FanHouse.com columnist Jay Mariotti, who also appears regularly on ESPN’s “Around the Horn,” was arrested Saturday for suspicion of “felony domestic assault.”
The Los Angeles Times’ Andrew Blankstein and Garrett Therolf have the details:
LAPD sources said that Mariotti allegedly got into an argument with his girlfriend at a club in Santa Monica and that they were observed exchanging harsh words before leaving in a car. Mariotti became angry after he suspected his girlfriend of flirting with another man, police sources said.
AdvertisementThe argument continued at the couple’s Venice-area apartment, where Mariotti allegedly pushed and shoved the woman. During the altercation, Mariotti grabbed her arm, leaving marks, the sources said.
Ed Sherman from Crain’s Chicago Business has more information from the ESPN angle of the story:
However, ESPN insiders believe Mr. Mariotti is done at the network. ESPN has instituted a no-tolerance policy after being rocked by several transgressions by high-profile employees.
Specifically, Sherman notes the recent dismissal of “Baseball Tonight” and “Sunday Night Baseball” contributor Steve Phillips, who had an innapripriate affair with a production assistant.
ESPN reported the story Saturday night on “SportsCenter,” and quoted an ESPN spokesperson as saying “we are looking into it.”
Given ESPN’s recent history, and the large pool of commentators “Around the Horn” can tap into, it will be unlikely that Mariotti makes an appearance on the channel anytime soon.