RACK HIM

Ok, as mentioned in my previous post, i plan to list my top 5 moments in my life. Since i don't actually have a top 5, that could be tough. I do know of a few though, so i'll start with #5. Calling into the Jim Rome show and getting racked. (You know you've led a fascinating life when THIS is a top 5 moment).


I've been huge Romey fan for close to a decade now. I've gone through periods of listening where i'd listen to all 3 hours just about everyday, to not listening for 4 or 5 months. Currently, i'm probably listening to 30-40 minutes a day. I don't actually remember the date (or year for that matter), but it was probably back in 2002. I was sitting around listening to Romey and he was talking about Tiger Woods and Steve Williams (his caddie). I decided i needed to be heard and said screw it, i'm calling the show (for the 1st time ever) and if i get through, i'm going to go off on the 2 of them. I call a few times and get a busy signal, but after a few tries, the phone starts ringing (YES!!!!!!!). After a few rings, J Stew answers and asks what i want to talk about. I tell him i plan to blow up Tiger and he says ok and puts me on hold. 15 minutes go by...nothing. 25 minutes go by....nothing. Now i'm both A)getting nervous and B)thinking he isn't going to go to my call. As i'm waiting, i'm becoming more and more nervous because i don't want to flame out mid-call. I begin to jot down some point form notes (like most clones) about what i want to talk about. If you don't know, Rome has a VERY short leash with callers, and ANY stumbling and you will get hung up on. So another 10 minutes go by, and i start thinking my point form notes aren't enough. I begin to literally write out my ENTIRE rant, word for word. (this is fairly common when ppl call into his show. See peoples calls ERRRRRR reads). After another 10 minutes or so, i've got my entire call written down and i'm reading to go.


At this point, it's been close to an hour of being on hold, and i'm starting to think i won't get on. My ears perk up when John Feinstein is his next guest, and they spent the next 10 minutes talking golf and Tiger Woods. Now i'm practically shitting my pants. I KNOW when he gets back from commercial, he's going to go to my call since that is specifically what i told J Stew i wanted to talk about. Sure enough, he comes back from break, and says lets go to "____ in _____). I"M ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My call errrrrrrrrrrrrr read goes off without a hitch, and i hear the most beautiful words you can hear when you end your call....RACK HIM!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If i had to guess, i'd say my heart rate was beating over 200 beats/minute while i was going off on the phone. I hang up the phone literally shaking and the funniest thing ever happens. A buddy of mine calls me up and says "OMG were u just on the Jim Rome show? " He was just randomly listening and heard my name and city i lived in, and heard the call. Since this was so spur of the moment, i hadn't told anyone i was calling into the show. If i had planned this better, i probably would've told everyone i know i was calling into the Jim Rome show today.


Anyway, lame to most i know, but being such a die hard fan, and getting my call racked, was F ing amazing!! I was all set up to be the huge call of the day too, but Don in Nocal (a regular caller) called in like 15 minutes before the show was over and stole my thunder and Rome gave him huge call of the day.


For a while, i had Rome as my voicemail on my phone. I basically rigged it so i said
"Hi you've reached"
"___ in ____" Jim Rome from the call
"i can't get to the phone right now, but leave a message and i'll call you back
"Rack him" again Jim Rome saying this


Ahhhh the good old days.

Murph