trying to reach the lake-guarded green with a 5-wood?!? Not only did he plunk his approach in the water from 240ish, he didn't even come close.

Ho-hum, another W for Tiger. Did you know that he's got 34 European Tour wins, and he barely plays over there.

On top of the Dubai tourney he just won, the only other logical choice for him on the Euro circuit would be the British Open (technically, it's a Euro sanctioned event but also counts towards the USPGA money list). And, he'll probably win that too.

According to his website, Tiger's next event has yet to be confirmed, but he will likely be kickin' ass and takin' names at the Accenture Match Play in Tucson at the end of February.