http://twitter.com/#!/richarddeitsch/status/203518853207175169

Today is the day all of Jim Rome’s clones have been waiting for since last year! The 2012 Smack Off has arrived.

In case you have absolutely no idea what the heck we’re talking about, we did some research for you.

The Smack-Off is an annual competition on The Jim Rome Show, in which select listeners are invited to provide their best “smack talk”, with Rome and his show personnel determining the winner. It is held in mid-to-late spring and takes up the entire program on a Friday. The contest is a way to recognize the best callers to the show, as well as a means of determining the best caller of the year. Show host Jim Rome has referred to the Smack-Off as the most important show of the entire year.

The Smack-Off began in 1995 while The Jim Rome Show was still on local radio but has continued into syndication. To date, seventeen Smack-Offs have been held, the last on April 8, 2011.

Now that you know what we’re talking about, you can understand why #SmackOff was one of the top hashtags throughout the day on Friday. Here’s what went on:

#Smackoff under way. Gino tries to wire the field, but gets run. Hint: don't use your call to bang everyone in the mouth. It's played.

— Jim Rome (@jimrome) May 18, 2012

#Smackoff update. Dan in DC killed…Trapper rolling now…

— Jim Rome (@jimrome) May 18, 2012

#Smackoff trending national. Stay strong clones. Most popular response to Trapper? Run this commie! Run him? He got racked.

— Jim Rome (@jimrome) May 18, 2012

Mark in Hollywood coming in next. Might be the people's champ. Win this thing and it's the greatest story in #Smackoff history.

— Jim Rome (@jimrome) May 18, 2012

Mark in Hollywood trending ABOVE #Smackoff. Unbelievable call. Would have been even better if not for cell quality. Get to a good spot, stop

— Jim Rome (@jimrome) May 18, 2012

Hour 2 of the #Smackoff right now. Still waiting on an unnamed pro athlete who is confirmed. He has the game to rip it.

— Jim Rome (@jimrome) May 18, 2012

C'mon Joseph run some smack! Joe in the OC out of this break. #Smackoff. How do you have it slotted it so far? Who has the lead?

— Jim Rome (@jimrome) May 18, 2012

#Smackoff: THREE former champs on hold. And a unnamed pro athlete to come. Here they come.

— Jim Rome (@jimrome) May 18, 2012

#Smackoff. Chael Sonnen, the unnamed athlete comes in and may have just choked out the field. Legendary #Smackoff moment.

— Jim Rome (@jimrome) May 18, 2012

@KyleBrandt to @Sonnench before his call: "You ready, Chael?" Chael: "You're never ready, you're next!"

— Jim Rome (@jimrome) May 18, 2012

Oh no he didn't! Snap! Iafrate goes Iafrate. Is it going to be enough to win the #Smackoff?

— Jim Rome (@jimrome) May 18, 2012

Vic in No-Cal. Broadway is tough. Where do you slot him? #Smackoff. Doc Mike rolling now.

— Jim Rome (@jimrome) May 18, 2012

Doc Mike is trending. Did he do enough to snatch the #Smackoff. They're turning for home. Queen Joleen next.

— Jim Rome (@jimrome) May 18, 2012

Mike in Indy closed his call asking to trend. He's number one nationally on twitter right now. #Smackoff.

— Jim Rome (@jimrome) May 18, 2012

In the meantime, here’s what others were tweeting during the event:

If there's one day a year I listen to Jim Rome, it's today, the day of the #SmackOff. That being said, I don't just listen one day a year.

— Chris Lingebach (@BlueShortsLIFE) May 18, 2012

It's my day off. I'll be staining patio furniture while listening to the @jimrome #smackoff for 3 hours. Because that's how I roll.

— Andy Jenks (@RVAjenks) May 18, 2012

Chael Sonnen might be the leader now, which is really surprising because his call wasn't all the long. @jimrome #smackoff

— Jason Rubinstein (@jrrubinstein) May 18, 2012

Today in the #Smackoff I go after the one clone we can all agree to hate… It won't end well and it might get personal…

— Michael DiTolla (@mcditolla) May 18, 2012

#SMACKOFF the Legends are Killing it!!!! Epic #DocMike

— Paul Ranney (@Elfatcat) May 18, 2012

https://twitter.com/#!/PerfectDayHB/status/203550939968315393

https://twitter.com/#!/PeepsMKE/status/203550557942718464

Somebody pull Chael Sonnen off of the clones!! The field has tapped! #smackoff

— JP (@Joey_Powell) May 18, 2012

UPDATE: The 2012 #SmackOff is officially over!! For the first time in Smack Off history, a famous athlete has won the event! UFC Middleweight Chael Sonnen has been crowned the champion!!

#Smackoff is over. Winner announced and interview next in The Jungle.

— Jim Rome (@jimrome) May 18, 2012

Chael Sonnen wins the 2012 #SmackOff. Mike in Indy finishes second. The king of smack talk among athletes takes it to the next level today.

— Arash Markazi (@ArashMarkazi) May 18, 2012

Congrats to Chael Sonnen on winning the 2012 Smackoff. True King of Smack for the year.

— Kirk Morrison (@kirkmorrison) May 18, 2012

Congrats to the #UFC 's Chael Sonnen @sonnench, the first athlete to ever win the #Smackoff. He exceeded high expectations, went legend.

— Jason Stewart (@JasonStewart) May 18, 2012

Boo! Chael Sonnen won the @JimRome #smackoff. It's one of the few fights that this d-bag can win…but with words. #fail

— Daniel Arreola (@ArreolaSport) May 18, 2012

#smackoff Chael Sonnen champion!! Very deserving.

— Enrique DeLeon (@thebadmariachi) May 18, 2012

@bshelly24 yeah, chael sonnen won. cant lie, he was good but brad & mike were better, imo.

— FiyaStarter (@HotFiyaStarter) May 18, 2012

@jimrome #smackoff Doc Mike had a great call, I had him above Mike in Indy. Does Chael Sonnen auction the prize package for charity?

— Patrick Powell (@PatrickPowell) May 18, 2012

RIP to The Jungle. #Smackoff used to be about the clones! @THEmikeinindy deserved to win! Like Chael needs a trip! #jumpedtheshark #robbery

— Tony Barker (@TonyWingdog72) May 18, 2012

@jimrome #Smackoff this year was epic . Too bad the winner had the thing gifted to him. Undeserved

— Travis (@TravisStelle) May 18, 2012

#Smackoff hope our local monkey drops Rome Show after this travesty u knew when Jim kept hyping an athlete they would win.

— Jim (@j2112_jim) May 18, 2012

Jim Rome outright denies reports stating the event was fixed because an athlete won it.

Some of you: "Fix was in. Rome wanted a celebrity to win." Right. Jay Mohr has never won. Jim Harbaugh was hammered for his appearance.

— Jim Rome (@jimrome) May 18, 2012

I did what I've done 18 times now: given it to the best caller. There were a half dozen incredible calls. Sonnen's was the best. #Smackoff

— Jim Rome (@jimrome) May 18, 2012

Read more: http://twitchy.com/2012/05/18/twitter-goes-crazy-for-jim-romes-annual-smack-off/