Mike Toth: Why Am I The Only Person Who Realises That Doc Halladay Is A Terrible Person?

by hugo on May 13, 2009 3:44 PM EDT in Analysis Comment 38 comments

I know everyone's riding high from last night's big win, and I usually try to let terrible "journalism" slide but I just couldn't let this one go, though not for lack of trying.

Mike Toth penned this ridiculous screed on Sportsnet:

Halladay is famous for his ferocious fitness regime and incredible focus as he prepares for his starts. His approach is no different than the solitary-style programs followed by pitchers of the past, such as Steve Carlton and Roger Clemens. But while Lefty and The Rocket were considered selfish boors who put their own needs in front of the team, Doc is celebrated for dancing to his own drummer because, well, he's a "nice guy".

Mike, working out a lot did not make Roger Clemens a jerk. Being a jerk made Roger Clemens a jerk. Doc is, by all accounts, not a jerk, a conclusion with which even you seem to agree. So how does working out a lot make him one? Oh, and by the way, I don't know who told you that Doc's workout regimen was solitary, but practically every Jays' pitcher has worked out beside him and followed his regimen at some point! Wait, there's more:

He refused to pitch at the World Baseball Classic in Toronto last March, even though his participation would have been a huge help in promoting baseball in the city. But rather than rip Doc for his decision, the media quickly came to his defence by claiming the WBC would ruin Roy's spring training routine.
Give me a break.

I'm trying to think of something else that would be a huge help to promoting baseball in Toronto. What could it be?

The fact is, Halladay has never come close to pitching in a playoff game and the incredible atmosphere during the Canada-USA tilt at the WBC would seem to be a much better preparation exercise than facing the Pirates on a Tuesday down in Dunedin.

So when (you know it!) Doc pitches a playoff game for the Jays, if he doesn't do as well as we would like, it will be because he didn't pitch in the WBC? Ok, just checking, good to know. Back to Toth:

Halladay is also well-known for talking to the media only when he sees fit and heading into his much-anticipated showdown with former Jays teammate A.J. Burnett, Doc decided to keep his thoughts to himself. During his Hall of Fame career, Carlton never talked to reporters and Clemens had a pick-and-choose media relations method. But while Carlton and Clemens were crucified for clamming up, Halladay once again seems to be above reproach.

He "keeps his thoughts to himself." What a jerk. I know it's hard to imagine in this day and age, what with everyone sharing their every whim with the world, but it used to be a compliment for a man (or a woman) to keep his/her thoughts to him/herself and go about his business (ugh! the English language's lack of a gender-neutral pronoun really killed that sentence). I like that about Doc. Back to you, scrivener Toth:

My buddy Jamie Campbell,

No comment.

But nice guy or not, it's a joke that Halladay wasn't willing to burst his Zen-like bubble to share a few words on the network that carries the Jays games. People at home, who pay Halladay's huge salary, deserve a lot more than that.

Really? Because as one of those people at home, I would prefer that Doc do what he needs to do in order to keep pitching like the best pitcher in baseball, even if that doesn't include doing interviews with Jamie Campbell or being an attention lady of the night a la Curt Schilling.

One might speculate that Halladay's work with sick children etc. is a more significant show of goodwill and humanity, not to mention more important to the people of Toronto, than a pregame interview.

I would also note that Doc did talk right after the game, and I also recall an interview with Doc's wife where she says that even she doesn't talk to Doc on days where he pitches, so one can hardly be surprised by his reluctance to talk to the media before games. There's no doubt that Doc is a different breed, but that doesn't make him selfish. This is just pseudo-edgy, contrarian-for-the-sake-of-being-contrarian, weapons-grade nonsense.

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What a friggin Jackass.

I want Doc to do 1 thing. WIN BASEBALL GAMES.
These talking heads in Toronto should shut the hell up and go back to focusing on covering hockey 24/7. Now they have no more Canadian teams in the NHL playoffs to talk about ad nauseum, they decide to cover the Jays…and THIS is the story that needs telling???? No wonder people in Toronto don’t show up for games, media spoon feeds them that the Jays are going to suck and when they start hot instead of covering the feel good stories (Cito, Hill, Lind etc etc etc) they call arguably the best Jay ever a Jerk and comare him to a roided old piece of shit like Clemons?

Shut up Mike Toth

Happiness is a long walk with a putter in your hand.

by craig in calgary on May 13, 2009 3:51 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

brilliant use

of the Clemens exception to the B^3 rules of use!

"Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our closed rooms... The game of ball is glorious." - Walt Whitman

by hugo on May 13, 2009 4:04 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

And another thing

One might speculate that Halladay’s work with sick children etc. is a more significant show of goodwill and humanity, not to mention more important to the people of Toronto, than a pregame interview.

With all the Jackasses in the league right now, we have a legitimate good person who does good for good sake, not the media attention, and Toth feels the need to demonize him? Mike probably asked him for an interview when Roy was focusing on the game and decided to make a story like this piece of garbage.

Happiness is a long walk with a putter in your hand.

by craig in calgary on May 13, 2009 4:02 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Mike Toth IS THE BIGGEST ARSE ....

(A) at Sportsnet
(B) in Toronto
© in Southern Ontario
(D) in Canada
(E) in the world
(F) in the milky way …

you choose …

Hey, F.U. Mike.
We got ur back Roy.

by aagoodfella on May 13, 2009 4:15 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Disgusting.

Also, did anyone go to the taping of The Hour with Damon? I asked a few of my baseball fan buddies to go with me but they were all busy…

by boo15749 on May 13, 2009 4:17 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Wow

and I thought our baseball writers were morons.

by theBrouhaha on May 13, 2009 4:18 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

The thing with most sportswriters

If a sport – any sport – is in season, their brains stop working

by mathesond on May 13, 2009 4:34 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

if their brains ever worked to begin with! It doesn’t exactly take a genius to be a sportswriter…

by masterkembo on May 13, 2009 4:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Reminds me of one of my favourite quotations of all time

“Rock journalism is people who can’t write interviewing people who can’t talk for people who can’t read” —Frank Zappa

I always thought that applied very well to sportswriting as well. Present company excluded, of course.

by SuckaMD on May 13, 2009 4:48 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

of course...

by Tom Dakers on May 13, 2009 11:06 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Concur – as long as Doc wins games and doesn’t turn into a cancer in the clubhouse, I don’t care that he doesn’t talk to the media – or anyone else for that matter. We pay him to win, not to be sociable.

As a caveat, Hugo, you can use “their” in the required context for a gender-neutral pronoun.

by Blue and White Expat on May 13, 2009 5:10 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

you can use 'their' there

but it would not be correct

"Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our closed rooms... The game of ball is glorious." - Walt Whitman

by hugo on May 13, 2009 5:26 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Didn't know

“their” was used to signify gender-neutrality. I’d figure the grammar police would be out, otherwise.

AWmusic - mp3 blog on independent music..

by achengy on May 13, 2009 5:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

it isn't

it’s plural. but since English doesn’t have a gender-neutral pronoun, it’s been adapted into one.

by boo15749 on May 13, 2009 5:39 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hmm

Didn’t know that. Thanks.

AWmusic - mp3 blog on independent music..

by achengy on May 13, 2009 5:56 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hugo could have used

their thought to themselves. BTW, their is not plural, it is the possessive case of “they”. And Websters lists “their” as a pronoun and it is gender neutral.

Really great article. Hugo, I mean, not that dipstick.

"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe." — Albert Einstein

by No Bunting on May 13, 2009 9:56 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

that would have been the way to do it

on the other hand, I used the opportunity to demonstrate the need for a gender-neutral singular pronoun, so on the whole a good thing for the English language, haha

"Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our closed rooms... The game of ball is glorious." - Walt Whitman

by hugo on May 14, 2009 6:46 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Their actually is proper English for a gender-neutral singular pronoun. It fell out of frequent use a couple centuries ago or so when the British parliament passed an act requiring them to use “his” instead of “they.”

by handknit on May 17, 2009 9:27 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

how about “hir” we use it in class all the time. you can wiki it…

by MP22 on Jun 3, 2009 12:26 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

That is just unbelievable.....

by Tom Dakers on May 13, 2009 5:16 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Couldn't have said it better myself

We finally have somebody who does good work in the community, is a nice guy with an incredible work ethic, is incredibly loyal, and wins tons and tons of ballgames. And now we’ve got some renegade journalist slamming him because he doesn’t whore himself to the media? Gimme a break. Well written.

by Ryan H on May 13, 2009 5:17 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Personal Accounts

I have not met Doc but I’m friends with a few autograph hounds.

They’ve told me that Doc likes to stay under the radar. He’s a big guy so you probably won’t find him hanging out in the city ala A-rod. I’ve heard he’s a nice guy but definitely not as open as someone like AJ Burnett.

Just because he doesn’t pitch in the WBC (I’m thankful he didn’t) and doesn’t talk to the media – doesn’t mean a thing. Sometimes the media try to paint a picture because they can’t get things out of people.

Doesn’t Mike Toth cover hockey mostly? Jeez.

Besides that fact, guys don’t need to be friendly to be good ball players (friendly is a relative term as well, I doubt their media interactions have anything to do with how their teammates react). I don’t think any player has said anything bad about Doc.

AWmusic - mp3 blog on independent music..

by achengy on May 13, 2009 5:26 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I am still fuming ...

Geez, what a foolish editorial. Roy has worked his tail off to reach the very peak of his profession. He is one of, if not the best pitcher in MLB. Last night, he brought his absolute best game to the park in a showcase matchup against the Yanks. And what does Mike Toth do … complains about some rinky dinky peripheral stuff?! What a low life. Show some respect for professional excellence, dude. I mean, how much thought did you give to your editorial before publishing it. Clearly, not a lot. Frankly, I think you owe Roy a published written apology for such a lame editorial.

Remember, these players are pro athletes first and celebrities second. Maybe they are not comfortable with having the limelight thrust upon them in the exercise of their duties so give them a break. Not all of us are suited to light up before the camera. But on the pitching mound, where it counts most, Roy lights up just fine … and Jays fans our thankful, and so should you.

Like I said Mike … written public published apology. Man up.

by aagoodfella on May 13, 2009 6:04 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Mike Toth is an idiot

Just another example of his lack of talent that he has to trash Roy Halladay to get some limelight.

He thinks he is a great Sportscaster, however throwing together bad attempts at humor every 2 seconds on any highlight is not how it is done.

I literally change the channel every time he appears. Rogers needs to wake up and get rid of this no talent Hack

by BlisterBlister on May 13, 2009 6:19 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

stupid media personalities ruin the game for fans

First off, thank you for the well written piece.

I’ve always been of the opinion that the stupid antics of media personalities are actually a detriment to sport. They put an immense amount of pressure on athletes by making much ado about nothing. NHL players know about the media scrutiny that comes with playing for Toronto and a lot of them has voiced these concerns in trade talks. It’s no wonder that the fandom of Leafs Nation has been devastated year after year when we can’t get solid players of good character playing for Toronto. If these media personalities think they’re above the players that play for Toronto, then they need to go.

Case in point, I am an avid basketball fan too, and I recall an instance this season where Chris Bosh was mired in some personal issues that was extensively exaggerated in the media. It makes me wonder if he’s actually going to resign in 2010 after this. Athletes aren’t like Hollywood stars, they don’t want attention when they don’t need it. They just want to play and show their love of the respective games they play. So if they happen to be good people, that’s a bonus because kids growing up and playing the game could have role models. Talking to media all the time does not a good athlete make. Playing well, caring for children, being loyal to the city and being a role model to fans and players alike does make Doc the best athlete to have played for Toronto. So please, Mike Toth, a little respect.

The blog that Mike Toth wrote does nothing to “improve the game in Toronto” and is base and pointless. Fans in Toronto don’t want to make a media darling out of every star player we have. If anything, we respect the man more for focussing on his game and working hard to make us proud every time he steps on the mound instead of wasting time talking to detractors like Mike Toth.

Apologize now for this detritus like piece of journalism and allow our beloved players to continue in their success without silly distractions please.

by Bballtoms on May 13, 2009 6:20 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I'm still scratching my head over this one . . .

Working out makes Roy Halladay selfish?

Also, how exactly is pitching in the WBC six or seven months before any possible playoff appearance “preparation” for pitching in the playoffs? Wouldn’t, you know, the rest of his entire career (and particularly that season) be enough preparation?

And wouldn’t the best example of being selfish have to do with a player’s salary demands? I do not think I’ve ever heard Doc complain about his salary (granted, it would sound ridiculous to complain about getting $13 M/yr, but he is the 12th highest paid pitcher in MLB . . . check out Cot’s Baseball Contracts “http://mlbcontracts.blogspot.com/2000/05/most-lucrative-contracts.html” to see other guys making $13 M, they’re not nearly as good).

From what I remember, Steve Carlton was traded due to signability issues. Roger Clemens has obviously made outlandish salary demands throughout his career ($28 M in 2007!!!!)

"The NY Mets are my favorite squadron" -- Apu Nahasapeemapetilon

by jessef on May 13, 2009 6:27 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Wow

this is probably the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard. No wonder I don’t listen to Mike and Mike or Primetime Sports when he’s on. It doesn’t take much experience listening to this moron to know he’s a dolt who knows nothing about sports other than hockey.

by T.Dot_Bronco on May 13, 2009 6:51 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

When you’ve fallen behind Jason Portuondo and Don Taylor on the Connected depth chart I guess you start losing you mind a little bit. It’s laughable an editor would even print that garbage. Maybe he was on meth when he wrote it.

We WILL see a parade down Yonge Street one day soon...and I WILL be very drunk.

by snaptoit on May 13, 2009 10:42 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Mike Toth is a freaking moronic a-hole.

Period. Full stop. End of story.

Meanwhile, Doc is all kinds of awesome.

by stucky on May 13, 2009 11:05 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Can't argue with a word of that.

by Tom Dakers on May 13, 2009 11:08 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

pronoun

‘one’

for example; “one cannot argue that Mike Toth is a massive douche.”

“it used to be a compliment for a man (or a woman) to keep his/her thoughts to him/herself and go about his business”

You could have said:
It used to be a compliment for one to keep one’s(or their) thoughts to oneself (or themself) and go about one’s (or their) business.

by ohmybosh on May 14, 2009 10:47 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

it's true

one does fit the bill nicely (though it would still not be correct to use ‘their’ if you used ‘one’, as ‘their’ is the possessive plural case and one is singular) but it reads a little stuffy.

"Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our closed rooms... The game of ball is glorious." - Walt Whitman

by hugo on May 14, 2009 10:52 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

You are such a lawyer...

but in a good way.

BTW, you are likely the third strangest lawyer I have ever known (and meant in the most complimentary way)

"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe." — Albert Einstein

by No Bunting on May 15, 2009 2:02 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

haha

that can be nothing but a compliment. Like when people meet me and tell me I don’t look like a lawyer – I mean, there’s just no bad way to take that.

"Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our closed rooms... The game of ball is glorious." - Walt Whitman

by hugo on May 15, 2009 5:54 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

well....unless they mean you look like a homeless person....

but I’m relatively sure that wouldn’t be what they meant…..

by Tom Dakers on May 15, 2009 9:00 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

ID rather he not talk to the media!

TBH most people that spend time talking to the media about their team end up fumbling and saying something about another player, manager, coach etc and causes some kinda behind the scenes drama. I dont wanna see anyone turn into a Manny or Terrel Owens on the Jays so if Doc is in an interview it better be about being happy he just got a win or how good the team is doing anything negative just makes things worse!!

by Sinner on May 14, 2009 12:28 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

consider the source

I wish Toth would keep his thoughts to himself, if you can call them thoughts.

Shy people are often misperceived to be unfriendly. Especially by shallow talking heads.

by giraffes on May 14, 2009 1:57 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

The correct pronoun...

for gender neutral situations is he.

E.g. A doctor is a busy person. He needs to be well organized.

Obviously, I’m not implying that all doctors are male. However, if you think your readership is not intelligent enough to understand that you’re using it in a gender neutral context, then you should stick with “he or she” (He/she).

You should never use “their”. For one thing, it’s not singular. For another, purposefully making a grammatical mistake in an attempt to be politically correct is ridiculous.

by Theodles on May 15, 2009 10:56 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs