Guillen: I was hungover for White Sox manager interview

In a revealing interview with ESPN, Ozzie Guillen recalled how he became the manager of the Chicago White Sox, a team he would lead to a World Series title just two seasons into his tenure.

Forgive him, though, if he doesn't remember every detail of the interview that landed him the job.

Guillen, the outspoken Venezuelan whose major-league career as a player and manager spanned more than three decades, shared Tuesday the improbable story of how he was extremely hungover during his interview with White Sox general manager Kenny Williams for the club's vacant managerial position. Ever the entertainer, Guillen's storytelling is well worth the visit to ESPN to watch the interview in its entirety.

During the candid exchange, Guillen - who, at the time, was the third-base coach for the 2003 World Series-winning Florida Marlins - recalls how he, Miguel Cabrera, Alex Gonzalez, and others partied like champions at Ivan Rodriguez's Miami-style beach home into the early hours of the morning. There was just one problem: He was scheduled to fly to Illinois the next morning to interview with Williams.

"I slept a little bit before my interview but when you have a very nice night, your next morning is going to be miserable," Guillen said. "The alarm started ringing, my wife woke me up, and I said, 'Nah, I don't want to go.' (Finally) I jumped in the limo, but I was in very bad shape."

Guillen says he remembers very little of what happened next.

"I don't know what kind of questions he asked me, and I don't know what kind of answers I gave him," he said. "I didn't even eat. We're sitting in a restaurant and I had black coffee and club soda water because I was afraid my stomach would get upset."

Memory notwithstanding, Guillen won the job and his run in Chicago was a memorable one for many reasons, the least of which included his two first-place titles and a World Series ring over eight seasons.