I have always been a staunch supporter/defender of Chicago White Sox Manager Ozzie Guillen.  Ozzie is a good manager, one of the better ones the Sox have had over the years, and one of the better managers in the majors right now.  But, in looking ahead, 2005 was five seasons ago and the reality is since that time, the Sox have won the AL Central only once.

It's not because the roster has been short on talent.  Sure, there have been a couple seasons, including this one, where the the injuries have taken their toll and the lack of depth in the White Sox organization sticks out like a sore thumb.  You can't pin that on Ozzie.  But there are several things that you can.

The first is the fact that every year this team gets off to a slow start.  Usually, April and May are write offs while the big bats get warmed up.  This year is a great example.  Paul Konerko and Alex Rios were the only guys who hit early.  Everyone else struggled.  This has been a problem over the years. Every single April and May, the post game show on the Score is overflowing with "experts" demanding the head of hitting coach Greg Walker.  By July, Walker is a hero.  Imagine how things would be if the Sox got off to a solid start instead of having to play catch up all season.

Another problem is the month of August, where Ozzie's teams have losing records.  I saw the numbers somewhere once, but it seems like the Sox just disintegrate in August.  I don't know if it's the pitchers having pitched too much, the hitters being older or what, but it seems that August is always a bad month for the Sox under Ozzie.  This needs to change.

Finally, the record in the division is a BIG problem.  You can't win titles when you can't beat teams in your own division.  Getting pistol whipped by Kansas City and Cleveland is unacceptable.  Getting beaten like a rented mule by the Twinkies is unacceptable.  If it wasn't for the Tigers, the Sox would have very few wins in their division and even the Tigers won six of the last seven against the Sox.  This needs to change immediately.

With that said, Ozzie is rattling his saber for an extension.  His current contract vests automatically in 2012 if he wins the division next year, so I say let him win the division next year if he wants to come back in 2012.  This is painful for me, I am an Ozzie fan, but it's time to walk the walk.  Win or manage the Marlins.  You make the call.  Beat the Twinkies and we'll talk about 2012 and beyond.

Bill Curry had a winning record as the Head Coach at Alabama.  But because he was 0-3 against arch rival Auburn, they fired him.  Sure, he was 26-10 at Bama, but three of those losses came against a team Alabama had to beat.  Curry couldn't find a way, so he was let go. Alabama takes its' football program seriously.  It's time White Sox fans took their team seriously.  This "we're just happy to be here" mentality may work for the team on the other side of town, but we've been promised to expect better.  Maybe we need to demand it.

This isn't about Ozzie vs.Kenny or all of the strange and controversial things Ozzie says.  I could care less about that.  That's fodder for the print guys and the wagging tongues on ESPN and the Score.  I'm interested in one thing and one thing only: Winning.  Make it so, Ozzie.  Or make it somewhere else.