Jay Mariotti, Lisa Olson and Kevin Blackistone: New Additions to the FanHouse Masthead

Two years ago, the idea of so-called mainstream and new sports media bleeding into one entity seemed as natural as a Hatfield-McCoy wedding. Yet here we are, five days into 2009, and newspapers are shifting budgets toward their online blog content rather than print; private blogs are making efforts to professionalize their operations.

But the sports blogging counterculture was always about a mindset rather than a medium, just as punk is a concept that extends well beyond music. At FanHouse, our group of talent is made up of writers and editors from both sides of that old battle line -- newspapers and the Internet -- as well as independents (we are not bi-partisan, after all). Everyone has built this site not on labels or histories, but on a few basic tenets -- independent thought and having not only the courage to say what you feel, but the conviction to stand by it.

Jay Mariotti is one of the nation's most noticeable sports columnists. His background and credentials are well-known. Yet, as we welcome Jay to AOL Sports/FanHouse, it is his attitude towards sports writing that we're most excited about. Jay has a history of remaining true to himself and maintaining an original voice even when it's an unpopular one. He's been everywhere and seen everything in sports, and captured it in a voice that is sometimes provocative and sometimes controversial, but always authentic. He is an individual.

Likewise, Lisa Olson put her career and safety on the line in order to knock down major barriers for women in sports journalism. Her refusal to cave in to the patriarchal traditions she suffered under make her a pioneer and icon in the field on top of a fantastic writer. Finally, Kevin Blackistone is a well-known sports writer and a face on ESPN's Around the Horn, but his career in sports emerged from a tradition of probing and challenging investigative reporting and commenting on political, racial and social issues.

We welcome Jay, Lisa and Kevin, and look forward to agreeing and disagreeing with them, and vice versa. Because that's what this is all about.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

1-05-2009 @ 3:51AM

VN said...

Wow, is this supposed to excite people to read this place? I enjoy Blackistone's work, but Jay Mariotti is an embarrassment to journalism. You guys should have kept his hiring a secret - prepare to be ridiculed by the "blogging" community.

1-05-2009 @ 4:14AM

Willmore2000 said...

^ what he said.

1-05-2009 @ 4:38AM

tien said...

Is this an April Fool's joke? The only time I've ever heard Mariotti's name mentioned here on Fanhouse is in bashing him and calling him an embarassment.

1-05-2009 @ 5:17AM

Bill said...

You know, I really liked reading this blog...

1-05-2009 @ 7:34AM

Nathan said...

Mariotti!?!?!?

RIP Fanhouse

1-05-2009 @ 8:16AM

mike said...

great, why don't you guys see if dan shanauseys avaliable?

1-05-2009 @ 9:05AM

Dennis Wallem said...

Smart move! All three are proffesional journalists in their own right. I'm just wondering who Hawk Harrelson is going to whine about now. I'm a die-hard Chicago sports fan, especially the Sox and Cubs and sometimes I find Marriotti a little abrasive, but that's his job. As I consider myself truly passionate in my loyalty to all the teams, I really have a hard time with all my fellow fans and bloggers who claim to hate Marrioti and threaten to withdraw memberships and subscriptions because evidentley disagree with him. These are same people who evidentley endorse radio personalities like Mike North, Mike Murphy, Brian Hanley, Mike Mulligan, and just about anyone that is in the 670Score program roster. Then you've got North going to Comcast in the morning TV slot along with Dan Jiggets a former Bear superbowl team member, and on the same CSN channel is host David Kaplan also a WGN talk show host. CSN Chicago has a show hosted by Kaplan called "Chicago Tribune Live" where panelists sit for an hour and pick apart every team in Chicago. North, when he was a morning jock on 670 made Ozzie Guillen so enraged that Ozzie called him on his Cell on the air and lit into North for all Chicago Land to hear. So, fellow fans---what's the problem with Jay Marrioti. As a group it (We) seem to be a bunch of hypocrites to be isolating Marrioti

1-05-2009 @ 9:16AM

Matt said...

If this is for real, then I am done visiting Fanhouse.

1-05-2009 @ 12:12PM

pico said...

LISA OLSON! Lisa Olson is a fantastic writer, and I hope she will be writing about the NY teams extensively... her articles are insightful, inspiring, humanizing, and very smart. Can't wait for her first post. The sports biz needs more writers like her.

1-05-2009 @ 2:13PM

Stephanie Stradley said...

Really don't have anything to add to this other than giving a cordial welcome to Jay, Lisa, Kevin to the Haus.

1-05-2009 @ 2:31PM

Squall Lee said...

Jay Mariotti is an excellent writer and yes very true to himself. He gives honest opinions and is rarely, if ever, biased. If you guy cared about hearing the truth, when it comes to sports, then read this guy's material.

If all you wanna hear is good things about your favorite teams, then go get a copy of your local newspaper or even go to a team fan forum.

1-05-2009 @ 9:27PM

Wade said...

Mariotti has always known how to stir the pot and take the least popular side. However, that's also his problem. I don't believe anything he writes or says.