Back together again/
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It was as though they never ended their association.
With the familiar “Mike and the Mad Dog” intro on WFAN, Mike Francesa welcomed back his former partner of 19 years---Chris “Mad Dog” Russo---on Friday. It may have been just a one-time only reunion, but for fans of the show, it was a special moment.
Russo joined Francesa from Yankee Stadium ahead of the American League Championship Series opener. Mike then returned the favor Friday evening, appearing on Russo’s Sirius Satellite Radio program for thirty minutes. In vintage “Mike and the Mad Dog,” they spent much of the time analyzing action as it occurred late in game two of the NLCS.
Back on the ‘FAN, the duo didn’t just do the entire first hour; WFAN made believe the clock turned back to last year, as Russo even belted out his famous “Good afternoon everybody!” to begin the program.
He then exclaimed, “I have arrived! I have returned!”
Francesa countered, “And they thought we were serious.” They shared laughter and a high-five. “I said 'if the Yankees get to the ALCS—it’s a do-over,'” Francesa quipped.
That set the tone for their unique time together.
As @fangsbites tweeted thereafter, it was pure “radio magic.”
There were absolutely no awkward pauses; Francesa and Russo even felt comfortable enough to make self-effacing remarks throughout.
For Russo, it was about how, in effect, Sirius could be considered radio purgatory. Asked by Francesa what he had done in the preceding 14 months, Russo joked, “playing lots of tennis [and] lifting weights.”
Francesa called Russo’s show on Thursday to wish him an early happy 50th birthday. Russo, on WFAN, said sarcastically, “I’m sure everybody heard it.”
Francesa was only too quick to pounce. “Tell them, because they [the listeners] have no idea what you’re talking about.” And the laughter from both talk-show hosts rolled on.
Earlier this month, WFAN moved its studios from Queens to lower Manhattan. Despite the state-of-the-art facilities, Francesa’s bane of existence is the travel time back to Long Island. “Last night, I got home at 20 to 9!”
Russo injected, “And wait ‘til the snow comes! Oh baby!”
Russo also poked fun at Francesa’s new salary. “What a job you did! Who negotiated that contract? Randy Levine [President of the New York Yankees]. You robbed the bank.”
Other than the references to their past co-hosting, you’d never know they ever went their separate ways.
Whether discussing the Yankees’ chances in the ALCS, their NLCS pick, or Bruce Springsteen, they didn’t miss a beat.
Later, Russo admitted there was a void since he left. “I miss talking sports with you.” He and Francesa have been unable to find on-air partners with the same chemistry they found in their nearly two-decade partnership on WFAN.
Among the instant feedback on Twitter, @PeteAbe wrote, “Listening to [them is] a reminder of what a mistake it was for them to break up.” @RKO36 tweeted, “One of the greatest ‘Mike and the Mad Dog’ moments.’”
Francesa and Russo enjoyed ripping into TBS play-by-play announcer Chip Carey:
“He’s so bad. What does he have-- pictures of goats with the TBS people?” Russo joked.
“I’ve got to feel … the joke is on us, because no one could actually be this bad if they were trying,” Francesa said.
As they wrapped up the riveting hour, Russo cracked, “I am leaving now. I had the hour! … Now I go to Montana. My name is Joe Brown.”
“Same time, next year,” Francesa kidded. As Russo got up for his show, a broadly smiling Francesa held out a hand that his former cohort was quick to grasp.
The worst part of their time together on Friday was when it came to an end. It whetted everyone’s appetite for much more “Mike and the Mad Dog,” not just the “same time, next year.”
Follow Jerry on Twitter @NYMediaExaminer and Facebook.
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