Phony'd Up

I am about halfway through Mike's interview with Jerry Manuel and not that this is some revelation but it is amazing how phony Francesa is during these interviews with managers. Is this the same Francesa who we have listened to blasting Manuel and the Mets all week? Mike gets on the air the past few days and screams about Manuel pinch hitting for Murphy, not challenging the Church call, turning his back on Church, etc, etc, etc.. He brings on Eddie Coleman throughout the week and attacks the Met beat reporter for these decisions as if Eddie C was pulling the strings. But when Jerry comes in, Mike calmly switches into "soft" mode - like he's talking to his old buddy Parcells on a football Sunday. Mike, you consistently challenge the Mets for showing no heart, no edge, no toughness - for not coming through in a big spot. Well, after listening to most of this Jerry Manuel report, those same things could be said about you. Here's your chance to channel Lt. Kaffe from A Few Good Men and thunder away at Jerry like he's Jessep on the stand. But instead you come off looking like Louden Downey. You needed a trial lawyer to help you through that interview.

First Name Basis

Just caught a few minutes of Mike talking about "Tom." In case you are wondering who that is, it would be Mr. Brady. And it just occurred to me that there is no greater sign of respect from Francesa than when he refers to you on a first name basis. Consider the following examples:

- Tom (Brady)
- Bernie (Williams)
- Joe (Torre)
- Mariano (Rivera)
- Tino (Martinez)
- Manny (Ramirez)
- Omar (Minaya)
- Eli (Manning)

Conversely, consider these people for whom Mike doesn't quite adore and how he refers to them:

- Wright (David)
- Reyes (Jose)
- Delgado (Carlos)
- Manuel (Jerry)
- Dog (Chris Russo)
- Ortiz (David)
- Lee (David)
- Robinson (Nate)
- Girardi (Joe)

These are just a few examples. Now I know what you are thinking - what about the JDYB factor? That would be the Jeter-Duncan-Youkilis-Brosius factor: 4 guys Mike has the ultimate respect for, but refers to the by their last names. Just chalk this up to the margin of error that you would see in statistical polling...what does this all mean? Nothing really but it just seemed like time for a new post....

FILL US IN

Haven't listened to a word today. I'm in a Mike bores me stage. Anyone care to fill us in on today's show?

CANON LAW

I am still tired of Mike, but today's open forces me to give him some props. I mean you gotta hand it to him. It's not like he praised the Mets and Yankees and said they had no problems after they both won weekend series. No, this guy opened up his radio show, in the middle of the studio with a loaded, nickel-plated can of whoop ass. I'll get off the paraphrasing of Lt. Caffee after hearing of Markinson's death. But this is why we love/hate Mike Francesa so much. His lies, his exaggerations, his hypocrisy, his accuracy, his negativity, his arrogance, his nastiness. All of these traits are below in excerpted clips from the first two segments of the show:

-"No wonder Steve Phillips never won here." - You mean besides the World Series trip? Granted, Phillips' suggestion to trade Beltran was absurd, but he was the GM during one of their most successful periods.
-"What I want answered is why Reyes didn't pinch hit?" Well, Mike. You can ask Jerry Manuel that same question when he's on with you during his weekly spot. Now, I seem to remember Mike saying that Manuel might not be on this week because of the road trip. Even so, if this is such a burning question, then it can wait a week.
-"He doesn't like Castro. He doesn't like Church." Another excellent opportunity for Mike to ask the Met manager about his hate for his two players.
-"Morgan parachutes in here." - Joe Morgan is definitely old-school, but not to that extent.
-"You pinch hit Murphy with a Minor leaguer!" - Ok. So maybe Pagan is a bit of a Quadruple AAA player, but he has played in 181 Major League games over three years, so it's not his first trip around the block.
-"The Mets have sold Murphy like crazy" and "they have canonized him." Below the various definitions for canonize. I don't see anything below that fits that definition in regards to the hype around Daniel Murphy. I have a feeling Gregg Jeffries wins that award.

1. To declare (a deceased person) to be a saint and entitled to be fully honored as such.
2. To include in the biblical canon.
3. To include in a literary canon.
4. To approve as being within canon law.
5. To treat as sacred; glorify.

MIKE'D UP MONDAY LINEUP

We have done predictions for Mike's talking topics on a day after big sporting events. This is no different in that we will solicit your answers as well.

1. First topic will combo the Yanks and Mets - "...Franceser on the Fan. Well, a good weekend for both area baseball teams."

2. Then a segue to Yanks three-straight walk off wins - "Maybe, just maybe, this will inject a little juice into the new Yankee stadium. This past weekend might just have put some life into this stadium, which before was like a morgue."

3. Mets win 3 out of 4 from Giants - "So the Mets(voice very unenthusiastic)took care of business in San Francisco with big offensive performances from Wright and Beltran, until they were shut down by Matt Cain last night. Pelphrey blew their chance to sweep with his three bawwlks. (starts chuckling) After the last bawwlk, (more laughing) he kicks the cleat cleaner(laughing) and almost falls down(more laughing). But hey, let's give the Mets a little credit. They have won 12 out of their last 16. Although the NL East is a bad division. " Continues on with any praise of the Mets qualified by minor criticism.

As an aside, how quickly into Russo's show will he bring up the Giants losing 3 out of 4 to the Mets? That was the one great thing about Russo being on the Fan. Since he was doing a New York show, he could only talk so much about the SF Giants before he realized that no one cared.

Also, who was listening to the ESPN broadcast last night? Terrible job out of them. First they spend 3 innings on the old story about who is the leader of the Mets. Then Steve Phillips brings up the Trade Reyes talk from 'New York talk radio'. I'm not a fan of Joe Morgan, but he clearly cut through all the bullshit and totally dismissed trading Reyes, Wright or Beltran for that matter. Wondering if Francesa was listening and will he bring this up.

Please give us your predictions for Mike's starting lineup ordered 1-3.

Dog Days

Perhaps there will never be a reunion between Mike Francesa and Chris Russo. But I think if you ask most longtime WFAN listeners, they would clamor for the duo to put aside their differences and join forces once again. But could it ever happen? Neil Best had a good interview with Russo the other day. For those that missed it, take a look below at some of Doggie's comments. Sure he points out some of the things he doesn't miss about WFAN, but it certainly sounds to me that he feels nostalgic about his old gig. I can't go too crazy with the idea that he's happy at SIRIUS/XM talking Nebraska football and Carolina Hurricanes hockey. Sounds to me like he misses the pace and the fervor of the FAN time slot he shared with Francesa for almost 20 years. But what's your take? Here's Neil's story:

Chris Russo misses local slant, but likes new life
Neil Best

For most New York sports radio listeners, Chris Russo's trademark cackle is but a memory - other than in those spot-on imitations by WFAN's Craig Carton.

It is a reality Russo knew he was accepting when he left the FAN for Sirius XM, a pay satellite service with 18.6 million subscribers nationwide but a far lower profile among tri-state fans than WFAN.

Still, Russo said Wednesday that while he does not regret the move and enjoys many aspects of his new gig, he sometimes misses the impact of being on a local, 50,000-watt powerhouse.

"There are times, I'd be lying if I said I didn't think about it,'' he said, a feeling more pronounced now than in the fall because of the national scope of the NFL.

The baseball is so much more local. Those are the days where you definitely feel a little pang, like, 'Boy, Mike [Francesa] has got to be at Citi Field today, or Mike's got to be at Yankee Stadium.'

"I guarantee you when the Mets and Yankees first play [June 12] I will definitely sense it, because I won't be part of that. There are times you miss that.''

He added, "When the Yankees are [losing], I have to assume fans are more attuned to what Mike is saying, or Kay than myself. I do feel that pang. Not all the time, but I've felt it.''

As for Francesa, he said, "I don't care if you had the worst divorce in your life. When you're married to someone for 19 years there is going to be an element of that marriage you'll miss,'' he said.

"That byplay between me and Mike, I miss that occasionally," Russo said. "I can't deny it. But overall, I don't have any regrets.''

Francesa still has neither hired a new sidekick nor ruled out doing so eventually. The urgency has been eased by the fact his ratings have held up well.

What about Russo's? There are none on satellite radio, and Sirius XM says there is no reliable way to measure his audience.

Instead, Russo said his feedback comes mostly from callers. There are more of them than in the early days of "Mad Dog Unleashed,'' which premiered eight months ago Friday, but Russo estimated 70 percent still come from the tri-state area.

The best part of the new job, he said, is the freedom he has to discuss what he wants and go where he wants, including a number of road trips that never would have happened at WFAN.

"Nobody looks over my shoulder and tells me I can or cannot do this or that,'' he said.

From 2 to 7 Wednesday he covered a broad range of topics and took calls from Manhattan to Maui. He led with Magic-Celtics - On Dwight Howard: "Keep your big, fat trap shut!'' - but he dealt with the Mets and Yankees and had guests from Charles Barkley to Ed Olczyk to Len Berman.

"One thing I don't miss is nine million calls a day about whether Joba should be in the rotation,'' he said. "Or nine million calls in the wintertime about how the Mets have to sign Manny Ramirez.''

With only four ad breaks per hour, Russo has the luxury of more time, but that puts a greater burden on his voice, which gave out for a week in November. He said he did a "terrible job'' of taking care of himself but now is more careful.

Russo's deal is believed to be worth $3 million a year, but Sirius XM has been in a precarious financial state. Is he concerned?

"I think we're going to make it,'' he said. "I don't go to work every day wondering if this place is going to collapse. And don't forget, CBS Radio ain't doing that great, either. If we're doing bad we've got a lot of company.''

"Mad Dog Radio,'' for which he is executive producer, now is a 24-hour sports talk outlet. He said he would give himself a better grade for doing that part of his job than for his own show.

Meanwhile, at his old home, he is gone but not forgotten.

Russo said he had heard about Carton's imitation but not heard much of it himself.

"I don't think it's malicious," he said. "I take it as a compliment.''

Friday on the FAN

Thanks to GMan for taking us down memory lane yesterday. Good stuff by them in just a year. Even with FTLT playing Tipper Gore, I think this blog has excellent content and great feedback from readers.

I expect a very lovey-dovey show today. Preakness is running, NY baseball teams are winning and we have two NBA Game 7's on Sunday. Not a lot to complain about although I'm sure we'll get the requisite complaints about:

1. Yankee stadium seating, pricing and shutting out the downtrodden
2. NYM bullpen
3. Reyes flamboyant, non-Jeteresque playing style
4. CC not throwing enough no hitters and Texeira not leading the league in helping old ladies across the street

Aside from all that, we'll probably get Barkley on, some horse trainers, Eddie C. and Sweeny and everyone will have a good old fashioned love-in. Should be nice.

I was thinking, though, that instead of Mike and Barkley talking about screen and rolls, home court advantage, Paul "Clutch" Pierce, the Black Mamba and Artest it would be nice if we could spend some time on Pau Gasol. Now I have no idea what kind of playoffs he's been having but I do know that he's doing a great impersonation of this guy. I wonder if he croons "A Pair of Brown Eyes" at home? Anyway, looking at that mug over the past few days it got me remembering an old Vescey column from the 80's that featured a piece on Paul Mokeski. Paraphrasing here, but what he said was, "Even when Mokeski plays well, he still looks bad. Someone should put a hand in face and leave it there." Classic stuff from a classic writer. When's his Gasol piece coming?

Then, Mike will go on and on about the filly tomorrow as Gman previously alluded to on this here blog. He'll have his theories and he'll listen to some others and it'll be all very coma inducing for 98% of his listening audience. Basically, typical Mike on a racing day. I will grant him this, however...At least he won't spout the nonsense that R. Reilly puked all over his column today. No freaking way it's getting linked here so if you want a nice queasy feeling later on today, find and read it.

All in all, I expect an upbeat show with NY baseball fans calming themselves down and patting each other on the back.

Happy Friday and I hope you all win your trifectas tomorrow.