Ozzie Guillen Goes Off on MLB Reporter, Challenges Him to Boxing Match
1. Ozzie Guillen has had enough of New York Post baseball reporter Jon Heyman.
Guillen, who managed the White Sox from 2004 to ’11, currently works in studio for NBC Sports Chicago and appears on the team’s pregame and postgame shows.
With the White Sox struggling this season at 43–45 and many people calling for the team to fire manager Tony La Russa, Heyman took to Twitter to accuse Guillen of angling for La Russa’s job based on recent comments Guillen has made on television.
Heyman’s snarky comment did not sit well with Guillen, who used Twitter to call Heyman among, other things, a liar, a clown and a hater while also challenge him to a charity boxing match (which we would LOVE to see happen).
This all started on Tuesday when Guillen said on the postgame show that La Russa “looks like Rick Renteria with credentials.” Renteria notched a 236–309 record as White Sox manager from 2017 to ’20 before being replaced by La Russa.
If you watch the full context of Guillen’s comments, it’s clear to see that he said absolutely nothing wrong or out of line.
For some unknown reason, though, Heyman got all worked up about Guillen comparing La Russa to Renteria, so he fired up the Twitter app and basically said that Guillen was knocking La Russa in hopes of getting La Russa’s job.
From there, all hell broke loose, with Guillen sending out a string of tweets in which he unloaded on Heyman.
This best part of this has to be Guillen repeatedly apologizing to his wife for snapping while also ripping Heyman to shreds at the same. That’s what you call controlled anger.
2. It’s Thursday, so that means a new SI Media Podcast. My guest this week is author, reporter and podcast host James Andrew Miller. Topics covered during our conversation include The Washington Post’s recent feature article on Adam Schefter, Matthew Berry leaving ESPN, where the Big Ten football media rights deals stand, LIV golf and much more.
Following Miller, Sal Licata joins me for the weekly "Traina Thoughts" segment. This week, we discuss my review of the upcoming Derek Jeter docuseries on ESPN, the Zach Wilson “scandal” and the recent passing of Tony Sirico from The Sopranos. I also read recent Apple reviews to close out the show.
You can listen to the podcast below or download it on Apple, Spotify and Google
3. Tom Brady opens up about his relationship with Donald Trump in a new story from Variety. Brady claims the press mischaracterized his relationship Trump and that the two haven’t spoken in years.
Of course, if you're a loyal SI Media Podcast listener, you should already know Brady and Trump’s “friendship” was not what the media made it out to be.
4. I enjoy some good old-fashioned pettiness, so I got a chuckle out of reading that the British Open is giving LIV golfers crappy tee times and shutting them out of press conferences.
5. Charles Barkley had a vintage Charles Barkley quote when he was asked about Bradley Beal’s recent $251 million contract extension on the Washington Football Talk podcast: “Let me tell you something. My mom—I love my mom; she passed away a few years ago. Every time I see one of those contracts, I want to drive to the graveyard and just snatch her up and say, ‘Why couldn’t you just wait a couple more years to have me?! Just a couple more years!’”
6. Cool moment here for ESPN's Tim Kurkjian, who will deservedly go into the MLB Hall of Fame next weekend.
7. RANDOM VIDEO OF THE DAY: We don't talk enough about the time that Larry David appeared on Judge Judy.
Be sure to catch up on past editions of Traina Thoughts and check out the Sports Illustrated Media Podcast hosted by Jimmy Traina on Apple, Spotify or Google. You can also follow Jimmy on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok.
