Jay Mariotti is a Joke

12

by user Tyrone Briggs

Like most clear-thinking passionate Chicago sports fans, I do not like Jay Mariotti. No, this is not just a simple dislike of professional journalistic style but rather a deep rooted resentment of Jay Mariotti, the person. One not familiar with the Chicago sports scene is probably asking, "Why on earth would someone waste oxygen and energy over Jay Mariotti ?" Admittedly, this can be rather difficult to appreciate for an outsider looking inward through the crystal ball on this topic. After all, Mariotti is a well known television personality from the ESPN's Around the Horn, just how bad personality wise could this man truly be?

I could rant and rave about my bias against Jay Mariotti as a man and his journalistic efforts. And in due time, I will. However today, I am attempting to turn over a new leaf here at ArmchairGM and acknowledge that this "first time" effort to broach upon such a topic as irritating as this columnist requires a third party eye witness account to introduce ArmchairGM to Jay Mariotti and his so-called journalistic career. Considering recent history here, I acknowledge that a little credibility must be first established between myself and you, the ArmchairGM reader before full blast first person account editorials railing against Mariotti appear on this website.

Therefore, I would like to admit into evidence for The People vs Jay Mariotti, the following Steve Dahl Show interview of Chicago Sun-Times columnist Neil Steinberg. Please listen to the interview carefully and in full prior to making a comment. It is important to listen to Steinberg's first hand account of Mariotti after 15 years of experience working for the same newspaper.

And please bear in mind that this is really my first effort to utilize the wiki tools. Advice and input to better leverage this system is always appreciated.

Enjoy the broadcast!

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Tyrone BriggsHall of Famer

924 days ago

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Regardless of your opinion on this subject, if someone could lend me some advice on editting matters such as spell checking, I would be appreciative.

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Anonymous Fanatic #1

924 days ago

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I'd type it up in word, spellcheck and edit, then cut and paste.

Alex HolowczakHall of Famer

924 days ago

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Notepad is better than Word for this sort of thing in my opinion. Especially if you have an "O'" something in their name, word uses ` instead of ', which throws it out a bit. Then when you copy and paste it into here, use Google Spellcheck to check the spellings (as you might imagine it would do).

Tyrone BriggsHall of Famer

924 days ago

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I didn't think of doing that, good points guys. I just assumed that there would be a spell check as one of the features for editting?

JuTMSY4Legend

924 days ago

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That's good advice...There's lots of us here who still suck at wiki, but manage...generally, if its a name or soemthing recognizable, it should be in double "[[" on both sides. and if you have titles to add...and subtitles etc, you can do that by putting an = around the words...or two equals to go one level below and so on (but you probably don't need that for this)...there's way more formatting crap i don't know, but thats the stuff i end up using...also, you can look at other people's articles and steal their formats/modify them as needed...that works well, also

Tyrone BriggsHall of Famer

924 days ago

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How many times would you wiki a person's name (ie. Jay Mariotti)? Just the first mentioning or several single occurrence?

JuTMSY4Legend

924 days ago

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I generally do it just once, some people like to do it for each...

Tyrone BriggsHall of Famer

924 days ago

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Do edits from word (like bold print font, italics etc.) show up here after a cut & paste? Or does that have to be re-editted here?

Davis21wylieMVP

924 days ago

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No, to get those effects you have to write it in wiki markup, like putting '''three apostrophes''' around something to make it bold, for instance, or two apostrophes to make it italic. The help section is a really good resource if you have any questions about editing in wiki markup.

Tyrone BriggsHall of Famer

924 days ago

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Thanks. I'll look it up.

Anonymous Fanatic #2

924 days ago

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George Tasker (AKA SouthSideSlim) here. I wonder if the regular PHP tags work, like [b]Bold[/b]? If that isn't bold, then I've answered my own question. Sorry gang for wasting the bandwidth.:-)

False ProphetAll-Star

924 days ago

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actually, I think it might carry over when using the default create opinion WYSIWYG editor. Beyond what they've told you, use the help files. I know a lot about wiki markup, but I still don't know stuff. If you use Firefox 2.0 or later, it has a built in spell checker that identifies misspellings, but can't offer you any suggestions. I think a bunch of people are working on it. If I get a chance today, I'll go back over to Wikipedia where I found a spellchecker that works on their site, but would need tweaking to work here.

DNLLegend

924 days ago

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Wow.... that interview is scathing.

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Tyrone BriggsHall of Famer

924 days ago

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There was obviously a fallout after that interview. And Neil is pretty up front about it when asked. His email is on his Sun-Times bio and unlike Mariotti, answers emails personally. Mariotti doesn't even bother listing an address other than inbox@---.com. But that story, is for another day!

Davis21wylieMVP

924 days ago

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That interview was awesome. I never knew a guy could be so... um, forthright about one of his co-workers, but I guess Mariotti has that effect on people. Actually, he has that effect on me during Around the Horn. Bill Plaschke has that effect, too. And Woody Paige. And Bob Ryan. And Richard Justice... Um, why exactly is that show on the air anymore?

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Tyrone BriggsHall of Famer

924 days ago

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Mariotti is more vilified as a newspaper columnist than his schtick on ESPN. Steinberg blew the lid on his personality. Keep in mind that Neil's interview is hardly the only example of somebody in the media that personally dislikes Mariotti. I could write a book on the subject from the evidence I've gathered but instead will share here. Matt and Pat's posts on JTJ are pretty reflective on Mariotti. BWJM is intended to be more satirical upon a lot of truth. More to come. Promise.

Clayton St. John Smythe Esq.Varsity

924 days ago

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Woody P. hates Jay to this day (even though for work purposes they play like the hatchet is buried) Just check out the chalkboard every once in a while and you'll see the feud still exists. Mariotti however is a master at using his detractors for his personal and professional gain. That's why Denver hated him, Chicago hates him, etc. We want him to write about sports, and he wants to mess with the heads of our GMs, Coaches, Stars, Fans, just to make a buck. Keep in mind that JTJ and other blogs (deadspin.com, boisewantsjay.wordpress.com) do have a goal of getting the guy canned, it's not just hatin' and hazing...

Tyrone BriggsHall of Famer

924 days ago

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One day Woody is gonna write JAY THE JOKE.COM on that damn chalkboard. If we all work together, maybe that good happen!

Clayton St. John Smythe Esq.Varsity

924 days ago

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Tyrone, I might be leaving the world of PR soon, but you got what we say in the biz, "the goods."

Tyrone BriggsHall of Famer

924 days ago

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Thanks Mr. Smythe.

HinoSoccer Kid

924 days ago

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Here is the deal. You may pick a subject, any subject, football, baseball, basketball, and possibly even golf. All uou have to do is read the Tinlky man's columns for more than a week. He will flip-flop on his opinion on everything. Simple as that.

When Ozzie was hired it ws great. Next Ozzie was bad. "Nobody named Lovie will ever coach the Bears." Lovie is great hire look what he has done." Lovie Stinks. What is he doing? Paxon should get Gasol.

Bulls beat heat. Glad Paxon didn't get Gasol. Bulls lose to Pistons. Should have got Gasol. That is just a miniscule example.

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HinoSoccer Kid

924 days ago

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If you want to see a full critique of the Tinky's articles and some other things go to Jaythejoke.com

Each and every day that the little man writes an article there are more than enough people there to point out his inaccuracies and stupidity.

Please people, do not think that just because this man has his own column* and is on a TV show that he speaks for or has the pulse of the city of Chicago or our fans.

He is a tool that does not attempt to go into a locker room to get quotes or interview people face to face. Just last week he was caught stealing a quote from the "Detroit Free Press."

This man is a menace to society and gives sports writers every where a bad name.

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Anonymous Fanatic #2

924 days ago

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George Tasker (AKA SouthSideSlim) here. The interview is only one thing that we could mention. There's plenty more coming.

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HinoSoccer Kid

924 days ago

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Hey Slim, wanna play a game of horse? No dunking and nothing inside of 20 feet.

Anonymous Fanatic #2

923 days ago

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Hino, SSS here. I think you're trying to take advantage of my advancing years. First, I could dunk if it were an 8 foot goal, but 10 feet went bye-bye long ago (about 25 years). With my shoulder miseries, I don't know if 20 feet is reachable.

The sharkDraft Pick

924 days ago

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...Played out...

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Manny StilesMajor Leaguer

924 days ago

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"he will say anthing just to get people excited"

That's what he's paid to do. I know missing that simple fact would crumble YOUR WHOLE empire. You just feed the beast by acting just like you say he is... you guys are CLONES of Mariotti. Arrogant, stirring-the-pot whiners and complainers.

Do you do it on purpose? You act like Mariotti in order to show how much he sucks? I swear, you're just advertising for him! If I can't listen to or read Mariotti - What is the solution? Who is my alternative? If not Mariotti, what???

No one, because when Mariotti is gone, what will help you get through the day? You can't afford for him to go away...

You could learn a trick from Manny. It's called "turning the channel"

Seriously, you devote your life to hating people - to each their own, fine. But it just pushes logical people away...(it takes me longer than most) I bet most people voted just to appease you and not make you angry... nice Champ, Don't apologize for it, either.

I know this is important to you, but it BORES me *yawn* after reading through it once there's nothing left... Jay Mariotti is not an epic saga, he's a comic book.

I couldn't even keep a fight up with you because *yawn*

You are JUST like him. Every thing they rip Jay for, I can say the same things about YOU, Champ. I'm not going to fight with you, Champ *yawn* You got bigger missions to conquest - best luck in your efforts, You could be Mariotti for all I know...

It must be precious to live in Chicago... my prayers go out to you.

I'll take 10 Mariottis I can VERY easily ignore over one Tim McCarver I ghet forced upon me during the World Series...

Don't get offended, I'm just a nobody with a know nothing opinion. You got things under control, Champ...

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Clayton St. John Smythe Esq.Varsity

924 days ago

Score 2

I would understand where you're coming from if I didn't live in Chicago and see not only Mariotti's stupid monkey face next to a bunch of crappy opinions every other day, but see how his brand of bashing (for his ego's sake) managers, coaches, teams and players is REFLECTED in other sportswriting, how his neglect to actually interact with a sport by going to games, interviewing players, managers, owners, is becoming ACCEPTABLE to sports journalism, and how this whole spiel is a scourge for the teams my city cherishes (accept for the Blackhawks) I would understand, but I have to deal with it - or maybe not, maybe I can help get the guy banished to Boise, Idaho. This isn't bitching, venting, putting bellows to the flames. This isn't advertising. This is a civic duty. Fire the F***tard!

Tyrone BriggsHall of Famer

924 days ago

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Thank you for understanding Mr. Smythe. Mariotti is the disease. Jay the Joke is the cure. And Boise, Idaho is definitely the solution.

Manny StilesMajor Leaguer

924 days ago

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Boise is actually a pretty nice town (BIGGER than you think, too), I prefer Eastern Idaho though (closer to Yellowstone)

Manny StilesMajor Leaguer

924 days ago

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"bunch of crappy opinions every other day, but see how his brand of bashing (for his ego's sake)"

Sounds like Websitethejoke to me...

That's all, I got nothing left to say on the matter.

I won't change anything by pointing out the obvious...

Manny StilesMajor Leaguer

924 days ago

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Yellowstone is VERY beautiful and deserves a +, not a - Just because you've never been there doesn't mean it isn't good...

Clayton St. John Smythe Esq.Varsity

924 days ago

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I don't post my monkey face next to my crappy opinions, and most people like what I have to say where I say it (accept for you, my rapping, Arizona walkabouting, bloghardy friend) Sheesh, even Jamel likes most of my posts, and he hates white people AND Canadians. But I digress, Mariotti ain't Hitler, I agree. But he does possess power that he abuses, that is characteristic of a lot of things wrong with our society, and HE'S SUPPOSED TO BE WRITING ABOUT SPORTS. People in Austrailia think that Tank Johnson is a hopeless gangbanger who's destined for prison because of this A$$. Get it? Call those opposed to this hypocrates for enjoying the war they wage, but it doesn't change the fact that some kid in Austrailia is growing up thinking that NFL players are thugs.

Tyrone BriggsHall of Famer

924 days ago

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Great point Mr. Smythe. The bottomline is that Mariotti is paid to be an accountable professional journalist with integrity, not a flip-flopping trash tabloid hack. And when false truths and hypocritical innuendo with a personal bias against the subject matter is masqueraded as actual news, the reader has every right to object and protest.

Manny StilesMajor Leaguer

924 days ago

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" paid to be an accountable professional journalist with integrity, not a flip-flopping trash tabloid hack"

Is that what his employers say? I think they DO PAY him to be a tabloid hack. Is it the Sun-Times, right? Is it an otherwise reputable paper? I wouldn't know (or care)

Seriously, you guys should take a visit to the East Coast sometime (or at least further than Milwaukee) so you can see that there's dozens of these guys out there... Every town has one (New York has about 135), and YES it IS their job to be gossip trash tabloid hacks...

The world does not revolve around Chicago (thank GOD)

Manny StilesMajor Leaguer

924 days ago

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and the same people in Australia would think I'm a "douchebag" among other things (Thanks to 'disreputable' journalism), so you got me with what you were trying to say there...

Clayton St. John Smythe Esq.Varsity

924 days ago

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WoW. You're still pissed off, aren't you? Is that why you won't be my myspace friend?

Manny StilesMajor Leaguer

924 days ago

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I check myspace about 4 times a month... Pissed? What are you talking about? I couldn't be happier without a Time Machine and the opportunity to hypnotize David Stern into not suspending Amare and Boris for game 5...

JuTMSY4Legend

924 days ago

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Manny is right, Mariotti is payed to be a tabloid hack...but even then, a certain amount of professionalism is required (i.e. sticking w/ an opinion or admitting when you're wrong)...The person I'm most familiar w/, Howard Eskin, at the very least will stick w/ an opinion and he really doesn't flipflop...when he does, it's usually because his opinion was wrong and so he has to change.

I think Tyrone, Smythe and Jamel's point is that this tabloid hack basically lives in chicago and puts the team down (and takes whatever opinion is required to do it)...he's more than the discenting voice (which is what bill conlin is in philly), he's the guy who rips people's character for no reason or creates those "public opinions" that no one really holds true...except maybe arkansas...

correct me if i'm wrong...

Anonymous Fanatic #3

924 days ago

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The Chicago Sun-Times is marketed as a respectable, reliable media source of information and not a supermarket trash tabloid such as the National Inquirer.

Now mind you, many of the regulars at JTJ have first hand witnessed Mariotti's antics and long running feuds with many of the major executives and management officials of our local professional sports organizations. As well, numerous columnists (as evident by the Steinberg interview) from rival and his own paper have called out Jay Mariotti on the same issues frequently mentioned and criticized at Jay the Joke.

Obviously, it is not expected for the newer reader to understand all the implications on this matter in a very narrow window of time. Some of us were challenged by Dan (DNL) to write about this particular subject matter here at ArmchairGM. This is a first attempt. There will be more to come in terms of reviewing the past (historical flip-flops, lies, slandering, etc.) and reviewing current matters. As an ArmchairGM reader with a sincere curiosity in this subject matter, patience of "unravelling" all that is Jay Mariotti will be appreciated. It is pretty hard to "lay it all out on the line" in one or two posts here. Time is going to be required.

And thanks again for that interest and sincere commenting (by most) feedback. For those just checking in and calling it a day already - have a great Memorial holiday weekend.

JuTMSY4Legend

924 days ago

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I don't think there are many papers on par with the national enquirer w/ respect to sports, but is it similar to the New York Post, The Philadelphia Daily News, The Boston Herald, etc...those papers do report real news...but, not quite w/ the level or professionalism as other newspapers, like the new york times, Boston glove, philly inquirer, etc...that was my point...i don't really know... But, I think what manny was trying to say is, mariotti's job, as far as the paper is concerned, is to sell papers...and if that means making a controversial or idiotic opinion so be it...then again, and i think this is y'all's goal...if you can prove that he doesn't sell papers and people won't read him, then they will get rid of him...its economics...

Anonymous Fanatic #3

923 days ago

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Actually the Chicago Sun-Times is indeed in financial turmoil.

JuTMSY4Legend

923 days ago

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I get it, you hate mariotti...i'm just trying to point out a valid point...not bashing anyone...relax

Anonymous Fanatic #3

923 days ago

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No problem. Just two guys blogging. We're good.

JuTMSY4Legend

923 days ago

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So what's his motive then...is it just getting paid...does he hate chicago...

Taytay 24All-American

923 days ago

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People in Australia don't know who Tank Johnson OR Jay Mariotti are. They manage to lead happy lives, too.

Tyrone BriggsHall of Famer

923 days ago

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See very bottom of thread for commment, Ju.

Clayton St. John Smythe Esq.Varsity

923 days ago

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People in Australia shouldn't know who Jay Mariotti is. His name doesn't appear in the stories your newspapers use. Jay's words and opinions are sources for stories reported there, however. When one Google Newses Tank Johnson or Greg Olsen or Ozzie Guiien, etc, one will find stories printed in papers around the world that are "skeletons" of Jay Mariotti articles... I'm not saying Australians are "thick" I'm just clarifying here. Now go flush the toilet backwards already.

Taytay 24All-American

923 days ago

Score 3

And I'm saying no one here is Googling those people. They are too busy reading about how the Wallabies are doing and who is going to win the big Cowboys/Doggies game. (Cowboys, by the way.) And toilets in the southern hemisphere don't flush backwards. Much too small for the Coriolis Effect. Free science tip for the day.

Tyrone BriggsHall of Famer

924 days ago

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"Mariotti ain't Hitler" - Mr. Smythe Agree 100% there. The difference is that Hitler actually had Eva Braun and a few friends accompany him to the very end in his German bunker. All Mariotti has in his underground hideout is a Ben Wallace blow up doll.

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Clayton St. John Smythe Esq.Varsity

924 days ago

Score 1

What about Paco?

Tyrone BriggsHall of Famer

924 days ago

Score 0

Paco may have taken the cyanide tablet for an early and peaceful exit. Have to check the dateline.

Manny StilesMajor Leaguer

924 days ago

Score 1

does he let his Ben Wallace blow up doll wear a headband or does he wear the headband in the relationship?

Tyrone BriggsHall of Famer

923 days ago

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Mariotti actually takes great pride that the entire city of Chicago hates him. This is actually my next post here (in the works) with reference to a published magazine article. The resentment of Mariotti in this town extends much deeper than just a simple matter of critical sports opining.

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JuTMSY4Legend

923 days ago

Score 1

Fair enough...

Seriously though...i don't really have a problem w/ the mariotti articles...and don't feel like you have to "win us over"...there are varying degrees of writers here...DNL being a published writer...manny writing a supported blog and some of us (like myself), just writing out of interest, conjecture, etc...with that comes different levels of talent and we end up critiquing eachother to get better...but don't feel like you have to win us over with your opinion...most of us either agree or are willing to accept/debate it...

But you already seem to be prepared to provide a good argument (which is what most of us want to see/read)...so let it rip...

Tyrone BriggsHall of Famer

923 days ago

Score 1

Fair enough. This effort is simply to present an overview of the basic arguments made against Jay Mariotti as a person and columnist. As for commenter feedback, to each his/her own.

I am a cpcpMajor Leaguer

923 days ago

Score 3

As much as I think Mariotti is an idgit (or however it's spelled) I've always hated Woody Page a million times more.

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Anonymous Fanatic #2

923 days ago

Score 1

George Tasker (AKA SouthSideSlim)

People, like Mariotti, simply don't understand Chicago's culture. He* wasn't born there, he's* from Pittsburgh.

Chicagoans are fiercely loyal, both about their city and their sports teams. Anyone who's ever attended a game in another city where a Chicago was visiting, has witnessed this first hand.

For example, I currently live in NW Georgia. I've been to a number of Braves games at both Fulton County Stadium and Turner Field against the Cubs. It always seems like the Cub fans outnumber the Braves fans. Anyone who watched the 2003 playoff series between the Cubs and Braves should recognize this. The Braves, who were in the midst of the longest run of playoff appearances in MLB history, couldn't sell the place out if it weren't for the Cubs fans.

As I said, we're also loyal to the city. When Jay writes a line like "the city of weak shoulders", people tend to take it personally. This is exacerbated by his appearances on "Around The Horn" on ESPN. He* sits there with the Chicago Sun-Times written behind him, and people tend to think that he's* speaking for the City of Chicago. He* tries to do it in his column* as well, offering an opinion and using "we", meaning Chicagoans. He* doesn't, and never will, speak for us.

Here's a short list of some of the other things that bother us (meaning JTJers).

He flip-flops, sometimes within the same column.*

He's a hypocrite. What other word would use after his blow up about Ozzie Guillen calling him a "fag", and his referring to one former White Sox player as "The Big Skirt"?

He without quotes, without attributing them properly. This has has been documented a number of times.

He won't go into a lockerroom or interview someone personally. It's one thing to write negatively about someone. It's another not to be willing to face them afterwards.

His dateline is often a lie. There's an incident related to the most recent Super Bowl. He was seen on an airplane bound for Miami after a piece that he had appeared with a Miami dateline the same day.

There's more. I won't bore you with it. Others can offer any reason that I've missed.

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