SOUND BYTES : WHAT SMOKES.

Byline: Tom Hoffarth E-mail: sptmediaaol.com

A TV career blossoms again for ``Jungle'' Jim Rome. All the Fox Sports regional cable channels will carry a half-hour's worth of Rome's syndicated radio show on weeknights leading into the Fox Sports News show starting Sept. 8. It should be less like Rome's interview-with-phone-callers stint on ESPN2 and more like the E!Channel version of Howard Stern's show, putting cameras in the radio studio for a sort-of behind-the-scenes feel. As a result, Rome's radio format may be more guest-heavy in the first hour to make for a better TV presentation. How about if the first guest is new Chargers QB Jim Everett? (Editor's note: We hope this will finally end any further mention of the Rome wedding, or else we'll have to start referring to the couple as Luke and Laura).

L.A.'s loss is Philly's gain. Leslie Gudel, who not so long ago was the only female sportscaster in this city while working at then-Prime Sports ``Press Box,'' starts in October at Comcast SportsNet, the new Philadelphia regional sports channel that replaces SportsChannel Philadelphia and Prism. It has the rights to the Phillies, Flyers and 76ers. Gudel will break some ground - she's the first woman sportscaster in that sports mecca.

WHAT CHOKES

A ``Monday Night Football'' tradition comes to an end. No, Gifford isn't retiring. But having held out this long, ABC announced this week that the constant time-and-score graphic will be included for all network football telecasts, including ``MNF,'' starting with a scaled-down model on Saturday's NFL Hall of Fame game telecast. The Foxification of American televised sports takes another victim. ``It was an easy decision to make,'' said Steve Anderson, ABC Sports' senior VP of production and former ESPN head man. ``I've heard some say if we let them know it's a blowout they'll leave. I don't buy that. Viewers are quick. They don't necessarily have to see a score to know who's winning. I don't know if you can ever prove (the graphic) has or has not affected ratings. We used it for a number of years at ESPN and I think it's a service viewers for almost any sport expect. We owe it to them.'' But . . . but . . . what about all the stupid people in bars who don't want to know the game is a blowout so they can enjoy, you know, just being around other stupid people drinking at a bar watching sports? Aren't they owed something?