Shows What They Know

I had a man who was working at the Taste of Chicago's Chicago Tribune booth tell me that no matter what I know now it's going to be a long haul to the top of the sports journalism world.

Dare I say that trip is a bit shorter now?

From Tuesday's Dan Patrick Radio Show (where he's interviewing FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal on who will or will not be traded.

Dan: Rich Harden?
Ken: No. He's under contract until '09 and no one's going to pay Billy Beane's price.

5:54 Central Time. Cubs acquire Rich Harden.

Oops! Mr. Rosenthal, Peter Gammons you are not!

So...um...ready to move me up the sports reporter food chain yet?

Reunited And It Feels So Good

When I was a child my favorite words were "Welcome to the big show..."

OK, I embellish a little because nothing got my heart racing like "Merry Christmas," "Happy Birthday" and Cubs win. But those five words spoken by Dan Patrick as he welcomed me and millions others to the Monday morning edition of SportsCenter he co-hosted with Keith Olbermann make the sports fan inside me all tingly inside.

Soon enough, it'll be time to get tingly again because Patrick and Olbermann are getting ready to join forces again as they will host NBC's Football Night In America.

Patrick joins NBC's all-star cast of experts including co-hosts Olbermann and Cris Collinsworth, analysts Tiki Barber and Jerome Bettis, reporter Peter King and host Bob Costas. That team of football knowledge eases the pain caused by the ousting of HBO's Inside The NFL.

Yeah, we're in the midst of baseball season where there are two first place teams in my city. But right now, this second...I can't wait 'til football season begins.

Patrick joins NBC, reunites with Olbermann (NBC Sports)