At the time of his resignation from the Sun-Times, Jay Mariotti talked all big and bad about staying in television and finding an Internet position somewhere on the web. Well apparently he couldn't find a website, or that was just a cover up, because last week strong rumors surfaced about him attempting to gain employment with rival paper, the Chicago Tribune.

I'm here today to tell all of you Chicagoans that that's not going to happen and that Sun-Times lawyers have put a kibosh to the whole idea....

Discussions between former Chicago Sun-Times sports columnist Jay Mariotti and Tribune Co. about a possible role at the media company have ended, Mariotti said late Tuesday.

He said lawyers from the Sun-Times threatened to sue if he joined the company, claiming a jump to the competing news outlet would violate a non-compete agreement.

Mariotti and Tribune "talked about television, about the Internet, about the newspaper,'' he said. Mariotti said that discussions about working for Tribune Co.'s Chicago Tribune newspaper became a stumbling block. "The Sun-Times' lawyer threatened me with a lawsuit in 64-point type. Things sort of stalled,'' he added.

"At one point last week, there were lawyers on both sides looking into this,'' Mariotti said. "It's daunting to put together a deal. This [lawyer's letter] got thrown out in the middle of everything. We both decided that we can't do what we wanted to do.''

So you've got that going for you Chicago, which is nice. Seriously though, I know you have to do what's in the best interest of yourself at times, but that's one slimeball move right there. You re-sign with the Sun-Times back in June, head to Beijing for the Olympics, comeback saying you want something new and that newspapers are dying, you resign, you wait not even a month before trying to sign with the city's rival paper. You would think that the media in Chicago would be sick of him by now, but I guess controversy brings readers.

Oh and if you really want to have some fun this morning be sure to read the comments on the page linked below. Here are just a few....

If Mariotti goes to the Trib, then I might as well get all my news from The Onion.- JTO

I never thought I'd ever say this but: HOORAY FOR LAWYERS!- Uncle Bouncy

I would stop reading the Trib if they hired that sleazeball.- Dennis

Former Sun-Times columnist Mariotti not joining Tribune (Chicago Tribune)