For 19 years Mike Francesa and Christopher ‘Mad Dog’ Russo entertained audiences while helping shape the sports radio format via New York’s WFAN.
When the duo split in Aug. 2008, there were plenty of questions surrounding who they would each select as their next counterpart. Instead, Mike and Chris built successful shows as solo acts, but if Russo could have his pick of another co-host, who would it be?
The answer was Michael Kay.
“I know it’s crazy to say this, and you’ll get a reaction to this: You know who would be a good partner for me? … [Michael] Kay,” Russo told Steve Serby of The New York Post.
“Kay gets it,” Russo continued. “He understands what I would bring to the table. He’s willing to sit back and let the show develop as it’s developed.”
The 60-year old Russo made it clear he wouldn’t be looking for new or young talent, preferring someone with experience as he detailed Kay’s strong qualities as a radio host.
“He can play the quarterback, he can set the table, he can interview, and when at times on sports he’s really comfortable with, he can go crazy, Yankees and everything else,” Mad Dog told Serby. “He’s got a good feel of how to do it. You gotta get somebody in there who is a little older and got some experience, and has covered sports for a while.”
Russo and Francesa spent the last dozen years as solo acts. After a lot of tweaking, Mad Dog Sports Radio is now a well-established channel on SiriusXM and Francesa continued a successful run in afternoon drive for WFAN until stepping down last December. While Russo views Kay as a good partner, there likely won’t be a Mike and the Mad Dog Part II as the ESPN Radio host built a No. 1 rated sports show of his own alongside Don La Greca and Peter Rosenberg.
Brandon Contes is a former reporter for BSM, now working for Awful Announcing. You can find him on Twitter @BrandonContes or reach him by email at Brandon.Contes@gmail.com.
