The Fluke, The Thief, His Wife and the PSL.

So after an incredible post-season run, which included one of the greatest Super Bowl victories in history, Mike and the Mad Dog show went to Albany for Giants training camp. What did Mike and Chris do to celebrate the World Champion Giants? Sing their praises? Open with radio calls from the Super Bowl? Uh, no. Within 3 minutes, they brought out the idea 'that this team was a fluke'. I guess there is no room for sentimentality in their world. It's onto more negative things. They just kept going from there. How was training camp going for the Giants quest to repeat? Eh. Lots of rain. How about the Giants organization that was able to put together a championship team through crafty trades and sound free agent signings? A bunch of crooks who are trying to steal from the average Joe with these PSLs. How about the economy? It sucks so much that they are staying away from Saratoga. You can actually walk into the trendiest restaurant there without a reservation. For shame.

Yesterday(and today), Chris took ESPN to task for how they never criticize Favre. Too positive, he says. Well, anyone is too positive when compared to these negative Nellies. They literally cannot celebrate anything. What happened to being a fan? These two have had their souls sucked out of them, so they can only knock down others. Can't wait for the fluke theme to come up later in the day when they talk about the Rays. Ahhh....Maybe I am starting to think like some of our readers who are sick of them and can't wait for their breakup. Either way, there are days like this where they tire you out.

IT'S STILL AUGUST. MIKE AND CHRIS ARE BACK TOGETHER.. CALLERS BEGIN DIALING

Now, I do not know how many people read this little blog of ours. However many you are, we sure do appreciate you and tomorrow I would like to ask you to do us a favor. It's a small one and won't require too much of your time, especially if you have a quick redial button.

Mike and Chris will be sitting uncomfortably close to one another tomorrow as they do a remote from Giants camp. Now they are going to attempt to dazzle you with things like Eli Manning, Cover Two, repeat champions, Tom Coughlin, perhaps a Strahan mention or a thousand. They are going to toss out there words like slot receiver and perhaps mention a Shockey and Floyd Reese tussle. Yes, they will try to distract you with all sorts of stories and guests, yes actual guests. And you for a second might be seduced. You might see Mike and Chris together and think everything is alright with the world. You might hear them laughing with Armani Toomer and think that Mike and Chris are just two regular guys, talking sports, living the dream. You might during the parade of laughter and actual real live guests which you haven't seen for weeks outside of Jon Heyman, you might forget what month it is.. you might... but don't cause that's where our favor comes in

Tomorrow is still August, the month where we are allowed to finally talk about the Rays. Tomorrow is the first day that Mike Francesca is hosting a radio show in August. TOMORROW IS THE DAY THAT WE AT MIKE AND THE MAD BLOG ASK YOU, OUR LOYAL READERS, (or even those who are reading for the first time or by mistake) TO PICK UP THE PHONE AND TALK TAMPA BAY RAYS BASEBALL! DIAL THOSE NUMBERS 718 937 6666

WE OFFICIALLY PROCLAIM AUGUST 5 AS THE MIKE AND THE MAD BLOG TALK TO MIKE IN AUGUST DAY! CELEBRATE WITH US AND CALL IN.

Rock-A-Bye-Russo

Nearing the end of a solo Russo show today and I have to say that Chris, much like rocking a baby to sleep, has lulled me into a catatonic state today. I just want to take a nap. Personally I have always prefered Dog solo to Mike solo. He is usually more engaging, better with the callers, full of energy. But today has been an exception to that. It has been a very tame show. No juice. No guest spots. Nothing. It has me thinking if solo Mike is perhaps a more "entertaining" show. Not that Francesa himself is more entertaining, but usually when he is solo, he will make bold statements without anyone there to refute them, his arrogance will be off the charts, he'll hand wave callers away at a rapid pace. And typically I will become quite annoyed listening to his pompous attitude. And that, in essence, creates a more entertaining experience. I don't know. After today's snooze-fest, I think I might be switching my vote to solo Francesa as the better show***

***Editor's note: The first full segment during a Francesa solo show on his experiences at Saratoga Springs this summer will place me back in Dog's corner.

A Flurry of Stinks List Activity

Been a lot of movement on the Stinks List today. So far, Russo has added the following to the list:

San Diego Padres
Joe Blanton (2nd time in a week)
Scott Schoeneweis
Billy Wagner

But here's my question. If you are adding Scott Schoeneweis to the Stinks List today, how can you not add Aaron Heilman? Now Russo did come very close with Heilman, saying about 6-7 times that Heilman has "killed the Mets" this year. But for some odd reason, Russo didn't add Heilman to the list. Heilman has an ERA over 5.00, and a WHIP of 1.5. Schoeneweis has an ERA of 3.14 and a WHIP of 1.30. So how does he make the list and not Heilman? Is it because Mikey likes Aaron and Doggie doesn't want to irk the big man in case he's listening? That is a TERRIBLE job by Russo. I'm starting to wonder if I can trust Dog in a big spot when it comes to the Stinks List.

Things You Can Trust

In Chris Russo's world, here's a list of things you can trust:

- Giants closer Brian Wilson
- Chris' cross court backhand
- Old style headphones
- Contracts
- Fidgeting
- Timmy (not yet in a big spot though)
- Will Clark
- Tim Lincecum
- Hard cover sports reference books (not the internet)
- Nadal on clay

One thing, however, that you cannot trust, is the New York Mets.

SOLO RUSSO TODAY

It’s Dog solo on the FAN today as Mark Chernoff considers the petition in front of him sent by us earlier this morning. I wonder if Doggie practices his open during the car ride in from New Canaan... “The Mets are an enigma. That’s why you can’t trust them. Terrible job this weekend. Terrible. The bullpen stinks. Wagner stinks. The offense isn’t that good. Perez stinks. That’s why the Mets will never sign him after this year. I’m down on the Mets. This Ryan Church thing is a mess. How’s that “lifted weight in the clubhouse with Jerry Manuel” working out now? The Mets are an enigma. I don’t trust them. Tremendous job by the Phillies. They showed a lot of fight and guts this weekend. Great, great job by Lidge this year. Ahh listen, if you’re a Yankee fan, you wanna go crazy about a split with the Angels? Okay. But I do NOT trust that bullpen in a big spot. And one more thing...this idea that Brett Favre is now going to be welcomed back as the starting quaterback is an absolute joke. A TERRIBLE job by Favre. The kid’s been waiting years to play. I’m down on Favre. TERRIBLE job by him. Enough already with this Favre stuff. ENOUGH!!!"

AUG 1: IT'S OFFICIAL: YOU CAN TALK ABOUT THE RAYS

Boy oh boy, it has been very difficult. There have been so many times when I have been talking sports with people, talking about the American League pennant race and I would start to say something like... "The Yankees and Red Sox are trying to catch.." And then I would stop myself, halting the letters from escaping my mouth because I knew that it was not yet August 1st. I even had trouble with my fantasy team because I had two players who played for the unspeakable team and every time I looked at my roster I would have to pretend they were not there. It is not August yet I would remind myself, I cannot speak of these people, this team.

I woke up this morning like a kid on Christmas, or Hanukah, or perhaps for a select few, Arbor Day. I watched as the day went from 11:59 to 12:00 AM announcing the arrival of August 1st. And now it is here and I am ready to spend the entire day calling into to Mike and the Mad Dog, getting through once, and then calling again, and then calling again, every time changing my voice, using British accents, or maybe one of those disguise voices that 007 uses. I would dedicate the day to calling Mike and Chris and finally letting it all out. I was psyched and then I looked at the WFAN schedule.

Mike and Chris are off. Convient? Conspiracy? No, it's another word beginning in C. COWARDS. Yes, i am calling Mike Francesca a coward. You sat on your throne, and utttered the same five words over and over again when asked about the Tampa Bay Rays.

TALK TO ME IN AUGUST.

And now it's August and Mike is nowhere to be found. Well, that's probably not true. We all know he is riding a horse in the fields of Saratoga with the wind whistling through his air while listening to All Out of Love by Air Supply on his ipod. I know that.. but this is what i want from this coward. I want a live show today from Saratoga. I don't care if Mike does the whole show while riding a horse or eating a horse or singing I Got A Horse Right Here from Guys and Dolls. I want Mike Francesca taking phone calls and only phone calls. I want the show to start with a phone call that asks Mike what day it is today and I want Mike to say August first and then I want the caller to go on a 17 minute monologue where he recaps the RAYS season along with playing calls by their announcers. I want phone calls where people just say TAMPA BAY RAYS and hang up. At the end of the show, I want Mike to begin to weep. I want him to stand up like that scene in NETWORK. I want there to be huge tears and I want him to yell...

I WAS WRONG!