I am thinking that on a day that Mike and the Mad Dog are going to be spending 95% of the day talking about horses that we return to a question that we posted on this blog very early on.
"Why do we like them so much..."
In thinking of the title for this post, i was going to return to that exact phrase but throughout the existence of this blog so many of the comments about MMD are negative about either Mike or Chris or both of them, that i wondered if this was the better question.
"Do we simply love to hate them?"
Is our dedication to Mike and Chris based on the fact that we just want to yell and scream at the television set? Is Mike Francesca's ego the biggest car crash you ever drove by? You know it's awful, you hate to look but you can't take your eyes off it? I believe that there is more venom for Mike than Chris.
To me Russo is simply a spaz and I can deal with him. Mike's overwhelming arrogance is hard to swallow, but still i listen. Why? I mean, i don't give a crap about horses running around in circles, yet i am listening to them today. Why?
The main character of the Bravo reality series Blow Out, Jonathan Anton had one of the most inflated egos i had ever seen on tv. I despised him. Yet, I watched every week. I believe just so i could hate him more. I don't hate Mike quite that much but it falls somewhat in the same category.
When something happens in New York sports, Joba, Mets collapse, Giants Super Bowl, Isiah fired, there are a few things as a sports fan you do. Check out the Post and the Daily News and then you listen to Mike and Chris. You want their take. You want to agree or disagree. But why them?
I don't have the answer to this question. Do we love Mike and Chris? Do we hate them? Do we love to hate them? Do we hate ourselves for loving them (maybe that's a bit much) Let's hear what you have to say, but please don't post the "it's the only thing to listen to while i am driving" response. It's gotta go deeper than that. Not super deep, but deeper than that.
Let the debate begin...
And Now, A Note From Brian Powell
14 years ago
15 comments:
I kind of agree with you about Dog, he's a spaz, who most sports fans can win an arguement against. Its also pretty funny when he yells and screams.
Mike, on the other hand is an arrogant douche bag. I truly can't stand him. I love when people put him in his place.
I'd go with "love to hate them." I can't count how many times during their show I'll think "what an arrogant windbag" or "these guys are morons" or "shut the hell up, Dog" but I always listen. And I'm not sure why.
its really a tough thing to quantify. Buy yeah with Dog, i feel like I could go have a beer with him and watch a game and it would be enjoyable, if somewhat maddening. But with Mike, his arrogance is off the charts and he knows it. He puts off this stigma that he is better than everyone. But it is part of that vibe that makes me want to watch. I want to know what he is going to say. I need to hear his take, which I often don't agree with (case in point today Mike got on Willie for walking the bases loaded in the 9th last night and they they could have brought in Heilman to face the righty, but yet he didnt realize that Heilman would then have to face a lefty. Better to walk the righty and just face the lefty. And also, he had no clue what the situation was - he kept asking Sal for details. Why not spend 2 minutes BEFORE the show on knowing the play by play of the 9th. Or better yet, watch IT. ) But anyway, Chris is more emotional and I can relate to that more as a fan. But they have established themselves as such an unique brand that while they are easy to bash, you almost have to give them some sort of respect. They are very good at what they do, whether or not we like it.
I can't stand either one of them anymore. I used to like them but Mike has become even more pompous than normal and dog is losing brain cells by the day--and he can hardly spare any.
A couple of years ago, Dog was doing the show solo and he interviewed Marvin Miller over the phone. Dog came off so stupid (no matter what you think of Miller, he has a high level mind), that I simply have not been able to take him seriously ever since.
OTOH, when you are doing some crappy work they make OK background noise on the radio.
I like them both equally because neither of them know much about sports, but have built a nice career on that. My favorite 'love to hate' moment is when a caller comes on and challenges Mike right away and tells him to listen. Mike says, 'Go ahead' and then starts this dismissive 'uh-huh' almost under his breath. He's diminishing the caller before they're even done.
I love (love to hate, that is) the "uh huh" when he wants the caller to know he's not listening. Max Kellerman does the same thing, and I don't think he's ever been accused of being overly humble either.
You know. I really think that its a lot worse than this. I think MMD are really irrelevant. ANYONE, ANYONE, ANYONE in this time slot, with the power o FAN, who take callers and talk about NY baseball and football would be number one in this time slot. Really. The slob and mushmouth are inconsequential. They mean NOTHING. They belong to the LUCKY TO BE BORN IN AMERICA CLUB. If you have ANY, ANY ANY,doubt that the united states of america is the very best, number one place ON EARTH to make a ton of money and be ABSOLUTELY TALENTLESS,all you got to do is look and Mike and the Maddog. Replace them with ANYONE, and the timeslot doesn't drop a beat.
anonymous - You're saying that if you put Susan Waldman and Richard Neer in that slot, it would rate? I can't quite go that far.
Gman
Sorry, I wouldn't be surprised. Put Benigno and his sidekick and you loose nothing. BOOMER and his guy, same thing or better.... WITHOUT A DOUBT.
Its not there guys. Believe me. Why would it be them? Are they articulate? NO. Do they posess an extraordinary amount of knowledge? Hell, no. Fatboy is nothing special and mushmouth is embarassingly unknowledgable considering what he is getting paid. Benigno has FORGOTTEN more about NY sports that that reject will EVER know. Is there any doubt?
Its the time slot, the broadcast power and the NY location.
Of course, that my opinion, but I have to admit, its a strong one.
6/6, 3:28 post -- Absolutely right. (I think about that when I see my boss's barely literate stoner son's Lexus SUV and $1.1 mil house.) What gets me is that Mike is such a damn sourpuss, when he makes all that money talking sports for what, 32 hours per week (obviously with very little preparation), can go to any sporting event he wants, and basically has summers and holidays off. Talk about a guy who's not grateful for what he has (or if he is, he does a good job of hiding it).
Oh, and GMan
I totally know what your talking about with the "under the breath" uh huh bullsheet.
He deserves a farking punch in the mouth. You do that crap in front of other guys and they would flatten his fat arse. And he would deserve it.
Hey, callers pay you. Listen to them. And disagree if you want. If the callers are rude, let them have it, but don't be a condescending areshole.
Sorry, thats just annoying as heck.
Oh, G
I happen to LOVE Richard Neer. Nice man, knowledgable, a bit to liberal for my taste, but hes respectful and my eardrums don't burst listening to him. But, I admit, he may be a bit too relaxing for the drive home.
ANd SW isn't on Fan anymore, is she? But she is DEFINATLY years better than either of these two jokes. But i don't see a woman getting hired for the slot, either.
gabagool,.
Here's perhaps a good question for you. If Richard Neer was hosting a show on the FAN everyday from 1-6:30, would you be commenting on blogs about Richard Neer. My guess is no. My point is that like them or hate them, MMD have carved a niche in this industry that is unmatched. And trust me, there is much I cannot stand about the two of them. But if you made me listen to Mike & Mike in the morning on ESPN for a week straight, I would shoot myself with that over-produced guy-talk choreographed show.
FTLT
Yep. I heard your side of this before, and I admit a Richard Neer blog wouldn't fly. BUt team him with an opposite personality and I believe FAN is still number one.
I've cut my listening WAY WAY down simply because they are so UNPREPARED, CONDESCENDING, and just plain LOUSY at what they do. Do they attract attention? Yes, they do , I admit it....like a fatal traffic accident.
To me, if you get paid what they get paid, you put in the time you need to come prepared, become the best you can be, and ALWAYS treat others with respect. Can anyone here say they these jokers do ANY of the three?
And Mike is the worse offender because he has more abiltiy. Yet he had NEVER heard of Joba Chamberlain before he was called up. Inexcusable.
gabagool...I completely agree on the coming prepared argument. They did the same thing on Friday while attempting to dissect the Mets 9th inning and had no clue. It's almost like they do it on purpose and are just saying deal with it to everyone. But to back what Gman said earlier, I still can't see a duo of Richard Neer and Waldman or Neer and whoever putting up the numbers MMD do
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