Dan Patrick In Town

When Dan Patrick broadcast his nationally syndicated radio show from Clear Channel in Kenwood today, I hoped he twisted some arms into carrying it here.

Patrick, a 1974 Mason High School graduate, came home last night to speak at Miami University. He did his show from here 9 a.m.-noon, carried by Clear Channel's WONE-AM (980) in Dayton, and streamed and podcast on http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/danpatrick/

His topic at "Miami of Ohio" last night -- a phrase that the university is trying to eradicate -- was "Athletes As Heroes: Are There No Role Models Any More?" Of course, that meant talk of Pete Rose. Here are some sound bites:

--Pete Rose: Patrick says he'd put Rose in the Baseball Hall of Fame as a player, but not a manager. He talked about growing up in Mason idolizing Rose and wearing No. 14. He says he once interviewed Rose at Pete's Florida home, back when he was denying he bet on the game. Patrick says: "I told him, 'Pete, you're embarrassing Cincinnati.' I knew the bookie he bet through. He was a neighbor."

--On his college days: "I wasn't smart enough to get into Miami of Ohio (that phrase again), but now I'm here giving a speech? What happened to standards?" said Patrick, a University of Dayton gradaute. Later he 'fessed up to being a poor college student. "I skated through, much to my regret. A 2.2 (GPA), looking pretty good to me! I was an idiot."

--On making commitments: Patrick says he had a spirited debate over dinner with Miami president David Hodge over why university presidents let popular coaches out of their contracts to take jobs at bigger schools. He also said he turned down offers from CBS and NBC while at ESPN, to honor his contract with ESPN. "Once you lose your word, you're lost your integrity. But players don't care. Owners don't care. It's a cesspool."

--On pregame shows: Patrick, who left ESPN after 18 years in August to do a syndicated show and write for Sports Illustrated, took a swipe at ESPN and former colleague Chris Berman when saying he didn't find pregame shows enlightening: "I don't know if I get anything from it but 'back-back-back.' Is that a subtle dig at ESPN?"

I enjoy listening to Patrick. I wish Clear Channel's WCKY-AM (Homer 1530) would carry him 9 a.m.-noon. He should be on in his hometown.