2008 Woodie Awards
Election '08: Who is Chicago's top sports leader?
Flame sports writers
Issue date: 1/28/08 Section: Sports
Who's to say that the sports section can't get in on the election excitement? Flame Sports has nominated one figure from each of Chicago's major teams in an attempt to name the city's best leader in sports. Head over to the forums at www.chicagoflame.com to voice your choice today - remember, every vote counts!
Ozzie Guillen
The Chicago White Sox have had their woes over the past couple of seasons, but there is an undeniable leader of that team. That is manager Ozzie Guillen. Known as a charismatic players' manager, he has been the most successful Chicago sports team leader since arguably Michael Jordan and Co., winning the World Series in 2005. That made him the first and only Chicago professional manager to win a championship since the 1998 Bulls. He followed up the '05 season with another 90-win season in '06, marking the first time the White Sox have had consecutive 90-win seasons since the 1962-63 seasons. Ozzie is commended for sticking by his players' sides and speaking up for them through not only the good times, but through turmoil as well.
-Chris Brown
Luol Deng
As an emerging All-Star with a relentless off-season workout regimen and equally demanding season training schedule, Luol Deng is a silent assassin that commands tremendous respect on and off the court for the Chicago Bulls. With his historic past moving from Sudan to Egypt to London and finally to the United States, Deng is battle-tested and arguably is the Bulls' most diverse and skilled player. As he continues to make great strides in his career, he has emerged as the lead-by-example leader that the team needs to reach its way back to the top of the NBA pyramid. Deng has been instrumental in raising international awareness of the Malaria crisis in Sudan and has teamed with Nothing but Nets, a not-for-profit that has provided over 23 million insecticide-treated bed nets for people in Africa since 2003.
-Chris Brown
Rocky Wirtz
Since the passing of his father, the tyrannical William "Dollar Bill" Wirtz in late 2007, Rocky Wirtz has transformed the Chicago Blackhawks into a hot commodity. Thirty years ago Chicago was a hockey town, selling out the Stadium until Dollar Bill refused to pay his best players. Since then, Chicago has gotten more excitement from the IHL Wolves. Fast forward to 2008, the Hawks are not close to the top yet, but red is rising, and Rocky is a big reason. Wirtz has put home games on television this season, something that the fans have deserved for decades. He has hired ex-Cubs president John McDonough, who during his long tenure with the Cubs helped grow the franchise into one of, if not the, most desirable and profitable in all of professional sports. This is only the beginning for Wirtz. He is young in the game, which is a good thing, because as we witness the young Blackhawks and their outstanding young rosters grow, we will also be able to watch Wirtz grow as a owner and, more importantly, as a leader.
-Ian Millette
Devin Hester
In a season that was anything but good for Bears fans, one thing remained constant. They could always count on Devin Hester, the most electrifying player on the field today, and his incredible vision on kick returns. Opposing teams scheme up ways to defend Hester and his blockers. They kick away from him about half of the time, allowing the Bears to get great field position every time. And when they do kick to Hester, he just runs right by them and scores six points, bringing back eleven special teams touchdowns in just two years. If the Bears had a decent offense, they would score every time on the field because of Hester and the field position that he consistently gives the team. Aside from being the most electrifying player in the game, and commanding such a large amount of attention from teams, he wears the number 23, and in this city that is the number of all numbers. Michael Jordan, the greatest basketball player of all-time wore 23 and made it famous. Ryne Sandberg patrolled Wrigley Field for years with 23 on his back and wore it all the way to the Hall of Fame. Now it is Hester's turn to carry on the legacy of that number in this town and continue his role as a leader on the Bears and in Chicago.
-Ian Millette
Lou Piniella
Lou's the man when it comes to Chicago sports. Cubs' manager Lou Piniella is the biggest reason for the team's turn-around in 2007, following the miserable failure that was 2006. Out came Dusty, in came Piniella. No more dumb excuses. No more stupid reasons for playing unproductive veterans over young kids like, "I need to maintain the integrity of the post-season races." Piniella came in and changed the attitude in the Cubs clubhouse, making players earn their time. He also proved he doesn't care what the media thinks of him, and he doesn't let it affect his managing. For changing the attitude on the North Side, Lou Piniella has proven himself a winner and the leader in Chicago sports.
?Gaurav Garg
Ozzie Guillen
The Chicago White Sox have had their woes over the past couple of seasons, but there is an undeniable leader of that team. That is manager Ozzie Guillen. Known as a charismatic players' manager, he has been the most successful Chicago sports team leader since arguably Michael Jordan and Co., winning the World Series in 2005. That made him the first and only Chicago professional manager to win a championship since the 1998 Bulls. He followed up the '05 season with another 90-win season in '06, marking the first time the White Sox have had consecutive 90-win seasons since the 1962-63 seasons. Ozzie is commended for sticking by his players' sides and speaking up for them through not only the good times, but through turmoil as well.
-Chris Brown
Luol Deng
As an emerging All-Star with a relentless off-season workout regimen and equally demanding season training schedule, Luol Deng is a silent assassin that commands tremendous respect on and off the court for the Chicago Bulls. With his historic past moving from Sudan to Egypt to London and finally to the United States, Deng is battle-tested and arguably is the Bulls' most diverse and skilled player. As he continues to make great strides in his career, he has emerged as the lead-by-example leader that the team needs to reach its way back to the top of the NBA pyramid. Deng has been instrumental in raising international awareness of the Malaria crisis in Sudan and has teamed with Nothing but Nets, a not-for-profit that has provided over 23 million insecticide-treated bed nets for people in Africa since 2003.
-Chris Brown
Rocky Wirtz
Since the passing of his father, the tyrannical William "Dollar Bill" Wirtz in late 2007, Rocky Wirtz has transformed the Chicago Blackhawks into a hot commodity. Thirty years ago Chicago was a hockey town, selling out the Stadium until Dollar Bill refused to pay his best players. Since then, Chicago has gotten more excitement from the IHL Wolves. Fast forward to 2008, the Hawks are not close to the top yet, but red is rising, and Rocky is a big reason. Wirtz has put home games on television this season, something that the fans have deserved for decades. He has hired ex-Cubs president John McDonough, who during his long tenure with the Cubs helped grow the franchise into one of, if not the, most desirable and profitable in all of professional sports. This is only the beginning for Wirtz. He is young in the game, which is a good thing, because as we witness the young Blackhawks and their outstanding young rosters grow, we will also be able to watch Wirtz grow as a owner and, more importantly, as a leader.
-Ian Millette
Devin Hester
In a season that was anything but good for Bears fans, one thing remained constant. They could always count on Devin Hester, the most electrifying player on the field today, and his incredible vision on kick returns. Opposing teams scheme up ways to defend Hester and his blockers. They kick away from him about half of the time, allowing the Bears to get great field position every time. And when they do kick to Hester, he just runs right by them and scores six points, bringing back eleven special teams touchdowns in just two years. If the Bears had a decent offense, they would score every time on the field because of Hester and the field position that he consistently gives the team. Aside from being the most electrifying player in the game, and commanding such a large amount of attention from teams, he wears the number 23, and in this city that is the number of all numbers. Michael Jordan, the greatest basketball player of all-time wore 23 and made it famous. Ryne Sandberg patrolled Wrigley Field for years with 23 on his back and wore it all the way to the Hall of Fame. Now it is Hester's turn to carry on the legacy of that number in this town and continue his role as a leader on the Bears and in Chicago.
-Ian Millette
Lou Piniella
Lou's the man when it comes to Chicago sports. Cubs' manager Lou Piniella is the biggest reason for the team's turn-around in 2007, following the miserable failure that was 2006. Out came Dusty, in came Piniella. No more dumb excuses. No more stupid reasons for playing unproductive veterans over young kids like, "I need to maintain the integrity of the post-season races." Piniella came in and changed the attitude in the Cubs clubhouse, making players earn their time. He also proved he doesn't care what the media thinks of him, and he doesn't let it affect his managing. For changing the attitude on the North Side, Lou Piniella has proven himself a winner and the leader in Chicago sports.
?Gaurav Garg
Be the first to comment on this story