Just ran across this article in the Daily Southtown. Pretty decent read. Wonder if Frank will backtrack from what he said, or is it a way we may actually be without Frank in 2004...

 

Not everyone was happy with the news of Ozzie Guillen's hiring as the new White Sox manager.

As teammates in the early 1990s, Frank Thomas and Guillen had their problems on and off the field. Even as late as last week, Thomas told several teammates that he "would not play for Guillen" if the latter was the choice for manager.

 

Heres the complete article

Just ran across this article in the Daily Southtown. Pretty decent read. Wonder if Frank will backtrack from what he said, or is it a way we may actually be without Frank in 2004...

 

Not everyone was happy with the news of Ozzie Guillen's hiring as the new White Sox manager.

As teammates in the early 1990s, Frank Thomas and Guillen had their problems on and off the field. Even as late as last week, Thomas told several teammates that he "would not play for Guillen" if the latter was the choice for manager.

 

Heres the complete article

If Frank "will not" play for Ozzie, retirement might be his only option. He wants 500 homers too much. He'll play.

Ozzie is flying to Las Vegas this weekend to have a nice little chat with Frank. I don't think they will be exchanging old happy memories.

 

Ozzie knows that Frank is his biggest problem and headache, and I'm glad to see he wants to nip that s*** in the bud immediately.

 

I'm not a psychic or anything, but I guarantee that Ozzie's first few sentences to Frank will be, "Hey! You are with us or you are against us. We are a team, and you need to get your fat head out of your ass and realize that. If you want to play for me, fine. I love you, and would love to have you be a big part of the team. But if you only play for YOU, then f*** off and just leave. Enjoy your sandwich and have a good day. I have a return flight to catch."

 

Ozzie may be a foot shorter and 100 lbs. less than Frank, but I think Frank is scared of him and intimidated. Finally, someone to call "The Big Skirt" out on the carpet and challenge him. It's about time.

Ozzie is flying to Las Vegas this weekend to have a nice little chat with Frank.  I don't think they will be exchanging old happy memories. 

 

Ozzie knows that Frank is his biggest problem and headache, and I'm glad to see he wants to nip that s*** in the bud immediately. 

 

I'm not a psychic or anything, but I guarantee that Ozzie's first few sentences to Frank will be, "Hey!  You are with us or you are against us.  We are a team, and you need to get your fat head out of your ass and realize that.  If you want to play for me, fine.  I love you, and would love to have you be a big part of the team.  But if you only play for YOU, then f*** off and just leave.  Enjoy your sandwich and have a good day.  I have a return flight to catch." 

 

Ozzie may be a foot shorter and 100 lbs. less than Frank, but I think Frank is scared of him and intimidated.  Finally, someone to call "The Big Skirt" out on the carpet and challenge him.  It's about time.

JM actually did that a few times. But, one time Frank had a bone spur, the next was the "shuttle run" incident and Frank was hurt at that time too. Timing was not one of JM's strongest talents.

Besides sleeping in the dugout during games, and making the same old tired post-game press conferences that started with "Well, we didn't do this, well, we didn't do this" ......

 

I don't think he had ANY strong points.

 

It's sad to think that we really wasted the last 6 years with that moron. It makes me so irritated ...

Besides sleeping in the dugout during games, and making the same old tired post-game press conferences that started with "Well, we didn't do this, well, we didn't do this" ......

 

I don't think he had ANY strong points. 

 

It's sad to think that we really wasted the last 6 years with that moron.  It makes me so irritated ...

Thats not true...JM could jump over the chalk line and clap 3 times on the way to the mound better than anyone in MLB

I like this quick snippet in the article from Cave...

 

"At first, we were all thinking it would be a big-name guy, but time went on ... and now, why not?'' Kusnyer said. "I respect the decision Kenny made. Let's get it on."

 

In fact, I kind of "Let's Get it On!" should be the 2004 Sox slogan. Either that or, "Let's Just f***ing Do it Already!".

Ozzie is full of hot air, and he isn't too bright on top of it. So at your intro press confrence you stomp all over the feelings of the guy most likely to lead a mutiny against you. Why wouldn't you extend the olive branch to start?

Ozzie is full of hot air, and he isn't too bright on top of it.  So at your intro press confrence you stomp all over the feelings of the guy most likely to lead a mutiny against you.  Why wouldn't you extend the olive branch to start?

That would be the first time Thomas would be a leader. If he did start that crap, trade his ass asap. This is something between the two of them and should stay there. If they can't work it out, one of them has to leave for the good of the team.

Ozzie is flying to Las Vegas this weekend to have a nice little chat with Frank.

 

Technically, Ozzie is going to Vegas for the Sox Organizational Meetings. He may meet Frank there, but that is not the purpose of the trip.

When the questions about Frank came up, Ozzie should have said he liked Frank, and that Frank was a big part of the club. Any other comments should have been left to the two of them. Showing up a Hall of Famer at a press conference announcing a job you don't deserve was total bush league. Frank will not be Ozzie's only problem this year, and he won't even be his biggest. Frank pisses me off from time to time, but Ozzie needed to handle this situation like a man, something his press conference proved he still isn't.

When the questions about Frank came up, Ozzie should have said he liked Frank, and that Frank was a big part of the club. Any other comments should have been left to the two of them. Showing up a Hall of Famer at a press conference announcing a job you don't deserve was total bush league. Frank will not be Ozzie's only problem this year, and he won't even be his biggest. Frank pisses me off from time to time, but Ozzie needed to handle this situation like a man, something his press conference proved he still isn't.

 

I also think it is time for this team to be a team and not a group of individuals worrying about what one individual is going to think.

When the questions about Frank came up, Ozzie should have said he liked Frank, and that Frank was a big part of the club. Any other comments should have been left to the two of them. Showing up a Hall of Famer at a press conference announcing a job you don't deserve was total bush league. Frank will not be Ozzie's only problem this year, and he won't even be his biggest. Frank pisses me off from time to time, but Ozzie needed to handle this situation like a man, something his press conference proved he still isn't.

I agree his words were questionable....... unless higher ups told him they wanted him to challenge Frank. Maybe they think that is what Frank needs?

When the questions about Frank came up, Ozzie should have said he liked Frank, and that Frank was a big part of the club. Any other comments should have been left to the two of them. Showing up a Hall of Famer at a press conference announcing a job you don't deserve was total bush league. Frank will not be Ozzie's only problem this year, and he won't even be his biggest. Frank pisses me off from time to time, but Ozzie needed to handle this situation like a man, something his press conference proved he still isn't.

And this is as a MANAGER, not as a player. All that saids is that you can't trust him as a player, because he will take you to the matt in public, instead of behind closed doors where it should be. I really am liking Guillen less and less as a manager already.

Thomas has been a leader and positive influence in the clubhouse for years, despite what some want to believe.

That 'quote' is a second hand rendition that I won't believe until I hear Frank say it, and I don't think he did or will.

While I do think that at his hiring Press Conference, it was NOT the time for Ozzie to start the rips on Frank, I do think what Guillen says is true. It most likely should have been handled internally, but you've got a 1st time manager coming to his old town, and he wanted to make a splash. He knew what the knocks were on the previous regime, and wanted to make it clear that his thought process was NOT the same as JMs

I don't know about the whole thing. Thomas and JR are suppossed to be pretty close as are Ozzie and JR apparently. Shouldn't this conversation have come up especially with Frank being allowed to file for free agency?and Ozzie being a prominent candidate?

I agree his words were questionable.......  unless higher ups told him they wanted him to challenge Frank.  Maybe they think that is what Frank needs?

That could be, but it isn't a good strategy if you ask me. Frank is now totally alienated. Frank is the only one who supposedly is looking for his own set of rules. Where Ozzie gets this, I don't know. They can trade him, but Frank has veto rights, and can really screw them. Frank has the upper hand here, and the tension between Frank and Ozzie could bring the whole team down. Ozzie got a chance to run a team, he ought to give Frank a chance to be a good teammate, before he starts in with the crap.

That could be, but it isn't a good strategy if you ask me. Frank is now totally alienated. Frank is the only one who supposedly is looking for his own set of rules. Where Ozzie gets this, I don't know. They can trade him, but Frank has veto rights, and can really screw them. Frank has the upper hand here, and the tension between Frank and Ozzie could bring the whole team down. Ozzie got a chance to run a team, he ought to give Frank a chance to be a good teammate, before he starts in with the crap.

You're jumping to too many conclusions without any information. Wait to hear what Frank has to say first. I don't think there is a problem with Ozzie at all, just media pouring gas on flames.

You're jumping to too many conclusions without any information. Wait to hear what Frank has to say first. I don't think there is a problem with Ozzie at all, just media pouring gas on flames.

I just didn't like Ozzie's comments about Frank, its time Ozzie grew up.

I just didn't like Ozzie's comments about Frank, its time Ozzie grew up.

Me either, but he may have been caught up in the moment, and has an earfull from KW.

 

I also think it is time for this team to be a team and not a group of individuals worrying about what one individual is going to think.

Now what fun would that be for the media..?

 

Point is that Ozzie should have said something complimentory, or nothing at all.

 

I don't believe Frank's comments are being reported in the proper context at all.

I don't know about the whole thing.  Thomas and JR are suppossed to be pretty close as are Ozzie and JR apparently.  Shouldn't this conversation have come up especially with Frank being allowed to file for free agency?and Ozzie being a prominent candidate?

Frank and JR are way more close than Ozzie and JR will ever be.

I just didn't like Ozzie's comments about Frank, its time Ozzie grew up.

Its complete ignorant for a brand new manager to call out a player. It can do nothing but cause problems. Espesially when dealing with a player with as thin of skin as Frank does. Yet another brilliant hire by the Sox.

Frank and JR are way more close than Ozzie and JR will ever be.

Well there must have been something there to be able to make a mockery of the hiring process and still get hired. Everyone else followed the gag rule to a T. Except old Oz out there singing to the media everyday. No wonder no one wants to be a part of this organization, it is a joke sometimes.