Ever since Jon “Stugotz” Weiner did not get hired as the new program director of WFAN in New York City, The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz has occasionally rebranded itself as WFAT. For this outlet, Weiner works as the program director and curates the sound of the show, with host Dan Le Batard stating at the top that the guest list was centered on the Big Apple.
One of the guests who joined the program on Thursday morning was SiriusXM Mad Dog Sports Radio and MLB Network host Christopher “Mad Dog” Russo. Outside of these endeavors, Russo appears on ESPN for Wednesday editions of First Take. Weiner was thrilled to see him on a Thursday, exclaiming that he invented the sports talk industry.
Le Batard began the interview by asking Russo about the significance of what the New York Knicks are doing in the NBA Playoffs, taking a 2-0 series lead over the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night. Russo responded by mentioning several notable championship-winning sports teams in years past in the New York area and then began to divulge into the basketball history of the city. He made mention of the City College of New York point-shaving scandal, claiming that it diminished the fandom of college basketball in the area.
Additionally, he explained that the Knicks had joined the NBA a few years prior and struggled in their first 25 years before drafting Walt “Clyde” Frazier and Willis Reed. This led Le Batard to cut him off after show contributors Jeremy Taché, Jessica Smetana and Chris Cote all said in his ear, “What the f**k is happening?”
“I’ve seen this happen to Stephen A. Smith and I’ve seen it happen to Max Kellerman,” Le Batard said. “You get on First Take – and he’s been doing radio for years – but you get specifically on First Take and you got 45 minutes of news but you’ve got to talk for two hours. All of a sudden, you’re a hijacker. You’re somebody who can’t stop talking. Tell me I’m wrong – Russo, tell me I’m wrong.”
“You’re right,” Russo replied.
After Le Batard said that Russo was the greatest and articulated that everyone thought he would eventually stop talking, Smetana revealed that her grandfather was a manager of one of the teams that played CCNY. Russo was astonished to learn this and then continued by outlining how this year’s Knicks team appeals to New York City. Within his answer, he spoke about the hustle with which the team plays, along with offensive rebounds and the star power of guard Jalen Brunson.
“Dog, let’s be honest here for a second,” Jonathan Zaslow said, who was co-hosting The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz in studio. “Watching that broadcast last night, true or false, you would have thought that Reggie Miller was undefeated against the New York Knicks in his career?”
Russo stated that Zaslow made an excellent point, to which multiple people began to break out in laughter because of the resemblance between their two voices. As all of this was occurring, Russo outlined how the Knicks’ nemesis is more so Michael Jordan, whose dominance as part of the Chicago Bulls dynasty made it difficult for the team to be subverted.
“It’s more Jordan than Reggie, and Reggie loves this, but Reggie’s almost taken too much credit for being the ultimate quote-unquote ‘Knick killer,’” Russo said. “Take it easy Regg, geez.”
