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Guillen sounds off on Cubs, media, Wrigley
The Cubs may be out of sight, but they weren't out of White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen's mind on Sunday.
Guillen criticized the media for its criticism of Dusty Baker, claimed Wrigley Field was infested by rats, and praised Cubs general manager Jim Hendry for sending him a congratulatory message.
In bringing up Baker, Guillen said the Chicago media had turned on the Cubs manager, and he predicted that they would someday turn on him, too.
"Dusty is my friend," Guillen said before Game 2. "And one thing I'll say about this town is Dusty Baker was the best manager ever in Chicagoland (in 2003). And then last year and this year, you guy ripped (the heck) out of that man.
"It could happen to me next year. . . . It will happen. Maybe not next year, but one day it's going to happen to me, and you guys will enjoy it more because they'll say, `Now we've got Ozzie.' "
Guillen believes the only difference between him and Baker is that he knew how fickle the Chicago media was from playing here for so long.
"He thought Chicago people were (supportive) and was like, `Wow, what a city,' " Guillen said. "I know the media in Chicago, and that's why I don't care what they say."
As for Wrigley Field, Guillen compared it with the Statue of Liberty, and said Chicago will not become a Sox town even if they win the World Series.
"This is a Cubs town," he said. "You've got to win seven World Series in a row. Seven, not one. You go to Niketown, you only see Chicago Cubs stuff, and I don't blame them, because we haven't done anything yet to make that step. I want to change that."
Without stopping for a breath, Guillen then related how fans at Wrigley "never watch the game," and just go for the party.
"I've always said that for fans, it's the best field to go to. But for you to work?" he said. "That's why I don't like to go to Wrigley Field. I love it when the game starts, but before the game and after the game, it's the worst field in baseball. It's uncomfortable to go there. I'm not saying I hate to play the Cubs. I hate going to Wrigley Field. Does that make me a bad man?
"Go ask the Cubs players if they like to play there every day. When they have to go and hit in the batting cages and there's 20,000 rats running around."
Guillen conceded he never saw a rat at Wrigley but was told the story by Cubs bullpen coach Juan "Porky" Lopez.
"I never go to the hitting cage," he said. "They feed those things."
Guillen said a message from Cubs GM Hendry after the Sox won the pennant was the best he received.
"It was from his heart, and it was really touching," he said. "That's why I tip my hat to the man."
Bears top Ravens, hit .500 and share North lead
Somehow, it seemed fitting that the rain started falling and the gray skies moved in and the crowd roared for the 1985 Super Bowl team, which was honored during a halftime ceremony.
If you want pretty, follow another team.
But if you want pretty effective, this Chicago Bears team is for you, with Sunday's 10-6 victory over Baltimore serving as Exhibit A.
The Bears are .500 or better after six games for the first time since 2001, and though a 3-3 mark is no reason to start planning Super Bowl parades, it does keep the Bears atop the NFC North.
It also sets up a showdown on Sunday in Detroit and sent home 57,537 waterlogged fans from Soldier Field with visions of playoff games still legitimately dancing in their heads.
"We just fought," said Thomas Jones, huge again with 139 rushing yards. "We knew it was going to be a tough game. We have a great defense. They have a great defense. It was just a matter of who could play for 60 minutes and execute in crunch time. Finally, we were able to break through. This is a huge win for our team."
The Bears earned it by:
Not turning the ball over in a well-managed game by Kyle Orton.
Holding the Ravens to 52 second-half yards in a stout defensive effort.
Recording four sacks.
Completely shutting down Jamal Lewis.
Making just enough big plays in a game more suited for perseverance than prettiness.
"This is one of our biggest wins since I've been here," coach Lovie Smith said.
The first two offensive series for both teams featured punts after one set of downs, a harbinger for the grind-it-out affair that unfolded.
The Bears struck first, taking a 7-0 lead with 19 seconds remaining in the first quarter on a 9-yard touchdown pass from Orton to fullback Marc Edwards. The play capped an eight-play, 78-yard drive.
The drive started with Jones rushing for 14 yards, picked up steam with a roughing-the-passer call on Adalius Thomas and stayed alive when cornerback Dale Carter got called for holding on an incomplete Orton pass on third-and-8.
Jones, who again wore a brace and needed a pain-killing shot for his sore right knee, broke another 14-yarder. And then Orton connected on a 13-yard gain to tight end Desmond Clark, who had his second straight strong game with four catches for 50 yards.
Edwards' second touchdown catch this season came off play-action to Jones.
"Thomas is running tremendously well and, obviously, that opens up a lot of other stuff," offensive coordinator Ron Turner said. "That's a great defense we went against. We were watching film all week, saying, `What are we going to be able to do?' But our guys accepted the challenge."
Baltimore got Matt Stover field goals of 40 and 29 yards on its final two first-half possessions, which included big third-down conversions to Randy Hymes and Derrick Mason at the expense of Nathan Vasher.
But the Bears improved their league-leading red-zone defense on the latter drive, stiffening when Baltimore reached the 11. The Bears have yielded only one touchdown in 13 trips by opponents into the red zone.
That the Bears stiffened during a quarter in which the offense failed to register a first down and managed minus-6 yards of offense made it all the more important.
"Our confidence has never wavered," safety Mike Brown said. "The thing is, we want to play perfect. When we make mistakes, we get upset. We know we have a good defense. But our expectations are to be great."
The Bears certainly were that in the second half, getting two sacks by reserve Tank Johnson and stopping Lewis at every turn. He managed just 34 yards on 15 carries.
The Bears, who have yet to give up a rushing touchdown this season, also haven't yielded a touchdown in the last two games.
"I think six weeks into the season, you see what type of defense we are," Smith said. "And we expect to get better."
The Bears closed the scoring on their second possession of the second half. A personal foul on Patrick Johnson during Bobby Wade's punt return set up the Bears at the Ravens' 45.
On a nothing-doing drive, Terrell Suggs got called for roughing the passer on third down. The Bears made Baltimore pay with a second third-down conversion, with Orton finding Clark for 8 yards, again off play-action to Jones.
Robbie Gould then kicked his first career field goal, a 23-yarder.
Gould later missed a 47-yarder wide right, but the way the Bears' defense was playing, it didn't matter.
"We're flying to the ball," linebacker Brian Urlacher said. "We're making plays when we have to."
Even the breaks went the Bears' way. An Orton fumble recovered by Baltimore with 4:27 to play became a no-play when tight end John Gilmore got whistled for a false start.
"Olin (Kreutz) said, `That was the best offside play ever,' " Gilmore said, smiling.
And Jones, who has four 100-yard games in his last five, salted the game away by breaking a 42-yard run and converting a fourth-and-1 on the Bears' final possession.
"We're confident," Smith said. "It's been awhile since we've been 3-3 and where the next game means quite a bit. We're just trying to get respect. The NFC North has talked quite a bit about the records. But I see it getting better and I think we're leading the charge."
Bulls in good position to get Brazilian Nene
So the Chicago Bulls are small, but remember, they're slow too. Which is why this could be a big week in the team's future.
That's because this is the last week for teams to offer contract extensions to players in the 2002 draft class. So far, Houston's Yao Ming and Phoenix's Amare Stoudemire have been re-signed. Those not re-signed can become restricted free agents after the season. Though teams can match offers, the fear of having to pay a luxury tax or big salaries could put several players on the market before the deadline.
For the Bulls, that could mean a chance to reclaim some of the size lost in dealing Eddy Curry. Reports out of New York have had Curry unable to guard a director's chair coach Larry Brown was using. Tyson Chandler, now the Bulls' highest-paid player, doesn't look quite as confident or assured without Curry around to get the ball in the post and absorb the media scrutiny. Perhaps no one has rooted more than him for a long White Sox run to divert attention.
Meanwhile, no team may be better equipped than the Bulls to make a deal now. They'll be well under the salary cap after the season and have their own and the Knicks' No. 1 draft picks, one of which figures to be in the lottery.
Can anyone say Nene? The Bulls long have eyed the underutilized, physical, 6-foot-11-inch, 265-pound power forward. The Brazilian almost certainly won't get an extension with the Nuggets. Especially with the agent for Carmelo Anthony telling a Denver newspaper it's "a no-brainer" Anthony will ask for a maximum extension starting at $12 million annually.
It's hard to believe the Nuggets could turn down a possible lottery pick and maybe some cash and an expiring contract like Eric Piatkowski's thrown in for a player they can't afford and could lose for nothing. Others in that class without extensions include Cleveland's Drew Gooden, Golden State's Mike Dunleavy, Washington's Caron Butler and Jared Jeffries and Detroit's Tayshaun Price, who is close to a deal with the Pistons. Also not extended is Clippers power forward Chris Wilcox, who might be worth the risk.
