Columnist Jason Whitlock today debuted a podcast at FoxSportsRadio.com, with former FanHouse.com columnist Jay Mariotti being his first guest. This marked Mariotti’s highest-profile appearance since being arrested in August for domestic violence, and Whitlock noted Mariotti did not have a "stipulation" not to discuss the incident. Mariotti said, “I've been pretty low-key about this entire matter for a long time because I think it was a good idea ... to take a break from a business that is increasingly complex, and it hasn't been bad for me as a human being to get away from all this."
Mariotti said he took a plea deal for a "low-level misdemeanor" after it initially was “advertised as a felony.” Mariotti: “It was never on that level. … They want to just see the initial headline and then they're not necessarily going to follow the ins and outs of the case.” He said, “The only reason there was a plea bargain is because AOL at the time said, 'You're coming back to work. You are going to come back to work. Keep this out of a courtroom.' … Little did I know at the time that AOL behind the scenes was plotting with Arianna Huffington, was plotting with Sporting News, and the next thing you know they're suggesting a settlement” (“Real Talk with Jason Whitlock,” FOXSPORTSRADIO.com, 2/16).
