As a Royals fan, we’re constantly scouring the four corners of the sports universe for ways to stay interested in baseball’s Wal-Martians.

(The Royals aren’t faking their dismay - unlike the lungs on KTCK’s Claudia)

Jeff Flanagan keeps us going for another week, reporting today that some show hosts on KTCK-AM in Dallas played “stupid b—-” drops during an on-air interview with the wives of Royals players Alex Gordon and Luke Hochevar.

The fun part is that Gordon and Hochevar are slightly pissed - and the Royals are playing the Rangers in Big D beginning tonight. Read more…

We worked in Los Angeles sports radio for several years, first at the USC football flagship, then at the L.A. ESPN affiliate. Unless like most major sports cities, sports radio in SoCal has always had stinkbomb ratings. That is, until the last ratings period.

(Thanks Pau!)

Ben Maller of FOXSports.com and Fox Sports Radio points out that overall listenership recently doubled (.6 to 1.2) for sports radio station KLAC-AM. In what we’re sure is a complete coincidence, KLAC also happens to broadcast the games of the surging Los Angeles Lakers.

Meanwhile, not-so-good news for the ESPN station in Lipstick City. Read more…

We haven’t listened much to Dan Patrick’s radio show (now cleared in Bakersfield!) since he left ESPN. Thankfully, HUGGING HAROLD REYOLDS, on their big day, has some (ESPN days?) audio from DP’s show to remind us just how much we miss it.

We’re guessing the clip is rather old, since Patrick claims on it that he doesn’t ever get to take vacations. Obviously now he’s got plenty of free time to make up for his frenetic days at the WWL.

We don’t watch a lot of daytime TV on weekdays, mainly because there’s very little sports programming of note. Actually, there’s none. So we’ve turned to sports radio over the years to get us through our posting day.

Every day we usually check in on Jim Rome, just to make sure we’ve got our sports blind spot covered. And of course, to get the latest Huntington Beach surf conditions.

One new show we’re all over now is from 10a-noon (ET) on WAXY-AM (790 The Ticket) in Miami. It features Kevin Rogers and Brandon Guzio. It’s on a local station but might as well be a national show, as the two rarely talk about the wasteland that South Florida sports has become. Great mix of personalities and extremely knowledgeable (so we don’t have to be).

Another good piece of sports radio news for us this week is that Scott Van Pelt is going to be a permanent, daily co-host with Mike Tirico on ESPN radio middays (1-3p ET). Additionally, Van Pelt will fly solo from 3-4p ET. Read more…

As the NFL Combine gets into full swing, practices are also starting up for some indoor football squads. And one female sports reporter is getting an in-depth look of the lesser-known leagues - by suiting up with a team.

The COLUMBUS (GA) LEDGER-ENQUIRER has the story on Rachel Baribeau, a reporter for local radio station WEAM 1580, who’s been banging with the big boys out on the practice field. Read more…

The PALM SPRINGS (CA) DESERT SUN reports former NBA player Cedric Ceballos was arrested on Monday for driving with a suspended license.

The ex-Laker & ex-Sun was picked up in the California desert town of Blythe on an outstanding warrant. Cedric would still be on the loose - if he didn’t try to pay for gas with an invalid credit card.

Ceballos was released after a night in Riverside County Jail. Hopefully this won’t affect his work as “master of ceremonies” at Suns home games - or compromise his lunchtime slot on Mega 104.3, Arizona’s old school station!

… Next up, someone sues Bill Belichick for pain and suffering over his offensive sideline ensembles.

• Amateur photos from SI swimsuit shoots uncover more evidence that the mag’s models are getting back to what readers really want.

• Kobe Bryant has decided to has decided to play through his pinkie pain.

• Can’t wait for the cross(dressing)-examinations: Oscar De La Hoya meets his pantyhose photographer in court.

Read more…

Dan Steinberg of DC SPORTS BOG has an audio-video sync’d up look at Georgetown radio announcer Rich Chvotkin as he straps on the pom-poms in a Hoya victory over Villanova.

Some of you may know that we were a longtime radio PBP guy for baseball, hockey and basketball, so seeing an announcer so blatantly cheer for the team he broadcasts pains us. But since virtually every play-by-play man in the business is now nothing more than a bought-off mouthpiece for the home team, we’re becoming more and more immune to the behavior.

Be aware that cheerleading is now a prerequisite if you plan to try to brave the industry’s climes.

John Kiesewetter of the CINCINNATI ENQUIRER notes that Dan Patrick used a university talk to to take a quick jab at his former employer.

The ex-ESPN anchor and new SPORTS ILLUSTRATED writer was at Miami University Monday night - the one in Ohio, not Florida - giving a lecture on “Athletes As Heroes: Are There No Role Models Any More?” During the speech, he made mention of the Worldwide Leader’s pre-game programs. Read more…

Tim Hardaway showed up on 790 The Ticket’s Dan Le Batard Show on Wednesday, returning a year after his last appearance caused quite a stir.

(Image courtesy of DISEMBEDDED)

The last time Hardaway was on Le Batard’s show, the ex-NBA’er went off on a anti-gay rant when asked about John Amaechi coming out. Tim had eventually told the listening audience, “I hate gay people.”

But 12 months and one car wash loss later, Hardaway says he’s a changed man. Read more…