Breaking News: Mike and the Mad Dog are no More

It's been speculated upon since the spring and now it is confirmed, the Mike and the Mad Dog Show on WFAN is no more. Operations director Mark Chernoff announced this evening that Christopher Russo, aka the Mad Dog, would be leaving the station to pursue other interests.

"Mike and Chris pioneered the genre more than 18 years ago and have shaped the sports talk format into what it is today," Mark Chernoff said in a statement.

"As we embark on this next step in WFAN's history, we wish Chris nothing but the best and look forward to all that Mike will do in a role in which he has excelled at for years.''

Though there is no official word as of yet, speculation is that Russo is headed towards Sirius Satellite radio. The station also announced a new contract for Francesa, whose deal was expiring.


Source: Newsday

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The Daily Yankeeland - 6/18

We're still up against since we're off tomorrow. Where will be? Yankee Stadium for the first time this year. WOooooooooooooHOooooooooooooo.

Al Aceves is blipping on our radar like crazy. The lefty the Yankees plucked from the Mexican League was outstanding at Tampa and has brought his 'A' game to 'AA' in Trenton. Last night he threw 1-hit ball over 8 innings in a 7-0 win over the Harrisburg Senators. Between the two stops, he's 6-3, 1.88 with a 5.5:1 strikeout to walk ration. Austin Jackson is getting his bat going too. He's had a pair of 7 RBI games this year. Last night he had to settle for 4 RBI, 3 of them coming on his 7th home run of the season. He's not hitting .283 with 33 walks and 45 RBI.

Willie Randolph will always be a Yankee at heart and that's maybe why a lot of us are even angrier at how his firing was handled by the Mets. Omar Minaya's interview with Mike and the Mad Dog yesterday is a must listen.

We're in the midst of reading Bobby Murcer's "Yankee for Life: My 40-Year Journey in Pinstripes ". It's a good read to pick up. Some good stories about Thurman, Sweet Lou, and the Scooter, among others.

Chien-Ming Wang told Mike Puma of the NY Post that he's confident he'll be back by September. From the Wanger's mouth to God's ears.

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Giese Likely to Get Wang's Start

Brian Cashman was on with Mike and the Mad Dog a short time ago. He confirmed Chien-Ming Wang's injury and stated that Dan Giese will most likely be the starter in Wang's place on Sunday against the Reds. We became ill when he said the second option was Kei Igawa. Book 'em Dan-o.

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The Joba Debate Continues

No not that one; the bullpen-starter debate has been tabled. Now the airwaves are being filled with discussions of Joba Chamberlain's yelling, fist-pumping celebration routine. It really came into focus yesterday when Chamberlain struck out David Dellucci to end the 8th inning. The Yankees had a 3-run lead at the time. Perhaps it would have just been quickly forgotten, but Dellucci had hit a game winning 3-run home run against Chamberlain nights before. Dellucci, for one, was not happy.

"That's what gets him going and that's what everybody likes to see, but if a hitter was to do something like that they'd probably say it was 'bush (league)' and you shouldn't do it," Dellucci said. "It's kind of funny how a pitcher can get away with it."

"If he wants to yell and scream after a strikeout and dance around, I guess that gets him going," Dellucci said. "My home run was in a much bigger situation, more a key part of the game and I didn't dance around and scream."

Dellucci does have a point. We've had mixed feelings about the whole thing, probably because we've been caught up in Jobamania ourselves. But we only have to think about opponent's displays of celebration that have ticked us off over the years. Manny Ramirez's home run stare, Dennis Eckersley's over the top celebration when he recorded a save. The same for K-Rod and Ugie Urbina. And there's no doubt that Dellucci's game winner was a lot bigger situation than than yesterday's at-bat.

Needless to say the topic provided much fodder on Mike and the Mad Dog yesterday (Michael Kay was still talking about Joe Torre calling Jorge Posada), and as we waited for breakfast this morning, ESPN's First Take (Cold Pizza renamed, but just as bad) was about to discuss it as well.
Mariano Rivera's schooling of Joba could have an effect on all of this. Mo has been known to say something to the effect of "you don't want to do anything to motivate your opponent more than they already are." Sounds like sound advice.

What do you think? Take our new poll at the top of the site and let us know.

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MMD Answer Levine

Mike and the Mad Dog opened their show today with a response to Randy Levine's comments in the New York Times. Levine comes off looking like an even bigger buffoon than before.

Franseca took the point since he has been the most critical of Levine over time, including well before the Joe Torre situation came up. They accurately pointed out that Levine is thin skinned and needs to toughen up if he is going to put himself in the forefront of the Yankees hierarchy.

Levine stated that MMD criticized Levine because their YES contract comes up next year. As Francesa pointed out, "how would criticizing help negotiate?".

Clearly MMD do not need YES, but they do need MMD.

Kudos, and I don't give them to MMD often, for defending Tom Verducci as well.

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Waffle Mike and the Indecisive Dog

If you read columns by Phil Mushnick and Bob Raissman, you know that they have an agenda against Mike Francesa and Chris Russo, a.k.a "Mike and the Mad Dog". But at times they are right on the money with their criticism, and that is the case with Mushnick's latest piece.

It describes the flip-flopping that the two bozos regularly do with their opinions and so-called expertise.

You'll want to read this, especially if you heard the Bergen Record's Ian O'Conner on the show last Friday.

SURPRISE, SURPRISE: FRANCESA, RUSSO BUTCHER TORRE STORY

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