ANSWERS TO PRESS-ING QUERIES.

Byline: TOM HOFFARTH Media

Real answers to real questions by fake people for obvious reasons:

Question: So Jim Rome is done with his Fox TV show. Does this mean he's a radio-only guy from here on out?

- J. Mohr, West Hollywood 

Answer: Not quite, Marconi.

Since January 1998, when it started as a two-man show with Wallace Matthews, Rome has done about 1,000 versions of ``The Last Word'' for Fox Sports Net. His final original episode is tonight with guest Terry Bradshaw, and the show goes to reruns for the last two months of the year.

Rome's plan remains to cut back on the daily TV grind as he gets jungle-love Monday through Friday on his syndicated radio show. He'd like to swing a once-a-week chatfest, with ESPN sitting in the best position to offer it since network vice president of programming Mark Shapiro once was Rome's kid producer on that former ESPN2 show ``Talk2'' in the early '90s.

``I've talked to a number of people, including ESPN,'' Rome said. ``I like the TV presence, but I don't need it every day. Everyone's been waiting for me to drop dead.

``I'm proud of the run we had. We did a lot of good things. It's hard to walk away from something you've done for five years. But I'm good with the decision, although I will miss the free haircuts at work every two weeks.''

It's OK. You can use our pay-for-eight-get-one-free coupon at Supercuts.

Question: Who's the next up-and-coming hottie sports reporter? Just curious. Not that I'm worried about getting older and losing any of my jobs or anything. But since I just tend to incessantly yack, yack, yack, and it seems like I'm insecure but I'm really not, because I was only wondering ...

- J. Barberie, Botox, Miss.

Answer: For future earnings in the sports biz, put down a $2 bet on a filly named Dawn Heusser - 36-27-36 according to the resume she has up on a professional yet selndulgent Web site (www.dawnheusser.com) that lists everything but her age, weight and favorite Jell-O flavor.

A certified scuba diver, distance runner, rock climber and equestrienne (English and Western), she was a recent hire by Fox Sports Net to do more outdoor features for the ``Southern California Regional Report'' when she wasn't going out to movie auditions.

Unfortunately, Heusser's extended exposure at Fox will come because reporter Suzy Shuster is heading out.

A former producer at ESPN who proved she could do it in front of the camera for Fox, Shuster leaves with her broadcasting plans on hold. The only thing set is a marriage to ESPN ``SportsCenter'' anchor Rich Eisen in June.

``I came here (in the summer of 2000) knowing this would be temporary because Rich and I agreed that I should take this opportunity,'' Shuster said. ``New York's our home. I'm just fortunate to go out covering the Angels' World Series and the Lakers' runs. It's been great.''

Question: Can you tell me more about John Fricke? His likes and dislikes? His secret desires? Where he gets all his knowledge of L.A. sports? I'm a big fan.

- J. Fricke, San Diego

Answer: So you're the one. Yeah, well, Fricke's out the Fox door at the end of the year, too. Fox signed Van Earl Wright as a five-nights-a-week guy. Sorry to burst your vapid bubble.

Question: What's the best way to get a Chris Berman bobblehead doll?

- K. Olbermann, New York 

Answer: You're in luck. In a grand reopening promotion, ESPN.com's Team Store is givin' 'em away with any purchase of $65 or more. But it's not that simple.

Even if you commit to a cruddy Dan Patrick Radio Show long-sleeve T-shirt ($21.99), a stinky Tony Kornheiser ``This Show Stinks'' hat ($15.99), a stupid Mike and Mike ``Just Shut Up'' show mug ($12.99) and an outdated a 2002 Sports Almanac ($12.99), you're still about a buck short.

OK, so throw in a limited-edition Angels World Series bobblehead of Anderson, Erstad, Glaus, Percival, Rodriguez, Salmon and Washburn at $34.99 a pop. Christmas is coming up.

Question: Why isn't Hubie Brown doing any more NBA games for TNT?

- S. Jones, Portland

Answer: Not to draw any conclusions, but on the cable channel's NBA Tip-Off Show on Tuesday, he was going on about the Rick Fox-Doug Christie exhibition game brawl and decided: ``Unfortunately for Fox, it's expensive. You had to really want to run through that Forum tunnel and fight.''

Likewise, you really have to be out of touch to forget the Lakers start their fourth season at Staples Center.

Question: Catch any of Charles Barkley's ``Listen Up!'' show Thursday? Was it TV magic?

- M. Johnson, Los Angeles

Answer: Sorry, but at 4 p.m., I'm flipping between ``Dr. Phil,'' ``Judge Judy'' and ``Hey Arnold!'' I'll only be curious to see a transcript of Chuckles' first show and try to guess which half-cocked opinion he'll see in print, get upset about and then insist he was misquoted on.

SOUND BYTES

WHAT SMOKES

--Larry Kahn's burgeoning syndicated radio empire expands to the NFL this weekend as the Sports USA Radio Network (formerly Pacific West Radio Sports) carries the Rams-Cardinals game from Tempe, Ariz. (carried in L.A. at 1 p.m. on KLSX-FM 97.1). Kahn himself will do the play- by-play with analyst Dave Krieg, one day after he calls Saturday's Colorado-Oklahoma game with Gino Torretta (heard at 12:30 p.m. on KLAC-AM 570). Two years in as a legit competitor to the Westwood One syndication, Kahn discovered he could do national radio coverage of NFL games by negotiating with the teams involved, so he set up a nine-game package for the second half of this season. The only restriction is his games won't go into the home markets of either team or into markets where another NFL team has a game at the same time. Meaning L.A. is free and clear to get his broadcasts each week. ``This is the perfect job for me - I always wanted to do play-by-play of football and be my own boss,'' said Kahn, the former USC and current Avengers radio voice. ``We do the broadcasts for the sports fans because we know what they want. We've been getting a great response.'' Kahn also has added well-known play-by-play man John Rooney to his organization to do at least two of the NFL games this season.

WHAT CHOKES

--In the November issue of something called ``Stun'' magazine, Fox's Lisa Guerrero (advertised on the cover headline as ``The Best & Sexiest Damn Sportscaster'') takes time out for a six-page glam ``celebpictorial.'' It includes a quirky little Q-and-A in which she insists: ``I don't ask stupid questions - I ask real questions because I am a real sports reporter.'' She also reveals she's ``cynical towards the media ... I've been interviewed and I see how often I am mischaracterized or misquoted.'' Sorry, I was distracted there watching Guerrero in fish-net stockings and a miniskirt on ``The Best Damn Sports Show Period'' talking about how women intimidate men. What was it she said again?

--ESPN's Joe Morgan can have all winter to figure out whether teams should pitch around Barry Bonds, but it's doubtful he'll come to any cogent conclusion. Throughout the World Series, Morgan was typically contradictory when it came to Bonds, and we don't want to let this pass by without at least making a mention. At one point, Morgan said: ``The game is supposed to be fun, but the Angels have taken the fun away from (Bonds). He's too good, (and) they won't allow him to play the game. Even though it's the World Series, he can't enjoy it and show what he can do. It's unfair.'' Morgan followed that up with an analysis of Game 5: ``I was surprised (Mike) Scioscia let (Jarrod) Washburn pitch to Bonds in the first inning with runners on first and second with one out.'' Bonds hit a double. Was it unfair that he didn't homer instead?

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