Last Post On Mariotti/Guillen, Honest

OK, we promise: Last Ozzie Guillen-Jay Mariotti related post of the week, unless one of them ends up being caught drunk on camera, forcing us all to become dirty voyeurs.

Three quick thoughts to wrap up. First, the concept of sportswriters hulking up for physical confrontation in the locker room got us thinking of the late, great Will McDonough, the Boston Globe reporter famous for throwing elbows and doing whatever necessary to get the story while the Mariottis of the world were getting mani/pedis. McDonough's most famous incident involved New England Patriot Raymond Clayborn, who he punched in a locker room in 1979. McDonough said at the time: "I said that if any guy pushes me to the point, then something is going to happen. It's just unfortunate for [Clayborn] that he did it." You know what? That's pretty badass. We miss Will.

Second, we hate to be the PC police, but we do think it's telling that many — including, admittedly, us — have taken Ozzie Guillen's use of the word "fag" somewhat lightly, as if to say, "Hey, it's Ozzie, he says things sometimes." We, of course, would not have been so forgiving if he had said the n-word, or other racial slurs. No matter how much of a dope Mariotti might be, Ozzie, in our view, was wrong. Pretend as everyone might otherwise, there are gay people in sports, and we guarantee you: Someone in that locker room — player, attendant, reporter — was offended in a much different way than Mariotti was.

And, lastly: We hear lotsa rumors around these parts, and here's one of the more persistant ones of late: Don't be shocked if you don't see Mariotti in the pages of the Sun-Times for a while. Whispers of "indefinite, unplanned vacation" keep popping up. We'll keep you updated.

Will McDonough Remembered [GreaterBoston] The Manly, Manly Sports Reporters [Deadspin] One Slur That's Still Somewhat OK [Under 30 Blog]

(UPDATE: Oh, and Mariotti was on the Tucker Carlson show last night.)