Blogs, Forums http://www.mikemaddog.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4188, Newspapers http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&lr=&as_qdr=all&ie=UTF-8&tab=wn&ncl=1223711553, YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1PQTXGd9T8 & http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66Zj70IVOHc and the internet in general have been ablaze with talk of an impending split of sports talk giants Mike Francesa and Christopher Russo of New York radio station WFAN's Mike and the Mad Dog.
Most, if not all of these sources credit Newsday's Neil Best with the scoop on this story due to his article published June 21, 2008 http://www.newsday.com/sports/ny-spmike0622,0,842426.story. Claudia Perry of the Newark Star Ledger noted in her July 5th column 'Radio Notes', "Fighting MadMike Francesa and Chris "Mad Dog" Russo have been in the news lately, starting with a report from Newsday two weeks ago stating that their sometimes tense partnership might be coming to an end sooner rather than later." Deadspin.com said, "Newsdays Neil Best broke the news that New York's all-world radio yappers "Mike and the Mad Dog" may soon be no more." http://deadspin.com/5021276/mike-and-the-mad-dog-divorce-inevitable
But did Best really best everyone else to the news? Industry sources say Kevin Canessa, Jr., writer for the Hudson Line and webmaster of https://www.sidrosenberg.com/ wrote in his May 9, 2008 column, "...if you've listened to the show lately, you've no doubt heard a new kind of show, one where the two hosts clearly aren't getting along anymore off the air — and one where the arrogance of Francesa, where his disdain for the very people who make the show work — is absolutely tangible the moment you tune in." Canessa added, "And it's Francesa who should know best that in an instant, when a radio broadcaster goes too far, or is perceived to have gone too far, he could be searching for a new job." Canessa concluded, on May 9th, "Hopefully, sometime soon, he'll snap out of this incredible arrogance. If he doesn't, the day could easily arrive that come 1 p.m., that infamous jingle heard on WFAN that reminds listeners that "They're going at 'em as hard as they can. It's Mike and the Mad Dog on the FAN..." might have to be changed to "He's going at 'em as hard as he can. It's Christopher Russo on the FAN."
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This all was published approximately 1 and a half months before Neil Best's article. When I brought this to Claudia's attention she wrote me back stating,
Bob,
Thanks for sharing. I did some Web prowling before writing the items and a lot of the entries that came up in my search cited Best as their initial source. Thanks for making me aware of Canessa's role in the story. I'm sure we're going to go back to this so I'll credit appropriately when we do.
Claudia
But it gets even more interesting. Way back in November 2007 in an online forum a thread was started with the title 'Anybody Can Host a Show on WFAN' by a person with the screen name 'I Knew That' http://www.mikemaddog.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3011. Kevin stated, "His holiness (Francesa) doesn't seem to grasp that notion, but you'd think he might, especially after his good pal, Don Imus, set a standard that anyone can be replaced.'
I pointed out Canessa's forethought in another portion of that thread and another poster 'the pretentious pair', added:
|
Kevin has had the foresight of a Mike and the Mad Dog Split since this post. Way before the Best article http://www.newsday.com/news/columnis...lumn?track=rss
and on his own page in print a month prior to the breaking news http://thecanessacorner.blogspot.com/search/label/WFAN He deserves that credit! |
He was ahead of the pack by writing the article on 5/9/08, and he notes the possibility of a break-up and/or a ratings drop. But he also puts into print the following:
1. That Mike has become somewhat unbearable.
2. That Mike is a hypocrite who hates the Intahnet.
3. That Mike has changed more than Dog. (Although neither one of them watch that much sports, and they prepare nothing.
4. That Mike appears to be very unhappy.
Well done !" All of these points are exemplified in this call: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQc5osXL4O0
Francessa says the caller wasted their time for 10 minutes (try one minute) worrying about when he gets into the studio.
Yet Mike has spoken e-n-d-l-e-s-s-l-y about Keith Hernandez' time off during the summer.
And just look at Mike's utter disdain when the topic of the conversation is directed at Chris Russo and not at him!
So, while the internet, newspapers, talk-shows and all other media outlets will continue to talk about the impending break-up - Kevin Canessa, Jr. should get proper credit for breaking this story.
Bob Mantz can be contacted at gnxfan@hotmail.com
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about 1 month ago
Call WFAN at 718.937.6666 with a 2 point question.
Ask a sports question. Then follow up with a question directed at Dog - "So, Chris, did you really enjoy flying solo recently? Do you think the show was better solo as Bob from Cranbury pointed out last week to you?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1PQTXGd9T8
I'll be DVRing
about 1 month ago
i like the style.
about 1 month ago
I think Francesca has been doing the same job for too long. He used to "mail it" on his "bad days". days. Now, Francesca must hate his job...it IS obvious if you listen to him now compared to ex., 3 yrs ago. "
I can understand why some callers drive Francesca crazy with their inane suggestions, they drive me nuts too. But THAT is Francesca's role...to take some calls from fans.,,,no matter how dumb they may be. And, no one wants to listen to Francesca pontificate for 5 hours a day either. He can be a bore.
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