Listen to 950 KJR-AM at 4 p.m. today to hear me talk about Theme Song and other sports topics with Mike Gastineau and Scott Soden.

College basketball practice begins Friday, which means Lorenzo Romar -- the most engaging and intriguing sports figure in Seattle, if you ask me -- steps back into the limelight.

Through eight years, Romar has turned around a once-irrelevant Husky basketball program, leading Washington to five NCAA tournament appearances. His resume includes three Sweet 16 berths, two Pac-10 tournament titles and a Pac-10 regular-season title. And the 2010-2011 Huskies are expected to continue the developing tradition.

Romar's mellow persona belies the feisty, fast-paced play his team often displays. More than just winning, Romar has turned Husky basketball into an entertaining brand and a staple of the winter and spring in Seattle.

He's proof that nice coaches don't finish last. And he is today's Theme Song subject.

A SONG ROMAR MIGHT CHOOSE
"I'll Take You There" by The Staple Singers

Romar's musical tastes are well-defined. He turns 52 next month, and he loves old soul music. In a radio ad a few years ago, he mentioned this Staple Singers' song as one of his favorites. And if you've ever watched the Huskies on FSN when Marques Johnson is doing color commentary, then you've seen the video of Romar singing Curtis Mayfield's "People Get Ready" on the Milwaukee Bucks' bus during his NBA days.

His musical preferences are excellent, and they match his mild-mannered demeanor. It's fitting that he likes "I'll Take You There." He's done just that for Washington hoops.

MY RUNNER-UP FOR ROMAR
"Shining Star" by Earth, Wind and Fire

This song has enough soul for Romar, but it's also funky. It's bob-your-head theme music, for sure. But I like the message, which is very Romar. He's a shining star, but so you are if you want to be. He never accepts praise without praising someone else. He's appreciative of this community, so a song that illuminates hope for everyone is very appropriate.

MY CHOICE FOR LORENZO ROMAR'S THEME SONG
"Fantastic Voyage" by Lakeside

My parents traveled last weekend from our Kentucky home to Indianapolis to see Lakeside perform. That's why this song came to my mind.

"Fantastic Voyage" is my pick because I feel like the Huskies have been on that kind of journey since Romar returned to his alma mater in 2002. Two years ago, you wondered if he was losing his magic. The Huskies had missed the tournament in consecutive seasons, but since then, they've gone 52-19, returned to the top of the Pac-10 and re-established themselves as a top-25 program.

If the coaches continue to recruit with vigor and purpose, the Huskies should stay at this level for a long time. The growing pains of building a program are over. It's been a fantastic voyage so far, but it can get even better.

OK, now you have the floor. What would you choose as Lorenzo Romar's theme song?

Fed up with my long-winded ways? Follow me on Twitter: @Jerry_Brewer. Sometimes, I don't even use all 140 characters there.

THEME SONG ARCHIVE
Week 1: Pete Carroll
Week 2: Ichiro
Week 3: Jake Locker
Week 4: T.J. Houshmandzadeh
Week 5: Steve Sarkisian
Week 6: Matt Hasselbeck
Week 7: Lauren Jackson
Week 8: Felix Hernandez