At the start of an internally controversial week, with "Around the Horn" regular Jay Mariotti in trouble in Los Angelese because of a domestic disturbance charge involving his girlfriend, a little bit of Americana has provided at least some cover for ESPN.
With the Little League World Series already scheduled to preempt "Around the Horn," and with "Pardon the Interruption" on hiatus for the same reason, ESPN commentators and officials have been able to avoid the Mariotti matter (at least publicly) and keep it out of the limelight from two programs that would seem most likely to address the situation. Or at least shows, in the case of "Around the Horn," most impacted by the incident.
Granted, the World Series has some PR warts, especially in the eyes of people who want to argue against putting pre-teens (for the most part) in such high profile competitive situations, but it generally gets spun as a positive experience -- win or lose -- for participants. Plus, ESPN, with its vested interest in success makes judicious use of field microphones on coaches and managers, giving viewers plausibly live audio of the most encouraging and positive moments while avoiding inevitable harsh emotion or slips of the tongue.
Ironically, it's Mariotti's own tongue-lashing skills that might come back to bite him and his career depending on what happens with the charges in L.A. He's been a tough critic of athletes and sports types who put themselves in similar situations, so it'll be interesting to see how he reacts publicly, and it will happen at some point, and how ESPN handles the situation.
For at least a couple of days, though, the all-sports giant has some time to figure out its approach, though. And it can do who while Little League ballplayers get their annual moment in the spotlight.
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