The annual Marconi Awards were presented at last night’s NAB gala in Dallas. There is a touch of New York sprinkled in the awards that recognize the best in radio.

Mike Francesa was named Major Market Personality of the Year. The WFAN afternoon host since 1989, Francesa has been solo since 2008. Last week, Francesa, 58, made news of a different kind by briefly falling asleep on the air, which was captured on the YES Network simulcast.

WFAN, which celebrated its 25th anniversary in July, was nominated as legendary station for the first time. But KSTP-FM in Minneapolis/St. Paul took home the honor.

The whirlwind 2012 continues for WBLS. It was chosen as Urban Station of the Year. ‘BLS went from bankruptcy with floundering ratings, to new found popularity with an assist from ESPN, which moved to the former spot on the dial of KISS FM /WRKS 98.7. In the most recent Arbitron ratings, WBLS took solo possession of number two.

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WFAN, which celebrated its 25th anniversary earlier this month, is nominated for a pair of Marconi Awards. The Marconis are awarded to stations and personalities for excellence in broadcasting.

WFAN gets named in the legendary station category for this first time ever.

The station is nominated with KYW-AM in Philadelphia, KFOR-AM in Lincoln, Nebraska, KSTP in St. Paul, and WBT-AM in Charlotte.

Mike Francesa, WFAN’s stalwart afternoon host, is recognized as a major market personality. Francesa, flying solo without Chris Russo (“Mad Dog”) since 2008, is the only New York personalty with a nomination.

“[We're] very happy to have finalists in two categories,” Mark Chernoff, WFAN operations manager, tells FishbowlNY.

Emmis’ Hot 97/WQHT is in the major market category, along with KPWR-FM in Los Angeles, WBBM-FM in Chicago, WMMR-FM in Philadelphia, and WTOP-FM in Washington.

Z100′s Elvis Duran and the Morning Show is nominated for Best Network/Syndicated Personality. Among the other nominees is Tom Joyner, formerly heard in New York on KISS FM/WRKS, and Fox Sports Radio’s Dan Patrick.

Winners will be announced September 20 at the NAB Marconi Radio Awards in Dallas.

• AllTwitter: Timely is an app that helps you determine when you should tweet. Hopefully it tells you that anything after six beers, or 3 AM, should not be tweeted.
• FishbowlDC: Tipping the tipster.
• SportsNewser: Darius Rucker wants to fill in for Dan Patrick. Sounds good to us, but if Rucker cries about the Dolphins, we’ll be pissed. Anyone who gets that reference should feel sad, like we did for writing it.

Dan Patrick, ESPN’s longtime face of Sportscenter and radio host, is leaving the network, ESPN confirmed today.

Patrick announced his departure on his radio show this afternoon: “If there was animosity, I wouldn’t be doing any radio shows after today … I hope to be doing radio somewhere, somehow, down the road.”

His last radio show wil be August 17. Patrick said in a statement: “I feel privileged to have had this opportunity and I have extremely mixed emotions about leaving. With that said, I told ESPN that I believe it’s time for me to try something different, something that will also be challenging and rewarding. While I’m not sure what that will be, I am grateful to ESPN for its willingness to allow me to pursue new endeavors.”

As far as those Price is Right rumors, Patrick wouldn’t totally deny them.

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