Getty ImagesSo this one time, Jim Rome was mean to marching bands, and boy, did that backfire on him on Twitter!
The 50-year-old host of The Jim Rome Show on CBS Sports Radio had tweeted on New Year's Day, "Is there anyone not in a marching band who thinks these dorks running around with their instruments are cool?"
That day, four teams duked it out at the college football playoff semifinals at the Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl, during which their marching bands also performed.
His tweet has since been deleted and he apologized. But not before his comments sparked the wrath of many members of marching bands, including the U.S. Army Field Band, and supporters. Frequent tweets and retweets often contained the pun-filled hashtags #MarchOnRome and #RomeIsBurning, which trended on Twitter.
On Friday, Jan. 2, Rome apologized for his remark.
"Band nation - I hear you. I was out of line. I apologize," he tweeted. "I do not condone bullying of any kind and that was not my intent."
Check out seven of the best responses to his initial tweet:
1. The U.S. Army Field Band:
Just "running around with our instruments," and serving our country. #ProudtobeinBand #romeisburning #MarchOnRome pic.twitter.com/IXXXdnvbbv
? The Army Field Band (@fieldband) January 2, 20152. The College Marching Bands Twitter account:
That moment @jimrome became public enemy #1 of bands across the world. You messed with the wrong dorks. #MarchOnRome pic.twitter.com/Q6BBYD8ios
? CollegeMarchingBands (@CollegeMarching) January 2, 20153. Drum Corps International:
Nobody puts baby in the corner. #romeisburning
? Drum Corps Int'l (@DCI) January 2, 20154. The University of Southern California Trojans Marching Band:
Anyone think Jim Rome is cool? RT @jimrome Is there anyone not in a marching band who thinks dorks running around with instruments are cool?
? The Spirit of Troy (@USCTMB) January 2, 20155. The Southern Methodist University Marching Band:
@USCTMB @CollegeMarching @jimrome Jim Rome probably wears socks with his sandals #cool
? SMU Mustang Band (@SMU_MustangBand) January 2, 20156. This former marching band member:
2 hrs of practice every night. Played shows in the snow. Proud to be band dork. #MarchOnRome #marchingband
? Wendi Wheeler (@wendiwee) January 2, 20157. A member of the University of Texas at Austin's Longhorn Marching Band:
@jimrome #marchonrome #romeisburning #lhabinlondon Nothing to see here, just hanging out in London w/ some band nerds pic.twitter.com/gVrhW6nmkI
? Bobby (@bobadont) January 2, 2015This is not the first time Rome has spoken negatively about marching bands.
In September 2014, he wrote on his website, "Maybe the worst 2 parts of football are halftime marching bands and violent idiots in the stands."
In 2013, Rome had penned a post that referenced an incident in which Detroit Lions player Dominic Raiola had insulted members of the University of Wisconsin marching band at a game his team had played against the Green Bay Packers. Several of the musicians had said Raiola made homophobic remarks, ESPN Wisconsin and USA Today reported.
He later apologized, adding that the latter accusation "was inaccurate," according to USA Today.
"C'mon Dom- picking on the BAND??" Rome wrote on his website. "I've always known you were a bit of a bully. I didn't know you were a HIGH SCHOOL bully."
"What did the dudes with the flutes do to you?" he added. "They're just there to knock out 'Taking Care of Business' and 'Wooly Bully'—not get bullied nothing like trash talking and hate-speaching a bunch of college musicians, and then getting smoked by one of your rivals. (sic)"