So Long, Ozzie. In The End, It Was About You
There's so many places to go with the Ozzie Guillen leaving the White Sox. Is it good? Is it bad? Blame The Chairman? Blame Kenny? But there are some truths in this situation that are self-evident and some that I warned you about a couple of weeks ago. First, Sox fans owe Ozzie a debt of gratitude for making the team relevant again. Sometimes, it was for the wrong reasons, but at least Chicago and the US were aware the last eight years that Chicago actually had a second baseball team. Ozzie's departure is going to lower the Sox national profile a bit and perhaps the local as well. Maybe, that's okay.
On to Ozzie. I was the Program Director of a sports station in Milwaukee. My contract was coming up for renewal. Our station had not been successful. There was friction between the general manger and myself. Did, at any time, I think that I was going to get a big raise to come back for another year or get my contract extended? No. And, three months before the end of my contract, I was fired. Because the bottom line is results and if you don't get them, you don't keep your job.
And that's what it came down to with Ozzie Guillen. He wanted more money. He wanted an extension. But he hadn't been to the playoffs in three years. He was six years removed from a world's championship. And when he went to his bosses and asked them for more time and more money, it was clearly a case of "what have you done for us lately?"
To ask for more time and money with no leverage indicates you are either a fool or have bowling ball sized chaones. With Ozzie, it's certainly the latter. His golden parachute will be a fat new contract with the Florida Marlins where he will soon find the fans and the ownership there are not exactly Chicago. Ozzie's the grass is greener scenario will end in disaster sooner rather than later, but that's a different story for a different day. For now, the story is how he put his needs ahead of the team.
Ozzie always said his players and the organization came first. Yet, Ozzie was always out to take care of number one. This whole contract dispute during a year where the Sox clearly underachieved was not only a distraction, it was outrageous. Ozzie asking to be released from his deal is akin to quitting on his team and not wanting to come back next year and fix what is clearly broken, Ozzie said he's not a quitter, but the record will show otherwise. I am not the only person who thinks that way.
So, as we waive goodbye to Ozzie Guillen, we wish him well. And we remember the phrase our parents drilled into our heads that no one is bigger than the team. Not even a beloved figure who won a championship. Because in the end, when you think you are bigger than the team, you will be humbled. Mike Ditka learned that in 1991. Ozzie Guillen learned it yesterday.
Posted by Chip Ramsey at 9/27/2011 8:25 AM 
Categories: Chicago White Sox, Ozzie Guillen, Baseball
Tags: Kenny Williams The Chairman Our Hero and Role Model
Categories: Chicago White Sox, Ozzie Guillen, Baseball
Tags: Kenny Williams The Chairman Our Hero and Role Model
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