Ozzie Guillen’s first sensitivity training course Monday appeared to be as educational for the instructor as it did for the White Sox’s manager.
“I think the guy learned more from me than I learned from him because we talked about things related to baseball,” Guillen said of the first of two two-hour sessions that was conducted in English and held at an undisclosed location. “He said it was different having somebody normal out of the business world and having a baseball player. All of a sudden I was talking about baseball.”
Guillen said he was told by the instructor not to sit and talk with the media for three hours, “just stay with them for 25 seconds,” and to not conduct one-on-one interviews unless there was another person with him.
“He asked me a couple of things about being Latino,” Guillen said. “He said, `How do I feel being Latino?’ I said `no.’ I put myself on the spot, that’s why I’m here sitting with you. I think a couple of people in this uniform should be in class with me. You can learn a lot.
“I thought it was kind of weird, but it was fun. It was a couple of good hours–worth it. I will be back (after the All-Star break).”
The classes are part of Guillen’s penalty for calling Sun-Times sports columnist Jay Mariotti a slur offensive to homosexuals.
“[The instructor] asked me if I need anger management,” Guillen said. “I said yes, during the game when I get mad at my players, but besides that, I never fight in my life.”
Guillen also was told to be polite, but Guillen didn’t seem to heed those words.
“I told the guy I don’t need to be polite, I need to speak better English. I understand the system better. A lot of people thought I was making an excuse of not being from this country. Because I was here 26 years, I know what every little word means to everybody. That’s not an excuse. I think the guy said, `If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything.’
“I said, `If you have to say that to somebody, don’t tell me what then.’ I’m not going to say that. I will be the same guy, use a different word.”
Guillen summed up the session by saying, “it was good. I’m glad I did it. I’m glad it’s over with. A lot of people will be real excited about hearing Ozzie finally got punished and did what he’s supposed to do.”
