We just gotta go out and play hard. Give credit to the other team. We played hard. They played hard. It is what it is.
Think about how often you actually hear a memorable quote come out of a player or coach that's stopped you in your tracks. Chances are, that quote came from Ozzie Guillen.
The White Sox' manager, now in his seventh season in charge, has no filter. He speaks his mind, even if that means coming across as brash or offensive. He's also not afraid to force SportsCenter to cue up the bleeps and writers to get used to inserting "[expletive]" in their stories.
Some of his memorable quotes:
On Dustin Pedroia …
"That kid should be in the circus and I have to walk him to face someone else. He should be riding some horses and I have to walk that kid. It’s very weird when you walk a guy who is 4-foot-11."
On the home of his crosstown rivals …
"But one thing about Wrigley Field, I puke every time I go there. That’s just to be honest."
On Buck Showalter …
"He never even smelled a jock in the big leagues. Mr. Baseball never even got a hit in Triple-A. I was a better player than him, I have more money than him, and I'm better looking than him."
On his managerial responsibilities …
"I'm not going to babysit them. It's not an instructional league. You are in the big leagues for a reason. I'm not supposed to teach you here. We are supposed to remind you about what goes on with baseball."
That's just a small sample of the candid nature of the loudest loudmouth in baseball. But is he the most rambunctious, most honest and most in-your-face, outspoken skipper in baseball history?
He's certainly got some company. Recently retired Lou Piniella wasn't afraid to speak his mind, once threatening the Tampa Bay rotation that the relievers would begin to start games. He also played for Billy Martin in the Bronx — another guy whose mouth got him into trouble from time to time. So much so that he made it an almost-annual ritual of getting hired and fired by the Yankees.
The good old days of baseball had infinitely more colorful characters but a fraction of the media attention of today's game. Leo Durocher became known as "Leo the Lip" throughout his managerial career, which spanned parts of five decades. Casey Stengel had the nickname of "The Old Professor" for his long and colorful conversations. A manager since 1978, Bobby Cox is known more for his candor with umpires than with the public, which has seen him get ejected more than 150 times.
Everyone has his or her favorite, so what do you think — is Ozzie the best of all time?
Share your thoughts below.
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