Last night we all quickly learned about the second craziest Chicago sports personality will be leaving town. Although I'm a Cubs fan by heart, and possibly by fault, Ozzie Guillen has raised expectations of all Chicago sports franchises since he led the Sox the 2005 World Series and won. Before then we were a big city whose sports landscape consisted of lovable losers, consistent flops, gimmicks, and constant disappointment. I mean if you took the 85 Bears and the 90's Bulls out of the equation, Chicago wouldn't of had a championship sports franchise in 40 some odd years. Some would say Chicago is the weatherman of sports franchises, we don't win much but when we do we talk about it for years.
Since the Sox won the World Series look at the pressure all Chicago franchises had to win, and see how most stepped up to the plate. The Cubs won back-to-back NL Central titles, and had 3 consecutive winning years, something that hasn't been done in like 60 years. The Bears, although a lot of people would call it luck, won 2 NFC North titles and competed to go to the Super Bowl last season. The Bulls found a franchise player in Derrick Rose and made it to the Eastern Conference Finals, and were at least in talks to add players like Lebron James, Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh, among others. The Blackhawks rose from the ashes and won the Stanley Cup, as well as the cities heart once again. And the Sox made the playoffs twice more since then. I believe this is because Ozzie led the team he wanted to lead and won the World Series.
Fast forward now to 2011, and this baseball season. Or is it still rewind cause it's basically happened already? Either way... The entire year Ozzie sounded like Lance Briggs and demanded a new contract. All of this while trying to hold onto a marriage with Kenny Williams, that just wasn't going to work out. In my opinion the Sox would have kept Ozzie, Jerry Reinsdorff's favorite little toy, and parted ways with Kenny. However, Ozzie had to push the buttons, ask for the contract, threaten to not be there next year, and then storms into Jerry's office to ask for his deal. When he walked out, tail between his legs, and a huge smile on his face he was off to the sunset, in beautiful Miami.
Baseball kept steroids more of a secret than Ozzie going to Florida. Everyone knew he would go there, everyone knew he was the next manager there, I think somehow Barbra Walters even spoke about it on The View, not that I have seen it... I digress... Ozzie ended up getting his way, and Kenny ended up getting his way, but I think sports fans of Chicago will now suffer. The Cubs are going to search for a new GM and probably a manager, the Sox will need a new manager and possibly GM, the Beats will need a new Offensive Coordinator and GM, the Bulls wont even play this year, and the Blackhawks are a year or two from their talented prospects possibly competing.
See where the fans hurt is instead of sports franchises moving forward, we are now moving backwards. We are rebuilding all but one sports franchise, and rebuilding is not something Chicago sports franchises do very well. Just ask us Cub fans, we have been rebuilding for 103 years.
So while Guillen is allowed to move on down to Florida, along with him goes a lot of Chicagoans hopes for winning teams. So Ozzie, grab your cabana hat, light a Cuban cigar and enjoy Miami. Chicago will somewhat miss you.
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