RIP Mike & Mad Dog

[steele135]

I know Tom rips these guys, but they were a true NYC radio institution. They took sports talk to a different level. They'd do a three hour interview with someone like Fay Vincent, which no one else would ever give that kind of time for. I always looked forward to their dopier moves, like guessing the rating of a NLDS game (did the PGA event at the same time hurt the ratings?). They will be missed.

[Fido]

They're great, although when I think about it, they're individually practically unlistenable for me. With Chris Russo's hyperactivity and irascibility and Mike's lunkishness, I don't know how I ever managed to listen, but I was usually very entertained. I agree, their conversations about likely ratings of various events were completely pointless and unexpected but somehow engaging. Interviews with a Whitey Herzog or a Fay Vincent were particular treats.

I loved Tom's mimicking of Mike and the putative average caller to the show. Chris and Mike are both so ripe for parody. 

[Trotskie]

Apparently Chris called in around 1:15 today to say his good-byes, which they are going to rebroadcast at 6pm EST on WFAN. 

I've been listening to them since the beginning, gradually learning along the way how narrow their knowledge of sports (and most other things) was.  Which was a round-about (and you might say life-wasting) way of figuring out that I wasn't listening to them because of what they were talking about.

When I'm old and someone gets me a best of Mike+Dog consciousness interface, I'm going to be instantly transported to Sept 1998, stuck in traffic, listening to those two morons bickering about something or other. 

In a good way.       

[Fido]

... I wasn't listening to them because of what they were talking about.

When I'm old and someone gets me a best of Mike+Dog consciousness interface, I'm going to be instantly transported to Sept 1998, stuck in traffic, listening to those two morons bickering about something or other. 

In a good way.       

Right on -- that's how I will always remember their show, finding that they put my mind at ease while I was stuck in some horrific traffic scenario or other. What the hell were they talking about during those enjoyable shows?  It didn't really matter. It could almost have been macroeconomics, for all it really matters.

Steve Somers will always be the congenial and engaging host I listened to during evening runs in the park. Never not fun.

[Andy]

are they quitting or did they get the axe?

[Trotskie]

Chris is heading to Sirius, Mike is staying on 660. 

Not sure about the mechanics of Chris' exit; I'm looking at you, H-man. 

[Fido]

Yeah, it's not like either of them is dead, just to make that clear, since the subject of this thread makes it sound like there were fatalities.

[chrisfoll577]

Chris is heading to Sirius, Mike is staying on 660. 

Not sure about the mechanics of Chris' exit; I'm looking at you, H-man. 

Apparently Mike and Chris had a big personality conflict, which makes sense when you consider the two hosts, but makes less sense when you consider they've been together for nearly twenty years.  Both Chris and Mike have been inexplicably absent for weeks at a time and their fighting on and off the air has been getting increasingly bitter... it all kind of feels like a divorce.

[Fido]

Divorce is exactly what it reminded me of. One would be present on the show, the other absent. Did they just have too many years of charade, trying to put on a pleasant face to convince everyone that everything would be all right? Actually, if I remember correctly, they didn't really get along at the very beginning of their show, and part of the premise of it is that they don't really get along.

[steele135]

Actually, they always do that in the summer. They're really only together for special events, like the all-star game or a lie remote from Jets or Giants camp. They do solo time so the other can go on vacation.

Apparently this really had nothing to do with a personality clash. Russo just wanted to move on. Sad stuff.

[Shaggy 2 Grote]

Were they in that plane crash with Beck?

[chrisfoll577]

Actually, they always do that in the summer. They're really only together for special events, like the all-star game or a lie remote from Jets or Giants camp. They do solo time so the other can go on vacation.

Apparently this really had nothing to do with a personality clash. Russo just wanted to move on. Sad stuff.

Yeah I heard Russo say something like that on Bill Simmons' podcast.  Mad Dog did say that they were having some issues though they did not factor into his decision to leave.

I might join Tom in following Russo to Sirius to spite Francesa.  These clips from the great Yankee collapse/Red Sox World Series win that I found on the someone from the Sons of Sam Horn MB epitomize everything that made me love the show, Chris' over the top exuberance and distaste to outright hatred of New York teams to Mike's pompous smugness but solid sports knowledge.