DaytonDailyNews.com

Ever notice how the best people land the best jobs?

Well, maybe not in presidential elections, but generally? If you're really good at something, you're the CEO, partner in a prestigious law firm, head chef, manager of a big department store or at ESPN broadcasting sports.

That's where Dan Patrick was for 18 years until he decided to leave his comfort zone this summer. He's now on WONE-AM 980 (9 a.m.-noon, daily). He's also on XM Radio and has a spot on Sports Illustrated's writing staff (post Super Bowl).

Soon, hopefully, he'll be back on television again, in some form, and all will be right with the world.

I have no problem lauding Patrick. I barely know him, even though he is a UD grad and worked briefly at WVUD, WTUE and WDTN in the early '70s before taking big chances and landing a job at CNN in Atlanta on his way to making ESPN's SportsCenter a giant, not the other way around.

Sure, he has shtick, but he's not a screamer. On the radio side, just about anybody will talk with him, including Bob Knight, which makes me jealous — and a listener. Usually, Knight is an interviewer's nightmare. Not when Patrick calls. He listens to and answers all questions.

Patrick told me why in a telephone interview this week, and sounded a little surprised himself. The short answer: Patrick's good.

He also was a little worn out. Working at ESPN wasn't shoveling coal, but there wasn't much time to take meals, either.

"For three years, I'd get in at 10 in the morning," Patrick said. "I'd do a radio show from 1-to-4, I'd have TV meetings, then I would sleep for an hour and a half in my office in a sleeping bag, do the 11 o'clock SportsCenter till 12, go home, get to bed at 2 and I'd get right back up 9 to get there.

"My shift changed (he dumped the 11 p.m. SportsCenter for the 6) because I said, 'I can't continue this process. I can't.' I was ready to leave ESPN."

Here's where the professional walks in. In this ink-and-paper business, we kid about talking hairdos, but that's what Patrick's 6 p.m. SportsCenter gig was to him. He finished so late with his radio show, someone else had to write the 6 p.m. news. Patrick just read it.

He wanted to do his own stuff. He was an icon. He had enough.

Dan Patrick's on his own stage now, and he's still a headliner.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2157

or mkatz@DaytonDailyNews.com.