It's been a while but it's time for me to dust off the keyboard and insert some life back into this blog. Kbilly, AwesomeSean, you've done an admirable job in keeping things going but I had an epiphany (Loki, look up this word on the internet) this morning. How about a post dedicated to one Mike Francesa? Imagine that. Instead of gossiping about real estate on the Jersey shore or weekend softball games, it's time to talk a little shop around here.
So Mikey finds himself in quite the conundrum today. This year has been a very strange Yankee season for Francesa. He has gone against everything he has always stood for. In years past if the Bombers got off to a listless start, as they did this season, invetitably Mike would field Yankee panic calls throughout April and May.. And in typical Francesa fashion, Mike would tee off on those calls "It's April!!!!, Talk to me in August!!" In short, Mike would never press the panic button. Doing so would be likening himself to the common folk, the Mike from Montclairs, the Bruce from Baysides. Instead, Mike would draw a line in the sand and he would always be on the "It's the Yankees, they will turn it around and make the playoffs" side.
However, this year has been a complete reversal. For whatever reason (leftover Torre bitterness, the absence of Russo to mock him), Mike took a completely different approach this season. Throughout April and May, Francesa continuously buried the Yankees. He told us of how they had no heart, that Arod's return wasn't going to help this team, that they didn't play with grit, that their bullpen was a mess, that Joba belonged in the pen, that Hughes was a joke, that Melky was not a starter, that Gardner would never hit in the big leagues, that he was against the Burnett signing, that Sabathia was not in Santana's class, that Girardi was coaching himself out of the Bronx. And to add insult to Yankees fans injury, Mike then jumped on the Red Sox bandwagon and has marveled all season at the names Beckett, Youkillis, Pedroia, Lester and those minor leaguers that they call up and throw in the '90s. Sure, he has gotten his customary "Theo wanted no part of the Lowell/Beckett trade" comments in, but for the most part, WFAN from 1-6:30 has become WEEI.
In years past, Mike would clamor for the Yankees to go after every big player available ("the kid McCluth from Pittsburgh", Marte, "Heath Bell could set up for Mariano" and so on and so on.) But this year when the big fish, Halladay was available, Mike wanted no part. All of a sudden, Francesa was pining for parity.
And a funny thing started to happen throughout this tumultous time. The Yankees defied Francesa. They started winning and haven't stopped. Meanwhile, the Sox all of a sudden look like the team that resides in Flushing. And in a weird way, The Yankees shocking sweep of Boston is exactly what Mike did NOT want. He wanted to sing the praises of Youk and Beckett and lament the sad state of the Yankees when it comes to winning big games. He has been on that train all season long and now that it has derailed in the most horrific way imaginable, how will Mike respond? What will his take be? Surely he will say that we haven't seen the last of Boston yet. It's been a "bizarre" year for sure. It's Mike move now and it's going to be fascninating to watch...
And Now, A Note From Brian Powell
14 years ago
32 comments:
Excellent post. Mike is right as much as the weatherman.
Great stuff FTLT. I was commenting about much of this stuff. He has been a Red Sox fan all year and was hoping for a few Red Sox wins after that Thursday night win for the Yanks, so he could tell the Yankee fan to "relax" and "calm down" and "talk to me in September"... It has been a bizarre year of Francea
I keep thinking that he has some kind of sinister/ulterior motive. Like, too much Yankee love leaves him open to derision if they don't perform or something. Or, by giving the Sawx some credit he's somehow jinxing them or preparing himself for a situation where he can say, "I've been saying this team is gritty and tough from the beginning." I don't know. The NYY temperance and the Sawx love seems a bit manufactured. Either way, he's gotta appease NYY fans today. They welcomed the boys from Beantown and treated them rudely. In fact, all of a sudden, Theo assumes the role of Cashman in the eyes of the Boston crowd. Mike has to be a typical NYY fan today or his fan base will revolt.
Can we get some stories about Manningham and how he's gonna be better than Calvin Johnson. Please.
As was previously pointed out here by someone else Mikes "love affair" with the Sox was in large part to "jinx" them, patronize the Yankee fan, and ultimately to turn the Yanks around. Of course I don't believe the Yankee players are sitting around listening to Mike and waiting for him to ignite a fire under their asses, but since things have done a complete turn around I fully expect Mike to continue with it and to eventually in his "Sick" mind take credit for it.
I really don't think their is a baseball fan out there who does'nt expect the yankees to win the world series including Mike. If you look at the starting AL lineup in this years all star game a case can be made that the Yankees have a better lineup than the one that night in St. Louis.
I'm looking forward to hearing Mikes take on Youk in LF. Now remember-- Francona takes the blame for that mess. Add that to the disaster I've seen in Flushing all year and it has been a BIZARRE season.
I saw some good baseball this weekend between the Yanks/Sox but as I've been saying all year the outcome has already been determined.
Now lets get back to Jersey Shore real estate! LOL
JD
Sorry AwesomeSean.
You were the guy I was referring to about the "jinx" comments last week.
We must have typed our entries at the same time.
JD
No worries...Your opinions on the NYY October success are starting to look a little too real. Observe:
Possible playoff teams in the AL:
Tex, TB, Ana, Bos, Det, ChiSox, Minny and Sea. Oh boy.
Possible playoff teams in the NL:
LAD, Phi, CHC, STL, FL, SF and Mil. Oh boy.
I don't see where they trip up unless the whole team turns cold and someone like Det or TB pitches the lights out in a quick 5 game series.
all of these callers trying to make mike admit his wrong. they must be new listeners.
your post was dead on. in his opening today, he referred to the Sox as 'we'. I was watching on YES and rewound my DVR to make sure, and he said, "We have no chance of catching the Yanks." He needs Mad Dog to prod him, because he is sounding like a bandwagonner, almost despondent of the results of the weekend.
I want someone to call and say: it has been a bad year for you. first, your best football buddy, Parcells, disowns you. Then, your best baseball buddy, Omar, acts like a buffoon, and now your love affair with the Sox is falling apart.
I thought someone killed that bitch Lisa from Whitestone
She said she was Lisa from Manhattan or Lisa from the Lower East Side for a while, but she's still around...and still all over Mike's jock.
Mike still sounds sad about this weekend - he is still on team Sox. In years past he'd be gloating like crazy after this weekend
Oh yeah, I don't know if this will find itself into Mike's show today (although, with him being a FA at the end of 2009, it might) but staying with baseball and potential WC teams I wanted to say that I thought Deadspin blew it with the Hamilton story this week. I know it was subsequently picked up by, ummm, every GD media outlet in the world but it was broken by Deadspin. I appreciate Deadspin and loved how Leitch fed Bissinger his lunch on Costas but this seemed bush league to me. Maybe I'm suggesting a double standard but this seemed a little mean-spirited instead of a little fun or instead of a little news.
And, I'm off the soapbox.
No doubt Arod looks like he is about to finally solidify himself as a Yankee this October. I'm not sure how I will feel about that.
The sad part is.... unlike other years the Yankees don't really need his bat this year?
Any thoughts?
JD
Carl from New Jersey!!!!!!!!!
LOL
JD
AwesomeSean
I had no problem with the Hamilton coverage. If any athlete does that its bound to show up somewhere. The fact that the reason we know Hamilton is because of his past and his God-fearing teatoatling makes it more newsworthy.
Big Ben had similar pictures get out a couple years back and it was no big deal because he doesn't constantly talk about how God keeps him on the straight and narrow.
Big Ben, Leinart, Vince Young etc. You're right about all of it and that's why I said maybe I'm looking for a double standard with Hamilton. Those 3 may not have the same story...They may not have the same problems. While I hear you on "God is my guide" thing I just think Deadspin could've given Hamilton a chance to come out on his own.
Or maybe I'm just a whiny, oversensitive b*tch.
I think you are a whiny, oversensitive b*tch, AwesomeSean. But its ok.
given Hamilton a chance to come out on his own?
Should the Wash Post given Nixon a se3cond chance, so he could come out when he felt like it?
Is Mike being facetious here saying he had no idea about the Victorino thing, being trhown out frmo centerfield? Are you serious, he hasn't seen this video yet?
I remember Woodstock...those were the good ol' days.
Whatdoyouhave...He was too busy boning up on the early Santana years. That way, he'd be good and ready for a delusional historical perspective with whatever burned out hippy he's "interviewing."
Yeah Loki...Mud, hunger and being stuck in upstate NY has always been my idea of fun.
When you're stoned out of your mind everything is fun.
In 1969 a great event like this was called Woodstock.
Today it's called a Springsteen concert.
LOL
JD
No way man, Springsteen concerts are all baby boomers.
Today that's a Phish concert.
I'm 28 but I enjoyed that interview and the callers afterwards on Woodstock
Tony Russo just said he doesn't know who Tim Lincicum is. Tony thought he was a left-hand hitting 1st baseman the Red Sox just traded for.
Tony is going deaf. May be time to cut this bit.
Spot-on analysis.
At some point during the offseason, Mike became disillusioned with the entire Yankees franchise.
Did Mickey come to him in a dream?
Maybe.
Was it a wet dream?
Without question.
Regardless, Mike's LAWST in his own web of seemingly pre-meditated emotions.
Gonna be a HOT summer on MIKE'D UP! MIKE'D UP!
Also, how long will YES allow this Red Sox mouthpiece to poison its brand?
Michael Kay's a good little sheep on 1050, however, Mikey's made it quite clear that he won't "bahhhhhhhhhh" to the corporate hand.
Realistically, that's gotta eventually change.
I mean, WFAN's decision to keep Mike — the stereotypical pompous Yankees fan — HAD to be based on the contract they had in place with YES.
Do you think YES was going to extend it with Russo?
NO.
IF YOU THINK OTHERWISE, YOU ARE LAWST!
Mike could be going full-steam ahead into a HAY-UGE crossroads in his career.
Yanks win and the Sox pretend to be getting their shit together.
11:02 AM By Neil Best
Friday is the first anniversary of the official breakup of WFAN's Mike Francesa and Chris Russo, but Thursday represents an anniversary of another sort.
Francesa is in Albany for his annual visit to Giants training camp. Solo, of course.
It's already one year...that's pretty depressing.
maddogmaddogmaddogmaddogmaddogmaddogmaddogmaddogmaddogmaddogmaddogmaddogmaddogmaddogmaddogmaddogmaddogmaddogmaddogmaddogmaddogmaddogmaddogmaddogmaddogmaddogmaddogmaddogmaddogmaddogmaddogmaddogmaddogmaddogmaddogmaddogmaddogmaddogmaddogmaddogmaddogmaddogmaddogmaddogmaddog........come back dog
I tuned in for an hour after the Yanks swept the Sox and it was pretty damn funny listening to Mike fend off the callers. The best were the ones telling him that he said Hughes wouldn't be good as a reliever. Mike was getting visibly agitated and denying that he ever indicated any such thing, while of course he did. Lol...
It was also amusing one day when he was harping on the fact that Boston is done with their West Coast trips, whereas the Yankees have 2 left. He neglected to mention that only 3 of those games are vs. Anaheim and the rest are against the likes of Seattle and Oakland. I'm sure the Yankees are shaking in their boots at the prospect of staring down those mighty clubs on the road.
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