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Russo out at WFAN....

R

radiosgreatest1

Guest
new york radio message board says russo is out at wfan....whats going on?
 
NYRMB post said it came down late this afternoon. I listened to Mike doing the show solo (Dog is on vacation), but nothing was mentioned. Just checked the FAN website and it still has "Mike & The Mad Dog" stuff all over it, including a list of upcoming M&MD appearances like their annual end of summer Bar A show in NJ and Dog broadcasting solo from the Barclay Golf Classic on 8/20 and the US Open on 8/20. If this is true, you'll probably see it updated it by tomorrow.

UPDATE: It's true. Here's the story.
http://www.newsday.com/sports/ny-sprusso0815,0,4065290.story

Personally, I'm a little sad that they couldn't work out a deal, but they had a great run. I think their success was an example of the sum being greater than its parts. Francessa is an authority on everything, but is a pompous bore. Dog is entertaining, but doesn't watch enough of the sports that he's supposed to be an expert on ("I did not see that, Mike"). While I wish Russo well, I think both he and Francessa will be mediocre on their own. The long time listeners are the real losers here as the duo have become part of our weekday afternoon routines for the past 19 years.
 
radiosgreatest1 said:
new york radio message board says russo is out at wfan....whats going on?
Click to expand...

Huh? Let's try to figure this one out:
They recently needed a morning guy...but didn't move Chris there.
Could it be that Mike refused to work in the same building as him? ;)
 
It's a bad day in NYC radio that a pompous blowhard with limited sports knowledge who also refuses to acknowledge that a majority of the listeners know as much or more than him...gets to continue on.

I agree with Fang...Mike on his own or with a couple of sidekicks will wear thin fast. I also don't think there's many other large market hosts that will want to play 2nd fiddle to Mike as part of a new team. And one wonders why CBS Radio has gone from a premiere radio company to selling off almost everything...it's all about bad decision making.

If I'm ESPN or Fox...I snag Chris ASAP. If I'm him...I take the rest of the year off to relax and figure out what's next though. He deserves better than this. I also don't think you can harp on Chris if he misses something from time to time...no one in the sports talk field catches everything. Hell...for as many different things Chris Myers covers for Fox...he seems to miss quite a bit when it comes to discussing sports on his show which he's never there for half the time anyway.

Good luck Dog!
 
I can't help but think that Dog got a raw deal...and that Mike is just exercising his power of blowhard...BEST, Chris!!
 
Sad....I was only just getting into the show this past year. Something was up though, I'm sure. They hadn't been together for weeks, save the odd show. I personally thought Chris was the more entertaining of the two. Mike tends to mumble a bit, IMHO. It will be interesting to hear where the Dog ends up.
 
I'm not from NYC, but I've seen/heard enough of Chris Russo over the years, and this might be a great thing for him. Syndication via one of the sports radio networks or as its rumored Sirius/XM is a possibility.
 
this is really a bad move by wfan. i watched the show today (8/14/08) on the yes network and it was a snoozefest.mike is a pompous idiot!!! if he don`t like what you are saying or say anything he don`t agree with he hangs up on you. at least dog would let you give your side then he would give his.i saw at least twice today when a caller didn`t agree with mike he gave the signal to hang up on the caller. thats low class. i for one will not be listening anymore to the show.mike got what he wanted. his own show. i believe he just couldn`t stand the fact that dog was more popular then him. i hope mikes rating tank so bad he is forced to leave the station!! his sunday night tv show on wnbc ch 4 in new york is also a snoozfest.i think the radio show with him by himself everyday will be no different.
 
Can we get Bill Mazer back? He was better than either of them either together or apart. I also think that Warner Wolfe doing a similar type show would be far superior to either of them. Also, remember that for a while that Marty Glickman did a sports talk show on WNEW. He was also excellent. All of the above have and had one thing in common.....they are or were all more literate and knew more about sports than Mike or Mad Dog. Mike and the Mad Dog are an example of the dumbing down of radio to appeal to the lowest common denominator.
 
kms575 said:
Sad....I was only just getting into the show this past year. Something was up though, I'm sure. They hadn't been together for weeks, save the odd show. I personally thought Chris was the more entertaining of the two. Mike tends to mumble a bit, IMHO. It will be interesting to hear where the Dog ends up.
Click to expand...

Keep in mind that when they first started doing radio, they didn't really get along. Fortunately, they rode that premise for twenty years, and it made for great radio.
 
luvcoors said:
If I'm ESPN or Fox...I snag Chris ASAP.
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All signs point to Mad Dog landing on satellite radio - of course, there could be the possibility of him doing a local show on, say, 1050, and simulcasting on satellite, like Michael Kay does...
 
If I'm a sports radio programming guy -- and I once was -- I'm not sure I bring in Dog's show for sports alone. If you're running a hardcore, balls-out "all sports" format, Russo's NOT your guy. As pointed out earlier here, he's easily guilty of not having as much day-to-day sports acumen as others. But for sheer entertainment value, and the ability to stir the stuff up, Russo's among the best in his field.
 
RADIO TRUTH said:
Can we get Bill Mazer back? He was better than either of them either together or apart. I also think that Warner Wolfe doing a similar type show would be far superior to either of them. Also, remember that for a while that Marty Glickman did a sports talk show on WNEW. He was also excellent. All of the above have and had one thing in common.....they are or were all more literate and knew more about sports than Mike or Mad Dog. Mike and the Mad Dog are an example of the dumbing down of radio to appeal to the lowest common denominator.
Click to expand...

I heard Mazer last year during WFAN's 20th anniversary weekend and he sounded really bad. I think he's well into his 80's. Besides, commercial radio is always about dumbing down for ratings.

As for Russo leaving, this really is the end of an era. WFAN will do fine for now, but it just won't be the same.

Also, I have to congratulate Neil Best for breaking this story to begin with. He's by far my favorite local columnist.
 
WFAN needs to act quickly to fill the void of Russo. To simply put another generic voice with fat man Mike won't do it. They need to find a maniacal and crazy personality to keep the flow of what they had going for 20 years alive and well.
 
I am saddened that it's over. Whether you love 'em or hate 'em, 19 years together on the air is a remarkable run. I truly appreciated them after I moved to Atlanta (sports radio is awful down here!). I would catch them when I can, or YES or on line.

I wish Dog all the best. I know Mike will do well.
 
i'm in St. Louis & i've been watching M&MD on Directv for the past few years.. i have to agree w/everyone that MD really keeps the show going & when mike is just boring by himself... it just gets really annoying hear him rant about something & he goes on & on & on
 
RADIO TRUTH said:
Can we get Bill Mazer back? He was better than either of them either together or apart.
Click to expand...

FINALLY, something else we agree on!! :) :) :) No one more than me would love to see "The Amazin" get on the 'FAN!! Mazer, ALWAYS one of the MOST INTELLIGENT people around...but would he appeal to the 25-54 male demo that the 'FAN appeals to? Secondly, would the younger guys even APPRECIATE somebody like a Bill Mazer? (and if they can't get Mazer, how about pulling Tom McDonald - still think McDonald got a RAW deal from Channel 5 years ago - away from NY1? McDonald is a younger version of Mazer - intelligent, classy, and a VERY decent guy to boot....)

Andrea
 
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