I had no idea that Rome Is Burning was live (or perhaps taped live), and apparently Erik Kuselias didn't either. Kuselias was filling in for Rome on Friday and botched an intro for an interview with Jeremy Roenick. So how did they fix it after the mistake aired? ESPN just re-ran the commercials that just aired and did it over....

I love the look on Kuselias' face and the fact that they cut the mic off. Live television is never easy people. Especially when you don't know it's live.

(Thanks to BL for tip)

Jemele Hill has been in the news of late mainly for jumping on the whole Lebron James racist "Vogue" magazine cover, but that didn't bother me nearly as much as this. The ESPN columnist was filling in for Jim Rome last week and when she wasn't reading poorly off of cue cards, she was mocking Shawne Merriman for having his SUV stolen and burnt....

"There are no reports to back this up, but I'm betting – and by betting I mean hoping – that whoever set that Benz ablaze busted out in that ridiculous sack dance just as the flames were starting to run rampant over the upholstery. Karma is reponsible for this. Merriman got his sled ripped and barbecued because he can't make a play without making a fool of himself, and people just aren't feeling it."

It's a shame that ESPN seems to turn certain writers into such attention getting journalistic jokes. I don't care who you are, the words "hoping", "someone's property" and "getting barbecued" are not words you should use together. It's just a celebration dance not a crime that someone should pay for. Wide Receivers celebrate every damn first down by doing some ridiculous first down signal. Should Chad Johsnon's Lexus be stolen and burnt to a crisp because of it?

If you'd spend less time trying to be controversial and more time writing heartfelt pieces.....people might begin to respect you Jemele. It's a shame because I was beginning to enjoy her work.

Torching of Merriman's car funny? Rome fill-in host seems to think so (Sign On San Diego)

Dan Patrick's radio program has been slow going at the start at picking up affiliates, but apparently that's about to change. The Chicago Sun-Times is estimating that the former ESPN Radio Host will rack up 100 affiliates by January...

It's official: Dan Patrick's new syndicated talk show has been picked up by CBS Radio sports/talk WSCR-AM (670).

Starting next week, the show will air on tape delay from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. Monday through Friday. Patrick's interviews will be accessible earlier in the day on the Score's Web site at: www.670thescore.com.

Patrick's new syndicated show debuted Oct. 1. It's on track to land 100 affiliates by January.

100 affiliates in a few months is pretty darn impressive, but that puts him only halfway to Jim Rome's 200. I don't know why someone wouldn't want to pick them both up and add a few local shows as bookends. That would probably cost an arm and a leg though.

Ex-ESPN star Dan Patrick to host syndicated talk show on the Score (Chicago Sun-Times)

I know how most of you feel about Sports Talk Radio, but let's shelf that argument for a minute (we all know you still listen). Well back in the 90s, Jim Rome was an egotistical, pompous...well, he was a dick. I hated him on ESPN and the radio, and I thought the Chris/Jim Everett thing was about the dumbest joke ever and that he got what he deserved.

For about 10 years I just never gave the guy another chance. Until recently. When the whole Eric Wynalda stuff came up I started to listen to his show again. And you know what....I f'ing love it. Sure the gimmicks are a little stale and the callers that get "racked" are kind of annoying, but the guy is the best interviewer I've heard in quite a long time.

It's amazing, but over the past three weeks no one has come even close to the level of guests he's had and the depth at which he's covered the recent controversies in Sport. His interview with former Mob Captain Michael Franzese yesterday was some of the best radio I've ever heard.

So I have just one question.....When the hell did this transformation take place?

When did Rome come up with the model that folks like Dan Patrick would covet? The guy is on 200 radio stations around the country....200! To put that in perspective, longtime radio hosts (20 years) Don & Mike have a total in the range of 30 to 40. The guy gets 2.5 million listeners a day.

If someone can answer that question for me I'd love to know the answer.

Phenomenal! Rack me. And feel free to hammer me in the comments.

Wow...that was quick. In a deal that has to have been already made before his departure from ESPN, Dan Patrick is going into the Radio Syndication business ala Jim Rome.....(Via TBL)

"Also on the ESPN beat, Dan Patrick, who’s leaving the network after 18 years as one of its biggest stars, soon will announce his new deal: He’ll continue in radio and launch a new nationally syndicated program via Chicago-based Content Factory."

That's kind of a boring outcome, but it will make Dan-O a ton of money. And speaking of Jim Rome, good news for those of you in the DC Metro Area. Romo is back in the Nation's Capital! Woo hoo (that was sarcastic)!!! He'll be on 106.7 WJFK from 1-3pm before Don and Mike in the afternoon.

Come to think of it I'm actually pretty excited about that move. Anything to get rid of Bill O'Reilly.

Dan Patrick Already Got a Job (The Big Lead)
Dan Patrick Is Officially A Free Agent (Awful Announcing)

P.S.- Hopefully news of DP's recent hiring will help the attack on his Wiki page to die down.

UPDATE: From reader TC......"No Dan Patrick show today. It's just "ESPN Radio" and Scott Van Pelt is hosting. Absolutely no mention of it being Patrick's show. Maybe they sent him packing early with his new deal already in place?"

Very interesting.......dunh dunh dunh!

In an interview on a local DC Morning Show today, Eric Wynalda took the opportunity to shed light on the reason he told Jim Rome to S his D.

Wynalda was on The DC Show Elliot In the Morning (DC Folks- Don't start clubbing the fact that I listen. It's only a last resort when every other show is on commercial) talking soccer and he explained his distaste for Jim Rome...

Eric was making a point about how Jim hates Soccer and that his Alma Mater (UCSB) won a National Championship in Soccer last year. Wynalda had invited Rome to the game, but Jim had declined by saying, "I'm more proud of our school's Water Polo Championship in 1978." The host Elliot laughed, and Eric Wynalda jumped in with the nickname....

(Paraphrasing) "Yeah that's why I call him Kim Rome now. He'd rather watch a bunch of guys in speedos."- EW

Maybe I missed it, but I can't believe no one came up with that after the "Chris Everett Incident". Oh wait....they did. Great job coming up with a ten year old joke Eric.