Former Sports Columnist Jay Mariotti Out Of A Job
LOS ANGELES (CBS) - Former Chicago Sun-Times sports columnist Jay Mariotti is now out of a job altogether, after pleading no contest to domestic violence charges.
Mariotti confirmed that he is no longer working for AOL's sports Web site "Fanhouse."
He pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor domestic violence charge in a quarrel with his girlfriend in Los Angeles.
Mariotti says he will focus on other media opportunities, including a book product.
He was charged after police say he pushed and shoved his girlfriend at their apartment in Venice, Calif.
When officers arrested Mariotti in August, they noticed cuts and bruises on the woman.
The sports columnist quit the Sun-Times two years ago. Never one to mince words, he set his bridge to the newspaper world aflame in a conversation with CBS 2's Dorothy Tucker at the time.
"I'm going to be completely honest with you, the profession is dying," he said in August 2008. "I don't think I'm breaking any news here."
His comments prompted angry responses from across the local media. Legendary Sun-Times movie critic Roger Ebert accused Mariotti of "shouting" at his readers, and "stomping your feet when owners, coaches, players and fans didn't agree with you." He called Mariotti's columns "1,000-word rants."
"On your way out, don't let the door bang you on the ass," Ebert said in concluding his Aug. 28, 2008, letter.
Also upon Mariotti's resignation, sports columnist Chris De Luca called him "the venom-spewing columnist" who was acting like "a scorned lover."
