Stephen A. Smith isn’t shy about wanting to take on the titans of sports radio on First Take. Earlier this year, he began going head to head with Chris “Mad Dog” Russo weekly and has said that he wants to faceoff with Mike Francesa in the near future. Would he add Jim Rome to the rotation in the future?
Rome was asked that question recently when he appeared on The Jason Barrett Podcast.
“I hold him in very high regard, so yes. If he ever invited me on, there’s mutual respect. Yes, of course!” Rome told Barrett. “He’s as good as there is at what he does.”
Jim Rome has been a fan of Stephen A. Smith for a long time. He said that the ESPN star reciprocates the feeling and even credits Rome for some of his success.
“Stephen A. and I are friends,” Rome said. “I had him on my podcast and he said ‘I’m gonna tell you something, Jim Rome. I credit you with some of what I’ve become because I watched you on the way up.’”
Their relationship began when Smith was still writing for the Philadelphia Inquirer. Rome invited Smith on an episode of his FOX Sports Net show The Last Word. Smith and Tom Tolbert had what Rome called an “incredible” debate on the show.
“I knew this was a different dude. I knew this was an exceptionally talented dude. I knew this was a guy with wild, crazy energy. I fell in love with the guy.”
Getting Jim Rome on First Take would be easier said than done. Not only would ESPN and Stephen A. Smith have to extend the invitation, but CBS would have to give its blessing. With Rome’s TV simulcast airing on CBS Sports Network, his TV presence is contractually tied to an ESPN competitor.
Hopefully, it happens. If Smith really does credit Rome with helping shape his character on television, it would be great to see the two debate at the top of their respective games.
