I Quit!!!

[retro1983hat]

Accoding to the Copley News Service:

 

Thursday, September 22, 2005

 

 

 

Feeling so stressed out that he regularly vomits and feeling unappreciated by Chicago's boo-first fans, White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen says he might quit after the season if his team wins the World Series.

"I've got (championship) rings already and I'm proud of them, but if I win here, if I help the White Sox do this, it will give me a chance to walk away if I want to," an emotional Guillen told me before Wednesday night's 8-0 loss to the Cleveland Indians.

 

"I will think about it. I will think about it twice. The way I'm thinking right now, I will tell (general manager) Kenny Williams to get another manager and I'll get the (bleep) out of here. I'll make more money signing autographs instead of dealing with this (bleep)."

 

I have heard Ozzie say some wild things during his two seasons as Sox skipper, but this one floored me.

 

Here's a 41-year-old, second-year manager who has guided a modestly talented team to the American League's best record, a guy who in just a few weeks could be the first Chicago manager in 88 years to spray championship champagne, a former White Sox All-Star who gets misty-eyed when discussing his love of the organization ... and he is seriously contemplating his grand exit.

 

I wanted to make sure I heard him correctly, so I asked him repeatedly to clarify his comments. And he kept saying the same things, often raising his voice to accentuate certain points.

 

"I'm not kidding, not at all," Guillen said. "I want the fans to be able to say, 'Hey, we finally did it!' I want to make them proud. I want to win the World Series, and then maybe i'm gone. I'll even help Kenny look for someone else.

 

"I don't give a (bleep) about the money; I've got all I need. The thing is, I'm stressed every day.

 

"Do I have the best job in the world? Yes, because I'm managing the team I love. I'm managing my team. But every time we lose, I feel sick. I (vomit) sometimes. I get mad. I throw things in my office. It makes me crazy.

 

"I went to the World Series as a player (with Atlanta) and won one as a coach (with Florida). If I can do it as the manager here, I can say: 'Everything I want to do in baseball, I did it.' Then I'll make my decision."

 

Frankly, I doubt Guillen will have to worry about winning the World Series.

 

Although Wednesday's loss reduced their one-time 15-game AL Central lead over Cleveland to 21/2 games, I still think the Sox will make the playoffs (perhaps only as a wild-card team). I simply don't believe they have enough firepower or pitching to advance beyond the first round.

 

The Indians are so much more talented it's ridiculous. Travis Hafner alone is as good as any three White Sox. Nevertheless, with the division lead dwindling, many fans are taking out their frustrations on Guillen.

 

A half-hour after telling dozens of reporters that he didn't mind being booed at U.S.Cellular Field - even joking about "the 30,000 managers helping me out" - Guillen showed his vulnerable side during our long conversation.

 

"It makes me sad when they boo me," he said. "Sometimes I think they don't appreciate me. They should, because I played my (bleep) off for them and now I'm managing my (bleep) off for them.

 

"You know how many managers are dying for 91 wins right now? And we have that and they don't appreciate that? It makes me wonder what happens if I only have 71 wins, how are they gonna treat me? I mean, they treat me like (bleep) when I'm winning 91.

 

"My kids are here at the ballpark and they ask me later why I'm getting booed. I say it's part of my job, but deep down inside, it hurts. If I was doing a (bleep) job, sure, go ahead and boo me, but I think I'm doing pretty good."

 

So do I. With his boundless energy, confident personality, brutal honesty, zany (and often profane) sense of humor and aggressive style, Guillen convinced a completely retooled team - one many preseason prognosticators predicted would finish in fourth place - to believe it could accomplish anything.

 

The White Sox have blown most of their 15-game lead largely because the starting pitchers have slumped these last seven weeks. Just when it seemed the Sox were ready to choke completely, Guillen led them to a series victory in Minnesota.

 

Then came the first two games of the Cleveland series, in which the Indians kept taking leads and Ozzie's resilient Sox kept battling back. If the White Sox do qualify for postseason play, credit Tuesday's stirring comeback. Guillen's forceful, can-do attitude played a huge role in that triumph - and in the team's other 32 one-run victories.

 

Though it's easy to quibble with in-game decisions, the true measure of any manager is his ability to steer his ship through both smooth and choppy waters. That's why he's often called a "skipper."

 

Ozzie Guillen has been a superb skipper. If White Sox fans don't realize that, they don't deserve him.

 

Mike Nadel is the Chicago sports columnist for Copley News Service. Write to him c/o Journal Star sports, 1 News Plaza, Peoria, IL 61643 or e-mail [email protected].

[southsideirish71]

Accoding to the Copley News Service:

 

Thursday, September 22, 2005

Feeling so stressed out that he regularly vomits and feeling unappreciated by Chicago's boo-first fans, White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen says he might quit after the season if his team wins the World Series.

"I've got (championship) rings already and I'm proud of them, but if I win here, if I help the White Sox do this, it will give me a chance to walk away if I want to," an emotional Guillen told me before Wednesday night's 8-0 loss to the Cleveland Indians.

 

"I will think about it. I will think about it twice. The way I'm thinking right now, I will tell (general manager) Kenny Williams to get another manager and I'll get the (bleep) out of here. I'll make more money signing autographs instead of dealing with this (bleep)."

 

I have heard Ozzie say some wild things during his two seasons as Sox skipper, but this one floored me.

 

Here's a 41-year-old, second-year manager who has guided a modestly talented team to the American League's best record, a guy who in just a few weeks could be the first Chicago manager in 88 years to spray championship champagne, a former White Sox All-Star who gets misty-eyed when discussing his love of the organization ... and he is seriously contemplating his grand exit.

 

I wanted to make sure I heard him correctly, so I asked him repeatedly to clarify his comments. And he kept saying the same things, often raising his voice to accentuate certain points.

 

"I'm not kidding, not at all," Guillen said. "I want the fans to be able to say, 'Hey, we finally did it!' I want to make them proud. I want to win the World Series, and then maybe i'm gone. I'll even help Kenny look for someone else.

 

"I don't give a (bleep) about the money; I've got all I need. The thing is, I'm stressed every day.

 

"Do I have the best job in the world? Yes, because I'm managing the team I love. I'm managing my team. But every time we lose, I feel sick. I (vomit) sometimes. I get mad. I throw things in my office. It makes me crazy.

 

"I went to the World Series as a player (with Atlanta) and won one as a coach (with Florida). If I can do it as the manager here, I can say: 'Everything I want to do in baseball, I did it.' Then I'll make my decision."

 

Frankly, I doubt Guillen will have to worry about winning the World Series.

 

Although Wednesday's loss reduced their one-time 15-game AL Central lead over Cleveland to 21/2 games, I still think the Sox will make the playoffs (perhaps only as a wild-card team). I simply don't believe they have enough firepower or pitching to advance beyond the first round.

 

The Indians are so much more talented it's ridiculous. Travis Hafner alone is as good as any three White Sox. Nevertheless, with the division lead dwindling, many fans are taking out their frustrations on Guillen.

 

A half-hour after telling dozens of reporters that he didn't mind being booed at U.S.Cellular Field - even joking about "the 30,000 managers helping me out" - Guillen showed his vulnerable side during our long conversation.

 

"It makes me sad when they boo me," he said. "Sometimes I think they don't appreciate me. They should, because I played my (bleep) off for them and now I'm managing my (bleep) off for them.

 

"You know how many managers are dying for 91 wins right now? And we have that and they don't appreciate that? It makes me wonder what happens if I only have 71 wins, how are they gonna treat me? I mean, they treat me like (bleep) when I'm winning 91.

 

"My kids are here at the ballpark and they ask me later why I'm getting booed. I say it's part of my job, but deep down inside, it hurts. If I was doing a (bleep) job, sure, go ahead and boo me, but I think I'm doing pretty good."

 

So do I. With his boundless energy, confident personality, brutal honesty, zany (and often profane) sense of humor and aggressive style, Guillen convinced a completely retooled team - one many preseason prognosticators predicted would finish in fourth place - to believe it could accomplish anything.

 

The White Sox have blown most of their 15-game lead largely because the starting pitchers have slumped these last seven weeks. Just when it seemed the Sox were ready to choke completely, Guillen led them to a series victory in Minnesota.

 

Then came the first two games of the Cleveland series, in which the Indians kept taking leads and Ozzie's resilient Sox kept battling back. If the White Sox do qualify for postseason play, credit Tuesday's stirring comeback. Guillen's forceful, can-do attitude played a huge role in that triumph - and in the team's other 32 one-run victories.

 

Though it's easy to quibble with in-game decisions, the true measure of any manager is his ability to steer his ship through both smooth and choppy waters. That's why he's often called a "skipper."

 

Ozzie Guillen has been a superb skipper. If White Sox fans don't realize that, they don't deserve him.

 

Mike Nadel is the Chicago sports columnist for Copley News Service. Write to him c/o Journal Star sports, 1 News Plaza, Peoria, IL 61643 or e-mail [email protected].

 

I am glad he has the stones for the job. f***ing pathetic. I do believe that he made a comment in his press conference that he was hired to eventually be fired. Year 2 into it and his first pennant race and he cant handle it.

Edited September 22, 2005 by southsideirish71

[tonyho7476]

I think this losing is really getting to him...I'm not sure it has to do with the booing...I just bought a Guillen jersey...he'd better not quit. And if we won it all, he'd be a God in this town. He wouldn't go anywhere.

[Steff]

Ummm.. wow.

 

Sad.

 

Wonder if Kenny felt a bit of a sting with that slap..

[The Critic]

Here's my thing - if I boo when he comes out to the mound, I'm most likely booing the pitcher he's bringing in or the pitcher he's taking out, and even then I'm not booing the guy, I'm booing the situation. I NEVER boo when his name is announced at the beginning of the game.

I like Ozzie and I think he'd only get better with experience.

But I really really REALLY hope he retires this offseason......because that would mean the Sox won the whole damn thing!!!

Edited September 22, 2005 by The Critic

[southsider2k5]

We obviously don't need Ozzie since the job is so easy that any message board poster can do it...

[Dick Allen]

2 of the best modern day managers will be available this off season in Piniella and Leyland. If the Sox won the World Series and Ozzie walked away it would be like winning back to back lotteries to me.

[fathom]

I've never wanted the White Sox to win the world series more than I do this very moment.

[IlliniKrush]

We obviously don't need Ozzie since the job is so easy that any message board poster can do it...

 

Timeout.

 

His game managing sucks. How many times have people FIRST guessed him and been right? Too many times for me to count. He's a cheerleader. We can go get another one of those.

 

He wants out? Don't let us stop you.

[alexgtp]

WTF@@

 

I did not know he took things so much to heart.

 

I grew up watching ozzie play.. He was my favorite player.. I went away from the sox for a while thanks to the strikes back in the day.. When I found out ozzie my favorite player would be the manager for my favorite team ..I came back... And he has done alot to turn this team into what they are today.. a 91+ win team!! I beleive 100% in him.. And whenever i am at the game I proudly wear my #13 jersey!!

 

I hope he wins a pennant and comes back to win back to back pennants!!

 

Ozzie..strap it up and hunker down.. !! Cuz this team really needs your leadership!!

Edited September 22, 2005 by alexgtp

[fathom]

If Ozzie has the stones, he might really resign if this team fails to make the playoffs. He's going to be under such criticism, he might just cry himself to sleep on his pillow one night, and wake up and say screw it all. What the Sox do need right now is a manager to stir the ship (hopefully not the Titantic). Quotes by Ozzie like "we stink" or "can we just forfeit vs Santana" show his inexperience.

[Wiredawg1]

WOW! If you guys don't make the playoffs, the team should look no further than that joke of a manager. He has given up on his players, and basically says he's ready to quit. I think the front office should beat him to the punch and fire him after they are eliminated from post season contention. And i'm not saying this to start any arguments, these guys are just flat out of gas. I'm a tribe fan yes, but I know how bad it hurts when you have a great team that can't get it done, (See 95, and 97 World Series') This team should be steam rolling into the playoffs with a 10 game minimum lead. I feel for you guys because i've been there. But the problems with this team unlike most is not with team talent, it's with team leadership.

[Milkman delivers]

Haha, he throws up regularly? What a sissy girl.

 

Joo da manajuh, buddy. You wanted the job and now you cry like a little girl when things go wrong? "Nobody appreciates me, wa wa wa." I thought this guy was supposed to be a hard ass?

[Dick Allen]

When times are tough isn't that the time true leaders shine and not go crying to reporters about being booed even though "he" has 91 wins? Why is it that in his mind he is only responsible for the wins and not this horrible play down the stretch? Pressure makes you show your true colors, and its become apparent Ozzie's aren't pretty. Obviously the job was a lot easier for him last year when he had a team with nothing to play for in September. My advice to him is go manage a little league team in Miami and leave managing in the big leagues to guys who have stones.

[DonkeyKongerko]

WOW! If you guys don't make the playoffs, the team should look no further than that joke of a manager. He has given up on his players, and basically says he's ready to quit. I think the front office should beat him to the punch and fire him after they are eliminated from post season contention. And i'm not saying this to start any arguments, these guys are just flat out of gas. I'm a tribe fan yes, but I know how bad it hurts when you have a great team that can't get it done, (See 95, and 97 World Series') This team should be steam rolling into the playoffs with a 10 game minimum lead. I feel for you guys because i've been there. But the problems with this team unlike most is not with team talent, it's with team leadership.

 

Good post, but I think talent is still a pretty big problem with this team in the offense department. That and we already know that managers can only affect a small percentage of the games their team plays in a given season. It's so much less than in football, basketball and probably hockey too because of the added effect of personnel substitutions, playcalling and clock management.

 

I also don't think Ozzie is a great game manager but how many guys out there really are? Is Jack McKeon a great game manager, he looked like one in 2003 but he was never really considered one before. Is Terry Francona a great game manager? It's hard for me to measure these things but maybe someone can.

 

I agree with the earlier poster who said that Ozzie wouldn't quit if this team won the World Series. It's true, he would become God in this town if they did but all of his "we stink" speeches sure don't help. I never really liked nor disliked Jerry Manuel and I feel the same way about Ozzie Guillen right about now. My emotions remain reserved for the players who seem to be choking this thing away right now.

[Reddy]

When times are tough isn't that the time true leaders shine and not go crying to reporters about being booed even though "he" has 91 wins? Why is it that in his mind he is only responsible for the wins and not this horrible play down the stretch? Pressure makes you show your true colors, and its become apparent Ozzie's aren't pretty. Obviously the job was a lot easier for him last year when he had a team with nothing to play for in September. My advice to him is go manage a little league team in Miami and leave managing in the big leagues to guys who have stones.

 

is it weird that my reaction wasnt a negative one?

 

i dunno, i've always appreciated that ozzie's said EXACTLY what he feels, and i actually kind of like him more after this. He's doing this for the love of the game - not the money. i dunno... and the part about going crazy after a loss, thats a good thing right? lol well all i do know is that i pretty much respect ozzie more after that - though honestly i'm not sure why...

[Milkman delivers]

is it weird that my reaction wasnt a negative one?

 

i dunno, i've always appreciated that ozzie's said EXACTLY what he feels, and i actually kind of like him more after this.  He's doing this for the love of the game - not the money.  i dunno... and the part about going crazy after a loss, thats a good thing right?  lol well all i do know is that i pretty much respect ozzie more after that - though honestly i'm not sure why...

 

Well, he's certainly not doing it for the fans. Didn't you know that the players play for themselves, not the fans?

[Reddy]

Well, he's certainly not doing it for the fans.  Didn't you know that the players play for themselves, not the fans?

 

no s***. a dude doesnt break into baseball BECAUSE he wants to entertain fans. players play for the game or the money or both. yeah i know.

[Wiredawg1]

is it weird that my reaction wasnt a negative one?

 

i dunno, i've always appreciated that ozzie's said EXACTLY what he feels, and i actually kind of like him more after this.  He's doing this for the love of the game - not the money.  i dunno... and the part about going crazy after a loss, thats a good thing right?  lol well all i do know is that i pretty much respect ozzie more after that - though honestly i'm not sure why...

 

I think it was maybe Confucious that said. " Better to be silent and thought of as a fool, than to open ones mouth and remove all doubt" Not sure but that may apply to Ozzie. I respect the guy for speaking his mind, but he ought to be doing it the clubhouse as motivational talk rather than de-moralizing his players in front of cameras. JMHO.

[knightni]

We obviously don't need Ozzie since the job is so easy that any message board poster can do it...

^^^^^^^^

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh.

 

 

That was sarcasm?

 

 

[Lefty Of Love]

no s***.  a dude doesnt break into baseball BECAUSE he wants to entertain fans.  players play for the game or the money or both.  yeah i know.

 

I remember Jack McDowell made mention when he was filling in for the Hawk earlier in the season that this upcoming crop of managers will be the best in the game's history precisely because they don't need the money that comes with being part of pro sports. They are doing it for the love of the game. I thought it was an interesteing point then - Ozzie clearly isn't in it for the money that is for sure.

[Soxy]

We obviously don't need Ozzie since the job is so easy that any message board poster can do it...

Thank you.

[Kid Gleason]

is it weird that my reaction wasnt a negative one?

 

i dunno, i've always appreciated that ozzie's said EXACTLY what he feels, and i actually kind of like him more after this.  He's doing this for the love of the game - not the money.  i dunno... and the part about going crazy after a loss, thats a good thing right?  lol well all i do know is that i pretty much respect ozzie more after that - though honestly i'm not sure why...

 

I agree 100% with you. I think quite a few people here are missing what he was saying. I took from it that he is basically right there with all of us. He feels the same as we do right now. I also think he is saying that he plans to quit more or less because he will have achieved everything there is to achieve. I lay money on it there is a TON of stress in his job. Just think how you feel sitting on your couch watching the games. Now put yourself in the game, not playing it anymore, but trying to call the shots. I'm sure it is hell on the nerves. I coached my daughters softball team. Second graders. I almost died every day it felt like.

 

Ozzie is all White Sox. He is almost (ALMOST) as much a part of this franchise history as Frank is. Surely as much as Baines is. Here he is offering up a winning record and an amazing season. They are falling hard now, and not all of it is his fault. Who knew that Burhle would beging to fall apart? Hernandez would be a bust? Garland would shine at the beginning, and then fail to reach the 20 games we all thought he would have LONG ago? It isn't all his fault, but as with this job, we all treat it as such. But this time, he is being booed while being in 1st place still. While still holding the best record in the AL.

 

Jordan quit while he was ahead...twice. He accomplished all he could, and didn't feel he could go further. I understand completely why Ozzie would leave after a Series win possibly. We haven't proved to be the most "caring" fans of our team. Yes, we have all been fans for years and have waited for a win for years. But it takes very little for us to start to eat our own. Maybe if we sat back, let them do their jobs and tried to support them to their faces when we could. Am I the only one who has noticed that Marte keeps getting up to warm up, but has yet to enter a game? Ozzie is paying attention, but when your entire pitching staff is falling apart, you don't have too many choices. I seem to remember Cotts did NOT fair too well the other night. Nobody is rising to the challenge, aside from MAYBE AJ. I'm not blaming Ozzie, I blame the players. I don't think Ozzie is telling them to swing for the fences, since he never did. I just think they are getting desperate and pissed.

 

Rambled a bit there. Sorry.

[Steff]

We obviously don't need Ozzie since the job is so easy that any message board poster can do it...

 

 

 

I don't quite understand what the sarcasm has to do with his disparaging comments..

 

Or maybe I've just missed the normal bulls*** around here lately where some posters do nothing but b**** and moan about how they KNOW what Ozzie should be doing..

[southsider2k5]

I don't quite understand what the sarcasm has to do with his disparaging comments..

 

Or maybe I've just missed the normal bulls*** around here lately where some posters do nothing but b**** and moan about how they KNOW what Ozzie should be doing..   

 

B.