Why is Jim Rome so popular?

I can’t stand Jim Rome and I don’t get his popularity.  He harps on the same subject over and over.  He takes long pauses when he talks.  All of his callers agree with him and that’s why they’re called clones.  Reminds me of Rush Limbaugh.  He just preaches to the choir.  He’ll get an email he doesn’t like and the tell people to stop emailing him about that subject.  Of course he brings it up over and over even though he said he doesn’t want to hear about it.  He crinkles paper into the microphone all the time.  If he says something funny I can guarantee someone will email him and say “Rome, I laughed so hard pop flew out of my nose and went all over my keyboard”.  You can tell all of his callers are reading from notes when they call in to give their take.  I must be old because when he has his yearly smack off I don’t understand half the shit his callers are talking about.  I know, I know just change the channel.  I live in a one sports channel town so sometimes I just flip him on for the hell of it.  Van Smack, pimp in the box, I’m out, etc.  The guy talks like he’s 15 years old.  Then there is the always watchable Rome getting a beat down.