Roger Ebert Rips "Rat" Jay Mariotti In Open Letter

In an open letter, Roger Ebert ripped former colleague Jay Mariotti for the "ugly way" he quit the Chicago Sun-Times this week.

Dear Jay,

What an ugly way to leave the Sun-Times. It does not speak well for
you. Your timing was exquisite. You signed a new contract, waited
until days after the newspaper had paid for your trip to Beijing at
great cost, and then resigned with only an e-mail. You saved your
explanation for a local television station.

As someone who was working here for 24 years before you arrived, I
think you owed us more than that. You owed us decency. The fact that
you saved your attack for TV only completes our portrait of you as a
rat.

Ebert closes with some advice for the controversy-courting sports columnist, "On your way out, don't let the door bang you on the ass."

Read the full letter here.

Comments

[mandalaina]

I've followed Ebert for many many years, and am pleased to see that he's remained a class act!

[JeremyO]

At least Mariotti is a consistent rat. By that I mean he's been a scoundrel from the get go, or at least the style in which he writes is characterized that way. I never cared for him, he's way too cynical, borderline a-hole.

[westreal]

Never did like Marriotti and new he'd do something like this eventually. Sox coach Ozzy Gillium was correct when he used a foul word to describe Mariotti.

[JaseAllen]

So did Ebert give Mariotti's resignation and TV appearance two thumbs down, or two middle fingers up?

[Smirk]

I miss seeing Ebert review movies. Be well, and thanks, RE.

[Eric8869]

So many people love Roger - no one loves Jay - enough said.

[ChiGuy]

Ebert is right. But many sports fans here in Chicago were well aware of Mariotti's rat-like tendencies.
While justifiably angry with the way the little chump left, Ebert should be glad that his paper is rid of the smarmy punk.

The average quality level of the writers at the Sun-Times got a huge uptick with his departure.

[stav506]

DeLuca, another Sun-Times writer that is 1000000 times better than Mariotti wrote another good article about this.

[FairisFair]

thank you Mr. Ebert you are a true ambassador of Chicago and the Sun-times. Mariotti will be forgotten in a few months, but your legacy will live on.