This week Anaheim Ducks defenseman Chris Pronger guested on Jim Rome’s radio show. Pronger recounted his playing days with the Edmonton Oilers, and makes his departure from the city sound like an escape from Saigon.

Excerpt: “Yeah, there’s obviously a few things that didn’t set well with me, for instance, taking the furniture that I had in my house and burning it, and having a ‘Burn Chris Pronger’s Furniture Day,’ that really did sit well with me very much. They burned my kid’s crib and things like that. When you hear stories like that it doesn’t sit well. But having said that, you know, I’ve turned the page. It would be nice to see them turn the page, but I doubt that’s gonna happen any time soon.”

Jim Rome’s response: “To go into my house and get my furniture out and to burn it and to burn my kids crib — that’s messed up. No matter how badly you think he wronged you, or the team, or whatever happened, to burn a guy’s child’s crib! I mean, that’s messed up.”

As you might expect, Pronger’s rather vague comments have Edmontonians a little roiled and many in Alberta want more specifics from the former Oiler defenseman.

Read more…

EVEL KNIEVEL MAKES ONE LAST JUMP INTO THE HEAVENS: Evel Knievel has made his last great jump into the afterlife, as the legendary daredevil passed away Friday at his Florida home:

The ASSOCIATED PRESS reports the 69-year-old Knievel had trouble breathing and died before an ambulance could reach him at his Clearwater condominium.Knievel was a staple of ’70s culture - bedecked in his red, white & blue cape & helmet, as he jumped over buses and Snake River Canyon to the amusement of millions.

But his health had deteriorated in recent years, as he suffered from diabetes and pulmonary fibrosis, and underwent a liver transplant in 1999.

Just a couple days before, Knievel had settled a lawsuit with Kanye West over his image appearing in the rapper’s video for “Touch the Sky“.Evel also had his moments during appearances on the Jim Rome show. In May 2002, Rome asked Knievel why he did the 1974 Snake River Canyon jump, knowing he had a 50-50 chance to survive. Evel responded, “Do you know who the hell I am?”

And in 2003, Knievel admitted that he owned a diamond- encrusted cane that doubled as a flask for Wild Turkey.

We’ll drink to that!

BECKS SCORES FOR WILDFIRE VICTIMS IN CHARITY MATCH: Although the MLS season is over, David Beckham did get to play in one more soccer match - for charity:

The ASSOCIATED PRESS reports Becks scored 2 goals and had 3 assists as the L.A. Galaxy beat Hollywood United F.C. 10-4 on Sunday.The match at the Home Depot Center in Carson was a benefit for victims of the recent southern California wildfires, raising more than $90,000 for the cause.

Hollywood United was led by actor-slash-goalie Anthony LaPaglia, star of CBS’s “Without a Trace”. Other players who hit the pitch for H.U.F.C. included Def Leppard guitarist Viv Campbell, Galaxy GM Alexi Lalas, and Jim Rome fan Eric Wylanda.

With a writers strike currently hitting Hollywood, LaPaglia should have more time to work on his game.Maybe Anthony can arrange a match between the Writers’ Guild and the studios - winner gets a new contract written to their demands.

JERRY JONES IS REALLY PISSED ROMO DIDN’T INVITE HIM: PEOPLE reports on how Tony Romo spent his bye weekend - by hanging with Britney Spears and actress Allie Sims in Hollywood.

Romo has been “friends” with Sims for a long time - a lot longer than people know - and he came to L.A. to see her over the weekend. Sims also happens to be pals with Spears, so we’re sure Romo was very, very happy to be seen with her.Spears and Sims initially met up with Romo (he’s huge in L.A., don’t you remember his days with the AFL Avengers?) at L.A. restaurant Ketchup, which is partially-owned by Jim Rome.

Excerpt: “Alli was meeting up with Tony and his friends at Ketchup and Britney wanted to come along. Tony and Alli have been good friends. They’ve known each other for a little over a year.”

We’re sure Carrie Underwood would be interested to find that out.

The trio eventually ended up at Matt Leinart and John David Booty’s favorite H’wood hot spot, Les Deux, “where they hung out for a friendly low-key night upstairs.” Spears was “sitting with her friends and Tony. Everyone was just hanging out. Brit was upbeat, really seemed fine.“

ADDING “D” ONTO “FIRE” FOR ANNOUNCER ERIC WYNALDA: Give soccer broadcaster Eric Wynalda his due, he’s very, very consistent.

After proclaiming during an interview that “Jim Rome can suck my d—!” and then following that up with a fake apology, AWFUL ANNOUNCING scares up another gem from him last night while announcing the MLS game involving DC United and the Chicago Fire: “As ESPN2 cameras panned to the Chicago Fire supporter’s group Section 8 with about 15 minutes left in the match, fans in the section set off flares that gave off a red, fire-like glare.

“Wynalda responded to this image by saying, ‘Looks like California,’ a flippant reference to the wildfires currently plaguing California. The haunting silence that followed after the comment leads me to believe Wynalda realized the mistake he just made.“While the individual comment might not be a fireable offense, based on Wynalda’s past lack of judgement, it might be time for ABC/ESPN to part ways with the former national teamer - before he does or says something really stupid.

RUDY GIULIANI MAY HAVE LOCKED UP THE NBA FAN VOTE: A caller today to the Jim Rome radio show on the L.A. Clippers’ current elder statesman: “Sam ‘Partial-Birth Abortion’ Cassell“.

Rome responded to the outed Mitch Kupchak Kool-Aid drinker with the understatement of the century: “Not cool.“

M. JONES BUSTED; FINALLY RECOGNIZED HER EVEL WAYS: Quote of the day from Jim Rome on Marion Jones (finally) admitting she was steroids: “We should’ve known when you were long-jumping 10 buses“:

Silver lining: She’s set to finally cash that coveted pinball machine endorsement:

PATRICK RADIO SHOW REPPED BY SAME NETWORK AS ROME: RADIO-ONLINE reports that Dan Patrick’s radio show officially starts Oct. 1 from 9am-noon ET. Patrick’s syndicator, The Content Factory, will use L.A.-based Premiere Networks to sell and distribute the show.

Guess what other show Premiere sells and distributes? Jim Rome. That’s a potent pairing, at least on paper.

Patrick was rumored to be going to Sporting News Radio, where his brother is program director. But he made the right move, as Premiere will surely strongarm stations into taking his show by leveraging other Premiere properties like Rome, Fox Sports Radio and Rush Limbaugh. Sporting News Radio losing DP may be the death knell to the rapidly disappearing network.

• ALLIGATOR ARMY isn’t colorblind to this declaration from Florida frosh QB Chris Rainey: “I’m a white girl man“:

• SONS OF SAM MALONE refuses to drop the soap, as they offer up some sports stars who wouldn’t survive the slammer.

• YOU BEEN BLINDED needs their reading glasses, as the Goldmans and Browns will chat with Oprah about O.J.’s book.

• The HATTIESBURG (MS) AMERICAN is surprised by the god-like admiration Packer Backers hath bestowed on Brett Favre:

• AOL FANHOUSE finds this hurdler having a nice trip, but they hope to see him next Fall.

• As Carlos Pena looks like a lock for MLB’s Comeback Player of the Year award, THE ANGRY T shows the door to their Don’t Comeback Players of the Year.

• On his serious return to sports for NBC’s “Sunday Night Football”, AWFUL ANNOUNCING misses the fun-lovin’, happy-go-lucky Keith Olbermann:

• JACK’S SPORTS HUMOR thinks it’s no small thing that the Little League World Series champs get to face the Dodgers.

• The JIM ROME SHOW gets all teary-eyed, as the guitarist for punk bands Bad Religion & The Circle Jerks admits he cried when the Ducks won the Stanley Cup.

• WHAT? WHAT? FAN NATION covers their ears, as sound levels at NASCAR races are dangerously high:

• Scott Wolf of INSIDE USC notes that this Saturday’s opponent Idaho gave the Trojans their first-ever win at the Rose Bowl.

• Despite missing cut after cut, someone still feels bad for poor Michelle Wie.