MLB: Ozzie Guillen at it again

[DeToxRox]

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2494491



On Tuesday to reporters, White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen referred to Chicago Sun-Times columnist and Around the Horn contributor Jay Mariotti as a derogatory name for a homosexual.

Angry with a recent column by Mariotti critical of Guillen's handling of recently demoted relief pitcher Sean Tracey and upset with Mariotti with columns of the past, Guillen said to reporters when referring to Mariotti before Tuesday's game with the Cardinals, "What a piece of [expletive] he is, [expletive] fag."

"I don't have anything against those people. In my country, you call someone something like that and it is not the same as it is in this country."
Ozzie Guillen

Mariotti, commenting on Around The Horn on Wednesday, believes a suspension is in order for Guillen.

Commissioner's office spokesman Rich Levin said that Bud Selig learned of Guillen's remarks Wednesday afternoon.

"All I'm going to say at this point is that we're going to look into it," Levin told ESPN.com. He declined further comment.

Columnist Greg Couch of the Sun-Times wrote a column Wednesday in response, calling for commissioner Bud Selig to suspend Guillen for his use of a "hurtful homophobic" term.

Before writing the column, Couch asked Guillen for an explanation. Guillen defended his use of the term "fag" by saying this about homosexuals and the use of the word in question: "I don't have anything against those people. In my country, you call someone something like that and it is not the same as it is in this country.''

Guillen said that in his native Venezuela, that word is not a reference to a person's sexuality, but to his courage. He said he was saying that Mariotti is "not man enough to meet me and talk about [things before writing].''

Guillen also told Couch that he has gay friends, attends WNBA games, went to a Madonna concert and plans to go to the Gay Games in Chicago.

"I called that of this man [Mariotti],'' he told Couch. "I'm not trying to hurt anybody [else]."

Scott Reifert, the White Sox's vice president of communications, offered to apologize on behalf of the organization when approached by Couch.

"To anybody who was insulted or hurt by that comment ... as an organization, we'll certainly apologize," Reifert told Couch.

[Passacaglia]

Attends WNBA games...nice.

And I like how being compared to Mariotti offends gays.

[DeToxRox]

Originally Posted by DeToxRoxDVHStyle

Guillen also told Couch that he has gay friends, attends WNBA games, went to a Madonna concert and plans to go to the Gay Games in Chicago.

For some reason, that makes me laugh incredibly hard.

[terpkristin]

Originally Posted by DeToxRoxDVHStyle

...Angry with a recent column by Mariotti critical of Guillen's handling of recently demoted relief pitcher Sean Tracey and upset with Mariotti with columns of the past, Guillen said to reporters when referring to Mariotti before Tuesday's game with the Cardinals, "What a piece of [expletive] he is, [expletive] fag."

"I don't have anything against those people. In my country, you call someone something like that and it is not the same as it is in this country."
Ozzie Guillen

Mariotti, commenting on Around The Horn on Wednesday, believes a suspension is in order for Guillen.

Commissioner's office spokesman Rich Levin said that Bud Selig learned of Guillen's remarks Wednesday afternoon.

...Before writing the column, Couch asked Guillen for an explanation. Guillen defended his use of the term "fag" by saying this about homosexuals and the use of the word in question: "I don't have anything against those people. In my country, you call someone something like that and it is not the same as it is in this country.''

Guillen said that in his native Venezuela, that word is not a reference to a person's sexuality, but to his courage. He said he was saying that Mariotti is "not man enough to meet me and talk about [things before writing].''

Guillen also told Couch that he has gay friends, attends WNBA games, went to a Madonna concert and plans to go to the Gay Games in Chicago.

"I called that of this man [Mariotti],'' he told Couch. "I'm not trying to hurt anybody [else]."

Scott Reifert, the White Sox's vice president of communications, offered to apologize on behalf of the organization when approached by Couch.

"To anybody who was insulted or hurt by that comment ... as an organization, we'll certainly apologize," Reifert told Couch.

Put me in the camp that thinks he should be suspended. This is absolutely inexcusable, it is as bad as any racial slur that could've slipped out of his mouth. Baseball has enough problems without a jerk of a coach being given free reign to say whatever he feels like, even if it's inappropriate.

As for the, "In Venezuela, this means something different," that's also a load that shouldn't enter into the equation. He's lived stateside for over 20 years, he knows the connotations here as well.

And what is up with lumping gays into "Madonna concerts" and "WNBA games." Ok, MAYBE there is a higher incidence of gay/lesbian WNBA fans than there is of straight fans, I don't know, but Madonna concerts?

Fine him, suspend him, and let it be known that ANY type of slur like this will not be tolerated.

/tk

[miami_fan]

Just Ozzie being Ozzie.

You know I am really beginning to like this excuse.

Ozzie being Ozzie
Dusty being Dusty
Marge (as in Schott) being Marge

[rexallllsc]

You know, I hate homophobes - but this doesn't bother me much.

[terpkristin]

Oh yeah.
I can't stand Mariotti, but that still doesn't excuse what Ozzie said.

/tk

[Franklinnoble]

Originally Posted by terpkristin

And what is up with lumping gays into "Madonna concerts" and "WNBA games." Ok, MAYBE there is a higher incidence of gay/lesbian WNBA fans than there is of straight fans, I don't know, but Madonna concerts?

It's an overwhelmingly well-deserved stereotype. In fact, I would consider it an axiom.

[cartman]

Maybe he was actually using the British term, and calling him a cigarette?

// not likely

[TroyF]

Originally Posted by rexallllsc

You know, I hate homophobes - but this doesn't bother me much.

Me neither. But his justifications for it "it doesn't mean the same thing in my country" and "I attend WNBA games and Madonna concerts" are ridiculous stereotypes as well.

He acts as though he has a right to say what he said simpy because he supports events he considers to be mainly gay.

Ozzie is well on his way to becoming the John Rocker of managers. The self destruction has already begun and it's just going to get worse because everytime he feels he's been "attacked" his response to to get pissy and start retaliating in any way he can.

Managers/coaches who operate like that have very short shelf lives.

[Franklinnoble]

Originally Posted by TroyF

Me neither. But his justifications for it "it doesn't mean the same thing in my country" and "I attend WNBA games and Madonna concerts" are ridiculous stereotypes as well.

He acts as though he has a right to say what he said simpy because he supports events he considers to be mainly gay.

Ozzie is well on his way to becoming the John Rocker of managers. The self destruction has already begun and it's just going to get worse because everytime he feels he's been "attacked" his response to to get pissy and start retaliating in any way he can.

Managers/coaches who operate like that have very short shelf lives.

Yeah, but he won a World Series for the White Sox, so he's untouchable.

Right?

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by TroyF

Managers/coaches who operate like that have very short shelf lives.

But those who have the 2nd best record in baseball have much longer shelf lives than those who don't.

[Desmond]

I can't believe all the feelings he's hurt. How reckless a man this Mr. Guillen is.

[Joe]

eh... Moronotti is an idiot so who cares

[TroyF]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

But those who have the 2nd best record in baseball have much longer shelf lives than those who don't.

No doubt about it. . . but every manager hits a bad patch. If he continues to self destruct, it'll take a much smaller bad patch to ruin him than if he'd learn to keep his mouth shut.

I'm not saying he'll go down in flames this year at any point. But long term? I just can't see him sticking around acting like this.

[ISiddiqui]

If Schott can be suspended multiple times for boneheaded things she has said, Guillen can as well.

[TroyF]

Originally Posted by Desmond

I can't believe all the feelings he's hurt. How reckless a man this Mr. Guillen is.

I hate PC and everything about it. It's ridiculous people get so up in arms about a lot of things.

Yet it'd be foolish to think that someone can say anything they want in the public spotlight without dealing with the reaction. In this society, you can't say the thing Ozzie said and not face punishment. It just doesn't happen.

I remember when Rocker's comments first came out and Mazzoni made the comment that "he's going to flame out, you can't act like that"

Rocker never really recovered from the fallout of his single SI article. Ryan Leaf never really recovered from his single locker room blowup. (both of those guys had other issues going on, but the media scrutiny helped ruin them both)

Guillen isn't a player, so he doesn't have to worry about his performence slipping. But he does have a managerial future to consider. Odds are the White Sox aren't winning the next 5 World Series. Eventually he's going to have an off year. And the media is going to crucify him when that happens. He's damaging his long term future by making these comments. Is calling someone a "$#@" really worth the penalty he's going to receive for it? He just needs to shut his trap at this point.

[Subby]

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by Subby

LOL! Nice!

[Franklinnoble]

Originally Posted by Subby

You are the wind beneath my wings.

[Schmidty]

He's just a straight up turd. Period.

I don't care if he "lead" (ha!) the team to a WS, he's an embarrassment to the league and the White Sox organization.

[dawgfan]

Originally Posted by rexallllsc

You know, I hate homophobes - but this doesn't bother me much.

Maybe we should start referring to people who make idiotic statements as "Venezuelan". I'm not trying to offend Venezuelans by using this term - heck, I have friends that are Venezuelan and I go to MLB games - I'm just calling it like I see it. Just because I refer to someone who's an idiot as a "Venezuelan" doesn't mean that Venezuelans should be upset by this, right?

[ThunderingHERD]

Who cares what this dumb spic* thinks?

*I mean no offense to hispanics, my housekeeper is a venezualan, or something like that. Plus I love Taco Bell and plan on eating there sometime in the near future.

[Buccaneer]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

If Schott can be suspended multiple times for boneheaded things she has said, Guillen can as well.

Isn't Ozzie in a protect class and the cranky white Schott was just a pile of crap?

[yabanci]

.

[Anthony]

what ever happened to freedom of speech. if someone wants to call someone else a fag why can't we?

Quiksand and Bucc are fags.

see, it's easy.

[TroyF]

Originally Posted by Buccaneer

Isn't Ozzie in a protect class and the cranky white Schott was just a pile of crap?

Bingo.

[Axxon]

Originally Posted by ThunderingHERD

Who cares what this dumb spic* thinks?

*I mean no offense to hispanics, my housekeeper is a venezualan, or something like that. Plus I love Taco Bell and plan on eating there sometime in the near future.

You know, I'm a spick and I'm not the least bit offended by this. I'm really not offended by anyone's words though. I can understand other people being offended though and that's why I would never talk like this. It's a personal choice. Well, that and I really don't think that way unless I'm trying to find humor or humor finds me. It's not part of my thinking process though in the main. I'm the guy that was told that I was insensitive to homosexuals by a homosexual because I failed to note that a third person was homosexual. I still can't figure that one out. A persons sexual orientation is so insignificant to my thought processes and my ability to ascertain orientation is so pathetic that I just wouldn't presume to make such a leap.

I wish people had thicker skins for words and thinner skins for, oh, I don't know, things like violence and poverty and homelessness and the like but that's a pipe dream.

[kcchief19]

Tick ... tick .... tick .... I'm telling you, it's just a matter of time. Guillen is too crazy not to eventually implode. This team is succeeding despite Ozzie, not because of him.

[KWhit]

Originally Posted by Buccaneer

Isn't Ozzie in a protect class and the cranky white Schott was just a pile of crap?

Yep. That's the crux of it.

[bulletsponge]

isnt going to WNBA games and madona concerts punishment enough for ozzie?

[Drake]

Originally Posted by Axxon

I wish people had thicker skins for words and thinner skins for, oh, I don't know, things like violence and poverty and homelessness and the like but that's a pipe dream.

Word.

[Axxon]

Originally Posted by KWhit

Yep. That's the crux of it.

Marge Schott sorta was a real life example of Godwin's Law so I'm really thinking this example is out in left field.

Better examples are Howard Cosell, Jimmy the Greek and Al Campanis IMHO.

[Passacaglia]

Originally Posted by rexallllsc

You know, I hate homophobes

Me too! If two words sound the same, they should just be the same damn word!

[Drake]

Hahahahaha.

I think I love you, Passacaglia.

[Adamski47]

Originally Posted by dawgfan

Maybe we should start referring to people who make idiotic statements as "Venezuelan". I'm not trying to offend Venezuelans by using this term - heck, I have friends that are Venezuelan and I go to MLB games - I'm just calling it like I see it. Just because I refer to someone who's an idiot as a "Venezuelan" doesn't mean that Venezuelans should be upset by this, right?

Ha, classic.

[SteelerFan448]

Maybe Mariotti should go to a White Sox game. The attention he is getting now must be inflating his already huge ego. I'd love to see Ozzie in the same room with Mariotti and see what happens.

[kcchief19]

Someone, please tackle Ozzie Guillen:

"Jay, I think I made this guy a lot of money and he's famous. If not for Ozzie Guillen, no one would have heard of him," Guillen said.

Very classy.

[terpkristin]

Originally Posted by Axxon

I wish people had thicker skins for words and thinner skins for, oh, I don't know, things like violence and poverty and homelessness and the like but that's a pipe dream.

Just wanted to say that I agree about needing thinner skins for violence, poverty, homelessness, and the like, so that more people will get enraged by it, but just because someone has a thin skin about what Guillen said (or what anybody says) doesn't mean they don't care as much or more about the other issues.

As I said in my inital post, I think anything like what Guillen said is reprehensible. Slurs of any type (racial, sexual) should not be tolerated, though, ESPECIALLY in the case of a public figure. That doesn't mean that other issues don't rile me up, this is just one I felt I could articulate my thoughts on. Usually me watching the television on anything but cartoons results in me yelling at it and throwing things, which is a large part of the reason that I pretty much watch only cartoons these days...

/tk

[Axxon]

Originally Posted by terpkristin

Just wanted to say that I agree about needing thinner skins for violence, poverty, homelessness, and the like, so that more people will get enraged by it, but just because someone has a thin skin about what Guillen said (or what anybody says) doesn't mean they don't care as much or more about the other issues.

As I said in my inital post, I think anything like what Guillen said is reprehensible. Slurs of any type (racial, sexual) should not be tolerated, though, ESPECIALLY in the case of a public figure. That doesn't mean that other issues don't rile me up, this is just one I felt I could articulate my thoughts on. Usually me watching the television on anything but cartoons results in me yelling at it and throwing things, which is a large part of the reason that I pretty much watch only cartoons these days...

/tk

When I talk about people having thick skins about the former I'm talking not about the individuals but the group mentality. Of course, most folks are against the things mentioned but not enough to talk about it. Threads like this pop up and people get vocal and people get fired but where's societys outcry about the big issues? It's relatively mute.

That's what I get saddened about. Man, where's the noise about the real issues. We all really know they're issues but we don't have a passion or a fire to fix them.

Me, I say once those are fixed, then lets turn to things like this. It's not about condoning as much as it is about prioritizing.

[Schmidty]

Originally Posted by kcchief19

Someone, please tackle Ozzie Guillen:

Very classy.

I'll say it again: Ozzie is a piece of refuse, a cancer, and makes the White Sox organization, and baseball, look terrible.

DAMN, I hate that guy. Make that "intensly strong dislike". Hate is a bad word to me.

[st.cronin]

Ozzie Guillen, what a fag.

[Schmidty]

Originally Posted by st.cronin

Ozzie Guillen, what a fag.

Smokin'!!!!!!!!!!!

[Schmidty]

Originally Posted by Schmidty

Smokin'!!!!!!!!!!!

Not even remotely funny or witty. Try again.

[Schmidty]

Originally Posted by Schmidty

Not even remotely funny or witty. Try again.

Pile of sticks!!!!!!!!!

[Schmidty]

Originally Posted by Schmidty

Pile of sticks!!!!!!!!!

Please kill yourself.

[Passacaglia]

Now I know why Schmidty can't keep up with the werewolf thread!

[Izulde]

Eh, this is all much ado about nothing.

[Schmidty]

Originally Posted by Passacaglia

Now I know why Schmidty can't keep up with the werewolf thread!

Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

[Grammaticus]

Originally Posted by Axxon

I wish people had thicker skins for words and thinner skins for, oh, I don't know, things like violence and poverty and homelessness and the like but that's a pipe dream.

What, are you running for Miss America or something?