Stand by Team. The @team_neverquit Podcast has reached our 100th Episode! @marcusluttrell @the_wizard_tnq and I are so grateful to all of you who’ve supported our mission, which is to provide meaningful, educational, and positive content to help people around the world to discover their #neverquitmindset. In order to properly thank you, our dedicated listeners, we’ve put together an incredible show with a very special guest. Thank you all for helping us to fulfill our mission. God bless. #tnqpodcast #greatstoriesignitelegends #neverquit #neverquitstory @davidgoggins @mat_best_official @nickpalmisciano @secretaryperry @duckdynastyae #adamlaroche @allenbwest @tuffhedemanofficial @ultramarathon @forgedclothing @donaldjtrumpjr @bonniejill @pberg44 @popeofwelding @carrytheload @andreiarlovski @jordanharbinger @dloesch @taitfletcher @tayakyle @gregjacksonmma @emcingvale #deweybozella @legitsadierob @bwyliestrong @repryanzinke @johnresig #carlyfiorina @davidvobora #staceykozel #davegrossman #gregbarker @chiksdigscars @wes_whitlock @tmacsinc @jimmcingvale @danawhite @thechadfleming @ironcowboyjames @gorillafrog #mikethornton @hinchtown #jimcraig @timkennedymma @michaelschlitz @tgodfrey155 @diananyad @nickkoumalatsos #laralogan @bradsnyderusa @derekweida @markwahlberg @bernardkerik @kirstie_ennis @tonyblauer @lancearmstrong @timballard89 #broganwoll @aubreymarcus @mritland @kylemaynard @agassi @crenshawforcongress #robertyoungpelton @evanhafer @lairdhamiltonsurf @iceman_hof @vincent.rocco.vargas @officialreaper33 @domraso @missyfranklin88 @vincepapale83 @jls143_ @mikerowe @wondernubs @brendanschaub @astro_seal #charlieplumb @cameronrhanes @crispy11b @erikweihenmayer @andystumpf212 #kwameajamu @christianmccaffrey @ssgtravismills @thejcourt @ronintactics

#Luke Bryan, #JasonAldean, +# AdamLaRoche Plan ‘E3 Chophouse’ https://ihr.fm/32vs43P pic.twitter.com/SMQeZB0RCe #Luke Bryan, #JasonAldean, +# AdamLaRoche Plan 'E3 Chophouse'

Adam LaRoche Walks Away

#AdamLaRoche retires.

Survivor: White Sox Edition

I have been saying this all along: I hesitantly sided with Williams at first about the LaRoche kid situation. I said he shouldn’t be allowed in the clubhouse but that Williams’ approach, execution and timing couldn’t have been worse. The team was rolling with positive vibes in the clubhouse. Williams intervenes on something that seemed to be a nonissue originally. This is bigger than LaRoche being forced into early retirement. I believe that Williams offended LaRoche, who seems to be a pretty even-tempered guy. Who knows, they could have had prior disagreements before and this was finally brought to the surface. However, I also think that LaRoche had to be contemplating retirement after this season anyways.

Today, this situation escalated. Chris Sale, the team stud, complained to the media that Williams lied to the players about the situation and said that some players and coaches complained about Drake LaRoche’s time in the clubhouse. Someone could have complained, but from what Sale said, it seemed as if Williams had his own beef with LaRoche and wanted to prove who was upper management. According to Todd Frazier, the newly acquired all-star third baseman, no one had an issue with Drake LaRoche’s presence in the locker room. I am not sure if I buy that statement entirely, but I trust Todd Frazier’s opinions more than Kenny’s. Sale may have overreacted to this situation and took this to another level, but obviously there had to be a problem behind the scenes before, and we just didn’t know about it as fans. I could sense it because I have never really agreed with Reinsdorf’s extreme loyalty to Kenny Williams. When Don Cooper and Kenny Williams were in disagreement with Ozzie Guillen, Reinsdorf sided with Cooper and Williams. Guillen was out a job in 2010. When Williams and Frank Thomas went at it, Frank left Chicago after the 2005 World Series run. Can’t Reinsdorf see the common denominator here? I understand the Guillen ran his mouth about a lot of things, but get with the program, Jerry.

This afternoon, Chris Sale is supposedly meeting with Williams and Reinsdorf on behalf of the players on the team. Seeing how the situations with Ozzie and Frank turned out, Sale must be sure to not overstep his boundaries. Reinsdorf would be an idiot to think that Kenny Williams is more valuable to this team than Rick Hahn or Chris Sale. The front office proclaimed Sale as the face of their franchise last year. He’s also on an extremely team-friendly contract, when he should be making Zach Greinke money. Sale has his loyalty to his players, but I think his emotion and frustration in the media don’t help his case. However, under the current circumstances, I think that Sale might have a little more backup than Frank and Ozzie did at the time of their disputes with Williams. He’s the ace of the pitching staff on a roster that should easily compete for the crown in the AL Central this year. Even our corpse of a manager, Robin Ventura, sided with Sale and apparently the players like Ventura as a manager. That’s an argument for another day.

Williams is the villain in this spot. He currently has the manager of the team and the entire clubhouse against him. Reinsdorf is in a difficult position. If I was there, I would can Williams so hard, but sadly, I don’t own the team. But seeing how historically these type of situations have played out to the advantage of Williams and not the managers or players, I fear for what might happen. Could Sale request a trade? Will this team be in complete shambles come July and everyone blames this entire fiasco? Time will tell. Reinsdorf will be pressed to make the right decision here. For the sake of an underperforming team, Kenny Williams should either be fired or leave on his own. If Reinsdorf really loves this team, for once he needs to side with the players and coaches and not the vice president that lives off of the championship he won 11 years ago.

Maaaaan tell yo' son to sit his ass down some where

Support the troops!

Check out the best photos from former New England Patriot Matt Light's USO Tour with Adam LaRoche, and two of the stars of Duck Dynasty!

Now that's a walk-off celebration slide!

Views from the Sox (Get it? Because LaRoche’s Son is named Drake?)

The last thing the White Sox needed was an internal conflict that can cause problems in an otherwise happy clubhouse. Yesterday, I got an update on my phone in the middle of the day that Adam LaRoche is retiring. I immediately jumped for joy. But, when I thought about it more, I realized how odd the timing was and how abrupt the decision seemed to be. I saw some tweets today about how there was more to the story. It turns out that Kenny Williams (as you know, I am not his biggest fan) came up to Adam LaRoche last Sunday and had a discussion about bringing his 14 year old son to the clubhouse every day. I knew that Drake LaRoche spent a lot of time with the players and heard he was a great kid, but I never did understand how this was allowed. Apparently, last Wednesday, Williams mentioned this again to LaRoche that he needed to dial back on bringing his son in the clubhouse. This exchange supposedly got a little heated. Even though the players, especially Adam Eaton, backed LaRoche, Williams did not question the kid’s behavior or LaRoche’s character by any means, or so he says. This is a very tough decision, but LaRoche put Williams in that difficult place. When you have Kenny’s position and responsibilities, you have to make some difficult decisions. He did that here.

After announcing his retirement, LaRoche tweeted “Thank u Lord for the game of baseball and for giving me way more than I ever deserve! #FamilyFirst”. Let’s take a step back for a second. No matter how much people don’t like hearing it, baseball is his job. You don’t see parents bringing their children around work everyday because it could be distracting. However, baseball is not a normal job. You are on the road a lot, so I commend Adam for putting his kid first in his life. He wants to be a father for him. It is refreshing to see someone be a role model like that. On the other hand, you should respect that Kenny Williams is the VP of an underperforming MLB organization and is looking for any sort of fix he can provide to promote winning for the White Sox. I do think that his approach was wrong, though. If it was a rule to have a family friendly clubhouse but not create a daycare-like atmosphere all along, why wasn’t this reiterated BEFORE the season, instead of 3 weeks before regular season play? The timing was poor, and Kenny will have to deal with that. He has made some bonehead decisions in the past, but I hope this doesn’t redirect the positive atmosphere the Sox have been displaying all spring training. I am also sure that players with children really sympathize with Adam because they know what it’s like to be on the road for 80+ games per season plus spring training. Now, Williams will have to deal with the repercussions of his poor timing if the Sox can’t pull it together in time. By the way, they’re losing their game to the Brewers in spring training while I write this.

One other thing, where was Robin Ventura all along on this? Did he disagree with Kenny, or did he just not have the baguettes to confront LaRoche about not respecting clubhouse rules? A lot of management positions for professional sports is controlling egos. Ventura got a little to lenient with LaRoche because he’s the old man with a son, but that just set up Williams to have to make a very difficult decision. I haven’t heard much from Rick Hahn’s front. LaRoche handed in his retirement papers, but the Sox gave him a couple more days to contemplate if he actually wants to do this. As a fan, I liked LaRoche’s personality. He seemed like a very humble guy who had a very rough 2015. Then again, he batted .207 with 12 homers, and he was only taking up space.

Once his retirement is official, this could give more opportunity for Avi Garcia to prove his worth. Rick Hahn is looking internally first for another option at first base and DH, but he could sign someone from outside. There is still a little speculation around Reds right fielder, Jay Bruce. I don’t want this and have said this before. I heard Justin Morneau’s name tossed in the ring. I would love him in a Sox uniform because that is a very solid name to still be left out there this late in the game. Otherwise, as Lil’ Dickey said “Save Dat Money” (for the trade deadline). Another name I heard was Hanley Ramirez, but the Red Sox would have to pay a huge chunk of his salary in order for him to come to Chicago. It will be interesting to see how this whole situation plays out.

Stay positive Sox fans.