This time, Ozzie HAS gone too far

There may be an element of racism here. A white sports writer takes an off-the-record comment (wonder why no other organization jumped on the story; maybe because it was off the record) from a minority manager who says he is using a term in his background that means unmanly. But the comment is directed at a coworker of the white reporter, so he runs with it. Hmmmmm. How about reporting the news instead of manufacturing it. ESPN picks it up (the same columnist at whom the comment was directed appears daily on that network) and it gets some airplay. If the commissioner is to start penalizing every off-the-record comment made by anyone in MLB, the league will be collecting a lot of fines.

Roman responds: Racism? So white reporters can only write negatively about white subjects?

Ozzie is right, You know what meant. He doesn't have a problem with homosexuals.

YOu want to sell newspapers through sensationalism . . . well this will be the last time I read your bottom wiper. Your editors and columnists are an embarrassment to journalism.

Jay mariotti,
If you dont like the cubs and you dont like the white sox, then why do you work for the chicago times? Ozzie had every right to say what he said, considering what you said about AJ hitting Michael Barrett. AJ did nothing wrong just like Ozzie did nothing wrong, and if you have a problem with Ozzie you should take it up with him at the ball park instead of talking about it on "Around the Horn".

When I open up the sports page, I expect to read about sports NOT PERSONAL ISSUES BETWEEN THE REPORTER AND THE ATHLETES. So I suggest you -- Chicago Sun Times, Tribune, ESPN -- stick to sports reporting. Who cares that Jay Marrioti was called a fag? And besides, when Guillen said that word, he was referring to Mariotti alone, not to homosexuals. If Ozzie actually called a homosexual man "fag", then go ahead and rebuke him for it, but he didn't do that, he was only referring to Mariotti (who I'm assuming is a heterosexual), so what the heck is your problem?

Mariotti shoots his mouth off more often than Mark Cuban, T.O. and Shannon Sharpe combined! If you are going to run your mouth constantly you are going to make enemies. He can probably count his friends on 1 hand. Yeah, Ozzie says some things he shouldn't say sometimes. He wears his heart on his sleeve. Everyone knows this. Why anyone gets surprised when he does is beyond my comprehension. If you don't want to hear it, stop shoving a microphone in his face. I take the same approach to Mariotti. I don't read his smut so I don't have to be bothered by what he says. Maybe he can cover sports for the National Enquirer.

I think the whole thing is being blown out of proportion. Ozzie is known for saying controversial things and so some reporter gets Ozzie going about a co-worker who has a history with the White Sox. Why is Ozzie getting asked questions about Jay Mariotti? Why can't you just end the interview with the facts about the game? Why interview about personal vendettas? This is baseball, not Jerry Springer. While I don't agree with calling people offensive names, I know that it happens. This is the world of sports. These guys are competitive and whenever someone questions their smarts or ability, they lash out. It's time that reporters stop baiting Ozzie into tirades in order to watch in amusement while he rants and raves. Reporters aren't dumb. They know exactly what dumb questions to ask in order to get a desired response. You asked what Ozzie thought and now no one seems to be able to handle it. Let's not forget that Ozzie has done more for the White Sox than Mr. Mariotti. Since I'm a baseball fan, I think I'll stick with Ozzie rather than a cynical Mr. Mariotti who loves nothing more than for the home team to lose.

Guillen is a real jerk and needs to get out of baseball.
Mayor Daley, he is an embarrassment to a great city-censure him-please

Mariotti is a complete idoit and deserved what he got from Ozzie Guillen. He should have gotten it a long time ago as far as I'm concerned. Mariotti has to be the worst sports columnist ever. Just read one of his articles about the Sox or Cubs and you can see that this man obviously knows nothing about either team. What Ozzie said was mean and hurt certain people, but Mariotti deserved to be humiliated for his stupidity. Although using the word fag might be offensive to gays, homosexuality is also viewed by many who are religious as a sin. This is not being "homophobic" but standing up for your beliefs. While it is wrong to use words of hate and right to be loving to one another, conforming to what society says and using a "politically correct" term is in a way glorifying that sin by making it out to be something that's right and not wrong. It's the media and society that turned that word into an insult by forcing "political correctness" down our throats which "..Does not legislate tolerance, but only organizes hatred." -quote by Jacques Barzun. I stand by Ozzie. Mariotti had it coming for years. The fact that he has to pass this off as some sort of discrimination shows that Mariotti isn't a man and can't stand up for himself.

Racism? Give me a break. Try homophobia and otherwise disgusting language. Couldn't agree more with your article, Roman

Yes, this story has been overexposed considering it was an off the record comment. However, the notion that this has anything to do with racism is absurd.
Guillen didn't learn how to use that term in Venezuela, or in the US, he learned it in MLB lockerrooms. That's where he grew up. If Couch or ESPN actually felt that what Guillen said was so troubling, they would have at least mentioned the problem professional athletes (in general) have with homosexuality. Guillen is used to being in a lockerroom. You call someone a 'fag' in a lockerroom and everyone laughs. Making Guillen not say the word in public doesn't solve /that/ problem, all it does is allow us to ignore it once again.

While I disagree with Ozzie's use of the word f@@, I don't disagree with his anger toward Jay Mariotti. In fact, Cubs fans, Bulls fans and MOST Chicago fan do not like Jay. He is the most negative sports reporter that I have ever read. He should leave town. Every year all he does is give us reasons why the Sox, Cubs, Bears, Bulls, etc. ARE NOT going all the way. The business and sports sections are very important to me, and I actually stopped buying the Suntimes because of him. He is not a Chicago fan and should not be reporting on Chicago sports. If he is going to be a NATIONAL ESPN reporter, then he should not cover LOCAL sports. This way, he can say whatever he wants, and not focus on our town. On the other hand - yes, Ozzie SHOULD be suspended because what he said was wrong. As for Jay’s response to Ozzie, he’s not wanted in the clubhouse of most Chicago teams – go figure.

Several of my best friends are queer and they do tend to be disturbed by physical fighting. Read Borges to get the sense of Latin macho pride--honor is a matter of life or death there. I love queers and I love Ozzie.

"The worst thing about this whole matter is I can just see kids calling each other a bleeping f** because that's what their favorite manager said."

You're joking, right? Kids are *already* calling each other a bleeping f** and have been doing so for quite some time. They pick it up from older kids and their parents, genius. Studies show kids pick up their habits (good and bad) overwhelmingly more at home rather than what makes it to the 10 o'clock news. Any sensible parent would tell their kid that it's not right. You're just trolling for page hits.

And nice job reprinting the slur. Way to help end its use in public discourse.

I feel that this particular Sportwriter has a personal problem with the White Sox organization! Here is a manager whom brought a winning tradition to the Southside of Chicago! It is a Field of Dream type of story in seeing the White Sox fans rooting for their Champions. I feel Mariotti does not have a clue in how Baseball is played. I agree that Tracey should had protected his fellow team mates this been going on in Baseball for over hundreds of years this is American favorite pastime! Jay get off of Ozzie back and let him try to win back to back Championship for the Sox! You should go after the sorry story on the Northside of Chicago known as Cubs nation! Here is story in which fans of the Northside does not have a clue about baseball but still filled the seats at Wrigleyville what a joke that is! A club with a 100 million dollars buget battling for last place! Get A Life Jay and leave the Southside Champions alone!

Jay Mariotti makes a living dishing it out with little accountability. I'm glad someone finally had the guts to dish it back decisively. Sometimes you need to deal with the schoolyard bully, who usually turns out to be a nerdy crybaby and a whining victim, running to authority for vengenance. Any person who was offended by the language he used probably spent no time on the playground and needs to get perspective.
Bottom line: Normal people hate bullys. A slip of the tongue in anger is way down on the list.

Thank you Ozzy.

What world are you living in. To think that every time the word "fag" is used, is an honest shot at his/her sexuality. I agree, it is not an acceptable insult, but lets face it. Does the fact that Jay Mariotti berates and insults every one in sports make him any more of a man? He may use more politically correct terms, but the way he disguises his insults in these terms shows no more class than Ozzie using the word "fag" out of context. Ozzie tells it how the world is, and says it off the top of his head without worrying about the repercutions. Marriotti speaks his uninformed opinions in a column, just to get a rise out of fans of whoever he happens to be berating on that day.

When did America's children become so heavily influenced by a manager's pregame interview? Wake-up call: Kids already call eachother names like "fag", I know it went on when I was a kid. Ozzie Guillen saying it will have no impact on how frequently it is used by America's youth. Oh wait, unless it is made into a huge ordeal by self-righteous reporters trying to sell papers. Call it what it is, you're all stirring the pot for headlines. It was a mean thing to say and a poor choice of words, but I assure my kids will come out fine.

Ozzie definitely needs to lighten up. He has a tendency to take himself a little too seriously, since being lionized as the genius who took the Sox to World Series Heaven. We all know they couldn't have done it without him, but that don give Oz license to go ballistic over a rookies not deliberately hitting another player. Easy for him to give the order, when he doesn't have to stand in the box himself.
As to the racist angle. Mikey get real.

He makes a nice apology, but I don't buy it. He knows better. He needs to learn to take himself less seriously.

But after all, it's all a part of his fire and success, and I do think he's trying. What a job!

It's not racism on the part of Jay, and it's not homophobia on the part of Ozzie. It's bad, but let's not label it something it's not. It's just a little heated verbal rivalry that's gotten just a little out of hand. Mikey (above) said that Guillen's comment was off-the-record, although Greg Couch's Sun-Times column describes 20 reporters with voice recorders and note pads listening to Ozzie from his dugout pre-game on Tuesday. That doesn't sound like off-the-record to me (http://www.suntimes.com/output/couch/cst-spt-greg212.html). Regardless, Ozzie should know that he shouldn't say something like that in front of a bunch of reporters anyhow, on-the-record or off. But Mikey is right about the last thing he said. "If the commissioner is to start penalizing every off-the-record comment made by anyone in MLB, the league will be collecting a lot of fines." ...not to mention wasting a lot of time.

Ozzie was just telling it like it is.

It's ok for Mariotti to write columns ripping on people, but in todays world of political correctness, what he should have been called was a wimp, coward, the last one picked when teams drew sides in gym class and the poster boy for nerds. Like Jay in his columns, I hope I didn't offend anyone.

How come no one ever talks about Mariotti and his daily idiotic rantings? About how he inserts himself in the first person in nearly every column, and then acts offended when people react? Was Guillen wrong to use the word he did? Of course. But he has the same right to make idiotic statements as Mariotti, who does it every day and has the luxury of the delete button, which he never uses. But no one ever takes him to task for his absolute lack of analysis, insight or perspective. He unloads on people daily, makes it personal, and makes it insulting. Major leaguers like Ozzie have to sit and listen to the same cliched questions from sportswriters ad nauseum, and then read Mariotti take their quotes out of context and manufacture stories to sell papers while effectively baiting hotheads like Guillen. Say what you want about Ozzie -- he deserves what he gets for what he said yesterday. But at least he's good at his job. Mariotti gets to stink at his job daily, bait and insult professionals, and act offended when even one person tries to take him to task. He's smart enough not to use offensive words, but he tries to hurt people every day with his obnoxious yellow journalism and name-calling, yet no one suggests he should be suspended. It's a sickening double standard and it should stop.

If Ozzie had called him a [n-word] or "cracker", or any other racialized term this wouldn't have been allowed to go as far as it would have. If you want to call this "racist" you should look at this situation through this lens:

With the history of racist players that baseball has had like Ty Cobb, and even more racist situations (Jackie Robinson and Hank Aaron death threats) MLB finds that entirely inappopriate from coaches, players, and fans. And with the population of African American and minority players in generatl that's understood.

Yet they allow the gay bashing to continue. Former players like Billy Beane have proven that there are former AND current closeted gay players in the league--just like in America, and hell, even in your family. So why do they let this slide?

Ozzie's got a rep for being a guy who sticks up for his folks...if Brian Anderson came out to him one day (I'm not saying he is...relax) do you still think he'd stick up for him? Or would he already be shipped down to Charlotte?

you dont have a clue about the south side, real baseball fans, or leadership.

DONT EVER POKE FUN AT THE WHITE SOX OR THEIR FANS.

remember: you made money off of covering the world series. you work for us. and i have since canceled my sun times subscription.

Ozzie was wrong to call Jay the other F word.

I watch Around The Horn on ESPN almost daily. I concluded long ago that Jay Mariotti was a closet racist. Ozzie Guillen's comments about him are right on the mark.

Jay continues to play his weak sister act claiming it's too dangerous for him to go to the Cell. I guess offering him a closed door meeting with the team is scary for a guy who never played the game and shoots off his mouth for a living. He might actually have to ask a question and get an answer, you know, like a real reporter, before he cranks out his marginal column.

Jay, get to the Cell and meet the folks you spew so freely about.

"Guillen Crossed the Line this Time!" One column exclaims. Ummm... not really. Guillen made a remark directed at one person; he wasn't trying to push a constituional amendment that tried to oppress an entire group (this same group) of people due to their sexual preference (something 50% of americans said they'd be ok with). Where's a mainstream article that states "Bush crossed the line this time!!!"?

The media can paint this any way they want. It is they who are irresponsible.

As for Mariotti. I used to actually have some respect for him. Now I just see that since the Cubs suck and everyone finally realizes it (meaning he's not the only one to bring forth the light of reality); he has baited an easy target in Guillen and gotten the desired resutls.

Guillen himself: bad move to use that type of language. I'm sure he's aware of it and I would be surprised if it happened again. I think it's fair to say that it'll just be *bleep* from now on--absent the terms that offend certain groups (even though they weren't intended to).

Sorry, not trying to get political here; but I think that it's impossible not to when everyone is playing the politically correct card when it's really a load of *bleeping bleep*.

Mariotti is just a disgruntled Cubs fan. He's using this situation, adeptly I might add, to discourage the Sox players, and cast the White Sox in a bad light, because he's so frustrated his poor Cubbies couldn't hit a pinata, much less a baseball. Since when is putting your foot in your mouth a crime? Why should Ozzie get fined, or suspended for saying something that made him look like an idiot? Because he might have hurt someone's feelings? I didn't realize Jay Mariotti was such a crusader for gay rights. I'll look for him at this year's pride parade on Halsted, because he's demonstrated what a figurehead he is in the community. Maybe he can be the Grand Marshall and walk side by side with Chastity Bono. Or maybe he just wants to make a mountain out of a mole-hill. Heaven forbid his precious Cubbies are considered the second team in the Second City.

Remember, sticks and stones may break my bones, by words are just words, and no matter how stupid they may be, they're still just words. Protected under the 1st ammendment of the Bill of Rights. That's something you pseudo-journalists should understand.

What's the matter with you Ozzie? It's great you feel the need to use bigoted remarks to defend your manly pride. I still love the Sox, but you've lost my respect.

I spent time in Venezuela several years ago. Their variation, word "marico" (most other Latin countries it's maricon) actually means pretty much the same thing it means here.

EXCEPT - just as you call your hetero friends fag to joke around or insult him (gently or otherwise), same in Venezuela.. in fact Venezulans call each other "marico" and "guebon" (idiot) ALL the time.

what I love about Ozzie is that he's so politically incorrect.

what I hate about Mariotti is that he's SUPER politically correct.

I suppose he'll be "rebuked", because MLB and the Sox organization have to keep politically correct "face".

but it'll all be a farce.

actually- I have gay friends but calling my hetero friends fag or faggot I find completely acceptable. to them it IS an insult.

it is interesting that everyone else is allowed to say what Ozzie meant, yet his own explination is not valid. homophobia? calling someone a "fag" is a common form of demasculinization. kids have been calling each other "fags" long before Ozzie was ever dumb enough to say it to the media. the space the Sun Times wastes with his consistantly negative colum could be given to a more deserving writer.

The comment about there possibly being "an element of racism" in the blog is absurd.

The blogger was accused of "manufacturing" a news item. Well, I accuse the person who made this allegation of possible racism as someone who has just "manufactured racism" where there otherwise wasn't any hint of it in the least bit.

Guillen has mouthed off for the last time, and I would not be surprised if he was severely reprimanded for such statements. The term "fag" also means, in a sense, "unmanly" in the U.S. - except it does so by belittling and insulting homosexuals at the same time. Guillen is way out of line here, and should not be defended, but reprimanded.

And, being Hispanic, I guess I CAN write negatively about Guillen without offending anyone.

Political correctness is great, eh?

i say keep baker and ozzie and get rid of jay.

Words are just that - the day Ozzie picks up a weapon and starts a war, then I will be offended. All these chickens running around with their heads cut off saying, "kids are going to pick up on this, that or the other". Guess what? They already do... and far, far worse. That is why schools today have metal detectors at the doors. There are far more things that I find troubling than an off the cuff remark made by a sports figure. Ozzie said that he was sorry for the remark, and I am certain that he is. Now let this distraction ride for another day, get your news milage out of it and get back to reporting real news. As far as I am concerned, I will be at the Pride Parade this Sunday, after watching the Sox sweep and yes, I will be wearing my well-worn Sox hat.

No that is not the point. The point I believe that is being made is that Ozzie was way out of line with the slur he did use. I will not be a defender of Mariotti. Jay has his own style and writes like Clinton ran for president. Sticks his finger in the air, see which way the wind blows.

But Ozzie has done something nobody could. He made Mariotti seem like a victim. No easy trick. But I think this shows a bigger problem in the White Sox organization. Seems to me that they are not up to hearing criticism at all.

We see the owner go off about the fan favorite in this town, the Cubs. Who still in a losing mode still get as much or more attention than his world championships.

Then in spring training, he must listen to Kenny Williams go off on ex players Frank Thomas and Carl Everett because these guys dare say anything bad about their former team. I believe Williams said that he will take care of those guys for sticking their nose in White Sox business. Little did I know that I know that Kenny was a Capo for Tony Soprano.

Now, listening to Ozzie diatribe over the last two weeks when it should be about what amounts to in my opinion, the best team in baseball.

Listen, Ozzie is a very good manager. Should be lauded for his handling in this team and getting something that all of Chicago baseball has dreamed about, a world championship. But Ozzie is the biggest lout in the game. Might be a bigger tool than the guy he went after on this one. Plain and simple, he made a slur about homosexuals and instead of saying that he made a mistake of using that slur. He excuses it by saying he it means something different in his country, like this is Ozzie's first year in America. What he said was wrong and while he said he was sorry that he said it. He said he was sorry for the wrong reason. It not wrong because it a language difference. It was wrong because it was a slur. Plain and simple.

Ozzie, you performed another miracle. You made Mariotti seem sympathetic. Way to go Ozzie! Your a real man!

Mariotti has gone too far! What did you think would happen? We want more baseball, less Mariotti and his self-serving beefs. He's all over the news now, and no doubt he's loving it. Maybe now he can get his own TV show.

I too wondered why Greg Couch is the only reporter who went with it. From reports I am hearing there may have been up to 2 dozen reporters who heard the comment, why then was Couch the only one to run it. It says a lot about the press, how many times are offensive things said and not reported on and why was Couch the only one to report on it. I believe Couch did the right thing, but in the future I would hope that all reporters will hold everyone to the same standard, not just when one of their co-workers is the target of the slur.

Ozzie needs to continue to apologize for this slur, he needs to show more contrition (maybe take an ad out in GLBT media, meet with Rick Garcia or something), but I wonder how much he should be singled out. Is what he said any different that something you might hear in the employee lounge at the Score or WMVP? For some reason I bet a significant number of those showing righteous indignation over this matter are guilty of the same offense.

I'm extremely disappointed in Ozzie over this, but hopefully he will learn from this and choose his words more carefully. He is deserving of a fine or suspension, however I hope he and the Sox take sincere PROACTIVE ACTION that would render league discipline useless.

To me Jay Mariotti's columns are just his baseless opinions. I think most of us are sick of his ridiculous ideas and have just stopped reading. I’ve chosen to go elsewhere for my sports news.

I agree that Ozzie is in the wrong for his use of slurs. I also find it amusing that in a column where he states "I am not the story here ...," the writer in question uses the word "I" 25 times and the word "me" 6 times.

Ozzie Guillen is wrong to have responded the way in which he responded. However, a word only becomes a slur with a negative connotation attached when those in the media deem it so. The connotation attached to this particular slur is not being accurately portrayed by the media. The word's connotation (believe it or not, this word is about as common as the word 'the' among us young males) is NOT homosexual in nature. The word is used to describe someone as 'weak'. Those who WANT to have a problem to write about, sell newspapers, and influence a sport that they lacked the talent to particupate in only serves their own purpose of living vicariously through the men they follow around and write about for a living. I would never use a slur to describe someone. I am an intelligent person. Therefore, I will finish this post by saying that Jay Mariotti is a talentless writing windsock whose career revolves around his following men around to write on their exploits.

The kids wouldn't have known about it but for the paper's publishing of it. It wasn't a bunch of kids in the dugout when he said it, it was the press. If the press didn't want "the children" to be bothered by it they shouldn't have written about it.

I do think the comment by Ozzie was wrong and stupid. However, from a logical fallacy standpoint, if there is nothing wrong with being gay, then why is it a problem to call someone gay?

I was born and raised in the USA. I have used that 'word' used in the way that ozzie alleges that he used the word. To assume that ozzie had an additional meaning would be reading between the lines; albiet that intention might have been intended as well.

I agree with the first posted comment, quit manufacturing the news and quit calling for a 2 week suspension(as the person who had the comment directed towards him did) when you are directly involved in the event.

In English, that 'word' also means, "a drudge" which aptly descripts the work of a beat reporter.

You have got to be kidding me. This country is becoming an oversensitive, over protective group of sniffling punks. Big deal, he used a homosexual slur. The vast majority, and I mean majority, think homosexuality is a choice, and a mental illness, so I am not very sympathetic to that degree. I am in no way defending Ozzie, but he did not direct anything at homosexuals. So what if he offended someone because of a "slur". It goes on across the country every single day with whites, blacks, mexicans, orientals, and many other nationalities. Because Ozzie is who he is, and the spot light is always on him, ignorant writers with no intestinal fortitude, have to write total non issues, just to create a story. If some of these writers would take the time to do real baseball stories and stop giving these, oversensitive, crybaby attitudes attention, this would be a total non issue, which it should be. You have an A & B conversation and "C" gets offended by it, take the WHAMBULANCE and get some crackers to go with your whine. Oooops I said cracker, I just offended the majority of people in this country.

Roman responds: Make up your mind, do you think homosexuality is a choice or mental illness? It can't be both. And I'm not sure people who think it's a choice have thought out that position very carefully. That means you can make a choice to be a homosexual, but you "choose" not to. I'm a heterosexual, and I couldn't "choose" to be a homosexual.

Ozzie Guillen was wrong. He should be punished. Maybe a fine or a one game suspension will teach him to watch his mouth. There's no reason for every game to be Ozzie night at the improv. When an opinionated guy talks into tape recorders for an hour each day, the law of averages says he's going to offend someone eventually. It's time he learns to say 'no comment.'
Ozzie's apologized and hopefully we can get on with the baseball season. That's easy for me to say of course because I don't belong to the group Ozzie offended. I really don't think he meant to slur the gay community but it doesn't change the fact that he should know better than to say something like that.
And now we're treated to Jay Marriotti's smarmy mug all over the media playing the martyr. Thanks a lot Ozzie!

Jay Marriott can dish it out but can't take it. The problem here is not Ozzie.

I'm sick of these liberal handwringing wussese feminizing sports. Right on Ozzie!

EVERY day there are columns which feed off of stereotypes on race, religion, etc both in print and on radio. Ozzie talks like an idiot all the time, in this case he again chooses his words poorly and we want to bow down to the gay rights activists. Maybe Jessie Jackson should step in...we haven't see him for awhile.

Although I still love Guillen's candor & bluntness, he does need to review his word choice when he begins to get a little emotional on certain topics. However, with that being said, Ozzie has a few valid points...
First of all, Guillen had every right to go off on his club & go off on Tracey. Why? Because he's right - every club is gunning for the World Series champs to knock them off their porch - they need to be ready for every challenge. Therefore, for Mariotti to publicly state that Guillen was wrong for doing so further shows me that he doesn't quite comprehend how important team unity is, nor truly understands that's the core ingredient of what Ozzie believes in. Ozzie makes a point - that this rabble-rouser of a writer (who generally writes negative articles & attempts to ignite controversey) consistently writes from afar & very seldom shows up to the clubhouse to get his own quotes, his own story - just writes his own opinion.
More importantly, Ozzie really needs to do one thing & one thing only - focus on getting focused - taking his team to the World Series again, not to be distracted by, of all things, (and not even baseball-related) a guy who makes a living by giving his opinions.

Jay is the best thing we got in this city. Hopefully the clowns don't run him out. I have met a handful of walking time bombs waiting to explode in the workplace if you got in their way. They feel threatened and will say and do anything to hurt someone. Ozzie's in that same boat.

I was mildly surprised to hear the Boston sports radio stations giving as much air-time to Jay's issue with Ozzie. If he is going to ask for a suspension because what Ozzie said of his inability to meet him face-to-face, then maybe he should take a long hard look in the mirror. As a columnist, whose main job is to point out the flaws and foibles of others, I would think he'd be a little more thick-skinned. Obviously I was wrong. It sure appears that Jay is using this episode to get his "15 Minutes". Too bad he is abusing the public forums he is affiliated with to get fame for himself. I have no side here and admit that Ozzie could have picked his words better, but the fact that Jay made an issue out of it speaks volumes of his intergrity.

Never underestimate the power of a minority interest. Twenty years ago, the word "fag" was used like the word "dope". Over time, gays told us "no, you can't use that word". Over the same period of time, we can thank these people for changing the definition of the word "marriage". What's next? A minority interest ignoring our immigration laws too? Wait, been there as well...IS THIS A GREAT COUNTRY OR WHAT?

Some of you people need to wake up. Ozzie is no angel and should be fined. Media has been taking shots at sports figures just like the fans have. It's a freedom they have. Athletes and coaches need to show some character and be the better person. Ozzie displays a lack of character and athlete. Dusty Baker with a crappy team and no one supporting him should be complaining, but he isn't. He has character and Ozzie should take notes.

Ozzie's an adult, living in a world that has changed drastically in the last 20 years in many ways. Things that you used to hear said all the time now offend people. And if that's the way it is, Ozzie, like everyone else, needs to learn how to deal with that. If I went to work and called people what Ozzie calls people, I'd be fired. Is that right? It doesn't matter if it's right or wrong, it is the way it is. At some point, adults need to learn to adjust to the situation they are in. Keep winning Ozzie, but think about things before you say them, like the rest of us do.

Any columnist for a major newspaper has proven his journalistic skills. However; someone has forgotten humility and respect. If Mr. Mariotti were to start at the bottom level of reporting again, I doubt he would achieve his status now.

After reading these comments I'm absolutely embarassed for White Sox fans. Roman's comments were dead-on. Some of you people would defend Ozzie no matter what he does. Sad, really.

Jay, do you need a hanky?

Don't be a whimp, be a man's man, oh sorry a sensitive man's man.

GO OZZIE..

This world is becoming to politically correct. The word "fag" can be heard in this city 100 times as much as the name Marriotti. It is used in TV and books and I am so sick of people being shocked when the word surfaces. I am sorry, but it is part of our world today. Again, this is another incident where the media is trying to create a story where there is no story. How about writing a story about something that really matters in this country. How about spending some time trying to figure out why I am paying $3.00 a gallon for gas. As for Marriotti, I am sure he is sitting back enjoying this whole thing. He needed to do something to get his name back in the mix. I am sorry Jay, but this little incident will not get readers back. I gave up reading the Sun Times specifically because you wrote for them. I do not understand why he even lives in this city. One of the best days of my life is when AM 1000 dropped his radio show. It goes to show you that people in this city don't like him. Just from reading these blogs, it seems as this is an overwhelming idea in the heads of a lot of people in this city. I have a gay friend and when asked about this situation, he was more offended that the Sun Times has a writer like Marriotti on it's staff. And just to let people know, just because this seems to be a big issue, I have yet to pick up a Sun Times to find out what Marriotti will say. I know this is what the paper is hoping will happen. They want people who do not usually read their paper to pick it up just to see what Jay has to say. Who cares? I also have heard from people that this is what they pay him for. I wish I had that job, just writing whatever crap came to my mind this morning when I woke up. Anyway, I just hope Bud Selig will look at this like the majority of people and shrug it off. As far as the Sun Times, you will never get my business as long as you employee writers such as Marriotti and Couch. And for Marriotti, sack it up and be a man for once. Stop hiding behind every little thing you can. You are not a martyr.

Mariotti deserves any negative comments that come his way; he writes negative articles of course, with the exception of the occasional positive article so that he can refer back to it later when accused of being negative. He thinks he is a player, coach and gm all wrapped into one. Reality is that he is none of these and I would not be surprised if he never played sports in his life, or maybe he tried and was always the last kid picked, maybe that's the problem.
Someone will have to explain to him what this word means, but what is really happening to him now is called Karma.

I have read the occaisonal relevant Mariotti sports column, but most of the time he serves up self serving tripe. Emotions run high in all sports, and sometimes things are said in the heat of the moment that in retrospect, one would regret. However, with the tone in most of Mope Mariotti musings he invites critics to take their shots. Then he becomes indignant because everyone else does not agree with him. If for one moment MM, ( mope marriotti ) wants us to believe that he has taken up Gay Rights as his new crusade, well it just makes you laugh, remember he is on a TV show and there is no such thing as bad publicity. So give us all a break with your horsespit outrage, however wrong Ozzie's choice of words were, when there are so many other words he could have used, there should be no fine, no suspension. As someone that has many gay friends, if MM thinks he needs to help, or defend the gay community, then I suggest he actually do a little research before he spouts his indignation at the use of a "gay slur". Give us all a break and move on, most of us can see right through your pomposity, and self promotion.

Ozzie shouldn't have used the word he used, and he should be slapped on the wrist with something stronger than a wet noodle - maybe a dry noodle, but spare me the moralizing and indignant protests of that sniveling, hypocritical named Jay Mariotti.

How many times did Mariotti bust on Jerry Krause, calling him "Crumbs", calling him fat, commenting on his stature?!? Is that not personal? This is simply Jay the egotistical hypocrite exploiting a story for his own personal benefit.

Ozzie is a classless, juvenile jerk who thinks now that he won a World Series, he can do and say anything he wants. I played college baseball, and I gurantee you, if it came out that my manager had told a player to intentionally throw at another, he would have been disciplined immediately.

So many people love Guillen because of his "bluntness" and "honesty", but as soon as the Sox start losing (be it this year, next year, whenever) his act will get old REAL fast. Also, he's been in this country for years. He should know that a word like "fag" does not mean unmanly, and it offends many people, like it or not.

PEOPLE, LET GO OF YOUR JAY MARIOTTI HATRED FOR ONE MOMENT AND LOOK AT THIS ISSUE OBJECTIVELY -

If at the office, you call someone a "fag", will you be given a free pass because of your culture? No, and neither should Ozzie. It amazes me because of Jay's criticisms of the White Sox in the past (along with the Cubs, the Bulls, the Bears, the Blackhawks, and every other Chicago sports team) that you automatically give Ozzie the benefit of the doubt. As Jay states at the end of today's column, when a team wins, he'll tell you why. When they lose, he does what every single one of us does; he questions the team, the manager, the owner, even their beer vendors. Why has he become the scapegoat for every problem with Chicago sports simply because he writes about it? I don't take offense when Jay writes poor things about the Chicago Bears because he always brings up glaring issues that we've all considered. That is no excuse for allowing Ozzie to behave this way. Come out of your caves and stop with the excuses. If Ozzie had said this about Ken Harrelson, I'm sure you'd be calling for his head. But because it's Jay Mariotti, it must be okay? That's hypocrisy at its best.

The White Sox organization should be proud of what they did last year. But because of Ozzie Guillen, they're looked at as a joke to the rest of the country; a three ring circus that's ready to implode. He is not above the game. Don't let him be.

Maybe its time for the writer to look at him self in the mirrior. For we all know what it will show someone who is just a little person trying to be a big person. I look at both sides a say "if you do not have anything good to say about someone do not say anything at all". That is just my opinion.

The real travesty is how acerbic columnist and provocateur Jay Marrioti is attempting to lay claim to the mantle of martyr.

Certainly Ozzie's word choice was improper from the perspective of polite society. Unfortunately however, a veritable cottage industry has arisen that believes it is their unique social obligation to speak out and demand accountability on behalf of those who have been "offended" by something someone else said or wrote. These self-proclaimed social gatekeepers contribute toward a culture of intimidation that targets anyone who doesn't fit their notion of sensitivity or appropriate behavoir.

Most of us are perfectly capable of recognizing that something is distasteful without a bunch of media types endlessly shouting in our faces about what is or isn't appropriate and who should or shouldn't be punished and what the severity of the punishment should be. We're not stupid and can think for ourselves. I don't need for Ozzie to be suspended or raked over the coals in the media in order for me to teach my son that certain words should largely be out of bounds in polite conversation. The absolute panic and amplified level of outrage about things like this are, in their own way, just as bad as the careless use of words in the first place.

I will add my drop in the ocean of support for Ozzie. Sports writers like Jay M are a blight on the sports world. They derive their value from devaluing the work of others. When Ozzie starts listening the the advice of Jay M then it is time for him to go.

I bet if you ask Mr. Marrioti if he ever used the word fag, in any context, he would tell you no. I would be willing to believe that 95% of the world has used the word at one time or another. Ozzie has apologized for his remark, lets just let it go.

I guess you guys need more people to read the suntimes....that figures. If anybody wants to read about fags, just pick up a suntimes.... I do hope you post my blog.

Well guys this was the last straw, I am totally fed up with Mr Negativity, you have lost me as a reader until you lose him. If he doesn't have the guts to face up to anyone he decides to blast maybe Ozzie did use the wrong name, maybe gelding would be better

While everyone is ranting and raving about how "Negative" Jay is and how great and honest Ozzie is, what we must also remember is this: Mariotti is only stating HIS opinions, not the opinions of fans, readers, players, coaches, or anyone else for that matter. So stop crying about it already!!! I would hate to think that people actually take his every word for right, even when he is right (ESPECIALLY about Ozzie). And if anyone else is tempted to get all frustrated and upset about Jay's words, just do the guy a favor: STOP READING HIS COLUMN!!!!!!!

As someone who's both queer and a baseball fan (yeah, we exist) I was disgusted by Guillen's comments. He can make all the excuses he wants, but - bottom line - he's an example for kids out there. Mariotti isn't the issue here, folks. The issue is a manager who won't take responsibility for his own lousy judgement.

I think this is a real waste of time their isnt one man out there that hasnt called someone a fag. Just deal with it we are not going to be politicaly correct in this country no matter how hard people try to make it that way. If Jay stays at the paper i know alot of people canceling their paper. If you (Jay) have a problem be a man and go talk to Ozzie like a man dont run to your bud for help. GO SOX!!!!!

I'm so sick of those 'think of the children arguments' Hey Ozzie speaks Spanish, is that going to cause kids to learn Spanish? Kids aren't going to start using slurs because Ozzie uses them, if kids use slurs it will be cause their parents or someone close to them encourages that mentality.

Roman responds: So you think the reason so many high school baseball players chew tobacco is because their dads do. And you think the reason so many high school players take steroids is because their dads do. Those jerseys kids wear, do they say "Dad" on the back? Are the posters hanging in their bedrooms of their fathers? If you don't think sports figures influences kids, you're wrong. And I know bad behavior is prevalent, but that's no reason to perpetuate it.

What ever happened to "stick and stones will break my bones, but NAMES WILL NEVER HURT ME!"
Boo Hoo!

Mariotti who? You should be thankful for the 15 minutes of fame you are getting...While I don't agree with the public name calling, it certainly does not deserve a suspension nor this much attention. Mariotti can dish it but not take it....What a man! And for all those people who think their children just learned a new word from a role model, wake up your children are way passed that. Thanks Ozzie!

For commisioner mariotti to suggest a two week suspension is idiotic. Maybe we should let AJ determine the length of Barrett's suspension. If you or your colleagues make yourselves the story, then you are not allowed to chime in with meaningless suggestions. I give Mariotti a week before he finds a reason to call Guillen a great individual. That is the kind of two sided commentary that he has built a career on. I love how the media hates yes and no answers and then decides what is too much. Stop hiding behind your pad and microphone. You say us cellular is not safe. Go to wriglye and tell baker to his face what you think.

After listeningf to some of the national media guys; it's their understanding that Ozzie made comments in a private "insider" setting. It was a one on one interview, not a press conference. He blew off steam and made the comment he made. According to the national media guys, this sort of thing happens all the time. Aparently on the reporters e-mail blog (Reporters communicate with each other all day everyday) Much much worst things are said. Most nat'l guys think this should have never made the news! This actually makes Jay look bad.

First of all, I DO NOT buy the Suntimes to read Jay's columns. I found them to be boring and pretencious. The sooner Jay can land his killer gig and get the hell out of Chicago (and the SunTimes) the better. I thought Couch would be better than this but we obviously can see where his loyalties lay.
Secondly, Ozzie's comment is being taken completely out of context. If he was calling a homosexual a fag, it would be derogatory. Just as if you would call a black person a N*****. You can't call a white person a N***** and have that called being racist, can you? Call a black man a cracker. Is that being a racist? If it's going to be labeled a derogatory remark, at least let it follow some guide lines.
Finally, Ozzie should NOT be reprimanded for this. It appears MOST people don't have a problem with what he said, especially because of who the recipient is. I think the minority seeking a reprimand are trying to use bullhorns so others can hear their cries.
If this PC'ness continues, this country and every MAN in it will cease to be.

maybe i'm alone her ,but i'm very troubled by ozzies behavior. it's not just the namecalling (stick & stones ) but the glimpse of the man actually behind the curtian. ozzie has always struck mme as being a little disingenuous. and his recent behavior only has cemented that feeling. i think him throwing the rookie pitcher tracy under his famous bus was one of the worst things i have ever seen a manager do. no way he does that to a veteran. if ozzie had the guts he claims to he would have berated vasquez like he should have. ( now you know why vasquez was availible ) to me that was a tasteless , and gutless act on a defenseless rookie! the kid tried but missed. ever notice how ozzie's english gets better/worse as the situation warrants. not even sammy pulled that stunt as badly. i 9 times out of ten disagree with marriotti. yet i'm a hundred percent in agreement with him on the fact that ozzie needs to be reprimanded. for me not so much for the name calling but because he knows better. yet continually does stupid things like this and remains teflon like. denzer

All You Chicago fans whine to much.... Hey Jay!! Love your stuff keep it up. You should move to a different town. If all the teams in chicago weren't horrible every year you might have something good to write

Roman responds: You mean we whine "too" much. I'm not sure what "town" you're from, but the Bulls' six titles aren't too far in the past and the Sox are defending champs.

Roman responds: So you think the reason so many high school baseball players chew tobacco is because their dads do. And you think the reason so many high school players take steroids is because their dads do. Those jerseys kids wear, do they say "Dad" on the back? Are the posters hanging in their bedrooms of their fathers? If you don't think sports figures influences kids, you're wrong. And I know bad behavior is prevalent, but that's no reason to perpetuate it.

Then don't write about it. BUT, you guys have to make your money, don't you?

Mariotti is negative, i.e. says that Chicago teams won't go all the way, because most of them suck. Most teams in Chicago simply do not do what is necessary to win. That's not a columnist's fault. He's paid to write - not to massage and lather a town's collective ego with falsehoods.

Learn to spell and/or type, you idiots.

Ozzie said something wrong, but not a NATIONAL CRISIS type of mistake, only TABLOID SPORT JOURNALIST like the idiot Jay will jump on it and try to make people hear what he says.
Ozzie is just too passionate and straight shooter. This kind of person is the easiest and most trustworthy to deal with, he has no hidden agenda, you don't need to look over your shoulder with Ozzie, he does not stab in the back, YOU CAN TRUST THE MAN.

Freedom of Speech anyone? Cuz I am VERY sure, that worse names have been called in the past. Grow up little boys. AND GO WHITE SOX!

Sorry Roman but I have to go with the majority of your readers. Jay Mariotti is a good writer that chooses to use his column to spew venom over any incident that warrants his attention. There are times when he is good, but then there are times when he seems to place himself into too much of a self-important position. As far as kids go, kids don't need Ozzie to teach them anything. When I was a child in the 70's there wasn't as much media coverage and I still somehow learned as many derogatory phrases and their meanings as kids today. I'm black and the term nigga(notice the spelling) is a common terminology amongst myself and my friends whether hispanic, white or black. Of course, fag is an insult we use quite playfully. I'm just keeping it real here. I know my friend is not gay but at that point he is acting in an unmanly manner that prompts that response. I'm slightly dissapointed in your paper for stretching this into a major headline. I expect this out of ESPN TV which sensationalizes any story that benefits their views. I don't expect this out of the only paper I've ever read even when I've lived in other cities. I hate to say it but Jay has gone too far this time and it may be time to look for different reading material. For the benefit of your readers, let Jay take his 15 minutes somewhere else and lets get back to the superiority you guys have over all other papers in the country.

Hey Mariotti,

Your insight is invauluble especially on Ozzie, Dusty basically all Chicago sports. I love your negativity and sensationalism. Keep up the great work.

GO WHITE SOX

I'm afraid that I have to side with Ozzie Guillen on this one; until someone proves that his claim that the term he used has a different meaning and connotation in his native Venezuela than it does here, how can you hammer him for cultural prejudice when cultural difference may be at the heart of the furor? As for Jay Mariotti, he has made a career of being negative in a town where that is the easy path for columnists to take. His take on the Tracy episode is also indicative of his unfamiliarity with truth. Ozzie needed to come down hard on his team for failing to retaliate because baseball leaves him no choice and if he used Tracy to his make his point to the team or was addressing all of them (as he claimed)it is arrogant for Jay to dispute him without confirming his doubts by talking to those on the scene. He also ignores the basic problem with the present baseball system; it rewards those that strike first and punishes any response by the victim. An umpire should have the authority to toss out any pitcher that he thinks intentionally hit a player without issuing a warning. It may put a heavy burden on umpires but they are in the best position to judge a pitcher's intent and it would relieve the victim from having to take justice into his own hands.

Now that someone is spewing garbage back at him he whines like a baby. Get over it and get over yourself. He dug himself into this hole and should be a man, walk over to sox park and meet with them...if he cares for resolution.

ozzie maybe went too far this time, but what about jay in every column he writes?

It's funny to hear all these loud-mouthed, talk-radio callers whine about Mariotti's criticism. As if they don't spend half their lives criticizing and deriding players and coaches they don't like.
News flash geniuses, Mariotti is paid to give his OPINIONS. That means, by definition, no one is going to agree with him all time.
Mariotti writes what he thinks and then walks into locker room the next day and faces the people he criticizes. I guarantee most of you whiners wouldn't have the guts to do the same.

I hate talking about the past but sense you did i'm from Lincoln, Ne. Home of the five time national champions Nebraska Cornhuskers. The past decade has been tough times in Lincoln, no whining about managers, fake mythical curses. But we did have sports writers who wouldn't butter it up to make the home team look better. Mr Maroitti rips on the Bears,Cubs,Hawks Why???? BECAUSE THERE HORRIBLE. If those organizations would field winning teams Maroitti would have something good to write about

Ozzie is a flake. Deal with it. I am glad he is no longer in south florida. You can keep the jerk, and from what I have read here, it seems you guys deserve each other. Go Heat!

oh boy. some of you people are so p.c. it's making me mental. get over yourselves. start to report the news, not make news.

ozzie is the best manager in baseball and people are just jealous. instead of criticizing a baseball manager write about republicans actively supressing the civil rights of gays. this honestly is ridiculous.

All this talk about racism...when did homosexualness, which is a sexual orientation, become a race?

Talk about someone (and the situation) who is irrelevant. Mariotti is someone who I always pass on reading….maybe others who by this rag ought to do the same…..

I'm not a fan of either man's method of communicating.
Ozzie may be excused for any lack of basic communications skills. He's not a native English speaker and he's not in the communications business. Of course, this doesn't excuse some of his insensitive attitudes.

Mariotti, on the other hand, does have good communications skills, as demonstrated by his success as a writer and broadcaster.
Unfortunately, he all too frequently uses those skills in a negative fashion. He seems to have an especially annoying habit of kicking people when they're down or manufacturing issues for no apparent or logical reason.

Guillen may or may not be "the problem", but there's ALWAYS a problem when those who dish venom and criticism can't also take it.

ALL YOU OUT THERE GET A GRIP EVERYONE IS ALWAYS COMPLAINING ABOUT WHAT SOMEONE SAID GET OVER IT NO BIG DEAL IT'S NOT GOING TO BE THE FIRST TIME OR THE LAST THAT YOU HEAR THIS WORD OR ANY OTHER AT THAT. OZZIE YOU KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK PEOPLE JUST HAVE TO HAVE SOMETHING TO COMPLAIN ABOUT YOU DID NO WRONG AND YOU DO NOT NEED TO APOLIGIZE PEOPLE SAY THESE WORDS EVERYDAY GET OVER IT. DON'T YOU REMEMBER WHEN YOU WERE A KID YEARS AGO MY MOM AND DAD TAUGHT ME STICKS AND STONES MAY BREAK MY BONES BUT NAMES WILL NEVER HURT ME AND I AM 46 RIGHT NOW AND IT IS TRUE I HAVE BEEN CALLLED A FEW NAMES IN MY DAY. SO OZZIE YOU GO! YOU ARE THE BEST.

Gay Mariotti? Send him to the minors, I'm sure the New York Times needs another hack journalist. Nobody in Chicago likes this guy, he's a disgrace. I appreciate someone calling like it is and not shying away from telling fans about their teams flaws, but this guy hasn't had a positive thing to say about Chicago sports in 2 years. He's the new Steve Stone, pack up and get out!

Does anyone remember Ozzie blasting the fans during and after the baseball srike ended? I would love to have his exact words reprinted because that is when he lost me forever. I was not happy to see him become the manager of the White Sox because I never forgot his attitude towards the fans who were unhappy about the strike and what he had to say about those fans. I wanted Lou Pinella to be the manager of the White Sox and still do. Also, I believe that Jay Marriotti is probably one of the great sports writers of all time. I say this after reading about sports for 51 years. It is too bad that sometimes Jay goes off the deep end on an issue and is often negative in his views but his writing is always superb. He is, without a doubt, the top sports writer in the city of Chicago. There is no one even close to him!

There is not alot of blame that can be put on Mariotti for any of this. He is a columnist who is payed to look objectively at the sports of Chicago. Columnists write about their sports teams without holding back. Still he has the class to not use slurs to get his point across. He is payed to express his opinion and I would say he does a pretty damn good job of it. Beacause most fans don't agree with what he says and therefore have a hatred of Mariotti and an endless love for Guillen who "brought" them a championship. I personnally would say the rotation did that.

As for Guillen, there is no manager that brings so much shame on his team. You dont see managers of other teams going on tirades where his comments have to be bleeped out every couple of seconds. Anybody that believes that he used the negative term because it means something else in Venezuela is crazy. Ozzie Guillen has been in the United States for twenty years. He knew what he was saying when he said it. I dont see Baker, LaRussa, or Torre who lead class organizations act that way. Ozzie needs to realize he represents a team and a city. The way he acts brings shame upon the White Sox and their "loyal" fans. And people who say its not what he says, but I can remember when I was a kid. I imitated everythings ballplayers did. I would spit like I had chew in my mouth and took the batting stance of my favorite player. A good portion of young kids who are crazy about baseball watch sportscenter and baseball tonight. I know when I have children I dont want them to talk like that. I would hope they would have the class and vocabulary to express what the feel. And you cant blame ESPN or the other major networks. If Ozzie wasnt there saying hes a piece of bleep over and over then they wouldn't air it. Ozzie isn't stupid, he know what he says will be played on ESPN over and over. He should just shut his mouth and manage. He might win, but he sure doesn't win with class.

If they are thinking about suspending Guillen could they please do it before the last Cardinal game. We're dying here.

St. Louis Cardinal Fan

While Ozzie may run is mouth a bit much, and this has unfortunately offended some people; at the very least it's showing the bosses at the Sun Times how much the people of Chicago associate Jay Mariotti with bad journalism.

The members of the press will squeeze this story for all they can, especially since it involves one of "theirs". Everyone knows what Ozzie meant.let's move on and quit trying to make more out of this than it is.

Are those people who are justifying or minimizing Ozzie's most recent comments that ignorant? I would like to ask each of you how you would react if you, your parents, spouse or children were slandered in a similar fashion. Would you respond by saying that it was deserved or it wasn't that big of a deal? Let's see how supportive you are when the White Sox revert back to mediocrity. Even though the White Sox are the reigning champions, your manager, your organization and apparently some of the fans, are a big joke.

Jay Mariotti is by far the best opiniated person in the sports scene. He OPINES , This is his Job. 50% of the time I disagree with him but BOY does he get my attention. This is his Job.

Ozzie Guillen is by far the best manager in baseball today.He is a winner. This is his Job. If he opines on subjets other than baseball , its because the media wants him to be controversial.This is their Job.

I see no problem here , Everyone is doing their JOB.

Ok Roman, let’s try to put a little sane thinking into this debate.

First of all, we really should all agree that Ozzie did go too far and really does need to be saved from himself before it’s too late. He’s a great manager and it’s a shame he continually let’s himself get caught up in these silly side shows. However, I don’t for a minute believe he’s anti-gay. Ozzie’s a guy that just says the first word that pops in his head—much as I and most of my friends did when we were much, much younger. (I don’t know how old you are, and it doesn’t make it right, but in my teen years the word “fag� used to be pretty popular for referring to someone as “unmanly.�)

The real problem here is that it’s hard to empathize with Jay Mariotti. It’s a little like watching the leader of a hate group being protected by the police from counter-protestors. You know it’s right, but you still wouldn’t mind if one of the protestors got through the lines and punched the leader in the nose. Jay’s self-defense further alienated me when, in his article, he interchanged of the words “columnist� and “critic� throughout. Unlike Jay, I don’t see them as necessarily being the same thing. Perhaps that’s his problem.

In many ways Jay and Ozzie are alike. If you live for creating controversy, then you’ll die by it someday, too. Ozzie’s day will come. I think Jay’s is already here.

Let's see. It is ok for Mariotti to encourage Dusty Baker to refer to the players in his clubhouse at his "little bitches" and condone Piven's use of that term in front of thousands of kids, but Ozzie Guillen calling him (and only him) a fag in front of other grown men is the end of civilization and a slap to the face all humanity?

I like Ozzie and I sometimes enjoy Mariotti's columns (apparently I'm one of just a handful), but isn't this just a couple of men with ego's having a public shouting match? Shouldn't we just ignore them?

It isn't nice to call people a fag. However people do it all the time. As a matter of fact when i go to comisky to watch a game I hear that all sorts of f words being said, Fag being one of them. I hang out with 2 guys that are homo. we hang out, even have beers. I have heard them call each other and their friends fag with reckless abandon, I even call them a fag no big deal. So why is it wrong when a straight man says it? Those people who are that sensitive about those remarks need not be SOX fans. The Cubs and Cubs fans will welcome them with open arms, After all, its only a few blocks from Boys Town.

Mike

If something happens to OZZIE my subscription to this paper is over!! First of all unless Jay is coming out of the closet Ozzie called you a "fag" not slaming homosexuals ... It is just a word!!Jay has had a long standing fued with Ozzie he is just using this as an excuse to bash Ozzie & the Sox and get his name more well known. Hey Jay write about the good things the sox have done with their charities or the last 2 games scoring 33 runs!!

You guys need to grow up, and stop being such politically correct nazis. Go a locker room, or playground and you'll hear this type of talk. There is nothing wrong with it, this is America where you used to be say what you wanted. Stop being such a sissy.

wow. i'm so embarassed to be a sox fan today. as much as the owner can clean up the park and bring a champion ship team to the south side, it seems ozzie's comment has ripped the lid off the happy veneer and exposed sox fans as a bunch of vile, hate-spewing, hateful, mouth-breathing sorts who attack anything that dares question 'their' team. i'm embarassed to wear my sox caps outside now

I wish the Suntimes would can Mariotti like the radio station did. All he does is try to stir the pot.

If you don't like Ozzie and the White Sox don't write about them!! Instead of pushing for the league to suspend him, why don't you talk to your sports editor and not cover the Sox in the Sun Times as a protest!! Oh wait, that means everyone will be buying the Trib and you'll be out of a job....seriously, you must be loving this attention and I'm sure your paper does as well...milk it while you're getting the exposure...

Mr. Mariotti's refusal to meet with the Sox because he is afraid for his safety I believe strengthens Ozzie's point. How did someone get a job talking about sports who is too scared to talk to an intimidating personality?

Mariotti is being Mariotti: being annoying and incendiary is his schtick. Some folks obviously love it. I simply skip his column because he doesn't really say what he thinks. Instead he says whatever is calculated to be most provocative.

As for Ozzy, he could use a little media training. In many companies, all employees get sensitivity training. It would not be an insult to Ozzy to schedule such a session.

Ozzy's best bet would be to ignore Mariotti, but if that is beyond his self-control, he should refer to him as a sissy, word choices which seem to be fairly close to the meaning Ozzy claims he was seeking to convey.

Jay Marrioti has been an awful reporter for the longest, and why a big paper like the Chicago Sun Times keeps him with a job must be because they are as naive and narrow minded as he is. Just because he has a salary does not make him right in anything he says, but he thinks so because the Sun Times keeps paying him and doesn't get rid of him. Ozzie has no need to apologize to anyone, he said nothing wrong. As for people calling for apologies, that's ridiculus. Nobody has to apologize to anyone about anything. Everyone is free to say what they want about anything or anyone they want. If gay people don't want to go to Sox games then don't, if they want to go then go. Nobody owes anybody anything. Who are all these people that call for apologies, if you can't forgive someone their offense then you're the one with the problem. The only person we should apologize to is Jesus.

Jay Mariotti needs some de-sensitivity training!

Mariotti is a jerk, but unfortunately Ozzie played right into his hands. If there's no story, guys like Mariotti will try and make one.
You can't beat guys like Mariotti as long as they have a column to write. Look how often Ditka got suckered into being the story.

there are no winners here. OZZIE is a jerk, and will soon say something that will either get him suspended, or worse. Its clear the White Sox owners are scared to death to do or say anything that will offend him, certainly not penalize him. If any other manager called someone a fag, there is no doubt they would have been penalties. mariotti is a jerk also, and I can't defend him in any way. The recent brushes with Hawk were also laffable. I have not been able to watch a TV game that Harrelson has covered for years. He is so obnoxious, and completly unaware that there are 2 teams playing the game. I'm waiting for the owners to say "he gone".

Who cares what Ozzie said.
He insulted one person. Marrioti insults people everyday. What makes this funny is Ozzie is Billy Martin without the alcohol.

Didn't anyone read Mariotti's column from the same day as Ozzie's slur, in which he praised Jeremy Pivens for calling the Cubs "b#tches" over the loudspeaker during the 7th inning stretch of the Father's Day game at Wrigley? Apparently this is laudable, but Ozzie's off-the-record name calling in the dugout constitutes some kind of a hate crime. Ozzie should be more prudent with what he says, but this would have been a non-issue, if his target had not been one of the most inflammatory and self-aggrandizing journalists in the country. Mariotti is a hypocrite and a discredit to the Sun-Times. Ozzie may need to be reined in, but so does Mariotti.

Are you people serious? Mariotti is paid to stir the pot. He does it equally with all teams. A closet Cub fan? That is just stupid. Read his articles on MacPhail, Baker & Hendry lately? The issue here is that the baseball culture (and apparently the baseball fan culture) is homophobic. If Guillen drops the "N" word, he is suspended. But somehow, because the slur is used to describe homosexuals, it's just "Ozzie being Ozzie!" Ignorance is bliss as long as the Sox win, right?

As long as Ozzie is not committing crimes I could care less what he says or does. Being a lifelong Sox fan all I am concerned about is winning. We have suffered way to many losing seasons to concern ourselves with petty political correctness issues getting in the way of championships. You can call me a bigot or neanderthal and could care less as long as you call me a fan of the World Champs. Proffessional sports fans get caught up in worrying about what goes on off the field when the ONLY thing they should care about is WINNING. GO SOX!

In my himble opinion, I think Jim is a cub fan posting as a Sox fan wannabe.

Mariotti is right, there needs to be a 2 week suspension issued. When will the Suntimes be suspending him?

Ozzie has just proven my theory on the Sox and their fans. I'll start with their fans. The vast majority are not mullett wearing, summer teeth (some are here, some are there), shirtless hillbillies that disregard societal standards such as running onto the field of play and pummeling a 1st base coach. Most flock to U.S. Comiskular because "we've been Sox fans our whole lives." I shouldn't need to explain the former or latter. On to the Wizinator of Oz. Much like the former type of fan, Oz has a blatant disregard for societal norms. He believes the way to settle a dispute is through tooth-pick chewing oozing machismo, or simply calling people derogatory terms. If you disagree with the Wiz you are a peice of excrement, if you are offended by the Wiz he is "sorry." (fingers making quotes)...My fear is not about the Wiz's continued on field performance, the Sox are a very good team. My fear is that the latter type of fans will flock to support a guy that spews the same type of excrement no person wishes to be called, which in my country would make him an ***hole. To sum up my case, the latter type of fan support that the Wiz recieves breeds more of former type of fan. The mullett will still be there, some teeth won't; and it will be fine and dandy for 8 year old Sox fans to call anyone they dislike anything they like. Afterall, the Wiz can't be wrong because he has a "ring". I actually feel better about Dusty now.

I totally disagree with Mariotti. He is calling for Ozzie to get suspended for TWO WEEKS! So, if the Sox do poorly during those two weeks, is he going to write about how terrible the sox are and how they should do this and that with their organization? Marriotti is just making trouble. Trouble is his middle name. He also said that he can brush it off, why doesn't he instead of making it a huge deal. He also said that Ken "Hawk" Harrelson eggs people on about him. Isn't that what he is doing right now? He is just egging everybody on, including the press. Maybe if he and the press just left Ozzie alone,none of this would have happened.

All I have to sayis we are sick and tired of you liberals forcing your morality on us regular sports fans. He said it in jest. The gay parade is this weekend if Jay really cares about gay pride I want him to march in the parade.

Okay, Ozzie should not have called JM (I refuse to write his name) a fag. But for cripes sake! The fallout is extremely disproportionate to the offense. And for the record Roman, kids are calling each other a lot worse names than fags these days. They were doing it when I was in grade school more than twenty years ago - and I went to a private school! I think we put way too much emphasis on Sports figures who play a game, and not on those idiots in Washington who destroy whole countries! What will be kids' reactions to what is going on in Iraq, or to homelessness?

I do not believe that Ozzie has any problems with gays. But let's face it, the perception - right or wrong - is that homosexuals are soft, like women! I believe that is what Ozzie meant to imply when he called your fellow columnist the name he did. JM does have a way of hitting and running.
It seems the guy is usually bashing someone or something (Shanni Davis for instance - and what did he do except win a Gold medal for his country and refuse to buy into some teamate's selfish motives - and the only thing your guy wrote in relation to Shanni was negativity for the entire Olympics!). He reminds me of the guy in the movie The American President who Michael Douglas referred to as "only interested in telling you what's wrong and who's to blame for it." And now he's calling for a two week suspension of Guillen?! Over a comment that was made off the record?! Has he lost his freakin' mind?!

When I used to read JM consistently - against the advice and to the disdain of many of my friends as well as my brother - he routinely called Jerry Krause "Crumbs" and, while that is not considered derogatory against a group of people, it certainly was meant as an insult to the former Bulls GM - who did set the team back ten years - but where was JM's sensitivity then? Your guy should walk it like he talks it - if he is willing to hurl insults and call for peoples' heads all of the time, be ready for people to come back at you - that's the Chicago way, and your boy should know that by now.

At the end of the day, Ozzie is paid to manage. At last check he had managed to win a World Series ring and his club is currently twenty games over .500 - what's really the problem? It is obvious that his people skills could use some refining, but so could your President and Lord knows how many other wealthy people in out society - can we suspend them too?! Or is your guy simply going after an easy target? Keep winning Oz, and try to watch your mouth. Peace.

Ozzie should have called Mariotti a punk, not a fag.

Ozzie should be fired immediately for using the kind of slurs he did. I am from New York and don't know Mariotti's writing, but nothing warrants the things Ozzie said. If it were a white person making these comments about a minority, they would have been gone on the spot. So if there is an element of racism, it is the reverse kind.

Also, The posters who talk about homosexuality as a "sin" and a "mental illness" are entitled to their opinions, but that has nothing to do with whether or not these kinds of slurs are acceptable in any situation.

Ozzie has crossed the line between being funny/quirky/candid to being obnoxious. Worse yet, he's rapidly becoming an embarrassment both to the organiztion and to baseball generally. I'm anxious to see what Jerry Reinsdorf does. I can't believe he condones this kind of behavior in the least. If I'm not mistaken he was a strong advocate for getting Marge Schott out of the game after her many insensitive remarks. Remember Jimmy the Greek? Al Campanis? The Sox don't need this kind of thing; it only tarnishes their otherwise fine reputation. I'd start with an organization imposed 3 game suspension and see what happens. I've been a Sox and Ozzie fan a very long time and it's been a lot of fun. But Ozzie's now taking a lot of fun out of it for me during the last few weeks. Let's hope he's not one of those people who can't handle success.

First of all, I don't care about Mariotti. He is the media and he has achieved his objective by getting everyone so emotional about his articles (good or bad). The focus of this matter should be Guillen. His hispanic macho "I am the manager and can do whatever or say whatever I want" attitude is really beginning to wear thin and will eventually backfire on him as it has on others. He should clam up and coach...that is his job.

I think its time that somebody in the Sox orginization, or major league baseball finally does something to reign in this little foreign piece of crap. Ozzie is nothing but a punk and to me an overaged gangbanger.Maybe his antics are tolerated in his homeland, but he's not in "Kansas" anymore.Jay Mariotti is an ***hole himself, but at least he isn't out there calling Ozzie a "maricone", (isn't that unmanly in Ozzies language).Not many kids are reading Jays column, but a whole lot of kids are watching the Sox and their hothead manager.One of these days somebody's going to give Ozzie a crack and when they do they're going to make alot of people happy because maybe it will shut Ozzies big mouth. Major League BB shame on you for not acting. Just like the Barrett incident, you are slow to get to doing justice once again.

Ozzie goes around kissing men all the time and calls everyone else a fag. Discuss.

“I'm sick of these liberal handwringing wussese feminizing sports. Right on Ozzie!� – Feminizing sports? How? So because Mariotti is called a #$% and stereotypically that group is considered effeminate that somehow is effecting sports? Last time I checked Mariotti’s powers were limited to “journalism� not rules and regulations. But hey, you see what you want to see.
“Now we're treated to Jay Marriotti's smarmy mug all over the media playing the martyr.� – and if you were insulted by a professional whom you disdained how would you go on to pursue your course of action? Mariotti has to do this for many reasons.—you seem intelligent enough to know what I mean. BTW most martyr’s don’t have smarmy mugs.
“Big deal, he used a homosexual slur. The vast majority, and I mean majority, think homosexuality is a choice, and a mental illness, so I am not very sympathetic to that degree. I am in no way defending Ozzie, but he did not direct anything at homosexuals. So what if he offended someone because of a "slur"…take the WHAMBULANCE and get some crackers to go with your whine.� I’m going to guess you are a white male between the ages of 14-25 who plays online video games. Probably World of Warcraft or Counterstrike. You don’t have any homosexual friends and because they are different from you they make you feel uncomfortable. You don’t care if you insult them and hence use words to describe them as insults in your own personal arsenal because they are the easiest target for you and being racist just makes you feel too guilty. That’s fine junior. Some people never grow up. But don’t state your opinion as fact and then try to pass it off as the overwhelming majority. The majority of people used to believe the earth was flat because they didn’t know better. Your narrow little mind hasn’t even explored the issue but yet you think you know enough to speak for the entire country. Fact: Homosexuality is not a mental illness nor has been considered one for quite some time. Fact: An opinion is not a fact. Fact: Intolerance and immaturity are gateways for hatful culture.
“However, from a logical fallacy standpoint, if there is nothing wrong with being gay, then why is it a problem to call someone gay?� Not everyone believes it is ok to be gay. If Guillen doesn’t believe it is ok to be gay, then when he insults one person with a remark that’s merit for hurtfulness is rooted in that aforementioned belief then it isn’t just an attack on Mariotti but an attack on the philosophical belief that being gay is ok, not to mention an attack on every homosexual. Because the homosexual acceptance philosophy is still not universally accepted your question falls on its face. I know that being a bigot isn’t easy but next time try not to be oh-so-tricky… it just doesn’t work for you.
“Kids have been calling each other "fags" long before Ozzie was ever dumb enough to say it to the media.� – There are two sides to this comment. Some of you believe that kids are born into the world knowing full-well the seven words George Carlin used to rave about so it doesn’t matter what Guillen does. The other half of you believes that kids learn naughty behavior through adults, movies, friends etc so it doesn’t matter what Guillen does or says. The former aren’t intelligent enough to argue with (although they think the world of their opinion-and will let you know it ad nauseum), but sadly aren’t aware of their mental short-comings. The latter don’t hold people accountable enough. Kids will learn naughty things, but the more we clamp down on people who say them the better off our kids are. To you guys I say this: hold everyone accountable for being a decent human being. You’re only helping humanity progress.
“And nice job reprinting the slur. Way to help end its use in public discourse.� This kind of comment is from some conservative group smug in its ability to find what they think are logical fallacies that sound appealing to the dull mind. Their belief might sound something like this, “If you guys [meaning the press, schools, people with a brain etc.] don’t want people to be saying and using that word then you shouldn’t repeat it so much. If you just let it slip or didn’t give it so much publicity then it would have slipped through the cracks. Now even more people are going to say it and it’s all your fault!� It sounds convincing at first, doesn’t it? The problem is this: if a derogatory word is spoken just once and the public gets wind of it and if it is NOT addressed then the word slips through the cracks and becomes more acceptable. If a word is blasé, then it becomes commonly acceptable. If the word in question has a deep philosophical meaning, then whomever the word degrades will try to not only make the word itself taboo and out of the picture but take that same approach with the philosophy behind the argument. The word per se is just a means to an end. The more controversial a word becomes the less it is used in public and soon it will taper off in private. For example my grandmother still has a bad habit of calling African American people “negroes� or other close synonyms. She is almost 90 years old and hence when she was growing up that was not only the word used by politicians (you had republicans and democrats even in the 1930’s publicly using the other “n� word) but by common folk. I never use those words nor do most people I know. The word has become so taboo that if anyone but a black man says it they are ostracized by the media and the general public and usually land up in the dumpster,- fired, disowned, and out of a future. If that doesn’t prove to you my point I’m not sure what will. People will say hurtful words forever because even the most “liberal� people are still prone to the societal and quasi-innate cobwebs of the human mind.
And possibly the worst quote: “What Ozzie said was mean and hurt certain people, but Mariotti deserved to be humiliated for his stupidity. Although using the word fag might be offensive to gays, homosexuality is also viewed by many who are religious as a sin. This is not being "homophobic" but standing up for your beliefs. While it is wrong to use words of hate and right to be loving to one another, conforming to what society says and using a "politically correct" term is in a way glorifying that sin by making it out to be something that's right and not wrong. It's the media and society that turned that word into an insult by forcing "political correctness" down our throats which "..Does not legislate tolerance, but only organizes hatred." -quote by Jacques Barzun. I stand by Ozzie�

I think this comment is so full of hate and hypocrisy that it stands to serve why Jacques Barzun said that, “the conservative… has both feet firmly planted in his mouth.� Perhaps it is truly best to learn from your teacher before you quote him. While my rapport might not be advocated by the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King jr. we both agree on a philosophical principle, “Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.�
Let’s look at the sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity: First off the man says that although what Ozzie said was mean and hurtful to people that Mariotti deserved it due to his stupidity. This is a highly un-Judeo-Christian and immoral statement. While Guillen could have addressed Mariotti, or used other methods to diffuse Mariotti’s professional criticism, Guillen chose to counter with an irrelevant comment that was a shameless personal attack. Stupidity is also perceived (I’ll come back to this later). The man then goes on to say that the word fag only insults homosexuals. Depending on what % of the U.S. population you choose to calculate is at the minimum of 6,000,000 and a maximum of 30,000,000 people. (2-10 percent of 300 million). People who are sensitive to the differences that make us unique are also going to be offended by that remark so tack on 10s of millions more. The poster however didn’t include them because he is too myopic to think outside his circle, besides of course the obvious. The poster then claims that homosexuality is viewed as a religious sin by many people. The next part is tricky because the poster has poor grammar. Either the poster is claiming that his saying homosexuality is a religious sin is not homophobic because he is sticking up for his rights or that using the word fag is not being homophobic because Guillen is just sticking up for his rights. Both statements are laughable in their infinitesimal logical value and either way he is still wrong. Homophobic as defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary: irrational fear of, aversion to, or discrimination against homosexuality or homosexuals. Aversion for those of you who don’t know means dislike amongst other things. If you can’t match a definition with something that it defines you need to scroll up and read about people who don’t have enough intelligence to argue but think that they do. The speaker goes on to say, “conforming to what society says and using a "politically correct" term is in a way glorifying that sin by making it out to be something that's right and not wrong.� Here is a penumbra of one point he has. Although the use of the word “glorifying� depicts his bias he is logically correct to a point. The media by not criticizing the practice of homosexuality are not saying that it is wrong, but nor are they claiming it is right. To people like the poster, who can only see the homosexuality issue as black and white, if the media says it’s not black then he/she assumes the media has assessed judgment that it is white. This is a gray issue to the media and as such they handle it that way. Just because the poster sees this issue as black or white doesn’t mean that he can’t understand why someone else wouldn’t see it that way. Again, this is being handled very gingerly because it is still a gray issue. Society has not come to a consensus on if homosexuality is right or wrong, but since millions of people are that way why bother hurting them?—that’s not just unethical but it is bad business. He goes on to say “It's the media and society that turned that word into an insult by forcing ‘political correctness’ down our throats which ‘..Does not legislate tolerance, but only organizes hatred.’ -quote by Jacques Barzun. I stand by Ozzie.� By standing by Ozzie the poster admits that he is acting in a reactionary hatful manner. To add a little insult to injury the poster said earlier that stupid people are allowed to get what is coming to them. Perhaps sir, because the media would judge you as stupid, by forcing how they treat and discuss homosexuality down your throat, you are getting what you deserve.—which is justified according to you. How ironic.
“However, a word only becomes a slur with a negative connotation attached when those in the media deem it so. The connotation attached to this particular slur is not being accurately portrayed by the media. The word's connotation (believe it or not, this word is about as common as the word 'the' among us young males) is NOT homosexual in nature. The word is used to describe someone as 'weak'.� That’s like telling me the “n� word doesn’t have anything to do with black people it just means someone who is lazy or being a pain in the butt. The other “f� word come into existence because the American people aka “Society� deemed that homosexuals were inferior. The media picked up (as they should have) on the new insult word and it became more wide-spread. The media and society aren’t some higher entity, they are normal people like us. Lastly, Political correctness is about being a decent human being. Nothing good has ever come out of bigotry.

I suppose a lot of people would wonder why I would write such a long response. I’m happily married. My wife and I have a son and we are expecting one more. We want our kids to grow up in a better world than the one we grew up in so were trying our best to make it happen.

Homosexuals should not feel slighted by Guillen's use of the word "fag." But they should feel insulted because Guillen included Mariotti in their lifestyle.

GO OZZIE..MARIOTTI IS A PHONY.OZZIE FOR EVER

Jay doesn't have a credible leg to stand on. Doesn't anybody remember how Reinsdorf was going to hear from Jay's lawyers after Jerry called him out in the press for his column about Skiles contract? .

I myself am a Cub's fan, but I have to give credit where credit is due. The White Soxs are outstanding, but I feel there manager is bringing them down.
If Jay or Oz is right - that does not matter. The point is Ozzie is out of control and shows no respect for the game. He is letting this all get to his head. He needs to think of the team and control himself. I have lost total respect for this person.

my hat's of to ozzie he just called it like he saw it,what's the matter mr. mariotti can't take what you like to ditch out it's about time someone put you in your place.what also happend to freedom of speach.you go ozzie put him in his place.

There is no wrong in Ozzie. Jay Mariotti for years has downed not only the Sox, but the Cubs, Bulls and Bears. Never has he had something good to say.

You can't take back what Ozzie said, but let us be truthful - How many of us are guilty of saying the same old crap. Not in those exact words, but I find it hard to believe that anyone would be innocent of not saying anything deragotory.

Jay should quit if he finds our sports team intimidating. You have to take your job and its territory. So if he's working sports, he has to be in the dugouts and locker rooms. I used to read Jay's column every day. However, once he got on ESPN, his head swelled along with his articles.

So being a Chicagoan, I would rather have a winning coach than a cry baby sports writer.

This city is ran by gangsters and theives, the streets echo with gunfire nightly, and everyone is aghast about Ozzie? Boy, some people really need a life.

Mariotti has scored with a controversy he trolls for weekly. And another special interest group has something to cry about.

But when you really think about it this is a really funny city to be PC in. And Mariotti is a little ...

Mariotti, now you're calling White Sox fans a bunch of neanderthals. An extinct human species (Homo neanderthalensis) or subspecies. Take a look at yourself Mariotti. Whose calling who names now?

I wish it were possible to ignore people like Mariotti and Couch, but their tabloid crap has a tendency to push out all the real news, so you can't avoid it. OK, fine, Ozzie screwed up, but he knows it and he's not going to make that mistake again. Mariotti, on the other hand, isn't even going to slow down. You can just tell how pleased he is with himself now that he's finally been able to drag Ozzie into the mud.

Whoa! Don't blame this mess on liberals.

I'm as liberal as they come. That means I believe in free speech for everyone. If Ozzie wants to call JM names - let him.

As Lenny Bruce said "It's the suppression of the word that gives it the power, the violence, the viciousness."

Excuse me,Jon,but faith being
perverted to hide behind homo-
phobia?Hmmm...I'm a 52-year-
old black man who remembers when religion was cited by
racists to justify their bigo-
try.As for Ozzie,he should
have been able to verbally
wrangle with Mariotti without
descending to sexual invec-
tive.This repeat-offending
loudmouth should be suspen-
ded for two weeks without
pay(but won't because,well,
boys will be boys.)

If Ozzie is going to be suspended for calling Mariotti a "fag" because it is a disrespectful way of referring to a homosexual person, then Mariotti should be suspended for what he said in his rebuke to the statement. Mariotti says that "I get called worse than that by the coffee shop in the morning and by my wife at home." He is implying that it is bad/wrong/improper to be a homosexual. Why is no one jumping on him for implying that homosexuality is wrong? Who is the real homophobe here?

I just cancelled my subscription to the Sun Times and will not be watching ATH anymore. Thanks for making this easy Jay and thanks to the Tribune for giving me a better alternative for sports.

You only printed half of my reply. Sox fans should boycott the Times until Jay Marrioiti is traded to the SF Comical. Maybe he can rip the Patsy-Niners

Mariotti is annoying and talentless. That said, Ozzie claiming that his comment was not homophobic is outlandish. "Fag" is a crass term for a gay man. Ozzie meant to call into question Mariotti's masculinity by questioning his sexuality. THAT IS HOMOPHOBIC! If he didn't intend to do so, he could have used a million other slurs.
By the way, the phrase and the intent behind it translates exactly the same way in Spanish, so that excuse is also ridiculous.
Why is everyone so anxious to excuse Ozzie's mouth in this case? He is a great manager - but he's not infallible, for Christ's sake.

Sticks and stones will hurt my bones, but words will never hurt me.

Go Jay, I love the power of the press.

Quit riding Ozzie's coat tails and write a column that is worth reading without the controversy.

I think people should stop calling people "homophobes" for using the word "fag". Who says he is afraid of gay people? Isn't that making a jusdgement aganist someone just like you think he did? Funny how there's a double standard in the liberal world.

Props to Ozzie for still using his freedom of speech. Too bad he has to be penalized for it.

Get over it. For the last two days Mariotti goes on ESPN and the Sun Times whining that Ozzie called him a f*g. I really think Ozzie wasn't trying to belittle the gay community, he was calling Jay a f*g beacuse he acts like one. Yes the word f*g is used to demean homosexuals but it's also used for someone who has no heart or integrity. I do not feel sorry for Jay being called that word but he deserved it. He's constanly runs his mouth bashing every team, player and coach in Chicago. If he hates Chicago so much then get the hell out. The White Sox is not going to dicipline Ozzie because the Sox does'nt like Mariotti and secretly applauded him for saying that maybe not with the f-word but bashing mariotti in general for always writing something horrid about them. MLB is not going to dicipline him either because it's was supposed to be off the record. why the hell did those reporters asked him a question about mariotti for anyway? you knew ozzie was going to call jay everything but a son of god. I find this whole controversy bad for Mariotti rather than Ozzie. He just got cussed out by the reigning world series coach on national TV. Remember this mariotti karma is a b****

Freedom of speech is a figure of speech. If it bothers you that much, petition MLB to print out a list of acceptable insults for all the foreign-born players who haven't mastered the intricacies of American colloquialisms. It's not like we're talking about Fred Phelps here.

Ozzie Guillen is not an embarrassment to Chicago. Mariotti is. Ozzie is a guy who speaks his mind and talks like a regular Chicago guy. What has Mariotti done for this city or its people, or its sport's fans besides whine about things and try to incite reactions in people? Has the city had a parade for him? Please give us a break and go write for the Yankees in New York. Mariotti is the reason I subscribe to the Chicago Tribune.

Jay, your time is done. You're not even from Chicago either. Take your cigar, scotch, and poor reporting elsewhere. You were the most negative during the first World Series in generations. Ozzie is a proven winner.

It is interesting to see Jayh comment about the hard hitting journalism of Boston, while claiming he is unsafe in a Chicago clubhouse. If you like Boston so much Jay, go to Boston, Chicago would be much better off.
Better than taking 15 minutes of fame and spewing about the best manager in Chicago in the last 30 or more years, Jay should learn the game, stop taking pot shots, and being a general nuisance.
Rather than suspend Ozzie, I suggest we boycott the Sun Times and all their advertisers until the quality of the paper is improved by the removal of Mariotti.

Bud Selig fines Ozzie and sends him to sensitivity training? Who does he think he is? The father of baseball? Is he going to make sure that A-rod gets to bed on time and that Johnny Damon doesn't spoil his dinner by eating snacks beforehand? Why is everyone so worried about protecting gays and scrambling to give them rights based on a choice? Personal choices and personal lifestyles don't deserve extra rights. NOBODY IS BORN A HOMOSEXUAL!! It is a choice and if it's a choice you don't agree with, you should be able to voice your opinion no matter what it is without fear of punishment. After decades of study, I challenge ANYONE to prove that there is such thing as a "queer gene". This isn't discrimination of queers. This is discrimination against anyone who believes that homo-sexuality is wrong. While gays preach about acceptance and equality, they turn around and spew their queer garbage on anyone who doesn't agree with them. Queers believe in equality? I think not. If you truly believe in equality, then you believe that even those who DISAGREE WITH YOU deserve to be treated equally. Why aren't felons able to claim discrimination after being refused a job? It's because they made a CHOICE to be a felon. Ozzie is not guilty of discrimination even if his word was directed towards queers. THIS IS THE MENTAL ILLNESS THAT IS LIBERALSIM!

It's all the press'fault, when people call names.
I guess someone was poking Ozzie w/ a pencil or something. Made him mad.

I refuse to buy a Sun-Times (and haven't for years) because they keep him around in spite of his stupidity.

I don't even care about the latest Guillen fiasco - I just wanted to comment that I hate to see that fool Mariotti get more attention than he deserves.

After reading the exhausting and boring post by Athens, I also side with Ozzie. Athens says he wants to raise his kids in a better world than he was raised. Last I checked, the world is getting worse, not better. But that could be improved with hugs, cake, and therapy for those who don't understaaaannnd. Right Athens? I have made a commitment that I will never purchase another Sun-Times newspaper for the rest of my life. GO OZZIE AND GO WORLD CHAMPION WHITE SOX!!!

It's all about the money. Controversy sells newspapers and creates listeners. When was the last time Mariotti penned something that had social significance. Something that wan't an attack on somebody or something. Something that wasn't predicated on having as many people buy the newspaper as possible. The real thing is that mainstream America doesn't care what Ozzie said. They don't care.They don't care because they have more important things to deal with in life. They don't care because they don't need the controversy to drum up revenue. To the gay rights people, grow up. I'm a white male and what ever derogatory term there is for me, you can call me it because first, it's your right and second I don't care. I'm a big boy.Mama said a long time ago that sticsk and stones make break your bones but names will never harm you. Be a man and let it bounce off you. I'm surprised you haven't contacted a lawyer because that is the American thing to do when your feelings get hurt. Where is it written that everybody has to be nice to every other person or group. I would like to know though where the line forms for these righteous people to line up to go to Iraq where tropps are dying everyday for our freedoms (which includes free speech) and tell them that this is all going on because Ozzie excercised his right of free speech. Do you think they care? Do you think the parents of the soldiers who were just brutally killed in Iraq care what Ozzie said? And what gives columnists, talk show hosts, sports talk show hosts to say what they want about other people, groups, etc but when it turns on them, they run under Mama's skirt. Obviously Mama told them she would protect them instead of being a man and handling it themselves. Obviously Mariotti is still Mama's little boy. Oh gosh, is Bud Selig going to suspend me now?

Jay, quit fabricating the news. You're no good at your job and everyone knows it. Do the people of Chicago a favor and go work elsewhere. I have cancelled my subscription to the Sun-Times today.

What bothers me is that nobody has raised the issue that being gay isn't a bad thing

If I was Mariotti, I'd respond...I'm not gay, but thank you for the compliment.

Okay, maybe folks take offense to the word "fag", but behind this is the assumption that being gay is a negative thing.

The only negative is societies' prejudice.

If the shoe fits wear it. Kids have been using that word on each other for years and still do. Some people are too sensative.

The crux of this is that Mariotti doesn't like Hard baseball. As a former pitcher I, like Sal Maglia and countless others, would not let anyone crowd the plate -- It was mine. And no one would get away with throwing at my teammates.

Mariotti has been hanging around with ESPN people too long, it has rubbed off. I won't even watch that channel unless the Sox are on and I certainly can't stand that Around the Horn program. He should rejoin those charactors from NY and rotts with his damn Yankees.

A simple solution to this matter is to have Jay stop reporting on the Sox issues since he has no feeling toward the Sox organization as a reporter!One thing is right in this ordeal that Jay is making waves in the gay community in which Ozzie never cut down the Gay community but directed his anger to only one individual that is Jay! I feel the Media attention that this is drawing is harming more people then it attended too! I disagree with the Around The Horn Staff that Ozzie is bad for the game of Baseball! If people don't like a straight shooter individual don't interview them without paying the price! Go Ozzie! Jay maybe you should find a different city to report in since you have know respect to the Chicagoland teams.

Of course, the self-serving media will try to drum up controversy to bring up sales and to satisfy their own personal beefs. Mariotti uses p.c. Zealots and the media, along with the cowardly closet racists, to run a smear campaign and try to bury Guillen so he, Mariotti, could get more famous. MLB gives Ozzie a slap on the wrist to appease the "moraly offended". If anyone should be punished, it's Mariotti and the Sun-Times for their irresponsible, skewed, and agenda-driven "journalism". How classless it is of Mariotti to use people to make himself look like an undeserving victim, he's probably smiling about all this attention and the money it will make him. How pathetic it is of people to buy into this crap and treat it like a real news story. Shame on you, Sun-Times. Stick to covering the real news, instead of trying to make stories yourself.

Is Jay Mariotti unfamiliar with Ozzie Guillen's vibrant personality? Inappropriate or not, Jay Mariotti is exacerbating the situation and totally blowing it out of proportion. What I would like to see out of Jay Mariotti is a balanced article about this scenario. I personally do not think that he can do it without throwing in some sarcastic comment meant to anger Sox fans all over the country.

Ozzie Guillen has been the best coach for the White Sox players and the public. We love Ozzie both in spite of and because of his 'vibrant personality'.

This problem would be halved if Mariotti wasn't on ESPN

Mariotti is one of these current "pundits" (Ann Coulter, Jim Cramer, Paul Begala, etc) in all areas of the media (sports, politics, business, etc.)who seem to mistake a string of snide remarks for commentary.

Somewhere I read that Mariotti is never seen in a locker room of any Chicago sports team. I think that's the problem. He is perched in front of a pc with no context or texture.

The beat writers in Chicago who follow sports must be ashamed

i stopped buying the suntimes. its the best way to fight back at a clown who only wants his 15 minutes of fame.

To the person above who called Ozzie an embarrassment and called on Mayor Daley to censure him...do we have a bigger embarrassment in this city than Mr Daley? Why is Chicago the only city with a Mayor whose IQ is 5?

It's absolutely amazing to read people say things like, "because he didn't say it to a gay man, Ozzie's use of 'fag' isn't homophobic." Complete and total B.S.

First, it's obviously used to insult and intimidate us gay men, something I see quite a few people here are ok with. But beyond that, when it's used against straight men, it's used to imply they're gay, that they're not real men. Those who would say calling a straight man a fag isn't homophobic are insanely clueless.

what is up with chicago? i go to a giants/ cubs game with MY MOM and the 2 of us got called homos cuz we were wearing giants hat, and now i hear these room temp IQ remarks about gays? it all makes sense considering you defend that mean hated hick aj pierzynski.

Jay you deserve much more than what was said to you. Too bad we can't insult people without insulting at least one minority in the world. I read the articles and gave you the benifit, but I just saw the video clip wshere you were ranting on air. You are only interested in making Jay a hit since all you do is write about sports.

ozzie did nothing wrong, i can't believe what this world is coming to. you call someone a "fag" and all of a sudden you offend the gay community? come on!! get over it.

Ozzie Guillen is a helluva manager and motivator. He's also a loose cannon at a time when that's the last thing the "Bigs" needs. A clue to Ozzie's decision making process was his snubbing the White House World Series ceremony for the Sox last fall and keeping instead a vacation date in his native Venezuela where the president is a marxist dictator who despises the U.S.

First of all Wizard of Lack of Vocabulary, Jay Mariotti, love him or leave him, is recognized by sports fans all over the country. Everyone has an opinion of him. He doesn't need one of your tirades to get into the media. He IS the media.

Second, it really saddens me that people are so blind to this behavior. You're right, it is very common for guys to call each other "fag" and mean it in either a friendly way or a way to call someone a "sissy." But there's a HUGE difference here...I don't use that language in my profession and neither should Ozzie. There's a difference between having a talk between your buddies and having a talk with someone in the media. Did Ozzie really feel that a reporter wouldn't take this and run? It's not a reporter's job to follow the unwritten rules of sports...it's their job to report it and sometimes exploit the game for financial gain.

Third, Ozzie's request of "meeting me at the ballpark" is right up there with calling Jay out to the flagpole after school. How immature and ridiculous is that? Ozzie never said that he'd confront A-Rod face to face. Why? Because A-Rod would pound him into the ground if he wanted to do so. Then again, A-Rod has more class than Ozzie has ever had. Fighting is for kids and drunks at the bar who are unsatisfied with their lives.

Lastly, Everyone seems to blame Jay Mariotti for all of their teams' problems. Guess what? He's a writer! Do you think the Tribune (who he regularly bashes so get it out of your thick skull that he's a Cub fan) checks the paper every morning to see what Jay is saying about them? NO! So don't use the sticks and stones nonsense of an argument to justify what Ozzie said because the White Sox organization continually not only reads his articles but fuels the fire that Jay wants. Let's see who Jay has ticked off, and in turn, sold more newspapers because of it: The broadcaster, the players, the manager, and the owner.

All of you calling for Jay's dismissal are coming across as being clueless. Judging by your reaction and Ozzie's reaction, many people are reading and will continue to read as long as Jay can stir the pot. He's not here to make friends; he's here to cause controversy and in turn, sell papers. That's what he does and he's damn good at it too. Congratulations, he's got you too! HA!

There used to be another coach in Chicago who spoke his mind just like Ozzy. His name is Mike Ditka! And all they did was win world championsips!! Jay Mariotti is nothing more than a drop of sweat on the jock straps of these two great men who have done so much for the city of Chicago!! I will never buy another issue of the Tribune as long as Mariotti writes for that rag! FIRE MARIOTTI NOW!

Stop calling Mariotti a sports writer, or columnist, or whatever. He is a sports critic. It seems 99% of what he writes is negative. He was a major pain in Frank Thomas' keester and in all the years I read the suntimes, I only remember one column that wasn't negative. I moved to Atlanta and escaped the Suntimes columns with his ugly mug just to see it pop up on ESPN! If only he knew something about "Art" (Dogs playing poker and velvet Elvis doesn't count), than he could critique that instead of the sports teams of Chicago!

They should not punish Ozzie.

Wow! Quite the fire in here.

All I can say to the Oz "fans" is, when he starts to coach a losing team, all of the sudden the city and it's fans will be "fags", too.......wait and see. The guy is a head case, pure and simple.

Get a clue folks. 1) Marriotti loves to whine and is a pain in the arse. 2)The White Sox, in a town of professional teams that are garbage, save the Bears one and done last year and the Bulls version of "The best team not in the NCAA" finally get the Cubs number and Ozzie is running rampant. Ozzie thinks this is Central America. Ozzie has the baseball mind of a genius and the personal courtesy of a hamster. I assure you, if Ozzie were 82-100 last year and losing this year, everyone would want his head for this past stupidity. Ozzie is going to get to AJ's level, where everyone other than those two will want to kick the living crap out of them. Be proud of a World Series and shut up, play ball and be men. Mike Ditka was not as mental as this guy. We are not San Francisco, you know liberal, soft and happy in our own world but Chicago is not hillbilly haven, get a life people

Mariotti gets paid to be a jerk, finally gets it back at him and cries like an unmanly man.

Guillen, through is poor choice of words, and general cultural insensitivity, is going to be painted as the aggressor but he seems to be the victim. A person can stand only so much. Mariotti is one of the most negative writers I've ever had the misfortune to read.

But, Guillen does need to be fined. You can't say that stuff and get away with it. Mariotti just needs to go.

Jay Mariotti,
I do not blame Ozzie one bit for what he said. One day the Sox suck, the next you want to jump on the bandwagon. I do commend you on doing your job because any publicity for you is good publicity and this is all you will ever get.

Man, this is tough. I've been a Mariotti fan for many years. First thing in the morning, I open the Sun-Times and read his column. He's a phenomenal writer and gets the story right on. This accusation caught me by surprise and I hope he comes out of it okay. I'll keep reading him. For Ozzie, I see a path a self destruction, eventually leading to being fired by his employers. And maybe one day he'll regret all this, but I doubt it. So stupid.

Mariotti is one of the most annoying people in sports. Everytime I catch ATH, I wish he would just shut up. With that said, Ozzie's comment might have gone a little too far, but with Mariotti's reaction his point has been proven right.

Ozzie's comments were wrong because it was offensive to homosexuals and Ozzie knows it, but Mariotti is worse than what guillen called him the first time,

I've been saying this for years Marrioti's an idiot that's why i stopped buying the suntimes not one time does he ever say anything positive about anyone. everybody knows what Ozzie meant when he used that word it had nothing to do with gay people whatsoever it's about being man enough to come to a man and meet him face to face that's the problem with society today you can say anything you want behind someone's back knowing you will never say it to their face

I bought a Sun Times today just to read what all this Ozzie stuff is all about. I read part of Mr. Mariotti's column. Best thing that can be said is " The Sun Times made 50 cents today where they normally would not have. I'll go back to The Daily Herald where sports reporters know what they're talking about. My dad worked for the Tribune for 40+ years & i only buy that on Sundays. Bottom line is , after occasionally reading The Sun Times when it was laying around at work, J. Marriotti is still an idiot. The most negative sports reporter EVER in Chicago. Thanks for the time here.

Jay Mariotti better be at the gay pride parade or he loses absolutely all credibility. I've never seen such a hypocrite. Ozzie should know better than to say that, but Jay Mariotti is a hack who is running with this to sell papers and get his face on TV. Trust me, he could give two bits about the gay community.

When did sports professionals become so deified that they may get away with whatever foul and offensive off the field as long as they're winning on the field? Ozzie Guillen is clearly a narcissist tripping on his current job. He needs serious therapy and a serious reality check. It is not acceptable under any circumstances, ESPECIALLY if you are speaking in any kind of public forum at all, to use derogatory slurs against anyone. There was no excuse for Guillen's choice of vocabulary, and there is no ambiguity about the word "fag." Anyone making excuses for him obviously has a deep well of their own prejudices to examine. The way that this despicable incident was handled by the Soxs is a farce and an embarassment to human morals. The coach of a team stands as the leader of the team -- if this is how the Soxs' leader acts, then what on earth are the players learning from him???? Is Chicago going to be represented by an entire team of hateful and prejudiced men? This is deeply shameful and offensive. In this case, one rotten apple spoils the whole barrel. I will never cheer the Soxs again as long as Guillen is their coach.

This whole thing has been completely blown out of proportion. Sox fans love Ozzie because he speaks his mind and stands up for his team. If you don't like what he has to say, then don't listen to him. It has always been clear that Mariotti hates the Sox, so I refuse to buy the Sun Times. The Tribune owns the Cubs and all of their sports coverage focuses on the Cubs, so I won't buy that paper, either. Anyone know of a good Chicago paper? By the way, instead of fining Ozzie and sending him to sensitivity training, fire Mariotti!

Ozzie's a heck of a manager, but his people skills aren't worthy of major league baseball. He's lucky the Sox are winning. If they weren't, fans would remember he snubbed the White House welcome to the Series champs last year so he could spend a vacation in his beloved Venezuela which is run by a tin horn marxist dictator who hates America.

WAAAH WAAAH WAAAH!!! Can Jay cry any louder?? Jeez. Now Cry Baby Jay wants Ozzie to be suspended by the league for an additional 2 weeks??? C'mon!! Give me a break. He's getting fined, he's been suspended, and he has to go to some B.S. sensitivity training. Why isn't that enough? Basically Cry Baby Jay won this fight. Just let it go, man, and move on!! Or are you that desperate that you need to draw more attention to yourself and your "column", CB Jay??

99% of the posters here have called someone a f@@ before and i see nothing wrong with the term. Homosexuality is a mental disorder and it should be distinguished as such with such terminology. Ozzie is just a great guy using everyday language that has become shocking to an elitist group of liberal thought police and cowards that don't want to 'offend' anyone. The ww2 generation must think God, what a bunch of pu##ies the young generation is with all their sensitivity and gay "rights". Sickening and every state that has had a vote has rejected the "right" of gays to marry. That says hey guess what, there's something queer about being gay.

You know - when I was growing up it was fightin' words to call someone a fag.
Today we worry that the homosexual lobby will be offended. Frankly let them, I find their lifestyle offensive! It seems to me Jay should be angry he was called a queer and take up the issue with Ozzie personally rather than blather on and be politically correct.What has sports and this country come to when we uphold the honor of men who seem to find pleasure rooting around in relams better left for the out house.

Everyone male posting here who claims Ozzie didn't use the word "Fag" in a deragatory way is either an idiot or suspect of a bit too much "Ozzie" man love. Ozzie has used hundreds of words before to describe people he doesn't agree with. He's used "Fag" two times, that we know of (New York last year, and the other day). If you want to blindly man love Ozzie, perhaps you too, might fall in the category he accused Mariotti of being in. Oh, yeah, he didn't mean it that way, Ozzie meant "cowardly". Me to, you all aren't unmanly, just cowards.

Honestly, There needs to be a website that calls for the resignation of Jay Mariotti, if there can be an absurd website called Heave the Hawk, then Mariotti's should be published everywhere and signed by every Chicagoan. Ozzie did something that every White Sox fan would do in a heart beat. More so, I love how Couch writes the article, ESPN gets a hold of it like a day later & it becomes National news, so bad its seen on CNN Headline News and EVERYONE defends Mariotti because he's a co-worker at ESPN. Then the nation agrees because they don't have the opportunity to see the bullsh*t that Jay puts in the columns on an every day basis. Plus, look at the blog title to get to this page..."This time ozzie HAS gone too far." Weird cause it would appear 95% of the people posting AGREE with Guillen- screw the Sun-Times, Couch, and Mariotti.

Roman responds: The reason I capitalized "has" is because after the Tracey incident, I asked the question if he had gone too far. Personally, at that time, I felt he had not gone too far.

Mariotti is the reason I stopped reading the Sun Times in the first place, and that was long before the new Ozzie story happenned. Tell me, did the Sun Times ever issue a retraction and/or appoligize for Mariotti's statements about Ozzie's being a "Mafia" member or a street gang member in 2005? Did I miss that controversy? Those statements were what we once called slander. And plese don't refer me to the "Oh my kids will learn something bad because he heard something in an off the record interview". The kids I hear talk today never fail to supprise me with what they say. Maybe Ozzie could have picked a different forum for his response to Jay Marrioti's "baiting" but Jay isn't a babe in the woods type either, or this whole disscution might have some credibility. This is a case of the the boy who cries wolf to me. Now that Ozzie has received his fine from MLB and JM has gotten his two minutes of fame, it's over. If the gays want to really worry, they better worry about the crowd in the heartland who would love to legislate/bannish them from our country with our current leadership in DC.

I am amazed at how many people are defending for Ozzie speaking like this in public. I realize that many people will call someone a "fag" as a joke, or just to get under their skin. However, he has to remember that there are many kids who will see an hear that, and think it is ok. This is where Roman;s post is 100% right. Regardless of how you feel about Ozzie and Mariotti, it is ignorant for Guillen to say such things. For those who say it is "no big deal", at the same time, would it be ok for Guillen to call a black columnist a "stupid cracked out n*****?" I am sure many of you who feel the "fag" comment is ok, would feel quite differently about a comment like that.

Mariotti seems to me to be a genius. I have been reading these posts as they apply to the current controversy. Several posters claim to have cancelled, or going to cancel, thier subscription to the Sun Times because of Mariotti. Genius. These are the same people who profess to hate the man for his writing style or subject, yet will rifle directly to the sports editorials to read his next column. Genius. The man is a professional sports writer who has the entire baseball loving community within this city wrapped around his every word. Genius. Wake up people...he has achieved his objective, whether or not you buy the newspaper, you search out his articles through the web or other means to see what new controversy he is writing about. Either way, he commands your attention and brings readers to the newspaper. Genius. Congratulations, Jay!

I support Ozzie completely. This is supposed to be America, where we have free speech. You people who are attacking Ozzie are the same criminal element that is attacking our Bill of Rights. As far as the gutter-trash editors at the Sun-times are concerned, I will never again buy your rag. You demented hypocrites think free speech is fine for yourselves, but not for anyone who disagrees with you. We have seditious left-wing traitors in this country who are spreading anti-American propaganda about our military. If these scum are covered by the First Amendment, then Ozzie damn well better be covered by the same First Amendment. You Ozzie-haters are nothing but dispicable fascists. If you think Ozzie should be punished for what he said, then every one of you should be investigated by the FBI for what you say.

Harvey Milk claims that he just wants his kids to grow up in a better world. That would be a world in which the First Amendment is supported, not trampled on by politically-correct fascists. You put yourself on quite a pedestal with your lengthy diatrabe against free speech. But I'm not falling for your con game. If you were really concerned about a "better world," then you would be demanding that all sexual predators as well as other violent thugs were locked up. And no, political-correctness is not about being a decent human being. Political-correctness is about a powerful gang suppressing the ideas and free expression of the people they don't like. You vulgar hypocrites who condemn Sox fans as "neanderthals" and other derogatory terms are revealing your true nature. You have proven yourselves to be the sickening hateful bigots I always knew you were. All Ozzie said was one stupid word in anger, something every one of you phony liars has done. You are the ones who are demented little narcissists. Ozzie is a Latin man who speaks his mind and says whatever comes out(by the way, I am also a Latin man who speaks his mind), and I would much rather spend time with a man like him than with any of you sickening two-faced phonies. By the way, if you want to get into classist labels like the ones you throw on Sox fans, then you better be able to take what you dish out.

So, let me get this straight. Mariotti doesn't actually go to see the players or talk with coaches but is somehow qualified to criticize. Now he is calling for a suspension for Ozzie.
Aparently, I am just as qualified to write a column for the Sun Times and to call for suspensions. Personally, I'm calling for Mariotti's suspension so we can stop having to hear about his idiotic and baseless views.
Hey, Ozzie was wrong and deserves the suspension and the sensitivity training. There is no place for that in the modern day. Likewise, though, if I want to read the rants of an uninformed blogger I can go to a blog. I shouldn't have to be subjected to it in a the newspaper.

Tempest in a teapot. Get a friggin' clue. Not a big deal for most of us here in the real world.

You automatically call Ozzie homophobic. His primary job is not making comments from an air conditioned office. That's your job. His job is managing a pro baseball team. He should apologize and make an effort to repair hurt feelings. You have a great luxury in your profession, but no accountability. Enjoy yourself, you worked hard for it.

I, too, am done with your newspaper. My subscription was cancelled today. For too long this clown has been allowed to write/say/do what he wants without any basis or fact whatsoever. It will be a great day when he is run out of town.

This does touch on something that has bothered me for awhile and that is the general acceptance of homophobia amongst Sox fans. I would just like to say as a Sox fan and season ticket holder for 15 years that I am not homophobic and I love my gay friends. That is why it bothers me when Sox fans parade around in "Wrigley Field: The World's Largest Gay Bar" t-shirts, which I guess wouldn't be bad if it were a gay pride thing but it is meant to be derogatory. I have fantasized about buying a bunch of those shirts and handing them out at the gay pride parade. If we could get the gay community to start wearing those shirts then the homophobes wouldn't dare wear them. Sox fans tell jokes like "why do gays do it doggie style? So they can both watch the Cubs game." I think the Sox organization needs to reach out to the gay community. They should have a gay night. They could pass out Sox rainbow hats. I could only imagine the fun there would be with the kiss-cam segment on the scoreboard. Hey, if they can have "Dog Day," "Mullet Day," and "Elvis Night," they can certainly have "Gay Night."

The connotation of language depends as much on the perception of the listeners/target as it does on the speaker.

That Greg Couch and the rest of the so-called "sensitive" media felt it was an inexcusable thing to say says as much about their own homophobic tendencies as any Ozzie might have.

Sounds like the sports writers need a sensitivity training class or two as well.

Type "baseball problems" into Google and see if Ozzie Guillen comes up and he won't because there are far more problems in the game than an overzealous manager who uses a politically incorrect term.

Was calling Jay Mariotti a "fag" the right thing to do? No, of course not; however, I would like to point out that ESPN.com contributor Mark Kreidler wrote the word "fag" in his article. Even Kevin Boyer, spokesman for the Gay Games, has himself quoted on the Chicago Tribune website saying "Many children grow up in a society where calling someone a fag is the most insulting term possible."

I find this ironic since everyone complaining about Ozzie says the word is inappropriate and harmful, yet they keep saying it. It's as if it's OK to say "fag" as long as it's not directed at someone like Jay Mariotti who said that he has "been called worse at the coffee counter."

Journalists who use the word "fag" in their writing are just as guilty as baseball managers who use the word on the field or in an interview. If you acknowledge that the term hurts many people in a profound way, then why don't you give it the "expletive" status? If you are going to rip on Ozzie Guillen for not being politically correct, take your own advice and keep the word "fag" out of your publications and interviews.

What Ozzie said was totally inappropriate and he deserves the fine and the sensitivity training. If he does something similar everything should be doubled until he understands where the line is. That being said, if anyone deserves the ire of a manager, player, team, or town, it's Mariotti. His sole purpose seems to be to smear, belittle, and contradict anyone on a sport's franchise in Chicago. The Chicago Sun Times has many great writers on its staff, and I respect each, even when I disagree, except for Mariotti. Jay is getting the attention he craves, and he will be crying about how unfair everyone is treating him. Go ahead Jay. Blame Ozzie, Hawk, White Sox management, White Sox fans, and the city of Chicago for making your life miserable. But whatever you do Jay, don't ever look in the mirror and see the true source of the problem.

Hey, Will from Caracas, Venezuela. First at all, I know nothing about what Mr. Mariotti said or even who he is but I do know who Ozzie is what he usually says (who don't?). Sincerly, this particular matters makes me a bit jealuos about american people: All this noise because he said an offensive word to a man that implies an offense to a minority commnunity. Well, after the dubious appearance of the venezuelan "dreamed" team in the World Championship Classic, some venezuelan journalist speculate about the reasons of the team's performance, including Bobby's birthday. The first reaction of Mr. Guillen on this comments was to call THE WHOLE VENEZUELAN POPULATION with terms like fools and other epithets. You read this? He said "In Venezuela are 25 millions fools". American journalist said nothing about it (not even venezuelan journalists! my God!), no one fined him because of this.... And he offended a nation... The nation where he born. Since that incident, nothing can surprise me about him... and I am patiently waiting to see where his mouth will lead him at the end of the road. He is in the sports universe what Chavez is in the poitical universe, not in vain he is one of Chavez' followers. The are worms of the same swamp. All best, Will

There's no question that Ozzie was way out of line, particularly because he's supposed to be a leader, and likes putting himself out there. But the "f-word" has really only joined the list of no-nos in everday conversation in the last decade or so because as a society we have only really just begun to recognize homosexuals for what they are, humans and citizens, like the rest of us. But frankly, I'm disgusted by the coverage this paper is giving to the incident. Your writers keep saying Ozzie is overshadowing his team because he's running his mouth unchecked. No, this paper is overshadowing the team by paying far more attention to Ozzie than to another great season for the White Sox, who by the way just completed a tremendous sweep of one of the NL's best teams. Not like anyone at your paper would have noticed. You're not the morality police. Make it known to the people responsible for dishing out punishment and then stop making news and start reporting it.

I'm from NYC, and only know Mariotti from Around the Horn. as a Mets fan, even though my team is in first place, I would love to have Ozzie Guillen as our manager. White Sox fans are lucky to have this guy because he brings life to the game. People are to PC nowadays, they need to stop taking everything so literal and lighten up.

So called "sensitivity training" is one of those complete bs things made up by snake oil salesmen and lawyers for companies to use, in order to protect themselves from frivolous lawsuits.

most people I know either snicker or sleep their way thru these required "sessions" (at many companies")

this is not the a change for the better. It's also not the "word" changing.

Rather it's a portrayal of how ridiculous things have become in this country - the rest of the world would find this amusing/banal.

In Venezuela and anywhere else the world over(but especially in Latin America, people are blunt)

they will call you fat if you are fat. Not as an insult but as a verbal representiation of your most "obvious" physical characteristic.

ditto for tall, skinny, slanted eyes, dark skinned.

etc

Here, this is grounds for a lawsuit.

While I don't particularly think Ozzie's choice of words and in front of reporters was the most appropriate, it's time people stop getting "offended"

And if they do? who cares.. deal with it.

A pampered society is a society that is rotting away at its core.

Mariotti is a joke along with every sports writer on this paper. All you people read way to much into things. And for the over protective parents, if you don't want your kid to say fag or punch people pay more attention to them. Bad parents raise bad children. If sports are to rough for them have them start baking.

I wish the same standards had been used towards John Rocker and his tirades as have been applied here to Mr.Guillen. Seems to me they were both telling it like it is as they see it.

Mariotti's a hack, we all know that. I can't believe Ozzie would even take him seriously, much less get himself all worked up over that troll.

But here's the thing that nobody's commenting on:

Ozzie questioned Mariotti's manhood for not having the cojones to come to the clubhouse and speak his peace man to man. But Ozzie called Mariotti a "fag" in front of twenty reporters... with Mariotti not present.

Ozzie, if you're going to call somebody names, have the guts to do it to his face. Better yet, just shut the hell up & manage. Get the spotlight off yourself and let the focus return to the team and the outstanding season they're having.

Are there really people publicly voicing their opinions that they agree with Ozzie Guillen? How can you defend a man that called another man a "fag"? Guillen says that where he comes from it means that he is lacking some sort of manhood. Well where I come from it is an derrogatory insult to the highest degree. What if I came from a small town in the south where calling someone a "ni**er" was a way to say that they were lacking manhood. Then I made it big time and I'm coaching the Chicago Whitesox. jay Mariotti rips me in a newspaper article so I call him a "ni**er" on camera for the world to see. Would it be ok for me to justify my comment by saying that where I come from it means something else? Absolutely not. In fact, I would be lucky to be alive.

One of the unwritten codes about Journalism is it's unwillingness to attack itself. While this blog has offered a wide range of opinions about the subject, which is great to see, journalists will stand behind Mariotti no matter what and that is a problem when it comes to the integrity of the Sun Times and the failure of the Newspaper system in general. I have read the same opinion from every journalist that says that Ozzie was wrong in what he did but what the public has done has offered their own opinions which are much broader along the spectrum which is much more refreshing to see. I would love to read a Greg Couch or Telander article ripping into a Mariotti article.

The Jay Mariotti-Sean Tracy column that started this entire mess is the document that needs to be read over again. Since Mariotti wrote that column the Sox have not lost a game. One can argue that the team has gelled in the clubhouse and I would also imagine that every member of the White Sox is standing beside their manager. . . which is completely opposite of what Mariotti said in the article. One thing that Jay Mariotti has failed to understand in any article about the Sox is why they are winners. I can understand why Ozzie was upset. I do think it is wrong for him to use words such as Fag in reference to Jay Mariotti because he gives Mariotti the power he so desparately is looking for. I do not think that Ozzie was being insensitive to homosexuals because i think a lot of slurs need to be taken in the context for which they are used, but I also think that context is a hard thing to grasp and since society views things differently we just have to watch what words we use.

All in all, I am more disappointed in the Suntimes and I can see that they will eventually be the big losers in this scenario.

Without defending Ozzie's comments, I will point out that this is another example of the politcally correct media making and extending this incident into more of a story than the facts merit. Your average Joe on the street actrually thinks this is funny. Perhaps we all need sensitivity training and we can all be "wusses." (Hope nobody is offended by that term.) Perhaps that is the story.

Ozzie is very entertaining and a breath of fresh air in this politically correct bland society.

I bet the sportswriters can't wait until Ozzie's next interview. They might get 5 stories out of it.

Beeeeeeeeeeep.

This blogger is participating in the monthly test of the Illinois Emergency Alert System. If this were an actual emergency you would have been instructed to seek more details from your local news and information sources. This was a test.

We now return to our regularly scheduled program...The White Sox take on the Houston Astros for a World Series rematch!

After reading all of the comments regarding the reaction of Mr. Guillen to Mr. Mariotti's article I can only conclude that most sports fans are morons. They are unable to be logical or rational if the above thoughts expressed truly represent what the majority of fans think. Mr. Mariotti gives his opinion on various subjects. That is his job. He details his reasons for having his particular opinion in a logical manner. The reader has the option of agreeing or disagreeing. It does not cost anything to be agreeable while doing so. Any thinking sports fan would have a difficult time disputing that Chicago has had the worst of all owners and management in professional sports for the past 100 years. As a result Chicagoan's have had very few championship teams during this time. So if one is to write the reasons why this has been so or is so the article will be negative. Mr. Mariotti is a thinker! It is clear that most sports fans are not. I hope he continues to do his job. He is excellent at it.

The word fag is used in every playground in America, this is blown way out of proportion. Ozzie 100 percent was not denigrating the gay community his diatribe was obviously directed at just one man. Couch could have easily avoided the whole issue by not reporting it, he knows Ozzie meant no disrespect but he wanted to unecessarily stir something up. Mariotti is just what the Suntimes wants a controversial writer that elicits emotions from its readers. Just like Ditka , Ozzie says what he wants and reporters love his crazy quotes. The best thing for political writers was Clinton because he gave them so much material just like the best thing for Chicago sports writers is Ozzie because of his endless material, the last thing writers want is a Jerry Manuel or Jim Fergosi where there is nothing to write about. Lets be real though Ozzie is not a great manager he's just a personality, dozens of other managers could have won with the Sox lineup, and lets be real many other people can write scathing articles just like Mariotti, these two people are a dime a dozen and both of there time will run out in Chicago in the near future.

Jay Mariotti say a movie or restaurant critic does not have to tolerate boorish behavior from the actors or chef, but he misses the point. The movie critic went to the theatre and watched the movie. The restaurant critic went to the restaurant and ate the food and observed the servers. They are first hand accounts. Jay wants to write about the White Sox locker room without ever going there.

Hawk said it best on WSCR this morning. "That group should be upset because Ozzie elevated Marriotti to their status"

Marriotti is to sports what the National Enquirer is to news. It was wrong for Ozzie to say what he said but at the same time in todays politically correct world where everything is offensive to everyone it's no surprise people get upset so easily.

Whatever happend to people having backbone? Not every derogatory comment made in life is directed at a certain group of people, heck one can't even say hello today without fear of going to court because an underlying tone.

The PC movement is taking all individuality out of America and our freedom to express ourselves, no matter how right or wrong, it is slowly being stripped from us.

I don't know about the rest of the world but if someone says something I don't agree with, I can walk away, ignore it, or choose to confront it with the individual and hash it out and work out our differences.

Instead of being logical, everything offensive is thrown into the public spotlight or thrown into our courtrooms because what the real story here is about money and people that get offended or say they are offended can get a lot of money from it, or a lot of free hits in their newspaper column.

Marriotti should be a man and go one on one with Guillen. Of course this will never happen but hey it was a thought.

People grow up! It's not that serious. The media takes things and will run them into the ground. So what, he called him a fag. I know exactly how he meant it. And it has nothing to do with gays, at all. I say lets run Jay out of town. All he does is stir up B.S. Just like Sean Hannity and Larry Colmes.

Diversity is a wonderful thing, let us embrace it so that it may reign throughout the land- as long as we all remember to walk, talk and act the same...

I'm a gay man and life long Sox fan. It's important for a poster to identify his own background as it effects his/her perspective. I wish more would do that same.

Wether JM is an idiot or not is irrelevant to one part of this discussion. Wether you agree with what folks are criticizing as a world gone made with PC crap or not, there is consensus that using such a word, when you are a public figure who reprsents an organization, is just plain unacceptable. Like it or not, there is consensus, that it's not acceptable, for whatever reason.

I too think that Ozzie did not mean to belittle me or other gay folk, but i'm not every gay man, and I'm open minded enough to know that there are gay teens out there, who do not have the backbone to "get over it" and look the other way, yet again, to a lifetime accummulation of words that make them feel as though they are hated, less than human, and not worthy of being alive. Then they commit suicide at a rate much higher than their peers.

I'm more upset at Ozzie's explanation that he's gay friendly due to his Madonna concerts and WNBA interests. I'm more likely to be found reading mindless blogs about baseball, listening to the SCORE, or attending a Sox game.

I'm ok with the Sox, Ozzie's half hearted apology, but I don't expect this to be his last slip, but he can learn. Just don't let it get in the way of another Sox championship.

Lastly, I was amazed that some journalist actually had the COMMON SENSE to go to a gay sports bar (yeah, they exist) and ask folks what they thought. Jeff Passan on yahoo sports did just that (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=jp-gay062206&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

It's a joke that all Ozzie got was a fine and "sensitivity training" which will never happen. Rocker got two weeks for what he said. Whether you like Marriotti or not, he just did his job and give an editorial on what he thought about Ozzie. Shouldn't Guillen be paying more attention to his team and less attention to what some sports writer says? The excuse that the word is what people in his country say is no excuse. Guillens mouth is going to get him into more and more trouble as time goes on. Maybe he should take a lesson from some other loudmouths and stick with "both teams played hard".

As a Yankee fan I read you defending this idiot manager like he did nothing wrong. I think those who are definding this guy needs to look within. Your manager shoots off his mouth like an idiot and you defend. As a fan you just don't say some things yet he is your boy. Good luck with him, I thought he was retiring if you won the series. Liar.

ROMAN..

Learn from Jay's mistakes.

I'm sure Jay will never be happy with Chicago. (Jay move to IOWA, please)

Go Sox..VIVA OZZIE...

All is good on the SOUTH SIDE....

Now back to the game....

Bryan, the word fag can have different connotations depending on the context and the tone of voice used.

Clearly it's never meant to have positive connotations and of course it's one of the biggest if not the biggest insult that can be made to a straight male outside of referring to his mother.

That is why Guillen used it. It was on purpose.

However, I'm sure you've been around guys who kid around with their friends and call them "big fags" etc while laughing.

this is VERY common in Venezuela where I lives for 2 years. Every young Venezuelan will call his buddy(ies) "marico" (fag) and "guebon" (idiot) several times in the course of a conversation.

so in that particular sense, Guillen's defense is completely fair - his point was to suggest UN masculine qualities to Mariotte - like being a pansy, a queer or that word we use for female cats.

Would those also be "slurs" btw?

who determined what is a slur?

the offended party? what a joke that would be. I personally find that "offensive" :)

1) Missed in all of this is the fact that Sean Tracey threw a four-hit shutout for the Charlotte Knights earlier this week, and, according to his coach, Razor Shines, "pitched like a man possessed." Apparently Ozzie's "coaching" of Mr. Tracey has helped stiffen the young man's resolve and made him a better pitcher. It's called coaching.

2) Give me a person who tells me what they really think, as opposed to a robot who says all the right things in public and then harbors their hatreds in private. If all of us were liberated to speak a little more freely (albeit with more civility and tact than Ozzie), obesity and prescription-drug dependency would be less of problem in this country. Let's say what we mean and "hug it out, bit**es."

Do you think Jay might be a liberal Democrat? Sure acts like one. Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

I think Guillen is a bit of a coward actually, which is why he's a loud mouth. The two usually go together.

He yells at a rookie pitcher, but lets the veterans off the hook , and makes excuses for them - when they both had opportunities to 'even the score'.

Same with Mariotti - the guys not popular so Guillen presses his advantage.

Interesting that no one has commented on the fact that Oz told his pitcher to throw at someone's head. I think that's what got all of this started.

I dont care what Oz called the writer. The real cowardly act is that he told his pitcher to throw at someone's head.

And sorry, I'm not buying the line about it being part of the game. Anyone who says that has never seen a 95mph baseball coming at their face. Ask Tony C if it's 'part of the game'

Gee Tim, thanks for another PC requirement: now in order to make a comment you urge that we all post our sexual orientation, whether we're Sox fans, and other "background" information. As Ozzie will soon learn during sensitivity training, we're all the same, but different. Since my background doesn't match yours, I'm not qualified to make a comment on the new "F" word. Other than I stopped reading and watching Mariotti years ago,"

Joe: Who told you that Ozzie specifically told his pitcher to aim for the batter's head? Mariotti, who obtained this info from sources "close to the White Sox"? That's interesting, as I didn't read in any publication that he was told to head-hunt. Perhaps you went to the Mariotti school of journalism, where actual, factual knowledge is not required in order to make defamatory statements about an individual. Idiot.

Don't put Jay in with the liberal democrats. I am gay AND a liberal democrat and I wouldn't put a penny's worth of time into anything Jay says or writes.

Ozzie Guillen's word choice was NOT directed at the gay community and I certainly didn't take it that way. His comment was directed at a man who is too afraid to take responsibility for his words...it is a societal implication that being gay is being less a man, which I have found to be incorrect in every sense. As far as I'm concerned, being a coward and not giving a man you constantly attack a chance to respond face-to-face...that's what Ozzie was going for and I agree 100%.

Ozzie, I shall continue to respect you for your abilities as a baseball manager and former player. As I don't know Ozzie Guillen, "the man," it is not my place to judge one way or the other, but thank you for your apology.

At least YOU are man enough to do so. Where is Jay and his apologies to everyone he attacks? Hmmm?

As a lifetime Sox (and Ozzie) fan, even I was stunned by the grossness of these insults. Less surprising was the typically cynical, dishonest response from Sox ownership: just a quiet word thank you, plus whatever sanction the league cared to dream up.

Having sat through an endless barrage of so-called "kid-friendly" non-events such as animated pizza races and a "Fundamentals" program (dedicated, it seems, to instructing youngsters to hit a stationary object out of a miniture ballpark), any "kid" may well conclude that one's good name can be slurred without consequences unless that name is Pepsi or Domino's.

I'm writing an essay on the whole Jay/Ozzie thing for www.spikesballparks.com To this writer, it all comes down to intent. Ozzie hasn't wavered from the fact he doesn't care for Jay Mariotti. Mariotti is an opportunist at best, using his medium to play the victim. I have never gotten the impression Jay is a sports fan. Anecdotally speaking, most that I'm in contact read him for the 'lighting rod' effect, i.e. people stopping to see a car crash, train wreck, etc. At least we know where Ozzie stands on things. Mariotti shows amoeba-like tendencies in his writings, flipping around to suit his immediate narcissistic convenience. He wrote 4 Choke articles on the WhiteSox last year, and when the Sox won it all, his mea culpa read, "Yeah I was wrong, but millions of others were wrong too." It's hard to be a prognosticator, but it's easier when one has some accountability. Most of Mariotti's 'arguments' are cause and effect. Everyone thinks Ozzie is going to 'self-destruct'. LOL. He knows exactly who he is and what he's doing, and hasn't wavered from the stance that Mariotti is a piece of shit. Whilst I would not use those terms, Jay's tenure at the Sun-times is laughable. Given the constant use of invectives, over-use of hyperbole', and general distaste for most things Chicago, for him to play the moral card is pathetic, yet to this writer, expected.

E-Maj

Posted by: thomas | June 22, 2006 11:24 AM

It's funny to hear all these loud-mouthed, talk-radio callers whine about Mariotti's criticism. As if they don't spend half their lives criticizing and deriding players and coaches they don't like.
News flash geniuses, Mariotti is paid to give his OPINIONS. That means, by definition, no one is going to agree with him all time.
Mariotti writes what he thinks and then walks into locker room the next day and faces the people he criticizes. I guarantee most of you whiners wouldn't have the guts to do the same.

___________________________
Funny because I do believe there was an article saying that he almost NEVER goes into the club house and faces the people that he bashes, you are Jay are similar you don't always check the facts

As an outsider to the city of Chicago, but an avid reader of this sports section, I think your great baseball city is failing to recognize the passion that both men involved in this dispute have for their trade.

Guillen takes it personally when the always controversial, yet always objective Mariotti berates him or his team in one of his columns. Mariotti is equally objective in his editorials about the Cubs and is more negative about the National League team because they are a horrible disgrace to your city - and I am saying that as a passionate fan of them.

Mariotti does have a way of making his way into the news, but it is because he is asking the challenging questions and tackling issues that belong on sports pages. Guillen's choice of words in regard to Mariotti is an issue in society, and even though it may not be offensive to most sports fans, it's offensive to most Americans, no matter orientation - and I know that living in the Bible Belt in Nebraska.

But while Guillen made a mistake, he did it defending his defending world championship team that does take a lot of heat from Mariotti - this time warranted - for being such a fine organization on the field. Mariotti could benefit from writing about what happens on the field more often, instead of being such a lightning rod for controversy. But what is certain is that Chicago is lucky to have both men employed in your city, as few can match their talent in their professions.

Jim the Yankee fan has the audacity to insult Ozzie and Sox fans. The Yankee fans are nationally known thugs who threw bottles at opposing players in the World Series. Yankee players have had violent assaults not only on Boston players but on their groundskeeper. You are a disgusting two-faced hypocrite. You slander Ozzie and his adopted city for a stupid comment while cheering for the most violent team in the most violent city in this country. As long as you slander my city, let's see how you like it: your city is a well-known dung heap, nationally known for being the sewer that it is.

Hey Jim its proanly past your bedtime but a manager that sweeps the big shot yankees is not a idiot like your old Joe torre.Your just jealous that your manager isn't as good as Ozzie. Also your mad because that wasn't your big shot yankee manager that said that. And guess What your getting told off by a 11 YEAR OLD.

Marrioti earlier this season dissed A.J. and calling him an instigator for the Cubs and Sox brawl. Marrioti then writes this column about " Sean Tracey" and how he was crying, Guillen yelled and demoted him because he didn't hit a batter. Marrioti has never really saw things right in Chicago anyways. Marrioti sure as **ll don't know jack about the White Sox. Hey Marrioti, A.J. told Michael Wilboun on PTI to tell you to come to the clubhouse. This was a month ago and you havent came. P.S. I bet Woodey Paige had a ball at your expesnse

It is now my understanding that on friday Mr. JM has now made an accusaition that the White Sox have been "stealing the signs of the Cardinals" to account for their great hitting in the first two blowout games. It seems that this was made in his apperance on the sports show "Around The Horn". It seems that the source that JM quoted was said to be unreliable at best by sources in St.Louis, where this story originally came from. As I understand it, JM was basically told to "put up or shut up" about his so called proof on this story. Since I believe that won't happen, I post a challenge to the Sun Times and JM in particular: Let's see his so called proof with facts to match documented in the next several editions of his slander sheet. I do not think this will happen either, because he won't be man enough to write about it in the Sun Times. But then, I haven't noticed his name in the lead page under the heading for columnists that you can click on. Does he still work at the Sun Times? Taken off for parts unknown with his bodyguard in tow? Or does he now only work for the tv broadcast Around The Horn now that he's become well known nationwide as a poor victim "sportswriter"?
Time now to go wash my hands after commenting on JM's slease story, I'm sure I have enough soap somewhere.
Go Sox and Go OZZIE!

Ozzie never told anyone to throw at anyone's "head". He did tell them to plunk the batter in retaliation.

That's a difference, and a significant difference.

for e.g. Riskie did it right.

you never throw at a guy's knees or his head. Everything in between is fair game.

Jay Mariotti proved just how big of a hypocrite he really is. Years upon years of insulting every sports team and player in this town and when somebody responds by calling him a name he cries like a baby.

WAAAA!!!
WAAAA!!!
WAAAA!!!
Of course, all the media picks up on it and portrays Ozzie in the most negative light possible just because they can stick together.

Mariotti breaks the a cardinal rule of journalism: report the news; don't become the news. His hissyfit over Ozzie is typical of a frustrated celebrity wannabe. Many sports columnists are actually jealous of the sports figures they have to cover and that appears to be the case here. As for Ozzie, there's a simple solution: don't talk TO or ABOUT Mariotti. Just keep winning!

Jay Mariotti is dead wrong here. Jay is a "columnist" not a reporter. He has been to the White Sox what Rush Limbaugh is to Democrats (never a good word to say no matter what they do) and we all know it. The problem I have with Jay is not that he criticizes the White Sox, it's that he has been PERSONAL in his attacks on the White Sox organization for years, but can't accept personal attacks in return. Though I rarely agree with Rush or Jay, I respect the fact that Rush understands who and what he is and accepts return fire. If Jay is going to personally attack the White Sox, he should accept personal attacks in return and not say anything about it.

Further, the Sun Times is the only organization Jay is accountable to for his commentary. If the Sun Times is willing to accept the risk/reward of Jay's comumns and no one cares, why is it a a problem for people to understand that the it's soley up to the White Sox to accept the risk/reward of Ozzie's comments also?

This whole thing stinks of the media fraternity protecting one of it's own and it's just not right.

Hasn't Mariotti referred to Frank Thomas as "The Big Skirt" on numerous ocassions in his column? Isn't "skirt" used in this context derogatory towards women?

OK, Ozzie was wrong for his word choice. He is being punished. But can someone tell me the last time Jay Mariotti wrote a positive article about the White Sox. I’ve been charting the White Sox success lately in relation to Jay’s frequent personal attacks on Ozzie and found the following:

June 6th Jay questioned whether Ozzie still even commanded the players respect. The Sox are 14-3 since June 6. Then there was the follow up attack on Ozzie June 11. The Sox are 10 – 1 since June 11. Then there was the June 16th trashing of Ozzie. The Sox are 7-0 since then. And of course they are 2-0 since his June 22nd attack.

On second thought, please, no positive articles. Keep up the good work Jay.

Listen, I love Ozzie. I now live in Santa Monica, California and I will be honest I have no idea why Ozzie called Marrioti a "fag." But being a lesbian I really don't care! I think Ozzie is a GREAT asset to the White Sox organization, leading them to a Championship that Chicago hasn't seen in 80 plus years!

When I lived in Chicago, Marrioti was always negative about the Chicago sports teams and maybe he shouldn't write for the Sun-Times anymore.

I accept Ozzie's apology and I think Marrioti should just shut up and comment on things other than Chicago sports teams!!!!

Although Marrioti is using the freedom of speech and freedom of press, so is Ozzie. That's what is so great about our country. We can say what we want and write what we want.

To some Ozzie may have gone over board, but I don't think so. I think Marrioti may have crossed a thin line and Ozzie responded.

Maybe Ozzie didn't respond in the correct or "political" way but he has the right to express his feelings!

I say Ozzie I love you and your words towards Marrioti did not offend me in the slightest.

Go WHITE SOX and I will be an Ozzie fan for life. He has been great for this city and except for Cubs fans, SOX fans know that!

Cubs fans are just jealous that we won the Series before they ever will!

oh please Jim the yankees fan. First off, what are you doing on a Chicago website? Looking at the newest baseball dynasty or just seeing the team that ur roster of all-stars couldn't even get to the in the playoffs? Maybe if Joe Torre wasn't so busy with his lips on Jeter's and Stienbrenner's ass, he could get a few words out of his mouth. As for Guillens language reflecting on kids as this article implies, thats absurd too. How many kids do you think we're watchin the press conference of ozzie guillen? Furthermore, I remember that in 4th grade, i already had the mouth of a drunken sailor. If you want to take up the issue of kids having to listen to foul language, then ur waging a losing war against tv, with shows like South Park and Family Guy (which i love to watch).

The racism angle is legit. Matt Millen used the same term to insult a player in earshot of many a reporter (at the stadium). Very little press coverage and no disciplinary action resulted. He's white *and* a former commentator, so he's made of teflon as far as the sports world is concerned. What coverage resulted was of the "I'm sure Matt didn't mean it homophobically" variety. Ozzie, on the other and, is Latino and not on the ins with the media people.

I think Chicago sports has hit a watershed and it needs to be looked at from a perspective of who and how it is reported. Jay Marrioti may not have the adaptive capacity to understand or report on a championsip caliber team or comment on social issues.

Jay Marriotti is equipped by experience, inclination and capacity to report on losing and the personalities behind the losses. He is a "loser" writer. Jay is good for reporting on the poor Cubs, the Black Hawks and the Bulls of the Jerry Krause/Post-Michael Jordan era.

Jay has been trained in the "loser" and the "feel sorry for me tradition" of sports writing. He has made his living as a garbage writer. Entertaining as he may have been in the past, writing so much on losing has damaged his perspective. He only sees garbage where there is something good going on.

Losing is what Jay has built his writing career on and is not equipped to understand what Chicago sports readers need. Jay is like the bitter old man in the room who made a living one way and cannot change. He needs to find the worst in people and tear down others to feel fulfilled. This is not a judgment but an understanding that this is his mind set.

Going forward in Chicago sports reality, Ozzie and the Whie Sox have opened the door to a winning basbeball. They have made winning the World Series a reality for Chicago.

For this new era, sports reporting needs people with different skill sets and diverse perspectives that understand success and can report on it with limited biases.

Now Chicago baseball fans be they for the White Sox or Cubs, must demand championships, and as that demand of quality is expressed to teams, so should the reporting. We need reporting that can adjust to champions and also be diverse in perspective. Without this understanding sports writing suffers from "mission creep" and enters into social issues outside of their realm of understanding.

Let's be real here, straight white men dominate sports writing, I am just saying what is and making no judgement. They are not trained to objectively assess social issues and perspectives that affect diverse popualtions. Still, through their writing, they have the power to either hurt or uplift the character of a sports personaliites and depending on their biases or subconscious attitude toward a particular person or a group, will seek to write favorably or hurt a person or group of people.

The lack of diversity in sports writing requires a focus to be on sports. We need sport writers who can focus on the game and add constructive commentary on performance not social commentary.

For example, readers benefit from insight and analysis on how a team wins, strategies, preparation, leadership and what lessons are learned by a loss.

On leadership, Ozzie Guillen is exceptional at bringing on the heat and lettting his players focus on baseball so they can win. Let the fools talk and argue, while the White Sox play winning baseball. Very little is known about the personal lives and opinions of today's White Sox and Ozzie has deflected that attention to himself so the players can concentrate on their performance and bring winnning baseball to Chicago.

I admire Ozzie for his results as a baseball manager and for winning championships, not his word choices. He is a proven winner who has acknoweldged his mistake for his poor choice of words and now he and basbeball fans need to focus on how he will bring another Championship to Chicago.

As for Jay, he will need to adapt to a winning tradition and for professional integrity go see a White Sox game live and see what real baseball looks and feels like. Without that insight Jay will lack the perspective and honesty of a writer who can report on sports. Without an adjustment in his perspective Jay will continue to focus on issues outside of the game. Because he does not know the game. Chicago sports readers demand better.The sports gossip gravy train is over. Jay needs to remove himself from his personal biases and report honestly about wins, losses, decisions and all that goes wth sports competipion if he cannot adapt give him a gossip column outside of sports.

Let's focus on October and another World Series...
Go White Sox and !Viva Ozzie!

This is ridiculous. This paper is almost as bad as ESPN (TV and website) with the coverage of this incident.

Jay Mariotti was out of line criticizing Ozzie Guillen on the Tracey incident. Guillen is old school, and old school says if you hit one of ours (especially twice), we hit one of yours. Tracey didn't do it, and Guillen got mad.

Mariotti, being ignorant on the history of the game, insinuated that Guillen had "lost his mind" after the incident.

Mariotti needs to get up the courage to stop hiding behind his keyboard and monitor (or his screen on "Around The Horn") and face up to some of these people that he loves to bash.

Funny how the media folks can be so tough in their words - but when it comes to face to face, they back down.

Mariotti needs to say what he has to say to Guillen's face - so all of his friends at this paper and ESPN can stop wasting time calling for Guillen to be suspended and so on.

Interestingly enough, an online survey at ESPN.com showed that a MAJORITY of people didn't believe Guillen should be suspended.

I guess they have lost their minds too.

Here's my problem with this: Everyone makes mistakes. Unfortunately, it is used as an insult and it is degrading to homosexuals. But I'm a lesbian, and if he'd said "You know what, it was totally messed up to use that word. It was wrong, and I'm sorry," I'd have gotten over it.

He didn't.

Instead, he claimed ignorance. He claimed that it somehow means something different in Venezula. Bull. The only way that would fly is if he was from England, and I can't imagine why anyone would want to call someone an "[expletive]" cigarette. It's in a malevolent context. He knew what he was doing.

People make mistakes, but unless you own up to them, you're showing yourself out to be a coward. What he said wasn't unforgivable, but refusing to own up to the knowledge that it was a gay slur? THAT is unacceptable, and that is far more offensive than the initial usage of the word.

As for the situation with Mariotti, I really don't give a damn. There's no love lost there. Insult him all you like. Just don't insult part of the population in the process. If it had been the N word instead of a gay slur, a fine would have been THE LEAST of his worries. SOmebody made the point that homosexuality is viewed as a sin by some. Not too long ago, interRACIAL marriage was cause to burn crosses on lawns. Does that mean calling someone a n***er is
okay?

guillen has gone to far this time, now he wants to challenge the comissioner. time for guillen to be fired.

A simple inventory of the columns he has written on the subject of the White Sox proves that he has no integrity, credibility, or objectivity. Guys like him are the reason that the public trusts journalists about as much as lawyers and politicians.

Ozzie has done more for the city of Chicago in
2 & 1/2 years than Mariotti has done for anyone (except himself) his whole life. Get the H#$^% out of town Mariotti!

Jay Mariotti
Ozzie is the best thing that has happened to Chicago in a long time.Also a word to all the loser Cub fans out there.Get over it because you are jelous that your team stinks.

Whether or not you (the reader) likes jay mariotti is completly irrelevant. Even if we sit here and agree he is the biggest p.o.s. on the planet it does not excuse the filth that comes out of ozzie guillens mouth.
This is not a Sun-Times-EPSN issue. This is not a Cubs-Sox issue. This is not Mariotti-Guillen issue. This is about a public figure using an incredibly deragatory vocabulary, one that is inexcusable for the figurehead of a team that represents over 8 million people in the area.

Enough already! Ozzie is a baseball player/manager and a damn good one. This is not something that is such a strange comment, right or wrong. We finally get a World Series Champ and many PC idiots want him gone for a dumb comment! Go ahead and hire a diplomat to manage the White Sox and you won't have any more problems with quotes, but you won't have a competitive team either. I guess all these critics of Ozzie never, ever have spoken a harsh word about anyone, huh?

Agreed Rachel. Fire him and let him find a job back home. I don't care if everyone says it in the lockerrooms. They need to be shown that they need to keep their traps shut or face the consequences. I'm sure there's alot of gay people that go to baseball games, and from the business standpoint it could cost the organization. BTW, a couple of years before Coretta Scott King dies, she went on record stating that the gay push for rights is a civil rights issue, so you could also make a point by saying it was a racial slur.

Personally, I doubt that there is a kid in America who will start calling their friends "f@#" because of Ozzie. Ozzie is not that prominent in society that American kids are looking up to him. It's sad that this story has gone on as long as it has. I understand Ozzie's frustration. His remark was stupid, but journalists are out to crucify him. People swear on TV, but is anyone out looking to pull their programs. Rap artists sing to impressionable youth songs filled with hate, greed, and sex. Do we criticize them? No, we give them an award.

JAY CAN WRITE WITH HIS POISON PEN...BUT WHEN A REAL MAN CHALLENGES HIM...HE HIDES BEHIND THE SKIRT OF BUD SELIG...THE REAL DUMB MANAGER IN CHICAGO SPORTS IS NOT OZZIE...IT'S DUSTY....WHEN ARE THE CUBS FINALLY GOING TO FIRE THIS DUD??? GIVE ME OZZIE ANY DAY!!!!!!!

Hey Jay

I support you 100%. Your article on Ozzie Guillen was 100% accurate. He is the biggest Jerk that I know. I feel that MLB and Bud Selig needs to get a handle on jerks like Ozzie Guillen....1 game and and a dinky fine, along with touchy, feely training is nothing but a slap on the wrist...What is he going to do next?????

I think Ozzie Guillen compares to Bob Knight, another Jerk.

MLB should have suspended him for at least 10 games, if not 50....

What he did, asking a rookie pitcher to hit a batter intentionally is bull crap.

And when the pitcher refused...to berate him on national television...I think calls for a major suspension...no a slap on the wrist.

Hitting batters intentionally is bush league, and could cause major injury.

I have pitched NCAA babseball and also umpired at the high school and collegiate levels, I would not have intentionally hit anyone, not even if I was told too.

I have kicked pitchers out of the game for doing so.

Also calling you a FAG is stupid...He should have been given my games at home for using a racial / sexest slur towards you.


I support you 100 % please keep up the good work.

I am currently suffering from kidney failure....I watch you everyday while taking dialysis...Please tell Woody hi....I love it when you argue.

Mariotti calling for decency and dignity? What a joke.

I don't condone what OG has done. He is a loose cannon and says some idiotic things. But, at least the guy has language issues and is honest.

But, what is Mariotti's excuse? The guy is dishonest, stabs people in the back constantly, and is more interested in creating a ripple around his name than reporting or writing anything worthwhile that he himself actually obtains.

If he was so concerned about a public figure in Chicago making insensitive comments, where was our PC Jay when Mike North was spewing his quite un-PC statements about every minority group including his latest rant about "Chinaman"?

Uh, dude. You're crying about being told to get off the field last October? After a year of bashing the team? Let's leave the fag comment aside. I can believe you've been called worse in your life. You seem to have an abrassive, corrosive personality. People don't like you. You should stop crying and reflect on that. I know you won't, but it's what you should do. You say the team is unprofessional, but only YOU seem to be having problems.

Jay's column today shows that he just isn't mature enough to deal with the response to what he dishes out.

He wastes valuable newspaper space going after Ozzie again. More and more, he is portraying himself as a big baby. You melee mouth people long enough, they respond, and now he's offended? Hypocrisy.

As an avid sports fan, I honestly don't appreciate limited space given to someone who writes that way. If a team deserves to be bashed, fine by me, provided it's professionally done not personally done. However, the White Sox are World Series Champions and hopefully a repeat is in order this year. They must know what they're doing or are at least putting on a good act.

Since all Jay does is criticize, his credibility really goes down to nothing. A team wins the World Series, improves greatly in the offseason, and is playing wonderfully this year and they still get ripped. What would it take then to have Jay say something positive? I don't think he's capable of it. He's just a whiner. Change the channel on ESPN and don't buy the Sun Times. That might be the only way they get the message that a new voice in town is what's required.

I love the Sun Times. It's way better than the spinsters at the Trib talking up a losing team (which they own) all the time. It's reflecting negatively on their management now that Jay is still whining about what happened.

What was he like in school? Did somebody call Jay a name and that's all he talked about?

This has become a joke.

First, for the person who way up in the blog stated that JM has the guts to face the people he criticizes the next day in the lockerrooms...no, he doesn't. He sits behind his computer and dishes out insults while seldom encountering his victims face to face. People that have referred to him as a bully are spot-on.

OK, maybe Ozzie needs to tone down the rhetoric, but Jay needs to take a chill pill. He has issues with everyone. He's the same guy who has the same issues with the Bulls. Get a life and do your job. How can you be a reporter and not go toe to toe with any athlete. You must have played golf or bowling or something like that when you grew up. Lame excuse your afraid to go to the locker room. I doubt it, you're LAZY.

Were he not so self-indulgent in his views, maybe Jay Mariotti could see he does more to inflame the issues to which he lends his poison pen than help solve them. A word of advice: Quit performing your job by proxy, Jay. Get your rear end to the ballpark and do your job like the rest of your colleagues.

I am 69 yrs. old and have followed the White Sox since my dad took me to the game; my oldest memory. I followed them my entire life and now I am rewarded for their excellence even moreso than the 1959 Nellie Fox team. Ozzie Guillen may be hot headed and says what he thinks but no one can deny that he has pulled together a group of players into a cohesive team that you DO NOT SEE in baseball anymore; at least not to the degree they have shown.

Enter Jay Mariotti. He cannot even stay on the subject on the ESPN show, Around the Horn without putting his digs into Ozzie and spewing his hatred. This is a Columnist? No, more like a kid who prefers to stay one up on anyone who differs with him regardless of the truth or consequences. He is the reason I refuse to turn the show on any more and he is the reason I quit my subscription to the Sun-Times. His ignorance is unparalleled in reporting. He hides behind the pen (keyboard) and has no clue as to what sports are all about. What sports did he play when young or was he the kid everyone picked on and now he is getting his revenge?

I agree with the comments posted by anonymous. Jay Marriotti calling frank thomas "big skirt" was meant as a derogatory term towards women. He also spent last September calling the Sox the biggest chokers of all time, before they had even given up 1st place, he has been on his radio show from the past and referred to Sox Park as a "hell hole". Yet when Ozzie and the Sox finally have had enough and call names in return It's all Ozzies fault. If Jay Mariotti, wants to take shots and call names, expect it in return. Ozzie used the wrong word in getting his point across.

Ozzie has somehow made a saint out of Mariotti. I in no way condone the language Ozzie has used the discribe Jay, but trust me Jay is not above name calling and insulting people himself.

Dear Mr. Mariotti:

I have read your column for as long as you have been in the Chicago Sun Times. While not a subscriber, I read all of the Chicago newspapers regularly and can attest to absorbing your opinion on hundreds of occasions.... but no more. I am done.

For years I have marveled at your sophomoric, wind-sock approach to "educating" the Chicago sports fan. I have often thought the only reason I read you is to see what foolish things you have to say on any given day... or if your stance on any given matter has turned around 180 degrees because you think no one will remember what nonsense you spewed a few weeks (or months) previous. I will admit that you can be entertaining at times, if for no other reason than you are so far off base to be utterly laughable.

Your obvious negative bias toward the White Sox has been exacerbated lately because many members of their organization have had enough, and they finally gathered the guts to call you out publicly. Ozzie is not the only one, you know it and so does anyone else paying attention. I could only hope that more executives, managers and players would speak their minds about your constant barrage of calling for people's heads, calling for suspensions, calling for ridiculous trades that could never happen....anyone who has read your carp (sic) knows exactly what I am talking about.

Suspend Ozzie for two weeks? Over YOU?? You are like the school bully who hides in the bushes, taunts people until they lash back and then cries "foul" to anyone who will listen as you run away, laughing behind your "sincerity" the whole time. Your writing invokes memories of the smart-alecks we have despised all of our lives. I would ask you how you sleep at night, but I already know the answer: with a big, smug smile on your face.

I am sure my fifty cents isn't going to topple the Sun Times empire, but until you are gone, the paper gets no more of my money.

BE A MAN: Show up at the ballparks and stadiums, meet the people you rake over the coals face to face. I am sure your column would be interesting after that experience.

It doesn't matter what Ozzie meant by what he said. It doesn't matter if he doesn't know what he said is wrong and why. And it doesn't matter who he was saying it about. If what he said was wrong, and it was, he should be punished accordingly. Nobody made him take the job. And no one's making him keep it. If he was a white manager in New York 20 years ago, he'd have been fired last week. And Jessie Jackson would be all over the Sox.

I'm not on any ones side here, but Ozzie, as a public figure, CANNOT be using words like "fag". Ozzie should know that you CAN'T use derogatory slangs AT ALL! PERIOD.

This is the most embarrassing thing to happen to the White Sox since they were forever linked with that wretched 70s pop band Journey, and that band's equally wretched song "Don't Stop Believing," during the drive to the playoffs last year. At least this one is generating the controversey that one should have, but didn't. Like that extremely poor choice of judgement in choosing that song and band, the blame lies no further than the Sox organization. Hopefully, if the team faulters down the stretch this year, they'll have the good sense to pick a decent band and tune to rally to. Why take Journey when they could have had the Beatles and Get Back? It would certainly improve the region's image.

Roman responds: I agree the song sucks, but Journey was a very hard-driving rock band before Steve Perry joined it and made it a pop band. Listen to pre-Steve Perry Jouney. Greg Rolle, who later joined Santana, was its keyboardist and vocalist.

I’ve had the pleasure of working with many international citizens and have seen varied responses from different nationalities over the same instructions. At least once a week I’ve see blank stares, anger or wails of laughter over a comment that was said in one language but meant something different in another. Did Ozzie mean coward? In my humble opinion, I think so.

Roman responds: Guys, of course he meant coward and unmanly and weak. But he didn't use those adjectives, he said fag, which is a derogatory term for a homosexual. Therefore, Guillen - at least to some degree - associates those qualities with homosexuals. It's not that complicated.

Fire Ozzy. Replace him with Andrew Dice Clay.

Ok your right Jay Ozzie should have used another word that would not offend the sexualy ofendable the word had he grown up in the U.S. that is more fitting of you is (Woussy)

Where does jay get his information from?? He says Ozzie's comment offened millions??? are you serious? Where did you get that fact from Jay? I can't believe Jay dedicated another article to OG today...it's like 2 little 3rd graders going at it now. Now Ozzie will respond and Jay will cry again. Jay - GIVE IT UP!!! the White Sox don't like you, their fan's don't like you - nobody likes you. If you ever wrote a positive article about anything i think i would fall over dead.

I am a Life Long Sox fan..60 years.
I don't care for either one of these guys. I didn't like Ozzie when he played SS for the Sox.
Can we just PLAY BALL and get rid of all this BS

Rachel, as a way of explanation there actually IS a way that Ozzie was right when referring back to the Venezuelan meaning (the word they use is "marico") (most other Latin countries use "maricon")

straight Venezuelan males call each other "marico" ALL THE TIME, though to josh, and of course it's NOT meant as a compliment.

Frankly, as a straight male, I can tell you that suggesting non masculine qualities in another man is NEVER meant as a compliment and is always meant as an insult (sometimes a gentle one, other times the biggest one you can hurl)

among straight men, calling someone a pansy (which was what Ozzie said he was calling him) is very very close to calling someone gay. Almost, but not "quite" the same thing.

I'll agree the fag word (though used every day by most straight guys) probably wasn't appropriate in a public setting, but since Ozzie is always "quotable", what if he had called Marriotti a queer?
or a pansy?

would queer be also considered a "slur"?

p.s. and please dont compare it to the N word. Completely different, there is a lot of historical background that goes with that word, which calls for special sensitivity.

as far as ALL other names, slurs, whatever, - frankly they should be fair game.
Didn't your mother teach you about sticks and stones bones and words?

instead of sweating what the manager of a baseball teams says, perhaps we should be leaning on the dips**ts in congress to end the war.

When Jay Mariotti takes his whinny clown show act to Boston in a few weeks for good, the City of Chicago and the Chicago Sun Times will be much better off.

All of you crucifying OG over this issue, and trying to make it a civil rights issue - BS. This society has really gone down hill when we start arguing over not offending something that is very wrong to begin with. Sin is not a civil right.

I have sat here for over two hours reading all of this nonense..are you all
psychos in Chicago??

You are crucifying a man
who is doing the job that
he was hired to do. He is a columnist..paid to give
opinion...not a beat writer
to hang out in the club houses.

You state that you never read him..that you cancelled your subscriptions, etc. etc. etc..then WHY do you know
so much about what he writes? You are liars..
you read him everyday..in order to discuss with your buddies just how bad a writer that he is..just
remember that for each of you who are trying to destroy him..there are many, many, more who recognize his talent and read him religiously..but..
just do not have the time
or would bother to write on these ridiculous blogs
their true feelings.
The truth...he is NOT a homer and THAT is what you cannot tolerate..
He is actually paid to NOT be a homer..
He has never been a homer and never will be a homer..so you should just read the beat writers articles and never read
the columnists..because that is NOT what you want to hear!!!!!
Jay is an award winning columnist..recognized all over the US and should not have to be going through this fiasco.
You say he ONLY writes negative columns..I say
nonsense!! I have read many, many columns that were heart rendering and very sensitive..you have one track minds..THE WHITE SOX!!!
Also, talking about sensitivty classes..Reinsdorf should also have to attend..he called Jay..A PIECE OF
GARBAGE.on the radio..that
certainly was classy coming from a man of his stature..wasn't it??
Ozzie will never change because he has a superior
that encourages and condones this kind of behavior!
Why don't they all grow up and act like civil human beings.
Sports are supposed to be entertainment..right??
Well, right now..I am NOT
entertained..in fact, I am
bored with the whole thing!

Jay Mariotti is a second class writer. Doeesn't he have anything else to write about other than Ozzie?? Give this story a rest. The White Sox are the best Chicago team that has come around in a long time!

I still cannot forget when you said that the White Sox are "Choke Job City." This was before they won the World Series! You certainly had to eat your words.

Get a real job Mariotti ...

After MLB, the press and congress did nothing about the steroids sleeze that continues to pervade the sport, how can anyone expect anyone whose job it is to cover baseball not be negative?

Hats off to Mariotti for making anyone's job in baseball more difficult. The whole organization is as sleezy as boxing. At least in the old days something like the Black Sox scandal brought real punishment, and reform, and media agencies didn't own teams. The money's too big now. There's too much conflict of interest. It's one wretched, rotting ball of self-interested sleeze.

All of Mariotti's columns are essentially about him--his strident take on why someone else has it wrong.

Who's got it wrong according to me! Woooo Hoooooo, look at me write. Am I passionate or what?

He doesn't fool anyone with his hysterical rants because they aren't sincere or connected to any core belief.

He hardly ever offers any insight into the game, the team or the player. Ever.

Columnists should offer insight. There's plenty of drama in the freakin' game itself. Now Mariotti's the story. The zenith of a mediocre career.

Rod has alot of anger going on! Calm down son.

The sports media really has its priorities all wrong. Okay, Ozzie Guillen used a reprehensible word in off the record remarks to reporters directed at a loud mouth columnist, generating milions upon millions of words demanding sensitivity training, fines, and even firing. Friday night Philadelphia Phillies 6'5" pitcher Brett Myers punched his dimunitive wife at least twice with what she says were his closed fist on a Boston street and pulled her hair, leaving her face noticably bruised and swollen. Myers was charged on Friday and pitched on Saturday! Where's the outrage? The media goes into a frenzy about a naughty word directed at one of their own by an inarticulate man but is practically mute on a serious spousal abuse incident and its aftermath. Let's get real here.

This has gone too far. I bought a paper the other day and I heard Jay, as he has so many times in the past, claimed that millions are concerned or offended by something. Jay only represents Jay. I used to be proud to have a columnist from my favorite paper on a national platform. I remember watching Telander on Sports Reporters and I was proud. This guy has never had anything good to say about anyone in our city. When he has said something good, he flip-flopped a few articles later. Unfortunatly, we all read his column so that we can bash his opinion. In the end, it's his opinion and very few people as evidenced by this blog agree with him. He should be censured from writing about the White Sox. I watched him tear down Frank Thomas, Jerry Krause, Hawk Harrelson and even MJ on a few occassions. I admit that even though I can't stand him sometimes, there are a very few times when he has a good point. The problem with this episode is that he is completely off base. He spends so much time attacking others that he now comes off like a coward to a lot of men that believe in handling problems with other men face to face. He never goes into the locker room for fear of physical harm. What a lame statement. These are grown men that he has attacked repeatedly even when they are winning. What does he honestly expect of them? They told him to get off the field because he called them chokers. As a matter of fact, he calls our city the "city of weak shoulders". I can go on about Jay but that is what he wants. Welcome to your 15 minutes. We'll probably see him on Letterman, Leno or one of those other shows crying very soon.

Yes, in a related note the A.J. chosen Sox anthem Journey song last year not only is terrible, it is totally sappy.

So much so there's this:

www.soxfansagainstjourney.com

Jay Marriotti is the single worst columnist ever to pen an article. He spends all year bashing a player or a team, and when that team or player turns around and proves him wrong... He outright lies and claims that he predicted it all along! Boy, maybe we should have taken his advice time and time again. Trade away a Starting Pitcher last year for Ken Griffey Jr. Jr. went on the DL shortly after the trade deadline, and the Sox won the World Series. What an expert. Has Jay ever even played a sport in his life?

Mariotti has also crossed a line with me. Today I cancelled my Sun-Times subscription after years because I refuse to financially support a business that employs this guy. We've finally got a championship baseball team in Chicago after 80+ years and this guy (who's not even from Chicago) is doing everything in his power to tear it down. Maybe it's going to take the power of the people using their collective wallets to fix this thing. Any techies out there want to start a boycottsuntimes.com website? That might be what it takes.

Why is Ozzie getting asked questions about Jay Mariotti? It's time that reporters stop pushing Ozzie into tirades.PLEASE Let's not forget that Ozzie has done SO MUCH for the White Sox than Mr. Mariotti and anyone.I agree with Ozzie rather than a Mr. Mariotti who Hates Chicago in general. I LOVE OZZIE GUILLEN. He is the man!

Jay Mariotti is getting exactly what he wants by all the coverage of what Ozzie said. Jay needs to pack his crap and his crappy attitude and get out of Chicago. The Sun Times should be embarassed to have this clown working for them. I agree with the above poster for cancelling his subscription to the Sun Times. Ozzie hit the nail on the head with what he said about Jay. It's about time someone called him out for what he is--a phoney, gutless, and uninformed "writer". Jay doesn't report the facts...he only reports his opinion. Get over it Jay, the White Sox and their World Champ status are here to stay. If you were a real reporter and a real man, you'd go into the clubhouse and to the meetings with the Sox. But you know that what you write is garbage and thats why you have no guts. The White Sox fans are here to stay.

So Ozzie gets a 1 game suspension and has to attend sensitivity training for saying something offensive while a pitcher in Philly gets away with beating his wife? This guy did not get any punishment!?!? Where is the justice?

Despite other posts, it is racial so get over it. You say something bad about a white reporter, you get the book thrown at you. Never mind Jay kept insulting him, yet because he is white, it is ok.

I think it's time for all Sox and Cub fans to restrict themselves from reading all and anything written by Mariotti. I once respected his editorials on Chicago sports but it has become overwhelmingly clear that his articles have become personal and exaggerated. He seems to have some sort of personal agenda against the White Sox in general. I side on Guillen on this issue and although he should of definitely chosen better words to describe Mr. Mariotti, he is completely justified in his reaction.

It's clear Ozzie needs to do a better job of steering away from inciteful comments.

Perhaps instead of worrying about Jay Mariotti he could explain to us why
Latinos and blacks withstand playing in the heat better than white players.

Back in the early 80's a rock group named Dire Straits put MTV on the map with a song containing the lyrics "The little faggot with the earring and the makeup... the little faggot he's a millionaire." In fact, the song is still heard on classic rock stations. I've never heard anyone ever go after Dire Straits for the lyrics. However, if OG uses the term.... crucify him. Go figure!

Roman responds: That's true, but the person who wrote the song, Mark Knopfler, was writing about what he heard people say about him. They were calling him the little faggot.

Congratulations JM. You only referenced yourself 21 times in your most recent column. GOOOD JOURNALISM guy. Way not to make yourself the story.

P.S. - Do you speak spanish? Did you personally witness the interview with the ESPN DePortes reporter? Did you actually witness the "air quotes?" Oh, that's right, you don't actually interview people. You just piggy back other reporters (and now you attack them because they have begun to have the audacity to break the sports writers code and point out that one of "their own" is a numbskull.

Marrioti did the same thing with Ditka and Jordan years ago.Didn't he get chased out of Detroit, get fired here,and sued to get his job back years ago?? We all know what Ozzie meant. It had nothing to do with the gay community. It means Marrioti is a gutless jackass.For what it's worth, i'm through with the Sun Times.

If the SunTimes ever wants to be taken seriously as a Big City daily, they'll fire Jay Mariotti.

Wow what a bunch of pansies we are in this country. Off-the-record comments about one person get blown up into some kind of national referendum on all people of a particular group? Pure insanity. Ozzie did nothing wrong.

I am a 63 year old grandmother who used to hear my own kids call somebody a Queer , now my grandkids say fag. These are slang and really don't have any sexual meaning. Ozzie is a baseball manager not a college professor. He has every right to critize Marrotti and did apologize for his poor choice of words. I love ozzie as a baseball player and manager. He makes the sox fun to watch

It would be great to have a manager like Ozzie but I’d prefer to have Ozzie himself. He’s proven himself as a player, a manager and as someone who would stand by your side if called on. Real people can say the wrong things when angered. Real people do make mistakes. Real people apologize and move on. I’ll take an Ozzie type over a Jay “The Whining Coward� type any day

Faggot is a term used by every boy from jr. high to college as a derogatory term like "you idiot".

Just like "Gay" no longer means "happy", words do evolve. Ozzie's comment was wrong and immature because he basically cursed at someone in public. It was a "stronger" term than calling someone an "ass or an idiot"

However, it should not fall under the category of homophobia or a hate crime.

It crack me up how the media could care less about crimes against woman and children or even ethnic minorities, or even supporting domestic partnerships for gay couples. Yet they jump on the bandwagon in support of gay rights via a White Upper Class Straight male?

This PC stuff is really getting out of hand. We're not talking about a racial slur. We're talking about a derogatory term for men who engage in oral and anal sex with each other. I find the term "gay", a mere euthanism for homosexual, as offensive in it's own way as fag.

I hear Ozzie (For his new class) has to write "I will never say the word fa* in a public place again"...(All the while he is clicking his cleats saying..."There's no place like home...There's no place like home)...Whether or not he is thinking about home plate or Venezuela we might never know...Maybe because he loves his home so much that makes him a better manager and may be the reason he likes to get runs across home plate...Oh no way...That's sooooo gay btrax....Watch for Ozzie to be a "cross dresser" for Halloween!!!

Ozzie is the best manager in the league. He brings back the fire and intnsity you need in your team to win a world championship. Since Ozzie seems to be the Headliner on every spotrs section in chicago lately let's take a look at Ozzie's actions. Lets start with his explosion in the dugout after the youngster failed to hit the Texas batter. You know what welcomed to the big leagues young buck, but I guess thats what you get for sending a boy to do a man's job, gringer rule number #38 You're either counted on or counted out. Yeah we say he is counted out. You defend your batters and most of all your team no matter what and at all costs. And now this columnist throws a statement that was said OFF THE RECORD. From what I read the comment was not said in a press conference or any setting even remotely close to that. I am sure that reporters do talk behind close doors but for JM to bring that out and publicly print it there newspaper makes him a horrible columnists. If JM has to take that comment in order to fill his spot in the newspaper well then I think you need to look for a new profession. JM has taken cheap shots at every professional team in chicago. You want to cover professional sports especially White Sox baseball Grinder Rule #54...If you can't take the heat stay out the batter's box...CLOWN

Roman responds: Three writers reported on Ozzie's original rant the night it happened, and none was Mariotti. Greg Couch reported for us and writers for the Daily Southtown and Trib also mentioned the incident. The Trib writer buried it at the end of his notebook. Mariotti was in Dallas covering the NBA Finals that night.

Jay Mariotti needs to step up and be a man. As a gay male, I'm embarrassed to hear this guy whine and call for intervention from baseball. This isn't grade school. Step up, confront the guy and handle your business.

If Jay really wants to do some damage, why doesn't he use the power of his column to OUT all the pro-players (in Chicago and other cities) and really cause a stir? It's not like they're not hiding in the locker rooms. Out an NBA, MLB, NFL, or NHL player in his prime (not a female and not someone from a sport such as ice skating or diving). It's 2006.

As for Ozzie Guillen, grow up? You seem to have a fascination with Jay Mariotti regarding homosexuality. Are you attracted to the guy? Otherwise, keep your ignorant comments to yourself. Again, aren't you in your 40's?

Mariotti obviously never played competitive sports or operated a business of any consequence. And he is a pedestrian writer, at best. He tries to be "Mr. I take the tough, unpopular positions because that is what commentators do" but he comes across solely as uninformed, lazy, frustrated (non) athlete. Why he feels qualified to write commentary on professional sports or the operation of a professional sports frrachise is beyond me. While I do not condone Ozzie's choice of words, I do defend his right to feel the way he does about Marioti and his right to express those opinions strongly.

Guillen calling Mariotti a fag is an affront to gays. Every gay person I know stands up for himself or herself. Not one gay person I know is a coward. Mariotti is a coward. And he's not even outstanding at being a heel, he's a second-rate Skip Bayless. What a loser.

Jay Mariotti needs to go ASAP. Sun-Times, please save your reputation and let this clown go to the East Coast - where we will forget about him forever. The tribune fellas are laughing their asses off over this mess - what an embarrassment! Mariotti only thrives on negativity, and we see that he even sparks the ire of his "paper-mates" - what a true ass. He deserves another very public lashing, much like the one that led to his departure from WMVP. They made the right move, S-T, now you should, too. Please "erase" this dishonorable fool from our great city's memory!

Mariotti is in the wroong here. He is a sideshow. He makes things up and says whatever just to get a reaction. That does not take talent. It only takes ignorance. He may feel justified and respond that it is his job to provoke and get people to stop and read his garbage. But people also stop and stare at car wrecks on the side of the road. That does not make getting into car wrecks a good thing. If you want to provoke people and get them talking, thinking, and reading, why not try providing useful or unique insight, not just juvenile rants designed to get attention to yourself.

Hey Yankee fan...Go take yer own team's inventory...How's Sheffield doing with his steroid problem...Oh yea he was so honest about that huh...How about Giambi...Yea he's an honest guy too huh...A New Yorker pointing the finger at ANYONE about ANYTHING is a lie or is it a oxyMORON...Go listen to one of the long line of drug addict sports reporters at WFAN or Stu tha loser drug from the Imus show...Where is that powdwer monkey now???...Go pound sand..Get lost...The Sox will be looking forward to seeing the Red Sox in the playoffs...Sorry Yankee fan...The wild card is coming from the Central Division this year...Yer a spoiled cry baby whiner...Go swim in the Hudson River by the nuclear power plant.

Marriotti is an always will be a jerk. But hey- what about Greg Couch, why did he even have to bring this up. I find it interesting that the Tribune writers seem to be challenging Marriotti and Couch but of course no one at the SunTimes is saying anything. Even Colin Cowturd on ESPN somewhat defended Ozzie on this.

When a public figure is taken to task (or puts his foot in his mouth) for using a derogatory term that, intended or not, puts down an entire group of people, it has nothing whatsoever to do with PC. And this is the case here.

PC only comes into play, and unfortunately it often does, when it stops those who create satire from using or being able to use such terms in their work.

Can't take the heat stay out of the kitchen Jay.

GO SOX 2006 WORLD CHAMPIONS
and
Another great season for the South Side hitman Again

Roman, You never posted my comments about Mariotti from the 24th. Were there just too many to post every one of them sent?

Roman responds: Sorry, I just felt there reached a point of saturation. Yes, there were many.

Mariotti has called Frank Thomas"The Big Skirt",and LaTroy Hawkins,"LaToya",.aren't these HOMO references?If you can't take it JAY the manipulator and cry baby,Don't dish it out.

Roman. . . Was not John Rockers comments "Off the Record"? Oh yes that was New York not Chicago and Subway rider's not Jay Mariotti. . .

Animal

Oh, dang, why pick on Ozzie. Go to a typical bar and listen to what they say. Yes, print all of the language. Oh, I suppose that Ozzie should act like a Eastern U. educated fellow. If words hurt, then don't quote the fellow. You stupid arse.

Maryotti makes up crap and is a coward.
Accuses guys of murder and rape.
Then when he gets challenged by someone he lifts his skirt and runs.
Jay your mascara is running.