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Al Alburquerque & Mike Francesa

metirish Oct 06 2011 11:11 AM

The asshole that just keeps giving , watch both videos Caller Wants To Discuss Tigers Pitcher, Mike Francesa Hangs Up On Him Because He Doesn’t Believe That Pitcher Exists

Ceetar Oct 06 2011 11:14 AM Re: Al Alburquerque & Mike Francesa

yeah. Love it. He clearly isn't even watching. And that's his job..who else could get away with that?

metirish Oct 06 2011 11:21 AM Re: Al Alburquerque & Mike Francesa

Ceetar wrote: yeah. Love it. He clearly isn't even watching. And that's his job..who else could get away with that? so true , he doesn't even give a damn , his excuse in the second video is classic arrogant Mike.

Edgy MD Oct 06 2011 11:30 AM Re: Al Alburquerque & Mike Francesa

The hard part is that he's the signature personality on the station the Mets call home. He gets exclusive interviews with Mets personnel, gets to put the feet to the fire of men who have ten times his knowledge, experience, work ethic and intellectual curiosity, if not intellectual ability. (I'll give him the benefit of the doubt.) Young Mets fans grow up exposed to him as an authoritative voice, and led to believe either that (1) arrogance as a mask of ignorance is a legitimate way to get ahead; (2) sports, especially baseball, and most especially the Mets is a stupid subject that stupid people talk about; or (3) the Mets must be a clown show, to have this jerk snorting contemptuously at them every day. In an era of accountability where even Mookie Wilson isn't safe, how is this jerk continuing to stay in his position?

G-Fafif Oct 06 2011 11:43 AM Re: Al Alburquerque & Mike Francesa

Edgy DC wrote: In an era of accountability where even Mookie Wilson isn't safe, how is this jerk continuing to stay in his position? Gets ratings. High ones. He isn't counterprogrammed in a meaningful fashion by the other sports station in town -- idiot MFY fan on WFAN, idiot MFY fan on WEPN.

Ceetar Oct 06 2011 11:49 AM Re: Al Alburquerque & Mike Francesa

G-Fafif wrote: Edgy DC wrote: In an era of accountability where even Mookie Wilson isn't safe, how is this jerk continuing to stay in his position? Gets ratings. High ones. He isn't counterprogrammed in a meaningful fashion by the other sports station in town -- idiot MFY fan on WFAN, idiot MFY fan on WEPN. Problem is that most people are in the "it's better than nothing category" in regards to sports radio. I'm going to flip on 660 on my drive home, because my alternative is nothing. I want to hear about sports. It's not about the counter programming, It's about the leadership behind the scenes. Even if Kay was beating him the ratings, they wouldn't look to upgrade intelligently, they'd just long for someone 'hipper' and push the same formula of angry ranting, or stupid debates and frat-boy misogynistic antics. Look at the two guys they chose to run locally on ESPN radio over Cowherd.

Edgy MD Oct 06 2011 11:50 AM Re: Al Alburquerque & Mike Francesa

I'm certain, given 20 minutes of warning, I could produce a show that matches his ratings with Mason Reese as my host. I don't believe the man gave them the market position. (The Mets did!) And they've got to muster the courage to believe that too.

Benjamin Grimm Oct 06 2011 11:59 AM Re: Al Alburquerque & Mike Francesa

It's probably the clear strong signal of 660 AM that gave them their market share. I used to listen to Mike and the Mad Dog too, because my drive was short and I wanted to hear any breaking news about the Mets. When my drive got longer I realized I had to just stop lest I suffer from idiocy overload. Now I listen to NPR. It's been six years since I've heard Mike Francesa's voice, and I don't miss him, or WFAN even a little. In the 21st Century, with AM, FM, satellite, Internet, podcasts, iPhones, etc to say there's "nothing else on" is absurd. There are countless alternatives to Mike Francesa.

Ceetar Oct 06 2011 12:02 PM Re: Al Alburquerque & Mike Francesa

Benjamin Grimm wrote: It's probably the clear strong signal of 660 AM that gave them their market share. I used to listen to Mike and the Mad Dog too, because my drive was short and I wanted to hear any breaking news about the Mets. When my drive got longer I realized I had to just stop lest I suffer from idiocy overload. Now I listen to NPR. It's been six years since I've heard Mike Francesa's voice, and I don't miss him, or WFAN even a little. In the 21st Century, with AM, FM, satellite, Internet, podcasts, iPhones, etc to say there's "nothing else on" is absurd. There are countless alternatives to Mike Francesa. it's the short drive thing. At least for me. Music is out, don't have satellite. I'm not motivated enough for a quick drive to get an audiobook or download a podcast or plug in my iPod. And I think there are plenty of people out there driving around with just AM/FM and no smartphone or satellite subscription. With Twitter I no longer need the breaking news, often I get in the car at 5 and Francesa is 'breaking' something I heard 40 minutes ago. But I do still enjoy the occasion interview with Terry Collins for instance.

Ashie62 Oct 06 2011 01:53 PM Re: Al Alburquerque & Mike Francesa

Edgy DC wrote: I'm certain, given 20 minutes of warning, I could produce a show that matches his ratings with Mason Reese as my host. I don't believe the man gave them the market position. (The Mets did!) And they've got to muster the courage to believe that too. Who me?

Edgy MD Oct 06 2011 02:09 PM Re: Al Alburquerque & Mike Francesa

Tell, me you wouldn't call that guy. > Mase, did you see that goal Cunningham scored against the Red Bulls last night? > Fuggedaboutit! The guy has wings! WINGS! > Would you say he has a... smorgasbord of skills? > You're screwing with me now. Next caller! It would be must-hear radio.

seawolf17 Oct 06 2011 02:32 PM Re: Al Alburquerque & Mike Francesa

There is no bigger doosh in all of sports-talk radio.

Vic Sage Oct 06 2011 02:33 PM Re: Al Alburquerque & Mike Francesa

as someone who greeted the news of WFAN's inception as tidings of great joy, who waited up to listen to the first FAN broadcast (steve somers came on at midnight; i'm pretty sure that was their first broadcast), and who lived with it for all its ups and downs (including the a-hole from cleveland), i finally gave up on the network a few years ago, when Imus left and that schmuck Craig Carton made mornings unlistenable and Fatscessa lost his Mad Dog partner in the afternoons, who served to bite his ankle on occasion. i still listen to Mets games once in a while, but that's it. I'll listen to Mike & Mike in the morning on ESPN... not that they're brilliant, but they are both decent unloathsome creatures which is all one can even hope for anymore. And i just stay away from ALL sportstalk the rest of the day. There is just so much other sports news to access that its just not necessary to put up with the idiot callers and cretinous hosts any more. And my life is the better for it.

G-Fafif Oct 06 2011 06:12 PM Re: Al Alburquerque & Mike Francesa

Suzyn Waldman -- first voice, 3 o'clock update, July 1, 1987. Jim Lampley -- first show, 3:05 until Mets Extra with Howie Rose. He never held that time slot again, but he was their biggest name, so they put him out front. Then Mets Extra, the game, more Mets Extra...and the premiere of Captain Midnight. It was mostly downhill from there.

Frayed Knot Oct 06 2011 06:23 PM Re: Al Alburquerque & Mike Francesa Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Oct 06 2011 08:13 PM

At this point I think a cottage industry NEEDS to spring up calling Francesa inquiring about players with odd names - fictional or otherwise - if for no other reason than just to see if big Mike can sniff out the real ones. 'Hey Mike - long time, first time -- do yo think the Yanks should sign Phil Phoenix this winter?'

Fman99 Oct 06 2011 07:21 PM Re: Al Alburquerque & Mike Francesa

I still listen to Russo occasionally on satellite radio on my drive home. He's obnoxious but he's at least watching the games and such.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Oct 06 2011 08:44 PM Re: Al Alburquerque & Mike Francesa

I think Boomer & Carton is the best show they've had since M&MD broke up. Boomer is a rare ex-jock superstar who doesn't come off as a douche, an idiot, or a bore. You can tell he's proud of his achievements but can still take a joke. Carton is a bit of a third-rate Howard Stern but mostly harmless and plays well as the regular guy to Boomer's jock. Their show is really awful when it's just Carton, so there's something to the chemistry. Francessa is a bore most of the time anymore. This Albequerque call is the first interesting thing that's happened on his show all year.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Oct 06 2011 09:15 PM Re: Al Alburquerque & Mike Francesa

At this point I think a cottage industry NEEDS to spring up calling Francesa inquiring about players with odd names - fictional or otherwise - if for no other reason than just to see if big Mike can sniff out the real ones. 'Hey Mike - long time, first time -- do yo think the Yanks should sign Phil Phoenix this winter?' He did something similar to the Alburquerque thing a couple of years ago, IIRC (just after the Mad Dog break). On that occasion, though, it was an actual MFY pitcher name on which he biffed. Whether that was in response to a spate of ACTUAL prank calls, or merely something of a hot-air-fueled "preemptive strike," I dunno. OE: Jason Hirsh, picked up at the trade deadline during the 2009 pennant run. [youtube]1q-psVKy9v4[/youtube]

Vic Sage Oct 06 2011 09:23 PM Re: Al Alburquerque & Mike Francesa

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: I think Boomer & Carton is the best show they've had since M&MD broke up. Boomer is a rare ex-jock superstar who doesn't come off as a douche, an idiot, or a bore. You can tell he's proud of his achievements but can still take a joke. Carton is a bit of a third-rate Howard Stern but mostly harmless and plays well as the regular guy to Boomer's jock. Their show is really awful when it's just Carton, so there's something to the chemistry. Francessa is a bore most of the time anymore. This Albequerque call is the first interesting thing that's happened on his show all year. i like Boomer ok, but Carton is the single worst human being on radio. He actually drove me away from FAN in the morning. Not even Imus was able to do that till then. He is a living insult to all the other inarticulate, boorish, sexist, jock-sniffing triangle players in the world. i don't get the tolerance for him from people i otherwise respect.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Oct 06 2011 09:29 PM Re: Al Alburquerque & Mike Francesa

Vic Sage wrote: John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: I think Boomer & Carton is the best show they've had since M&MD broke up. Boomer is a rare ex-jock superstar who doesn't come off as a douche, an idiot, or a bore. You can tell he's proud of his achievements but can still take a joke. Carton is a bit of a third-rate Howard Stern but mostly harmless and plays well as the regular guy to Boomer's jock. Their show is really awful when it's just Carton, so there's something to the chemistry. Francessa is a bore most of the time anymore. This Albequerque call is the first interesting thing that's happened on his show all year. i like Boomer ok, but Carton is the single worst human being on radio. He actually drove me away from FAN in the morning. Not even Imus was able to do that till then. He is a living insult to all the other inarticulate, boorish, sexist, jock-sniffing triangle players in the world. i don't get the tolerance for him from people i otherwise respect. Ow! What can I say, I think Mike & Mike are boring and I no longer fantasize about a naked Shelly Sonstein.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Oct 06 2011 09:34 PM Re: Al Alburquerque & Mike Francesa

Kwik Kwiz: Name the rocker pictured here with Shelli Sonstein

Frayed Knot Oct 06 2011 09:50 PM Re: Al Alburquerque & Mike Francesa Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Oct 06 2011 09:54 PM

- I don't even know who Shelli Sonstein is - I'm with Vic on Carton. Boomer I could take or leave. - I'll flick to Mike & Mike on occasion but usually only for short spans. The two personalities are unobjectionable enough but after too many stints of, we interrupt this football talk for some football talk, I click it off. The most descriptive thing I think you can say about the show is that it has both all the strengths and weaknesses of being part of the ESPN orb. - That Francesa/Hirsch thing is so classic because the only option his ego allows him to consider it the one where if he hasn't heard of the player he must not exist. The only surprising part is that he didn't try to blame his lack of Hirsh knowledge on someone else.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Oct 06 2011 09:53 PM Re: Al Alburquerque & Mike Francesa

Shelli has done traffic and weather mornings with Jim Kerr for 30+ years on WPLJ, then WNEW ... now Q104.3

metsguyinmichigan Oct 06 2011 09:59 PM Re: Al Alburquerque & Mike Francesa

Kwik Kwiz: Name the rocker pictured here with Shelli Sonstein Helllo Bob Seger!

John Cougar Lunchbucket Oct 06 2011 10:23 PM Re: Al Alburquerque & Mike Francesa

He saw that face and he lost all control.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Oct 06 2011 10:50 PM Re: Al Alburquerque & Mike Francesa

Funny how the night moves... look just like the middle-school-first-date moves. I'm with Vic one hundred percent on Carton.

Edgy MD Oct 07 2011 05:44 AM Re: Al Alburquerque & Mike Francesa

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: He saw that face and he lost all control. She had points of her own, sitting way up high.

attgig Oct 07 2011 10:01 AM Re: Al Alburquerque & Mike Francesa

Frayed Knot wrote: - That Francesa/Hirsch thing is so classic because the only option his ego allows him to consider it the one where if he hasn't heard of the player he must not exist. The only surprising part is that he didn't try to blame his lack of Hirsh knowledge on someone else. yup. and he did blame it on the yankees for "not announcing it"

Frayed Knot Oct 07 2011 10:02 AM Re: Al Alburquerque & Mike Francesa

Vic Sage wrote: ... but Carton is the single worst human being on radio. Not as long as Sid Rosenberg is still alive he isn't.

SteveJRogers Oct 07 2011 10:57 AM Re: Al Alburquerque & Mike Francesa

attgig wrote: Frayed Knot wrote: - That Francesa/Hirsch thing is so classic because the only option his ego allows him to consider it the one where if he hasn't heard of the player he must not exist. The only surprising part is that he didn't try to blame his lack of Hirsh knowledge on someone else. yup. and he did blame it on the yankees for "not announcing it" The thing that amazes me is that people still call up these radio shows looking for information. Okay that was for an opinion, but occasionally someone will call to settle bets or something. At this point I'd trust Wikipedia more for bet settling or answer to something more than I would with a sports radio host. Most impressive lack of knowledge or laziness to do a little research on the matter though is still a 1050 update guy filling in a quickie couple of hours local shift in 2007 before a Sunday Night Met/Yankee game declared it as a stone cold fact that Orlando Hernandez was facing the Yankees for the very first time that night. Which thanks to a caller mentioning a multi HR game ARod had as a Ranger against El Duque turned into a facing everyone in the Yankee lineup except for ARod for the first time. Of course a simple call to either team's research department, or a look at Baseball-Reference.com's player splits would have seen that Hernandez faced the Yankees several times as a White Sox and oh yeah, the year before as a Met!

seawolf17 Oct 07 2011 11:06 AM Re: Al Alburquerque & Mike Francesa

You're tryintuh tell me that El Dooque... was a Met. Come on. You a kid? You trying to be funny, posting here saying Orlando Hernandez... was a Met. Okay. Now it's a game, posting all sorts of guys you say were Mets. Very nice.

Ceetar Oct 07 2011 11:14 AM Re: Al Alburquerque & Mike Francesa

I hate Carton too. The show's okay when they're actually talking sports, but when they to go schtick stuff like his "Mets fans for Yankees" or way too long non-sports/personal stuff like where boomer shopped for his shirt because Carton wants to shop at t hsame place, or they do some embarassment 'comedy' act where they keep pretending to forward a caller to Boomer and Carton like he's not on the air Which is just beyond annoying. It's not even fair, some of these one-time callers aren't exactly familiar with the process, and their voices sound so different on air versus on the phone so it's not like it's a recognition thing. Anyway, Sports Radio still has a market..but they're not hitting it, but perhaps because we don't turn them off until they do? I mean, I was in a bar for lunch yesterday and I was entertained listening to two guys next to me discussing who was better, Ruth or Griffey Jr, and talking about things like fitness and pitching/hitting in today's game. I was entertained. It doesn't have to be te highest quality discussion, but I'd be entertained on a drive if someone called up and talked that stuff.

SteveJRogers Oct 07 2011 11:48 AM Re: Al Alburquerque & Mike Francesa

Ceetar wrote: Anyway, Sports Radio still has a market..but they're not hitting it, but perhaps because we don't turn them off until they do? I mean, I was in a bar for lunch yesterday and I was entertained listening to two guys next to me discussing who was better, Ruth or Griffey Jr, and talking about things like fitness and pitching/hitting in today's game. I was entertained. It doesn't have to be te highest quality discussion, but I'd be entertained on a drive if someone called up and talked that stuff. I agree that it still has it place for exchange of opinions and debate, whether current events or never ending debates (wanna throw Cobb, Teddy Ballgame, Mays, Bonds, Aaron, etc into that Ruth v. Griffey debate?). I'm just fascinated that anyone still tries to use them as a source for their information in today's technology age. Or at least is willing to use what they say as gospel truth. Another example, there was a story at a Super Bowl where Dante Culpepper let a wheelchair bound fan wear this gaudy piece of bling for a few moments. Apparently there was a bit of miscommunication because the fan thought Dante was giving it to him to keep! But no harm, no foul afterwards. Except that if you read the story blindly, Dante comes out looking like an asshole, and that's how it was read by couple of NYC radio hosts, who didn't read further into the story to see that it was just a misunderstanding and not Dante being an asshole. And an even BETTER one, same hosts...or at least the update guy on their show. Some time ago a Phillies employee was fired because of threatening emails to club officials or something heinous. Well, the copy that the reader was reading off of called the guy a phanatic, probably thought it was funny. But the update guy thought the Phillies had fired the guy who is in the actual Phillie Phanatic outfit! And not realizing the serious nature of the situation, the hosts thought the guy was just sending off harmless emails and whatnot and was fired without real justification. Probably basing it on the fact that the guy in the Phanatic costume works for peanuts or something and shouldn't be losing a job based on "bad mouthing" Phillie brass in email form. Again, no further looking into a story, just running on first thoughts after glancing at it. That seems more of the problem with talk radio, quick first impressions and lazy reporting just to fill time slots.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Oct 07 2011 12:02 PM Re: Al Alburquerque & Mike Francesa

Yeah, so everyone tolerates carton less than I do. OK. Fatcessa's monologue today leaned too heavily as usual on pinning the MFY collapse on players who lack the clutch gene and was stingy with praise for the Tigers, but his larger point -- this was the most stunning blow to the MFYs since the Josh Beckett Game in 2003 -- I thought was right on. The MFYs had previously hit Fister, were at home, had the experience, the momentum, a rested bullpen, bats had just awoken in Game 4, held the opposition to 3 runs, had plenty of opportunities, and yet still came came up short. Gotta hurt!

Benjamin Grimm Oct 07 2011 12:16 PM Re: Al Alburquerque & Mike Francesa

The most surprising thing in this thread, to me, is that there's somebody out there named "Al Alburquerque"

Edgy MD Oct 07 2011 12:28 PM Re: Al Alburquerque & Mike Francesa

I love that every fan I hear from laments the loss of the heart of titans like Damon and Matsui. If they want to overpay fading performers and double down in pursuit of clutchmastery an champion-ness, that's all fine with me. I'll put my money on guys with fast bats and good curveballs who hopefully aren't asswads.

Benjamin Grimm Oct 07 2011 12:35 PM Re: Al Alburquerque & Mike Francesa

I remember the same argument being made about guys like Ray Knight. The fact that Knight did virtually nothing from 1987 on didn't stop Mets fans from saying that the Mets were wrong to let him go, and that move was a reason the Mets didn't repeat.

Edgy MD Oct 07 2011 12:43 PM Re: Al Alburquerque & Mike Francesa

I pretty much filed all those complaints under "He sucker-punched a black guy."

SteveJRogers Oct 07 2011 12:56 PM Re: Al Alburquerque & Mike Francesa

Benjamin Grimm wrote: I remember the same argument being made about guys like Ray Knight. The fact that Knight did virtually nothing from 1987 on didn't stop Mets fans from saying that the Mets were wrong to let him go, and that move was a reason the Mets didn't repeat. The point is more towards the type of "personality" that Knight and Mitchell were, and later Backman and Dykstra were added to this group, as opposed to those whom would replace them, specifically McReynolds, HoJo, Jefferies and Samuel. Didn't matter how much more effective the replacements were, it is more the idea that the Mets lost the "heart" of that 1986 team when they allowed Knight to walk away and traded Mitchell. And that transference is usually blamed on Fred Wilpon more than the GM and principal owner at the time, Cashen and Doubleday.

MFS62 Nov 08 2011 08:57 AM Re: Al Alburquerque & Mike Francesa

Back to the large one. Last week, Mike was actually saying good things about Jose Reyes. Very good things. Then I realized that this was the day after Jose became a free agant and wasn't a Met. I wanted to post it then, but my power was still out, I had no computer access, and had other things to worry about until the power came back on. Later

Ceetar Nov 08 2011 09:09 AM Re: Al Alburquerque & Mike Francesa

MFS62 wrote: Back to the large one. Last week, Mike was actually saying good things about Jose Reyes. Very good things. Then I realized that this was the day after Jose became a free agant and wasn't a Met. I wanted to post it then, but my power was still out, I had no computer access, and had other things to worry about until the power came back on. Later I noticed this last Spring. It seemed like people toned down all the normal anti-Reyes rhetoric in anticipation of saying nice things about him when he left. I suspect it'll all come back once he re-signs.