Mariotti Will Live

We were wondering what was wrong yesterday while reading the Chicago Sun-Times and not finding a column by Jay Mariotti ripping Notre Dame apart after their Sugar Bowl loss. Something had to be wrong for Jay to miss a chance to alienate a large part of his readership by telling them how bad their favorite teams suck.

Turns out, it was because he was busy undergoing an angioplasty.

Sun-Times sports columnist Jay Mariotti was in good condition and resting comfortably Thursday after undergoing an angioplasty Wednesday night.

Mariotti, who marked his 15th anniversary at the Sun-Times last summer, fell ill on a flight to New Orleans to cover the Sugar Bowl. When his condition failed to improve after he arrived at his hotel, he went to an area hospital, where the heart procedure was performed to clear a clogged artery.

We're just as shocked by this news as you are. We didn't know Mariotti had a heart, either.