In case you had any doubts about this being the proper time for Ozzie Guillen and the White Sox to part ways, you only need to read the comments made by the team's best and most tenured player -- first baseman Paul Konerko.

Guillen was 58 games over .500 (272-214) his first three years with the Sox. The last five seasons, he went two games over .500 (406-404). Things have gotten stale, haven't they?

"My first thoughts are everything kind of ran its course," Konerko said. "I think this probably needed to be done on both sides of it. For Ozzie, I think he's been kind of just burned out on this whole thing and probably likewise on the other side, and that's how it goes.

"It doesn't always have to be that someone's right, someone's wrong, this person hates that person. Sometimes in sports -- any business but especially sports -- a coaching staff or a manager or a head coach whoever it might be, that kind of regime runs its course, and that's what we have here."

The captain also expressed a sense of relief that this whole crapstorm is over.

"I don't think anybody's more relieved than kind of the principal people involved, himself and the people that have to make those decisions -- that they're finally getting on with something and starting fresh on something," Konerko said. "But same thing with us, this has been kind of a thing hanging over the organization for awhile. If we would have come out this year and performed well on the field and done well, this could have maybe been avoided. So as a player you kind of feel a little bit a part of that because of the way the season went on the field it caused all these chain reactions of things that happened.

"But even if we had won, maybe this would have happened, who knows? I think relief is probably the best word to describe everybody's feeling. Everybody in here is still a human being -- Ozzie, Kenny, Jerry (Reinsdorf), players in here -- everybody's a human being. So when it comes to your job there's only so much you can take of just every day, the stress level and everything else. I think when something like this happens, everybody kind of feels a little relieved and everybody realizes this isn't life and death. Ozzie's going to be fine, Kenny's going to be fine, everybody's going to be fine. And we're going to move on."

These comments confirm what many of us have suspected all along. There is just too much tension, too much stress, too much pressure, surrounding the White Sox these days. And all that pressure is self-inflicted. Is it any wonder this team spits the bit so often in clutch situations? The environment is no longer conducive to winning. That's the bottom line.

Over the long haul, Ozzie Guillen was good for the White Sox, and the White Sox were good for Ozzie Guillen. I don't see any need for bad feelings. It was just time for a change, for the good of everyone involved.

For White Sox fans, a change should be welcome.

Joe Cowley of the Sun-Times is reporting that Ozzie Guillen could be managing his final game with the White Sox Monday night.

Sources indicate the Sox are in the final stages of completing a deal that would send Guillen to the Florida Marlins. Whether this actually happens tonight is a matter of speculation, but the guess here is this deal is just a matter of when, not if.

The Sox manager met with owner Jerry Reinsdorf Monday, and the conversation was reportedly "painful." Guillen does not want to return for the final season of his contract as a lame-duck manager in 2012. He wants an extension, and he wants a raise over the $2 million he is scheduled to make next year. He also wants his coaching staff to return intact.

Reinsdorf denied those requests, so the marriage between Guillen and the Sox is apparently over. You can hardly blame Reinsdorf. He invested $127 million worth of payroll in the 2011 Sox, yet the team is mired in third place with a 77-82 record.

Guillen is in no position to be making these demands after a season like this. Yes, he is a world champion manager. But that was six years ago now, and six years is forever in professional sports.

You have to take a realistic look at where the organization is at right now. Anyone who attended the weekend games against the Kansas City Royals (as I did) will tell you U.S. Cellular Field is part ghost town, part crematory. The crowds are sparse, and those who are in attendance are not really into the game. There is no life, no energy on the field or in the stands. It's been that way most of the season. Fan apathy is at an all-time high. The Sox are completely irrelevant in the American League.

This is not the kind of environment where contract extensions should be handed out. Guillen is as good as gone. The only question now is who replaces him.

We are approaching the halfway point of the prep football season as area teams gear up for their Week 5 matchups this Friday night.

I was taking a look at my list of results Tuesday when I noticed that nearly every team in The Beacon-News coverage area is in legitimate contention for a playoff spot. Of our 16 football-playing schools, 15 of them own a 2-2 record or better.

We've got seven undefeateds, four teams at 3-1 and another four teams hanging in there at 2-2. Only winless East Aurora can be eliminated from the postseason conversation at this point in the year.

From our perspective, this is both a good thing and a bad thing. There is no shortage of stuff to write about this fall. With nearly every team enjoying at least moderate success, football beat writer Jim Owczarski hasn't had to look far to find good storylines. That said, if we get 12 or 13 area teams in the playoffs, we're gonna have a hard time finding enough reporters to cover all the postseason games!

Alas, we've still got five weeks to figure that out, and a lot can happen between now and then. Here's a rundown of where all our local teams stand:

Geneva (Current record: 4-0; projected record: 9-0) -- The Vikings have a Division I-bound quarterback in Matt Williams and a good running back in Parker Woodworth. Their defense has been spotty at times, but arch-rival Batavia is the only team remaining on their schedule that should test them.

Mooseheart (Current record: 4-0; projected record: 9-0) -- The Northeastern Athletic Conference is not very good, and Mooseheart is a pretty good 1A team. The Red Ramblers would be awesome if star running back Oumaru Abdulahi hadn't hurt his shoulder in Week 2. Even still, they have enough to run the table.

Waubonsie Valley (Current record: 3-1; projected record: 8-1) -- Senior quarterback Mitch Stefani broke his collarbone in a Week 3 loss to Bartlett. But truth be told, the Warriors might be better with junior Dylan Warden at the helm. A Week 7 test against district rival Neuqua Valley awaits.

Batavia (Current record: 4-0; projected record: 8-1) -- The Bulldogs opened my eyes with a decisive 35-13 win over Bartlett in Week 4. The River Division of the UEC will come down to Batavia and Geneva. Mark your calendars for that Week 6 game, which will be played in Geneva. It will be among the best matchups of the year.

Aurora Christian (Current record: 4-0; projected record: 7-2) -- This might be coach Don Beebe's best team. No small statement, since the Eagles did make the state title game in 2008. ACHS has outscored its opponents 183-27 through four weeks. This Friday's game at Montini presents a huge challenge, as the Broncos are two-time defending champs in Class 5A.

Kaneland (Current record: 4-0; projected record: 7-2) --  The Knights have had it easy so far. The combined record of the four teams they've beaten is 3-13. Enough of that. Four of their five remaining opponents are unbeaten. This team is good enough to hold its own, though.

Sandwich (Current record: 4-0; projected record: 7-2) -- After making the state semifinals last year, the Indians lost a helluva senior class to graduation. They've proven they have a good program by getting off to a fast start this season. An I-8 Large championship isn't out of the question if they can win at Coal City this week.

Yorkville (Current record: 4-0; projected record: 5-4) -- The resurgence of the Yorkville program is perhaps the biggest story of the year so far. The Foxes haven't made the playoffs since 2002, but now they have a Hall of Fame coach at the helm in Karl Hoinkes. The turnaround has been immediate, but the toughest part of the schedule awaits. Four of Yorkville's five remaining opponents are also 4-0.

Plano (Current record: 3-1; projected record: 6-3) -- The Reapers won back-to-back state championships in 2006 and 2007, but they stumbled to a 2-7 mark last year. Of course, Northwestern-bound senior running back Joseph Jones missed most of last season with a broken leg. He's back now, and any team with a future Big Ten back is a legitimate threat in Class 3A or 4A.

Metea Valley (Current record: 3-1; projected record: 5-4) -- The Mustangs lost QB Jarrett House to a knee injury in a Week 4 loss to South Elgin. They will be underdogs in each of their next three games (Waubonsie, Neuqua, Bartlett), but could recover to be playoff-eligible if they can beat Lake Park and Elgin the final two weeks of the season.

Aurora Central (Current record: 3-1; projected record: 5-4) -- A 41-0 loss to unbeaten Immaculate Conception in Week 3 was a real slap in the face, but this might be the year the Chargers finally squeeze into the playoffs. Their last postseason appearance was 1997. To get to playoff eligibility, wins in Week 7 over Walther Lutheran and in Week 8 over Wheaton Academy are musts.

Marmion Academy (Current record: 2-2; projected record: 6-3) -- Are the Cadets out of their offensive funk? They only scored 19 points the first three weeks before hanging 38 on St. Edward in Week 4. A return trip to the state title game seems unlikely, but the Marmion defense is still among the area's toughest. This prideful program will find a way to wiggle into the postseason.

Oswego (Current record: 2-2; projected record: 5-4>) -- The Panthers have been an early-season enigma. They've got a Division I quarterback in Ryan West and an explosive offense. But much like last year, the defense has been spotty at best. I don't think the Southwest Prairie Conference is that strong, however, so I can still find three -- maybe even four -- wins on Oswego's remaining schedule.

Oswego East (Current record: 2-2; projected record: 5-4) -- The Wolves have never made the playoffs in school history, but confidence was building after a 2-0 start. Alas, this team has been knocked backwards the last couple weeks. They lost a pair of one-score games to Plainfield South and Oswego. This week's game against Plainfield Central is very winnable. The Wolves need to stop the bleeding right now to make their playoff dreams a reality.

West Aurora (Current record: 2-2; projected record: 4-5) -- This was supposed to be the year the Blackhawks finally made the playoffs. They haven't qualified since 1995, which was a year after I graduated from West. I assure you that was quite awhile ago. Unfortunately, I'm just not feeling the playoff vibe right now. The West defense is ready to win, but instability at QB has led to an avalanche of turnovers in the early going. It doesn't help that West's two wins are over a pair of winless teams in East Aurora and St. Charles East. Even if the Blackhawks get to playoff eligibility at 5-4, they may be on the outside looking in due to a lack of playoff points.

I saw over the weekend that former Bull Ron Artest has legally changed his name to "Metta World Peace."

That makes complete sense. We all know Artest is a force for peace in our time:

I especially enjoy the punch Artest throws at the 6:45 mark of the video.

Here's something I didn't expect to happen this year: The Illinois football team is ranked.

Fresh off a 17-14 win over then-No. 22 Arizona State Saturday night, the Illini appear at No. 24 in this week's Associated Press poll. This marks the first time Illinois (3-0) has been ranked since September of 2008.

The victory over the Sun Devils was the Illini's first against a ranked opponent since their historic upset of No. 1 Ohio State on Nov. 10, 2007.

Thus far, the Illini defense has been a pleasant surprise. Arizona State (2-1) had scored 85 points in its first two games, but it got nothing going consistently in Champaign. Illinois totaled six sacks, 12 additional tackles for loss and forced three turnovers.

Sophomore linebacker Jonathan Brown had a monster game, finishing with seven tackles, 3 1/2 tackles for loss, 1 1/2 sacks and an interception. He also delivered a ferocious hit on ASU quarterback Brock Osweiler that forced an interception by teammate Glenn Foster. For his efforts, Brown was named the Big Ten's Defensive Player of the Week.

If you're an Illinois fan, you have to be encouraged. The Illini lost their two best defensive players from last season -- Corey Liuget and Martez Wilson -- to the NFL. The linebacking corps, in particular, had been a question mark. But Brown, Trulon Henry and returning starter Ian Thomas seem on their way to putting those concerns to rest.

The question now becomes whether the Illini can keep their focus for next week's classic trap game against Western Michigan. This Arizona State game was a big win, and it would be easy to rest on laurels and look ahead to the Oct. 1 conference opener against Northwestern.

Illinois can't afford to do that.

Western Michigan (2-1) is coming off a 44-14 slaughter of Central Michigan, and it is one of the most talented teams in the MAC. Broncos' junior quarterback Alex Carder can play -- he threw for 3,334 yards and 30 touchdowns as a sophomore last season. It's another test for the Illini defense, and they can't get caught napping here.

After all, WMU beat Illinois 23-17 in the last meeting between the two schools in 2008. This is the week we find out whether this group of Illini can deal with success. They had a great win. They're ranked. Everyone is throwing accolades their way. But it could all change in a week's time if they blow next week's game.

If Illinois is for real, it will beat WMU by at least two scores. We'll see.

I read with intrigue Joe Cowley's article Wednesday on the sad state of the White Sox. Cowley says he's heard from two sources that GM Ken Williams has already been told he'll be back with the team in 2012. That means it's almost a certainty that manager Ozzie Guillen will not be retained. The relationship between Williams and Guillen is broken beyond repair. There is no way both men can stay.

I don't agree with Cowley on some things -- and we'll get to that in a moment -- but I do think his reporting is right here. A month from now, Williams will still be the Sox GM. A month from now, Guillen will either be the manager of the Florida Marlins or he'll be unemployed.

Cowley's conclusion to this article is the curious part. He writes, "So by next month, Guillen could indeed be shaking hands with (Florida owner Jeffrey) Loria as the Marlins' new manager. What does that leave the Sox shaking hands with? Irrelevancy, meet the White Sox. White Sox, this is irrelevancy. I think you two have already met."

Hmmm ... we ponder ...

So, is it Cowley's opinion the Sox will become irrelevant after they part ways with Guillen? If that's what he's saying here, I strongly disagree. The Sox are already irrelevant and they have been ever since their 11-22 start to the season. Guillen might bring personality to the organization, but he doesn't bring relevancy. This year's team stinks, and taking a longer view, the Sox have been mediocre for years.

Over the last five years, the Sox have posted a 401-396 record. During that time, they have one playoff victory. Managers have been fired for less than that, especially from organizations that routinely spend over $100 million on player salaries.

The Sox haven't been serious players in the American League pennant chase since 2006. They haven't been relevant with Guillen, so "staying relevant" isn't a good enough reason to retain this manager.

I said in January there would be no excuses this year. I meant it. This regime didn't get it done. They haven't gotten it done in awhile. I'm sick of the daily soap opera. I'm not interested in power struggles. Both Ken Williams and Ozzie Guillen are to blame for the mess they've created. They can both take a hike for all I care. There are plenty of people out there who can guide this organization to perpetual mediocrity, and they'll probably do it for less money, too.

Neither Williams nor Guillen is irreplaceable. That's the bottom line.

The White Sox are two weeks away from wrapping up their 21st season of baseball since U.S. Cellular Field opened. Never before have they ripped off their paying customers more than they have this year.

With Tuesday night's 5-0 loss to the soon-to-be crowned American League Central Division champion Detroit Tigers, the Sox have clinched a losing home record. They now stand at 33-41 with seven home games remaining.

The Sox have another game against Detroit Wednesday afternoon. They will host Kansas City from Sept. 23-25 and Toronto from Sept. 26-28. If they lose three of those remaining seven games, they will secure the worst home record for any Sox team since the new park opened in 1991. The previous worst record belongs to the 2007 club, which went 38-43 at home and 72-90 overall.

At least this 2011 team, which sits at 73-74 after Tuesday's loss, has already assured itself of avoiding 90 losses. However, I'd be willing to bet the Sox drop three more games at home before this crapfest of a season ends.

Here's a look at the Sox home records at U.S. Cellular Field through the years. The losing seasons are bolded. You'll note this is only the third time this has happened:

1991: 46-35
1992: 50-32
1993: 45-36
1994: 34-19
1995: 38-34
1996: 44-37
1997: 45-36
1998: 44-37
1999: 38-42
2000: 46-35
2001: 46-35
2002: 47-34
2003: 51-30
2004: 46-35
2005: 47-34
2006: 49-32
2007: 38-43
2008: 54-28
2009: 43-38
2010: 45-36
2011: 33-41

With that kind of home record, you can hardly blame White Sox fans for staying away in droves this year. The Sox are averaging only 24,949 fans per game. Prior to the season, owner Jerry Reinsdorf estimated the team would need to draw roughly 33,000 per game to make money. Don't think that's gonna happen, Jer. For the first time since 2004, the Sox may not draw 2,000,000. Right now, the total is at 1,821,303. It's gonna be close.

Attendance has declined on the South Side every year since 2006. Right now, Reinsdorf is being sent a message by Sox fans. It promises to be an interesting offseason.

A year ago at this time, I felt like the Bears' defensive line consisted of All-Pro Julius Peppers and a whole lot of mediocrity. The numbers backed that up as the 2010 Bears totaled just 34 sacks, finishing 17th in the NFL.

Hey, as good as Peppers is, he can't do it all. When the opposition double-teams Peppers, somebody else has to beat single coverage and get to the other team's quarterback. That didn't happen nearly enough last season.

Coming into this year, I wondered whether the Bears might have the exact same weakness. However, if Sunday's 30-12 victory over Atlanta is any indication, maybe defensive tackle Henry Melton is gonna be the guy to finally give Peppers the help he needs.

Melton finished Sunday's game -- his first career start -- with two sacks, two tackles for loss and SEVEN quarterback hits. That guy was in the backfield a lot. Peppers also recorded two sacks. All told, the Bears sacked Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan five times. Ryan passed for 319 yards as he tried to rally his team from a deficit, but he did not get his team into the end zone a single time. The Falcons' only touchdown came on an interception return.

Only time will tell if Melton is a legitimate answer to the Bears' question marks on the defensive line. But after watching a washed-up, injured Tommie Harris get blocked into oblivion the last two seasons, it's good to see the Bears inject some youth, speed and athleticism into their aging defense. Melton and Amobi Okoye seem capable of providing just that.

For the record, Harris totaled only 1 1/2 sacks all last season. After just one game, Melton already has him beat. Okoye had a sack yesterday, too, so maybe things are finally looking up for the Bears' pass rush. As we all know, the key to any pass defense is a good pass rush. The Bears are a threat in the NFC this year if they can put enough heat on opposing quarterbacks.

Since the advent of the Cy Young Award in 1956, nine different pitchers have won both the Cy Young and the MVP in the same season. The last pitcher to accomplish the feat was Oakland closer Dennis Eckersley in 1992. The last starter to do it was Boston's Roger Clemens in 1986.

Could Detroit Tigers ace Justin Verlander add his name to the list this year? It seems like he's got a pretty good shot.

Verlander improved his record to 22-5 with an 8-6 victory over the Cleveland Indians on Wednesday. The Tigers are running away with the American League Central Division title. They now lead the White Sox by nine games. Verlander has been the catalyst. He's won his last 10 starts. He hasn't lost since the Sox beat him on July 15. Believe it or not, he actually had a rough April. He got beat three times during that month, but he's gone 20-2 since May 1.

Verlander leads the league in wins, ERA (2.44) and strikeouts (232). I'd say the Cy Young belongs to him. But what about the American League MVP? Certainly, there are other worthy candidates: New York outfielder Curtis Granderson (38 HRs, 109 RBIs, 126 runs scored), Toronto outfielder Jose Bautista (.304 avg., 40 HRs) and Boston first baseman Adrian Gonzalez (.342 avg., 23 HRs, 105 RBIs) immediately come to mind.

But if I've got a vote, I'm going with Verlander. Here's why. First off, the Tigers are 23-8 when he starts, 58-54 when he does not. With anybody else on the mound, Detroit is a middling team like the White Sox or Cleveland. With him on the mound, the Tigers have been impossible to beat for nearly two months. Secondly, Verlander has thrown six innings or more in all 31 of his starts this year. That's a horse right there. That saves your bullpen and allows you to be competitive night in and night out.

Take Granderson off the Yankees and New York is still a playoff squad. That team still has other great players like Mark Teixeira, Robinson Cano, C.C Sabathia and Mariano Rivera, among others.

Toronto isn't going to the playoffs even with Bautista, so while he might be the most outstanding player, he certainly is not the most valuable.

Gonzalez? Same deal as what we've seen in New York. The Red Sox would be pretty stacked even without Gonzalez. They've got other outstanding players like Jacoby Ellsbury, Dustin Pedroia, Kevin Youkilis and David Ortiz, et al.

The guy in the American League who is most valuable to his team is Verlander. The Tigers would be struggling to make the playoffs without him. With him, they are a threat to knock off either Boston or New York in the first round of the AL playoffs.

Count me on the Verlander-for-MVP bandwagon.

There are few positives we can take from this 2011 season of White Sox baseball. The South Siders got drilled over the weekend by the Detroit Tigers, confirming what most of us have known for months. There will be no playoff baseball in Chicago this year.

The Sox are eight games back of the Tigers with only 23 games to play. It's over. I discarded my playoff ticket invoice today.

But if there is one thing we can all take heart in, it is the fact that the Minnesota Twins suck even more than the Sox. In fact, the Twins suck even more than the Kansas City Royals.

The Sox knocked the hapless Twinkies into last place Monday with a doubleheader sweep in Minneapolis. Pitcher Phil Humber fired seven scoreless innings in his return from the DL in Game 1, resulting in a 2-1 Sox win. Rookie Zach Stewart pitched a one-hit shutout in the nightcap. Stewart (pictured) retired the first 21 hitters he saw before Danny Valencia spoiled the perfect game with a leadoff double in the bottom of the eighth. Unaffected, Stewart set down the next six men he faced for a 4-0 winner.

The loss leaves the Twins reeling at 58-83. Kansas City improved to 59-83 with a win over Oakland Monday. Yep, there is a new occupant in the basement of the American League Central.

But at least the Twins are stinking it up in a fundamentally sound way, right?

From batting Alex Rios in the cleanup spot, to pinch-hitting Adam Dunn for Brent Lillibridge in the ninth inning of a close game, to making an inane request for a contact extension, it looks like White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen is daring Jerry Reinsdorf to fire him.

If Ozzie really wants to go back to Florida, maybe he should try this: