Jay Mariotti
Jay Mariotti (born 1961 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) is a controversial sports columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times and a regular panelist on ESPN's sports talk show Around the Horn. He occasionally takes the place of the Washington Post's Tony Kornheiser as a guest host on ESPN's Pardon the Interruption. He attended Ohio University in Athens, OH. Mariotti began writing for the Sun-Times in the summer of 1991.
In January 2004, Chicago's ESPN 1000 replaced Tony Kornheiser's once-nationally syndicated show with a show hosted by Mariotti. Kornheiser was unhappy about this and has hinted at some behind-the-scenes smugness on Mariotti's account after this switch took place. The feud between the two sports journalists seems to be one-sided in the public eye, with Kornheiser frequently stating how he can't stand Mariotti both on Pardon the Interruption and on his Washington, DC area radio program while Mariotti has referred to the feud as non-existent.
Mariotti's on-air rivalry with Around The Horn co-star Woody Paige is based off of a real-life dispute they had in the early-to-mid '90s, when both panelists worked for the Denver Post, resulting in Mariotti's leaving. The two have apparently settled their differences, and their "feud" on the show is mostly in jest. Woody still occasionally refers to Mariotti as "Jabroni."
Mariotti also has an ongoing feud with Chicago White Sox television announcer Ken "Hawk" Harrelson. After a White Sox game in the late 1990s, Harrelson entered the press box to confront Mariotti about a column he had written. The two exchanged words and have been feuding ever since. In a separate, more recent exchange, Mariotti complained that Harrelson had intentionally bumped into him during a White Sox road game. Witnesses stated that Marriotti threatened to sue Harrelson.
Mariotti also has a beef with Jerry Reinsdorf, owner of the Chicago Bulls and White Sox, as he is highly critical of him. In June 2005, Mariotti threatened to sue Reinsdorf because Reinsdorf was angry at comments Mariotti wrote about how the contract negotations were handled on an extension for Scott Skiles, head coach of the Bulls
In June 2006, a long-simmering feud with White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen boiled over. Mariotti wrote a column criticizing Guillen, calling him "senseless and immature," for apparently ordering rookie relief pitcher Sean Tracey to hit a Texas Rangers batter, Hank Blalock, after the Rangers pitcher Vicente Padilla hit White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski with two pitches during a game.[1] Tracey failed to successfully retaliate, and Guillen pulled him from the game. It is important to note that Mariotti did not show up at the White Sox locker room to confront Guillen. Many journalists despise Mariotti for writing his opinions from the comfort of his home and not speaking to the people he takes potshots at in his columns.[2] Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports says that Mariotti broke a cardinal rule of journalism by not appearing at the White Sox locker room. [3]
Guillen, upset that Mariotti hadn't interviewed him for the column, said: "What a piece of shit he is, a fucking fag."[4] Guillen's comment was perceived by some as anti-gay[5] and he was fined an undisclosed amount by Major League Baseball and ordered to attend sensitivity training. Commissioner of Baseball Bud Selig's office issued a statement that said "Baseball is a social institution with responsibility to set appropriate tone and example. Conduct or language that reflects otherwise will not be tolerated. The use of slurs embarrasses the individual, the club, and the game." Guillen accepted his punishment, saying "I put Bud Selig in a spot he's not supposed to be."[6] Guillen also said, "'If I hurt anybody with what I called him, I apologize, but I wasn't talking about those people. I was talking strictly about [Mariotti]. I will apologize to the people I offended because I should have used another word. Besides that, I'm still waiting for Jay. Why he's so afraid to show up to the ballpark? When you're afraid to do something, you feel guilty about something. Then tell him we'll pay his cab. Tell him to tell us where he lives, and we'll bring him to the ballpark and we'll have a conversation. But that's the way he is. He's garbage, still garbage, going to die as garbage. Period."[7]
Mariotti says he is not hurt by the comments and is called worse things every morning when he's getting his coffee at Starbucks. He has said he will not go to talk face-to-face with the White Sox because he has been subject to physical threats by team personnel and their rude, dumb, obnoxious fans.
References
- ^ "Judgment call: Time to worry about Ozzie" Jay Mariotti, Chicago Sun-Times, June 16, 2006.
- ^ "Evan Grant on the Rangers " Evan Grant, Dallas Morning News, June 22, 2006.
- ^ Boston Red Sox vs. Philadelphia Phillies, Ken Rosenthal, Fox Saturday Baseball, June 24, 2006.
- ^ "Guillen crosses line with latest slur" Greg Couch, Chicago Sun-Times, June 21, 2006.
- ^ "Guillen slur upsets gay rights activists" Jimmy Greenfield, Redeye, June 21, 2006.
- ^ "Guillen fine with MLB's punishment" Mark Gonzales, Chicago Tribune, June 23, 2006.
- ^ "Ozzie vs. Mariotti: Guillen apologetic, defiant" Joe Cowley, Chicago Sun-Times, June 22, 2006.