Mike Francesa on Mad Dog, his future and why the critics don't bother him

SI ^ | December 9, 2015 | Richard Dietsch

[C19fan]

Chemistry, as any married person or sports-talk show host knows, is hard to explain—and even harder to maintain. But for 19 years, from 1989 to 2008, Mike Francesa and Chris Russo partnered on an immensely popular and polarizing radio show on WFAN-AM Radio in New York. The hosts, famously dubbed as Mike and the Mad Dog, became famous, rich, and as most bands do, eventually broke up. Their time on the air together has been chronicled by a million chroniclers, including a Grantland oral history on WFAN that appeared on the first day of that now-defunct site.

[C19fan]

There is going to be a Mike and the Mad Dog reunion show at Radio City Music Hall charity benefit. I was a late teen and big fan when Mike and the Mad Dog hit the airwaves.Those two had an incredible Yin Yang to them.

[God luvs America]

last week Fatcessa also reported on the air that the shooting taking place in San Bernadino was at a planned parenthood facility- heard it as he said it...

[onona]

He was passing on information that was passed on to him. And he was more like asking rather than stating, about whether a PP facility was nearby.

[EQAndyBuzz]

Imus use to call them Fatso and Fruitloops.

[Dr. Sivana]

Dog and I were always against guy talk. There is never any T&A, never any sexual stuff, never anything dirty on my show. We do sports so you can listen to the show if you are 10 or 12 years old. So yes, they do listen.

They didn't, but at the beginning of the show they interacted with Don Imus, who very much did. Also, a lot of the radio ads for strip clubs and the vulgar WFAN billboards were pretty vulgar.

Those were good days, though, and I don't even like the NY sports teams.

My favorite, though, was Eileen Marchese, later Eilleen Markazie-Cohen. She was the traffic reporter whop sounded really cute and innocent and put up with Imus' tawdriness without approving of it. It also turns out she likes Sarah Palin. My instincts were right. Treat her well, Mr. Cohen.

[JohnG45]

He was passing on information that was passed on to him.

And you know that how?

And he was more like asking rather than stating, about whether a PP facility was nearby.

Why would he even ask that?

[onona]

I know that because I was listening to the show. I was trying to put a little more context into what was said.

The discussion occurred as it was happening. There was just speculation and querying rather than a direct statement.

And that is because there wasn't any definitive information at that moment in time when the commentary was going on.

It came up as part of the initial discussion due to the recent event in Colorado.

[JohnG45]

I’m a regular listener. I hear him most days but not on the day under discussion. I enjoy his sports talk but when he drifts into politics his head is up his azz.

One day, he blurts out that if you want to listen to a “straight arrow” with respect to reporting the news, the guy to depend on is Chuck Todd of NBC.

Since that time, if he ever brings up politics — “CLICK.”