I can’t bite my tongue any longer. It’s time to address some issues that have been plaguing the South Side. I’m no expert, but then again, neither was Columbo. (Or was he?)

(Not Christopher Columbo. His brother, Lieutenant.)

After briefly hitting an even .500 record for the 2nd time this season, they lost it just as quickly. The Sox have dropped their last 6 games, doing so immediately after the front offices gave them a vote of confidence just before the trade deadline. This is the latest in a long line of subtle clues to mold growing in the team’s foundation.

In the 6 seasons since the World Series, the Sox have developed a pattern of slow starts. At first it was called a World Series hangover. By the time the team started “finding their identity” and “becoming the team they are” as Ozzie Guillen and Kenny Williams explained to us, it was too late to dig out of the hole they were in. While the Sox found themselves, the other teams in the AL Central spent that time sharpening their spears. They became determined soldiers fighting a war, while the White Sox became jesters playing a game. The laughing, laissez faire White Sox continued to start slow in the upcoming seasons, with the same excuses offered: “the team is just finding itself.” Isn’t that what Spring Training is for? Aren’t you all professionals? If 3 months of the 6 month season have to be devoted to self discovery and shaking out the bugs from winter, then something is wrong.

Frankly, I blame Ozzie. Don’t misunderstand: I like him a lot and love how he’s a big part of the new found national spotlight for the White Sox. Since the Chicago Cubs’ 1980’s marketing explosion on the North Side, the Sox had been looked at as the “other” team in Chicago, with most Cub fans feeling annoyed by our very existence. A frustrated, “just LEAVE TOWN!” would be shouted frequently at Sox fans in the 1990’s. Ozzie and Kenny changed that, and for that I’m thankful. They also beat the Cubs to the Grand Prize Game, laughing as the newly reinvented White Sox pulled the wool over all of baseball’s eyes and beat their big bats with pitching and defense. It was sweet.

Then, nothing happened. The hijinks started to wear a little thin, and while the team kept laughing, the rest of us sobered up. The White Sox have been a 3rd place team, except for the blip that was 2008. This team needs a shock to the system, and they need to get serious. Enough of this, “enjoy playing” crap. Adam Dunn would have trouble hitting water if he fell out of a boat, and his excuse is that he’s thinking about it too much. Alex Rios is appalled to be benched, despite having a batting average lower than his weight. Time and again, the team faces frustration, and the response is standard cliché: “We just have to take it one day at a time.” At this point, it’s ridiculous to entertain thoughts of vast post season advancement, not at the current performance level. Sure, the division is still attainable, with Detroit, Cleveland, and Minnesota continuing to beat each other up, but thinking about the post season when you don’t even have a winning record is like worrying about your wedding venue when you’re not dating anyone.

I love the White Sox and always have. I do this out of love, hoping that I’m wrong and that things will turn around. It really isn’t too late, and really, it is possible that the team is overthinking things and that the ship can be righted. Unfortunately, by the time that happens, changes may already be happening. Phil Rogers believes that a new captain may be given the wheel. If Tony La Russa wants back on the south side, than nothing short of physically moving the entire city to Missouri should be left unexplored. This team has had a lot of fun, but maybe it’s time to get serious again. La Russa wouldn’t put up with this crap. Spare the rod, spoil the franchise, so to speak. I love Ozzie, but all good things must come to an end.

Even if they do pull it off, even if somehow the White Sox actually win the World Series this year, it feels like it would be excusing bad behavior. There’s just too much loosy goosy clowning on a team than has nothing to laugh at. Start playing hard.

Start grinding.