Any American who has been watching the television broadcasts for the International Swimming League over the last two seasons knows that the meets usually occupy the television timeslot that on Monday through Fridays would otherwise be held by the Jim Rome show.
It turns out that Jim Rome is not too happy about that.
“And you idiots are going to preempt the show for swimming? Stupid.”
“Again, I can only control what I can control, and only program what I can program, and I can only control this show, and even then, I can’t control this show, because I can’t control you clones. So what I really can’t control is what the CBS Sports Network does during these hours, and I don’t have a problem with it. I mean I don’t, they have other properties, other things they have in addition to the Jim Rome ‘radio slash TV show,’ including swimming. So yes, on the TV side, we’re going to go away for hours 2 and 3, and you will get swimming instead of me. And maybe that’s an upgrade in your mind. Maybe that’s an upgrade period.”
Rome hosts a daily 3 hour sports talk radio show that is syndicated across the country, and usually simulcast on television on CBS Sports Network
Rome has been one of the country’s most popular sports radio talk show hosts for decades. Almost always working alone, Rome is known for his “smack” style of analysis, which is freewheeling, aggressive, braggadocious, and uninhibited. Those who are familiar with his style know that his critique of CBS replacing him with swimming is just Jim Rome promo’ing the upcoming show, and his shift to radio-only for the rest of the morning, in Jim Rome’s characteristic style. It will appeal to his basest audience, many of whom probably have less-than-zero interest in watching competitive swimming, but might also intrigue a few to stick around and keep watching, just to see what Rome is ‘on about’ today.
He’s sort of serious, and almost definitely right that his show will draw more viewers than the ISL, but he’s also doing the in-character ‘Jim Rome’ version of a handoff between shows and networks.
So, while his bravado on a surface level can be offputting for some, it’s in fact huge exposure for the sport and a league that badly needs such exposure to get the ‘Rome treatment.”
The defending champion Cali Condors lead the team scoring after day 1 of the match, followed by Energy Standard and then (well behind) DC Trident and Iron. Playoff #1 will conclude on Friday starting at 1:00 PM Eastern, again pre-empting the last two hours of Rome’s show on CBS Sports Network.
Originally posted on SwimSwam.com. Click here to Read More.