Jim Rome Is Burning

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.

"But first, here's what I'm burning on!"

Jim Rome is Burning was a sports discussion show hosted by Jim Rome. Debuting in 2003, it ran on ESPN for several years, but in 2011 was moved to ESPN2, and ended on Jan. 27, 2012 due to Rome moving to CBS Sports. (Rome will get a show on the CBS Sports Network.) The show, formerly named Rome is Burning and frequently abbreviated as JRIB, is basically a condensed version of Rome's radio show The Jim Rome Show, and as such incorporates many of the same features.

The format of the show is as follows:

  • Rome is Burning - Rome gives takes on 4 - 5 current sports topics.
  • Alone with Rome - Rome interviews an athlete, coach, or other sports figure.
  • The Forum - A one-on-one discussion with another sports show host or columnist about a number of topics. Formerly, two such figures were featured and the segment featured fewer topics; this changed to the one-on-one format in early 2010.
  • The Correspondent - An athlete, coach, or occasional celebrity gives a "behind-the-scenes" look at their work.
  • The Final Burn - Rome gives one or two final takes and signs off.

The Correspondent usually runs once a week; the rest generally run in the given order every day, although circumstances can cause changes.

The show was part of the ESPN network's afternoon block of "journalists yell about sports" shows (along with Numbers Never Lie, Dan Le Batard Is Highly Questionable, Around the Horn, Pardon the Interruption, and Sports Nation.


Tropes used in Jim Rome Is Burning include:


  • Americans Hate Soccer: Rome may well be the Trope Codifier, as he is considered to be soccer's most outspoken hater who tends to be hell-bent on demeaning the sport, its players and its fans whenever a soccer story is mentioned.
    • The only time he averted this was giving props to the women's team at UC-Santa Barbara (his alma mater) for winning the NCAA championship.
  • Catch Phrase: Several, mostly from the radio show. Some that frequently show up:
    • The show's intro, which is too long to post in its entirety, as well as Rome saying "I am out." at the show's end.
    • Rome saying something about something an athlete's done (usually something illegal) and then saying "Allegedly."
    • Rome saying "Uh-oh!" and immediately being echoed by a clip of Carl Lewis saying "Uh-oh!" during his disastrous singing of the National Anthem.
    • Rome referring to a fanbase for a team as "___ Fan" ("Raider Fan", "Lakers Fan", etc.)
  • Colbert Bump: "JRIB Karma", the same as the "Jungle Karma" on the radio show, which is the tendency for athletes who appear on the show to do better than normal in their next game, or vice versa if they no-show.
  • Deadpan Snarker:
    • Rome, frequently.
    • Columnist Ray Ratto, constantly.
  • Facebook / Twitter: Rome regularly plugs his Facebook and Twitter accounts, and in late 2011, started using a Twitter post from a follower as a topic for The Forum in each episode.
  • Flip-Flop of God: Rome went from being very critical and sarcastic toward NASCAR to respecting the sport and the drivers.
  • Large Ham:
    • Rome sometimes slips into this.
    • Petros Papadakis from The Petros and Money Show when he's doing "The Forum".
    • Many of the athletes in the Correspondent segments.
  • A Worldwide Punomenon: All of the headlines for the takes in "Rome is Burning" and "The Final Burn" are puns, usually of titles of works or aphorisms.

"I am out!"