There’s really only one way to start the piece…hit it!

“ANNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNND GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYBODY!!!” Maybe you laughed, maybe you rolled your eyes, but here we are, nonetheless. If you can’t already tell by the title, this is a celebration of my two favorite people in broadcasting. None other than Mike Francesa and Christopher “Mad Dog” Russo, who served as the formative voices of my sports fan life. Maybe they weren’t your cup of tea, that’s just fine by me, as this is all subjective in the end. But for me, as a New York metro resident, Mike and Dog were a part of the fabric of everyday life and still are to this day. I had planned to write about them and their impact on me, this area, and the media business as a whole for a while, but their 35th anniversary just passing felt like as good a time as any.

As I already said, this celebration will cover the tandems run from their inception in 1989, to their eventual split and then solo careers. From here you’ll have some laughs, maybe shed a tear or two, and hopefully appreciate some of the memorable moments from the careers of these two-radio hall of famers. Essentially, I’ll be doing the job their 30 for 30 failed to do.

If you can’t already tell I’m a bit of a super-fan. And many others will corroborate this for you (you know who you are) I reference them both all the time and their many ticks and phrases have worked their way into my daily lexicon. When things go wrong in the house I’ll drop an “OH JEEZ MEIK,” or something weird is said I’ll turn to the person next to me and say “so lemme get into dis cawse it’s so bizaw.” I love a “NOW HOLD ON MINUTE” or a “Steve on da cawphone in Manhasset g’head” just for the fun of it. All of this is done in my best impersonation of Francesa and Russo and it’s started to bleed over to my family members who say it back to me. I even have a collection of memes saved on my phone that result from years of content from these two.

My fanatical love may seem odd but it’s really no different from loving the teams I root for or the movies or music I consume. The show was just like any other form of entertainment, and it was reviewed and enjoyed in that way. They didn’t just cover sports, they covered current events, movies, tv shows, the stock market, books, music and more. You could turn on the dial and hear about the Yankee bullpen or the Jet QB room on Monday, and then The Sopranos, Bruce Springsteen and George Patton on Tuesday. That was the stuff that made them part of the fabric of this town for two decades, still relevant today to so many. So, let’s go on the journey from the beginning to today and have some fun.

The Rise

At their inception in 1989, Francesa and Russo were not always a match made in heaven. They famously bickered throughout much of their first run of shows, not just because they disagreed on a topic, but because they didn’t get along. WFAN was looking to become something more than just another radio station. It was after all the first station to adopt a sport only style at its founding in 1987 and the brass needed a show that didn’t just speak to New York, but rather one that sounded like New York. Mike and the Mad Dog sounded no different on air than two guys sitting in a bar in New Jersey or Manhattan or Queens or on Long Island, and that was the secret sauce. You can’t fool people from this area, we are as knowledgeable about our sports team as any in America, and we discuss it in our unique way. We’re loud, brash and animated and that frankly is what makes it fun.

As the 90’s got underway and they worked together more and more, Mike and Dog found their footing. They were growing in popularity and they started to do things to grow the profile of the show and the station. One of those attempts to grow came in the form of trips to the Super Bowl, beginning in 1990 as the home town Giants took on the Bills in Tampa. They spent the week of the game in Florida interviewing players and coaches made available to them bringing fans some interesting coverage. These occurrences wound up laying the ground work for the future of what is now known as “radio row” at the Super Bowl where shows from around the nation spend the game week on site. And don’t worry, Mike and Dog are happy to remind you that they invented it.

When Scott Norwood’s game winning field goal attempt sailed wide right, the Giants became champions. Little did New York or Francesa and Russo know that this was so much more than just a Super Bowl win. Instead this was the start of arguably the best decade of New York sports in the cities history, and this magical decade helped create the momentum the show and WFAN needed to grow. From 1990 forward the big Apple saw each of its teams enjoy big regular seasons, go on deep playoff runs, and win five championships. You have to be in the right place at the right time in this life, and Mike and Mad Dog absolutely were in 90’s New York, and no year was more important than 1994, a year that would throw a decade of New York dominance into overdrive, led by charismatic winners.

In 1994 the Yankees resurgence began to fully take shape as the team was playoff bound for the first time since 1981. Or at least they were until the players strike stopped the season in August and wound up cancelling the playoffs and World Series. While the Yankees played a part in the spring and Summer of ‘94 being a fun one, it was rather small compared to the role the Knicks and Rangers played. Sure, Mike and Dog could talk Yankees that year, after all New York is a baseball city at heart, but the two Madison Square Garden tenants had the city locked in. Both finished the regular season near the top of the standings and ready to make playoff runs to end lengthy title droughts.

The two would deliver on their promise, with the Knicks winning the Eastern Conference and the Rangers winning the Stanley Cup. Both played several thrilling seven game series and Mike and Mad Dog covered just about all of them on site. Traveling back and forth to Indiana, Houston, Vancouver, Washington DC and Chicago to cover both teams while also covering a pair of series that took place across the Hudson in New Jersey. They often helped to cover the games from the Gardens Play by Play sports bar with guests from the teams and media. Russo and Francesa became such a phenomenon during the 45 game run, that they were even featured in the Rangers Stanley Cup parade down the canyon of heroes.

As 1994 turned to 1995 and beyond the celebrations of the Rangers title quickly turned into the excitement of the city’s baseball renaissance. Sure, the Knicks and Rangers would stay relevant, the former reaching another Finals in 1999. The Giants would head back to the Super Bowl in 2000. Even Bill Parcells came back to the swamps of Jersey and had the Jets in the AFC Title Game. But the real fun and story to cover for the FAN’s terrific tandem was the Yankees late 90’s World Series dynasty. After making their return to the playoffs in 95, the bombers went on to win the World Series in 1996, 98, 99 and 2000. This of course was to the delight of Francesa, a lifelong Yankee fan, and the displeasure of Russo who hated the Yankees after rooting for the New York/San Francisco Giants forever. Russo went as far as to wear a full Braves uniform in 1996 to root against the Yanks, but that didn’t stop the coverage from being top notch, especially after the dramatic game four win in Atlanta.

The Mets were involved too as the team improved to finish the millennium, thanks in part to Mike and the Mad Dog, at least according to them. After dealing with the “worst team money can buy” Mets earlier in the 90’s, the two radio hosts threw their hat in the ring in May of 1998. As explained in the clip below, Francesa and Russo basically bullied Mets ownership into acquiring future Hall of Fame catcher Mike Piazza. The deal proved pivotal as it helped transform the Mets into a legitimate contender in the NL, and Piazza played a massive role in the team going on a run in 1999 and then winning the pennant in 2000. So, I guess Mets fans owe the FAN big time.

The various Mets and Yankees moments along the way hit a crescendo in 2000 when the first Subway Series since 1956 took place. The Mets and Yankees meeting in the fall classic had the city laser focused on America’s past time. Unfortunately though the series didn’t exactly live up to the hype as the Yankees took it in just five games.

With the calendar turned to the 2000’s, Mike and the Mad Dog looked back on a decade that saw them become titans in the radio business, thanks in large part to one of the most successful runs in New York sports history. As the teams and city kept changing, the show and WFAN were there as a constant. Little did they know there would be more progression and changes that wound up contributing to a second meteoric rise in status, in spite of major behind the scenes drama.

The Peak…and the Fall

The year was 2002. The Lord of the Rings was breaking records at the box office, Kelly Clarkson won the first season of American Idol, and the Yankees were coming off their fifth pennant in six years, one that unfortunately ended in a heartbreaking defeat to the Arizona Diamondbacks in seven games. In the wake of this defeat, George Steinbrenner was about to launch his next big venture, one that would only further the Yankee brand and change New York sports. After making a free agent splash with first baseman Jason Giambi joining the bombers in the winter, the YES Network aired its first telecast on March 19th, 2002. Short for the “Yankees Entertainment and Sports” Network, the channel was now the flagship home of sports most successful franchise (and the New Jersey Nets) and almost all their games. The channel would be home to full time Yankee coverage and original programming relating to the team and its history, but “the boss” wanted something a little extra to increase the entertainment and the attention the network would receive…that’s where our two radio icons come in.

Mike and The Mad Dog were dominating the country’s top market and in the midst of negotiating a new deal with the FAN, who offered them the chance, at George Steinbrenner’s behest, to simulcast their radio show every day on the YES Network. They were a bit surprised considering the fact that they had sparred with “The Boss” in the past but none the less he enjoyed their show and wanted them to be a part of the lineup. They joined soon after the channels launch and their second big run was born, as their devoted fans now transitioned from just listening to being able to see them and their arguments every day. Now, let’s not get confused here, the show didn’t just benefit from being in your living room every day, New York sports, as always, were anything but dull. If the 1990’s were about bigtime success and legendary figures cementing their legacies in New York, the 2000’s were for the most part about blatant stupidity, let downs, and bizarre characters.

The ten individuals above all became part of the regular lineup of guests, at one point or another, on Francesa and Russo’s show over the years. And if they weren’t a guest, they were a lightning rod topic…for the wrong reasons. Aside from the unique set of characters the decade was defined by New York’s teams going from greatness to “almost greatness” or worse in a lot of cases. The once great 90’s Knicks and Rangers gave way to the beginning of dark ages on the corner of 34th and seventh while the Mets couldn’t maintain their momentum off their World Series appearance to start the decade. The Isles made the playoffs but became an even bigger gong show than the Jets, while the Giants stumbled around looking for saviors following a Super Bowl appearance in 2000. The Yankees really remained the reliable standard, but even they weren’t themselves anymore with early playoff exits accompanied by ALCS and World Series letdowns. Sometimes though, as great as the winning is to revel in, the bad times are better for the media content and boy were Mike and Dog sitting on a goldmine. Let’s take a look back at some of the best moments from this era.

There are so many more great moments where that came from, and even more I can’t find online, but you get the idea. They had their finger on the pulse of the city and asked the questions fans wanted answers to. It was the only approach that could truly thrive in this market because of how sports crazy New York City and its inhabitants are. The shows on location continued as well, with them now being joined by throngs of media outlets on radio row at the Super Bowl and big crowds of fans and players at Stadiums and arenas alike with big games looming. Perhaps their most famous on location shows of all were their trips to Bar Anticipation, AKA “Bar A,” at the Jersey shore where they would often be joined by a musical guest. This made Russo happy in particular as he was a big fan of the local music scene, and joined frequent guest, and Jersey shore favorite Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes on the stage at these shows…pure comedic gold.

Amidst all the fun and the rants, there was some ugly brewing underneath it all. Francesa and Russo had always had their quarrels, but this time around, after 19 years together, the fights and the disputes were worse than ever. The two were showing up to the studio and not speaking to one another, except for when they were on the air, and it showed. The animosity bred real tension that didn’t just go away with ease and often manifested itself in on air arguments where you could hear the genuine dislike in what they were saying. No better example arose than the fight about Yankee Stadium and its lines for the bathroom.

As 2008 came to a head, the two decided it was time to split, much to the disbelief and sadness of their audience of devoted fans across the tri-state. Something just didn’t feel right about it, and with the benefit of hindsight it seems incredibly short sighted considering the careers they have gone on to have solo. They had so much left to offer one another and the New York sports scene as a whole. With the split official, and the dirty laundry aired in public, they were still close enough to get on the phone, and thank each other for all the great years, and wish each other luck in the future. Not that they would really need it.

Solo Runs, Conventions, Reunions and Semi Retirements

Well…that’s different. It was 2008 and Mike and the Mad Dog were officially no more. Their nineteen-year run came to an end and their respective solo careers began once again. There was a time where they did work separately, before the FAN in 1989, but this was uncharted territory for their legions of fans. Francesa was now the top dog at WFAN, dominating drive time from 1 PM to 6 PM, doing many of the same features he and Russo did. But now the show shifted even more of its time to the callers, who almost became the big guys DeFacto cohost for five hours. This of course led to some incredibly memorable moments that took on a life of their own in the new social media age, as prank callers and overly dramatic callers ran rampant.

Francesa always took himself too seriously, but this era became defined by three things. The aforementioned prank calls, Mike being annoyed by everything, and some absolutely unreal meltdowns that made his run with Mad Dog look tame. We’ll get to the meltdowns in a moment, lets focus on the self-serious/being annoyed by everything approach. Francesa was never popular with the media critics, like Bob Raissman of the New York Daily News, who dubbed him the Sports Pope…which spawned some hilarious jokes. Mike became almost obsessed with being “numbah one” as he would say, running the ratings book and destroying the competition in his path in his time slot. He beat out Michael Kay of ESPN New York for close to a decade in the ratings book in every quarter but one. This of course came in the wake of feuding with fellow FAN hosts Boomer Esiason and Craig Carton.

Amidst his rage against callers, there was some genuinely great content on the show, directed at the circus New York sports was becoming. Sure, the Yankees won the World Series in 2009 and stayed a contender under Joe Girardi, and the Giants won another Title in 2011 over the Patriots. But beyond that Francesa had a blast ripping apart the Jets, Mets and even Knicks on occasion over this run of time. The time to criticize the Giants even came as they soon embarked on a still ongoing decade of darkness, which began with the benching of Eli Manning by head coach Ben McAdoo. Let’s look at some of the highlight rants of the solo run.

All of these moments only furthered Francesa’s legend within the New York fan base and it led to his larger-than-life persona being celebrated, especially after he announced what would be his first retirement. These celebrations took many forms, the first of which was in impressions and attempted jokes about the Pope going viral on the internet. Those came from both FAN hosts and fans alike who skillfully captured Francesa and Russo over the years, something that is very hard not to laugh at.

As the viral moments spread like wildfire, momentum behind two big events grew as well. After so long without being on air together, Mike and the Mad Dog decided to reunite, for one night only at Radio City Music Hall. The show was a massive hit, and it coincided with the launching of “Francesacon,” a convention for loyal fans of both hosts where merchandise was sold and there was an impression contest, which was eventually judged by Mike and Dog themselves.

With Mike supposedly winding down his career at WFAN, a large retirement special show was organized. It was a memorable show, filled with a ton of guests calling in to wish him well and callers thanking him for the run behind the mic. I’d share clips, but it feels invalid as Francesa was back once again less than a year later with a new venture, an app where he would stream live reactions to events in New York sports for all to see, for the rather absurd fee of $8.99. The app was largely a failure, his finished second in the ratings book following his unenergetic return and the comeback felt like a mistake. He did find it again, just before his second and final retirement in 2020, and had one more epic tirade about the Mets on his app stream, as they suffered a terrible loss to the Phillies.

With Mike entering a bizarre era for his career, it’s time we talk about the Mad Dog, who was doing quite the opposite to close out the 2010’s. Following his departure from WFAN, Russo was a highly sought after commodity, and he signed a lucrative deal with Sirius XM radio. Mad Dog Sports Radio joined Sirius’ lineup and Russo’s brand expanded over time, where he became a nationally recognized figure in the radio game, with fans and listeners all over the United States. Callers from Missouri, California, Maryland and more have become regulars and Russo has fashioned a show that plays to a larger audience, beyond just New York City. While Francesa was having his meltdowns about the Mets and Ben McAdoo, Russo was having some special showings of his own, ranting about the Oakland A’s and many other topics from his pulpit on the Satellite dial.

The brand didn’t just expand because of his national radio show, but also because of his show on MLB Network, High Heat. Much like his radio show, Russo expressed his fiery opinions and brought the humor for the entire baseball loving world. The show truly was the right place for him, given how in love with America’s past time Russo is.

Of course, Russo hasn’t changed much over at “radio nowhere” as he calls it. He is still ranting and raving on air about just about anything. Still reviewing books, Springsteen concerts and TV shows and making people listen to him ramble on about tennis. He’s even still razzing on his fellow hosts and show staff, as Steve Torre and Eddie Erickson play the role of Chris Carlin and Ian Eagle from back in the FAN days. Traditions from WFAN have also come with him like the famed “NFL Monday recap” where he weaves together all the games on the schedule with postgame sounds from the coaches and his quippy commentary. None has been more popular than his continuing use of the Super Bowl trivia contest, done in character as the Marquis De Sade.

Yes, you read that right, Mad Dog has for many years, since the WFAN days, asked callers Super Bowl trivia questions dressed as a 18th century French author and political activist…because why not. It’s really part of the insane fun that is Russo and his style on air, that has now manifested itself in him complaining about his friend “fat Rob” from Colorado who gives him bad gambling advice and making Instagram videos about CBD gummies and TikTok dances. The object of the contest by the way, is for a caller to answer four straight questions about Super Bowl history one of which is an audio question. In exchange for the win, Russo and Sirius XM, much like the FAN did, gives the winner an all expenses paid trip to the Super Bowl. The insanity of the contest has produced his most viral moments in his solo career, as callers’ inability to get the questions right, after hearing the questions all week that is, leaves Doggie in a rage.

All of this and more has helped Russo in some ways eclipse his old partner in stature and make him a can’t miss attraction. Around this time, he moved into the role of being a regular contributor to a number of properties, most notably Dan Patrick’s Show, the SI Media pod with Jimmy Traina, and some occasional spots on ESPN…more on that in a bit. If not anything else, Russo has done all of this by being exactly who he is as a person (just like his partner), a commendable trait in a society where fame is increasingly based on artifice.

The Fun of Present Day

As we hit the present day, the respective solo careers of Mike Francesa and Chris Russo are really in opposite positions. Francesa has been podcasting with BetRivers since 2022, seemingly comfortable to be somewhat out of the spotlight, doing the show to those who download and watch on Youtube. Outside of some appearances on various Barstool Sports properties, the Pope isn’t overdoing it, amidst spending time with his family. In some ways the podcast platform has lent itself well to him as he can use it as his leisure to react to breaking stories, riff on subject matters he is interested and occasionally launch a tirade at the Jets.

Meanwhile in contrast to Francesa’s quieter approach to the business, Russo is seemingly everywhere in the crowded media landscape. While his show does quite well on Sirius XM, and his solid run on High Heat is coming to a close, Mad Dogs celebrity has increased significantly with him becoming a featured player on ESPN’s First Take alongside Stephan A Smith. Russo’s rants and frenetic style is really a match made in heaven for the debate show and it at times feels like he’s back at WFAN arguing with Mike. They’ve also given him his own segment where he gets to tell everyone how mad he is at something.

The real fun these days if you are a long running Mike and the Mad Dog fan is when the two make appearances on shows together. Not just to be interviewed but to actually talks sports like they did back in the old days. MLB Network was always amenable to these types of spots, but the best ones have come during First Take debate segments like this one below.

While we all wish that the two would do a show together on Sirius XM or come riding in on a white horse to save WFAN from itself, those days have likely come and gone. I consider myself lucky to have seen them operate together and separately for two reasons. The first being that they were tremendously entertaining to listen over the years, and the second being that they were a big inspiration in my life when it came to my desire to work in sports media, a desire that still manifests itself today in the form of this blog. They weren’t for everyone, heck they still aren’t, as people often find it funny when fans like me get excited when they appear together on a show or are seen at the Garden or Citi Field or Yankee Stadium. While I have yet to meet Francesa, I was lucky enough to meet Russo in the summer of 2023 at Bar A at the Jersey Shore before his live show.

I’m happy to report Mad Dog is just as frantic as he is on TV and radio in person, but also incredibly kind. He was nice enough to speak to me for a short time and thank me for being such a fan for so many years, which was more than enough for someone who was at a loss for words for perhaps the first time ever.

In conclusion, all I can really say is I hope you enjoyed reading this one as much as I enjoyed writing it. I have been planning this piece for a while and I am tremendously excited it came together the way it did. Mike and the Mad Dog will always hold a special place in my heart, and I will certainly be there listening for as long as they’re around…long may that continue! So, until next time…”get lawst.”

You can find Mike @Mike_Sheerin, Tyler @TMon_19 and Sean @SeanMartinNFL. Subscribe to the site by hitting the follow button in the bottom right corner and entering your email address. Check out our Instagram feed @thebroadwaybreakdownsports for special gameday and promotional content. Our podcasts are available on Spotify. Visit the Rangers Ed Shop by clicking the link on our homepage. Check out our mailbag page to join the conversation here on the site and on our partners show, The Rangers Ed Podcast! We’ll be back with more soon!