ROME'S SPORTS-TALK RADIO EMPIRE EXPANDS.

Byline: Tom Hoffarth The Media

Jim Rome's ever-expanding gloss doesn't even have a phrase to accurately describe what's happened to him and his career over the past year.

But just how wack is this:

One day, he's doing a sports-talk show out of a tiny glass studio above Hot Dog on a Stick at the Fallbrook Mall.

The next, he's nationally syndicated to 138 affiliates, reaching more than 2 million listeners a day, available on Southern California radio six hours a day (three live on AM-1150, and repeated on XTRA-AM 690) and doing a TV version of the show for Fox Sports Net shown twice a day.

In a few short years, the San Fernando Valley native has gone from a local force to a national battledrome.

That little incident with Rams quarterback Jim Everett? Ancient Rome history.

His empire hasn't just spread, it's trouncing new territory each day - and he doesn't even have radio affiliates yet in major markets like New York, Philadelphia or Boston.

So consider in the last calendar year Rome has:

--Cracked The Sporting News' list of the 100 most powerful people in sport - meaning, according to the magazine's criteria, he creates change, not just influences opinions. He's slotted at No. 78, ahead of people such as . . . Michael Jordan.

--Been named the California Sportscaster of the Year by the National Sportscasters and Sports Writers Association. He'll be honored at a banquet in North Carolina in early May.

--Appeared in a music video for Blink-182, when the three members of the group ran nude through the TV studio of ``The Last Word.''

--Had a character based on him (named Jerry Rose) in Oliver Stone's movie ``Any Given Sunday.'' Although not a real flattering representation, still . . .

Then there's the national commercial for a fast-food chain, a Web site (jimrome.com) with officially licensed apparel that includes anything from a $8.95 mouse pad to a $275 leather jacket, and his CD called ``Welcome to the Jungle'' that clones continue to bring forth to have him autograph at personal appearances that draw as many as 15,000 - such as the one Saturday in Sacramento, the 20th such ``tour stop'' on Rome's radio odyssey.

At a time when L.A. sports talk as a whole lacks any ounce of personality, any thread of intelligent conversation or any hope of escaping the sloppy ``guy talk'' format that program directors think is needed to keep whatever minuscule ratings out there, Rome has come from that and risen above the sprawling mess, continuing to be the Tiger Woods of his genre.

Those who try to imitate him usually can't keep up the pace or are exposed for their lack of depth and knowledge.

There's only one Van Smack, the pimp in the box, the Huge One . . . whatever you want to call him. And he's not slowing down for yellow traffic lights.

``If this was all some sort of schtick, I wouldn't still be here,'' Rome said after a recent ``Last Word'' taping at the Fox studios in Century City.

``The show regenerates itself every day with new subject matter and new relationships. I stick with issues, I interview athletes, I get good callers. . . . It's a simple process as long as I don't screw it up.''

Rome says his and the show's celebrity continues to floor him. A recent dinner he was having at Morton's in Beverly Hills brought comedian Adam Sandler over to his table to meet him. Jay Mohr, another comic who's had several movie and prime-time TV roles, continues to be known more for his appearances in Rome's Jungle.

``That's just crazy,'' said Rome, who has also made appearances himself on ``Late Night with Conan O'Brien'' and ``Politically Incorrect.''

The intense pressure to continue quality show after show is something Rome puts on himself. The unsung hero of his radio show now in its fifth year of syndication is producer Travis Rodgers, who acts as a second set of eyes and ears for Rome and lines up most of the top-notch interview subjects.

``You have to have great support behind the scenes because after doing his show, it's definitely tough,'' says Newy Scruggs, the AM-1150 afternoon host who has been Rome's vacation fill-in the last few years. ``But in a way, I enjoy doing his show instead of mine. You've got to bone up on everything, not just local.''

Through the national exposure, the L.A. market in which Rome originally made a name for himself continues to serve as the foundation for his national show, Scruggs says.

``He's always going back to L.A. people whether Tom Tolbert or Mike Piazza, Eric Karros to Jeff Cirillo, Don MacLean, or Derek Martin. When you try to service so many listeners, from Miami to Cleveland and everywhere else, you can't. He still uses L.A. to his benefit.''

Rome's every waking hour is seemingly spent on his work.

He gets up at 5:30 a.m. to get to his Sherman Oaks studio by 6. After his 9-to-noon show runs (it was recently sliced from four hours to three to save him on wear and tear), he has an hour to get to the Fox TV studio. Taping ``The Last Word'' can last until 4 p.m.

On the drive back home to the Valley, he catches up on phone calls. After dinner with his wife and a workout, he's back in his office at home from 7:30 p.m., up until midnight writing an online column for FoxSports.com, the opening for his TV and radio shows and prepping for interviews.

``I've sold myself on this mission to go as hard and as long as I can,'' said the 35-year-old Calabasas High grad who had a pretty nice prep career as a tennis player. ``I'm sure a lot want me to burn out, hit the wall. I'm very disciplined. This is my time to work.

``I can't say how much longer I'll do this. I will say I don't plan to be doing this when I'm 50. No one wants to hear a 50-year-old running smack on the radio.''

Don't underestimate the audience just yet.

SPORTS TALK SHOW HOSTS

THE TOP 10

--1. Penthouse for rent. Seeking respected, educated man/woman who can carry normal conversation of current sports locally and nationally but also is aware of the societal issues as well. No loudmouths apply.

-- 2. Newy Scruggs, KXTA 1150 weekday afternoons: ``New Dawg'' comes the closest in this market to the above requirements and is fast gaining respect from those in the community who see him constantly at events, generating sources. He doesn't have TV obligations (for now), so his total focus has been radio.

--3. Where have you gone, Joe McDonnell? The city turns its lonely ears to you. Ooo, ooo, ooo. What's that you say, Mr. Thompson? Joltin' Joe has left for 'FWB? Hee, hee, hee . . . hee, hee, hee.

--4. Ross Porter, KXTA 1150 Dodger talk: Um-hmm.

--5. Steve Hartman, XTRA 690 weekdays: The only thing on the Baja station worth making time for - provided the signal arrives in one piece.

--6. And Fred Wallin still doesn't have a presence in this city (outside a Saturday-afternoon show for the Business News Network, heard on Lancaster's 1520-AM)?

--7. (tie) Dave Smith and Ben Maller, KXTA 1150 weeknights: The two are a much better fit for a late-night audience, whether it's stuff like ``Sports Jeopardy'' and ``The Dating Game'' segments or generally commenting about events as they happen. That includes UCLA basketball postgame talk, after the station has apparently scrapped the official title of the show when the school became upset with Smith's honest criticism of the team and coach Steve Lavin.

--9. What would it take for Steve Edwards to get back together with Eric Tracy . . . somewhere?

--10. Steve Carbone, 1150 Clippers postgame: Talk about taking one for the station. A job no one in his right mind should want, this is also a great experiment in social behavior - anytime Carbone is giving out free Clippers tickets to callers who have a take on the just-completed rout, the phones lines light up like the Staples Center heat lamps. Amazing.

--Honorable mention: Peter Vent, KRLA 1110 weekend late night; Irv Kaze, KIEV weekends (a favorite of the Southern California Sportscaster Association fraternity); Larry Kahn, KLAC 570 Angels talk; Chris Ello, XTRA weekends; Sean Salisbury, XTRA mornings.

SPECIAL CITATION

--Terry Bradshaw: After the Karl Malone fiasco, hiring another high-profile person like Bradshaw could have perpetuated the perception (true as it is) of the station's apparent need to self promote. Except Bradshaw's ``Lunch with Terry'' (whenever he decided to work) charmed its way into our daily schedule because he spent less time talking sports and more just talkin'. Yee haw.

--Brian Golden: His very early-morning show was chased off the KAVL-AM (610) airwaves as an XTRA affiliate to make room for the syndicated stench of the Bob & Tom show. Now there's genius programming. If Golden had a regular high-profile spot, such as when he was at KMPC, he'd make the top three easily.

--Derrick Hall: Showed he's always got a radio career to fall back on if this lark-of-a-job with the Dodgers doesn't pan out.

THE BOTTOM FIVE

--1. Arnie Spanier, KXTA 1150 weekday drive-time: Give the ``Stinkin' Genius'' some credit for knowing how to manipulate the audience. His East Coast jargon often whips the L.A. listeners into a ball of frustration. Lately, he's targeted Lakers fans, but here's a secret: That'll blow over when the people are tired of the agitation and simply stop listening. One can only stomach so much of: ``If (blah, blah, blah), than I don't know what is . . . and I'll tell you that right now.''

--2. Lee Klein, KXTA 1150 weeknights: We respectfully decline.

--3. Dave Denholm, KXTA weekday afternoons: You can take the kid out of Cleveland, but you can't inject L.A. into a nasally transplant who hasn't grasped a few simple things about this city. Such as: Rant all you want, but we don't care about the Clippers, except that they provide affordable prices for NBA viewing.

--4. Bill Werndl, XTRA weekday afternoons: Responsible for the installation of optional dashboard spitguards available now on most new cars.

--5. Tommy Lasorda, any station, any day: His unsolicited calls to whomever happens to be on the air just to hear himself talk has become a show screener's worst nightmare. You want the big-name guest, but does it have to be him again? The epitome of Talkin' Tommy's ego-gratifying time-not-well-spent was a recent appearance on Klein's show to give his cent-and-a-half about the Clippers There's talk of 1150 putting him in the noon-to-1 p.m. slot during baseball season. May the Big Dodgers in the Sky help us.

--Horrible mention: John Kentera, XTRA; Rick Monday, KXTA Dodger talk; Vic ``The Brick'' Jacobs, KXTA (no longer has a regular show, but the news updates are enough), and . . . that guy . . .whatever his name is . . . drive time on XTRA . . . aw, forget it.

- Tom Hoffarth

CAPTION(S):

photo, box

Photo: Jim Rome tapes his The Last Word show for Fox. He is one of the top sports-talk hosts and was named California Sportscaster of the Year.

Daily News File Photo

Box: Sports talk show hosts (see text)