Watchdog

"Reached on vacation Saturday night, Francesa flatly said, 'No comment.'"

Well, Neil, uhhhhhh, no comment.

Seems like you're already backing down from your article. You don't know yet? You sounded pretty definitive about this in the piece.

The only thing I would say is that let's see how it plays out. We don't know what going on behind the scenes at WFAN. I, for one hope its not true. If this is the end of Mike and the Mad Dog, WFAN will be hard press to find a replacement for Francesa and Russo.

Mike will leave and will sue for the rights to mikefrancesa.com in which he will do a live streaming show for Internet listeners only with a limited-commercial scenario. Daily podcasts will be available at no cost.

Would it be possible for someone to make a two-hour feature film on Mike Francesa?

For the record MikeFrancesa.com thinks Neil Best is a great reporter. However the sources at www.mikefrancesa.com/forums believe that this is a straight contract play.

Was Mad Dog's "fascinating" comment revealing of a bad poker tell????

Either way MikeFrancesa.com can't envision WFAN giving up their highest rated show months after losing Don Imus and his tremendous revenue stream.

Mike and Dog get a huge five year contract in the fall.

Neil, I just don't see how WFAN would ever let that happen. They will throw money and these two and get them to "kiss and make up." This makes zero sense.

No uhhhhhhh comment. Oh wait, I do have one comment. You're lost Best ! -hand wave-

Neil, you can't take sunday off after posting such a story this morning. Get to the basement and get us the scoop. Ofcourse, no way Russo comments on this monday. That is what is annoying.

You have to wonder if Mr. Imus will discuss this situation on his program Monday morning. Will be tough to ignore so this should be quite interesting. Neil will be quite busy monitoring. Perhaps someone needs to call Bernard for comment from Imus

At least Neil can't pull the "this isn't my beat" business like he has with the Imus story. He will have to cover this 24/7 and then some for us.

If this were true, and I doubt it, Hopefully this will send that idiot Russo to San Fran where he belongs.

They always say this when it's contract time. Honestly, I can't believe these two make that much money to do that show. A radio station invests nearly $3 million into one show. They aren't worth it. So goodbye Francesa. I actually enjoyed Friday's show for the hour I listened to it, Russo let the callers talk. It was like old school sports talk.

What?! No more Manhasset Fats and the Prince of New Canaan?

No more racism?

No more watching the fat man drink diet coke?

No more Russo in Daisy Dukes picking his nose?

Is it really over?

Can it be true??!!

No way this is true. No doubt it's about getting mo money. $1.4/1.3 is peanuts compared to Stern, Rush, and Imus kind of money. They're not nationally syndicated like those guys but still deserve a big bump.

this would be a huge blow for the 'FAN. the two of them individually do not even come close to as good of a listen as them together. for your sake neil i hope this is all a big rumor. if it's true your summer is going to stink covering this.

Even if this does happen, 1050 won't take over in this town unless their improve their signal strength and get more NY-centric shows.

I agree with Andrew. 1050 gained nothing from the Imus debacle since they have a nationally syndicated HS radio show with Rocky Raccoon and Bob Golic's brother.

WFAN probably won't lose them, until there contracts end. The show of them TOGETHER might be gone though. Francessa wants his own show more than anything else and Russo is better alone. Surely their young apprentice Cherny will make it happen.

Mike and Chris, despite all their weaknesses and arrogance, work very well together and they know it. They complement each other. Mike alone is OK. Chris alone is awful.

It would be kinda strange to see Chris working with, say, Beningo.

Amazing. Neil posts the biggest story of his year and go "radio silent."

i smell a sidiot rosenberg comeback.

i vote for chet coppock to dazzle the ny airways.

neil,looks like the history channel is the place.

hey jerome,it is airwaves not airways.

what about brett favre and michael strahan for replacements?

Oh My Goodness Gracious! Of all the dramatic things, of all the dramatic things I've ever heard! No more Mike and Chirs?

Neil is a teese. He posts the biggest radio story of the year and then vanishes. We need the scoop here please

Someone needs to get us quotes from Imus crew, Russo (on air Monday), and others at the Fan.

so is your source raissman, muschnick, or sandomir?

Neil, this makes no sense. Why would WFAN let this happen considering how much money they could lose?

Its probably up to Mike and Chris wheither they want to continue to work together or not. I'm sure they had their differentes over the years.

Congrats on a big scoop Neil. Smells like a contract ploy to me, but it will be fun to watch what happens. Both of them might want to look at Howard Stern and his career before they actually split. Howard makes plenty of money at Sirius now, but does he have even a quarter of his old audience listening? It may not matter to some when the checks are huge, but Mike and Chris separated won't draw the same interest as they did combined.

I don't blame either one of them for leaving. Wfan proved that they have no guts or loyalty when it comes to firing one of their stars. If wfan can fire the guy that saved the whole station, then they have proved that they are willing to fire anyone if something bad comes up. I hope they get as much money as they can. It just makes me wonder what would have happened if Don Imus was never fired.

Larry, WFAN did not fired Imus. The parent company, CBS Radio and Les Mooves fired Imus. And it was Mike Francesa and Chris Russo who defended Imus, and knock people who were close to Imus like Tim Russert and Mike Lupica for not defendeding Imus.

Do we anticipate Doggie commenting today on the air? My guess is no. Second question. WHY WOULDN'T WFAN FIGHT TO KEEP THEM?

These two guys lost interest in doing this show together about 3 or 4 years ago.

They need a change and we need a change.

15 years would have been the correct stopping point.

Do we honestly think 25 years of Mike and the Mad Dog will make compelling radio? It has to end sometime, why not now?

I think seeing Joe B on SNY at 5pm, and Mop Up Guy Chris Carlin on Loudmouths AND Beer Money the rest of those dudes getting plenty of face time make them feel like they can strike it rich somewhere else on the tube.

Let's face it, ESPN Radio has bled them dry with there Gag Order, they get very few relevant guests anymore and can't even get a goodbye call from Willie. They made more enemies than friends and this may actually be a very very good thing for WFAN.

Mike is pretty decent alone, and his show would actually be very good from 3-6:30, or in a shorter dose. Chris needs a partner to be most effective, and a new one could really liven him up.

Getting the 10-3 slot with Joe B would be good radio and would free up some PM time for his Tennis Game.

Sorry Evan. You might be odd man out.

Francessa can be arrogant but at least he knows how to conduct an interview....I have seen him interview many coaches who he has made nasty comments about on air but has been very respectful of them...

The idiotic interview that moron Russo did with Omar Manaya is an indication he hasn't learned how to talk to people, how to be respectable and work with the interviewee.

I first heard Russo many years ago while driving on I--75 in Florida and thought then and continue to think now he is a moron who knows little about sport who has this shtick of yelling and saying outrageous things not understanding the possible consequences...that he was able to land a job on NY sports radio and become such a big name is absolutely incomprehensible to me....if it is indeed true the marriage is headed for splitsville, Russo's career will be essentially over...people listening to him will realize just how little he knows about sports..

Francessa at least knows what he is talking about; you may disagree but he is quite knowledgeable and when he works alone, not all that arrogant as some think.

who the heck are Mike and the Mad dog????