December 2010
Christmas — the Ozzie Guillen way
Merry Christmas, everybody! Hope you all had a great weekend. My time down here in Venezuela with my family has been great. Always fun to spend time relaxing and having fun with family. I also got some great news regarding some things I am planning for 2011. Hopefully I can share this exciting stuff with you guys soon.
Thank you all for reading my blog and submitting your questions. Got some good ones this week …
Q: At times, you have been criticized for not directing your pitchers to throw at batters in retaliation for them throwing at White Sox hitters. Your thoughts on this.
A: First of all, I am not a headhunter. When I was playing, I used to tell pitchers what to do and who to hit because I was in the lineup and pitchers could hit me. As a manager, I don’t like telling pitchers who to hit because I’m not in the lineup, and I don’t want any of my players to get hurt because of me. The players should police themselves and take care of that like they used to. Players always took care of that stuff. They shouldn’t need anyone telling them what to do.
Q: Ozzie, what did you get your wife for Christmas?
A: I got her a purse because I know how much women love purses. To me, presents don’t really matter. And to my family, it’s more about all of us being together. That just doesn’t apply to Christmas, either. That’s what we enjoy every day. I want my family to be tight, so our main joy comes from seeing the kids together on Christmas.
Q: What is the typical Christmas like in the Guillen house?
A: We have dinner and a nice get-together. We hang out, drink and dance. We don’t get to the whole presents thing until way later. To us, it’s a bigger deal on New Years because we have a lot more traditions that we do then. Christmas is more a time to relax and party.
Q: What is the best Christmas gift someone has ever given you?
A: To me, the best Christmas gift I can ever get is that all my kids are with my wife and I. We are still together, and that’s all I can ask for. Every material gift has a different meaning, and they are all special. But I do enjoy scarves for the cold Chicago winters.
Q: What do you eat for Christmas dinner?
A: Hallacas, pork, turkey, “pan de jamon” — which is bread with ham and some special stuffing — and chicken salad with carrots and potatoes. Oh yeah, and lots of Polar beer.
Once again, I want to say best wishes to all you guys, from my family to yours. I can’t wait for 2011 because 2010 was very frustrating to me. I even got some grey hair over it, and I can’t have that! (haha) I’m not Richard Gere! And just remember, if you want your dreams to come true, you have to wake up and go get them!
Happy New Year!
– Ozzie
Helping those in need is very important to me
My thoughts on Dunn, Konerko, ‘Ozzie Ball’ & more
Hey, everyone! Sorry for not posting in a little bit, but I have been all over the place. But now it’s time to talk to you guys and let you know what I have been up to. Last week, I was at the Winter Meetings for a day. I am glad we made the moves that we made, even though I was probably just as surprised as you guys when I heard them. People in Chicago should feel very proud and lucky they have an owner like Jerry Reinsdorf, and also proud of the people in the front office for making such aggressive moves. I’m very happy we have my captain, PK (Paul Konerko), back, and I’m happy he will hopefully finish his career with the White Sox. As far as Adam Dunn goes — wow … he’s a big boy and seems like a very fun guy who stays loose and ready to play. I like that.
Right now, I am in Venezuela and will be here for a few weeks. Other than doing some relaxing, I am doing some work through the Ozzie Guillen Foundation, helping out kids with cancer and other problems they face here in my home country. I will post some pictures soon on here as well as on my Facebook page so you guys can get a feel for what exactly we are doing.
I was reading through some of your questions and one came up about “Ozzie Ball” and what it is exactly. I think most times, people don’t know what it means, so let me explain: “Ozzie Ball” means playing the game the right way; it has nothing to do with bunting, stealing bases or the lack of home runs. It’s about playing hard-nosed baseball the way I liked to play it, or better yet the way Paul Molitor, Lenny Dykstra, Rickey Henderson and George Brett played the game. I want 25 guys playing the game that way every single day.
Now, on to more of your questions:
Q: Are you currently in your dream job?
A: Yes, I am in my dream job. I have been with the White Sox for 22 years of my life, and I have lived in Chicago longer than anywhere else in my life. Chicago is my home. With that said, my home is where my family and I are at that current time, and right now, that’s Chicago. I hope it stays that way, but it’s out of my control.
Q: Do you have a favorite place in Chicago to get a hot dog?
A: I don’t really eat a lot of hot dogs, but when I do I like Maxwell Street by UIC. They have a lot of good food, especially the pork chops.
Q: Ozzie, I’ve always wondered, what’s it like to make your money playing baseball?
A: I was always blessed to stay healthy for a long time like I did to play the game that I love. It truly was a blessing. I hope everyone loves their job as much as I do, because when you do you really give it your best. Many of us who had the privilege to play baseball for a living recognize how blessed we are. That’s why I try to do as much for the community as I can. I want everyone to be as healthy and blessed as we have been.
Q: Since the Dodgers have Juan Uribe and he played for the White Sox, what can you tell us about him?
A: Uribe is awesome. He may look like a little Buddha, but he is an amazing baseball player. I think he is so good because he is not afraid of the moment. He really is fearless, maybe because he has no idea how big the moments actually are! (haha) I only kid with him because that’s my boy, and he will be great for the Dodgers.
As I always say, keep the questions coming!
Until next time …
– Ozzie
Ozzie Guillen
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