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How can we miss you if you won't leave?

Frayed Knot Apr 25 2018 01:36 AM

I believe that subject heading was once (or maybe twice) the title to a country music tune. But in this case it's in reaction to the confirmation that Mike Francesa will return to WFAN just five months after leaving it to great FANfare. The specifics as to times/roles etc are yet to be determined, or at least yet to be announced. I don't really care one way or the other about his return as I haven't listened to him, or pretty much to the station as a whole, in years now. But there is an odd fascination to the whole soap opera aspect of it all. Between his not very subtle feuding with station mgm't, his lengthy farewell tour (love me!, honor me!) interrupted by his offer to take one for the team and hang on past his "retirement" date in the wake of FAN morning man Craig Carton's arrest on embezzlement charges (he coupled it with a demand for a raise, the station took a pass), his later claims that he'd reemerge in a different capacity ('I'll reinvent podcasting, no no one else is doing them correctly!'), and then his apparent attempts to offer his services to other NYC-based stations (former competitor ESPN-radio, WOR), I think Rachel and Ross broke up and made up with less drama.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Apr 25 2018 02:07 AM Re: How can we miss you if you won't leave?

I sorta liked Mike by the end just for being a thing so many people rallied around making fun of. There are a couple of Twitter guys who have me roaring, spelling out his terrible accent and the idiotic things he says. Also, the folks they replaced him with are insufferable. Not nearly good enough for a hate-listen.

Frayed Knot Apr 25 2018 02:48 AM Re: How can we miss you if you won't leave?

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Also, the folks they replaced him with are insufferable. Not nearly good enough for a hate-listen. That's the other fun part. Stations like this (or ESPN with their new morning show built around half of their previously successful 'Mike & Mike' team) spend who knows how much time and market research developing new shows and new teams only to go into panic mode just months after launch if/when the new shows don't set the world on fire. In the case of FAN, this new afternoon show lost out to Michael Kay in the most recent ratings book, something Francesa (with or without Mad Dog) never came close to doing. The bottom line is that it sounds like both Big Mike and WFAN discovered the grass isn't necessarily greener and so are willing to forgive and forget that messy post-prom spat they had.

Chad Ochoseis Apr 25 2018 04:21 AM Re: How can we miss you if you won't leave?

Frayed Knot wrote: I believe that subject heading was once (or maybe twice) the title to a country music tune. [youtube]rW9-FOLG-iA[/youtube]

Nymr83 Apr 25 2018 06:24 AM Re: How can we miss you if you won't leave?

havent listened to his fat yankee-loving ass since it was "Mike & the Mad Dog" so I don't care either way. but i dislike the guy

Fman99 Apr 25 2018 10:16 AM Re: How can we miss you if you won't leave?

SUUUUUUUUCKS

Benjamin Grimm Apr 25 2018 10:44 AM Re: How can we miss you if you won't leave?

I bailed on WFAN in 2005 and have never looked back. Francesa is that most insufferable type of person, the dumb guy who thinks he's smart. (See Trump, Donald J.) I remember someone posted on this forum a link to a video where somebody was doing a skit imagining how Francesa's show would be if it aired during the Civil War. I recall it was pretty funny.

Edgy MD Apr 25 2018 10:46 AM Re: How can we miss you if you won't leave?

Market research, shmarket research. How can you — in a city full of millions, no small amount being out-of-work actors and/or sports know-it-alls — not find even an adequate replacement for this guy? Is his audience really old? Because as third-rate as his insights and knowledge seem to be about the traditional team sports, I can't imagine he can be bothered on subjects like MMA, soccerfootball, Overwatch, etc.

Nymr83 Apr 25 2018 11:01 AM Re: How can we miss you if you won't leave?

I would imagine the talk radio demographic to skew pretty old. I'm 35 and I think I know one guy who listens.

Frayed Knot Apr 25 2018 12:00 PM Re: How can we miss you if you won't leave?

Edgy MD wrote: Market research, shmarket research. How can you — in a city full of millions, no small amount being out-of-work actors and/or sports know-it-alls — not find even an adequate replacement for this guy? When WFAN and ESPN went to replace long, established, and highly rated shows both (virtually simultaneously) came up with a trio consisting of a radio/TV professional flanked by a female and a black ex-jock as sidekicks, so I guess that's what qualifies as the current industry template. Both shows are reportedly off to rocky ratings starts, although at least FAN didn't build their new show its own multi-million dollar Manhattan studio in advance of its launch. That the woman on FAN isn't a blond comes as the only surprise and is what probably passes for coloring (or, perhaps more accurately, not coloring) outside the lines these days, although I don't believe the show is simulcast so the lack of blondness is allowed to slide, at least until they strike a TV deal. I think the sports radio demographic varies with the time of day but my guess would be that, at least within the talk radio world, sports radio tends to skew younger than average. Being 35 and not knowing anyone who listens might be because you don't hang around with enough sports fans 10-15 younger than yourself. It's certainly the audience they often seem to be aiming for.

Lefty Specialist Apr 25 2018 12:29 PM Re: How can we miss you if you won't leave?

Benjamin Grimm wrote: I remember someone posted on this forum a link to a video where somebody was doing a skit imagining how Francesa's show would be if it aired during the Civil War. I recall it was pretty funny. Here ya go. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=caH-cz21VeE Also, Mike & the Mad Dog doing the battle of Stalingrad is, well, a little bizarre.

Frayed Knot Apr 25 2018 12:55 PM Re: How can we miss you if you won't leave?

That Civil War piece is just fucking brilliant: the voice, the cadence, the quirks, the mannerisms, the topics, and mostly just the know-it-all confidence in every answer topped with disdain for just about everything else. Why wasn't that up for an Oscar? In the meantime, it might be a bit difficult to tell on account of his equivocating, but, pending further evidence, I'm going to put NYDN's Bob Raissman in the 'leaning No' category on this move for the time being.

Nymr83 Apr 25 2018 01:46 PM Re: How can we miss you if you won't leave?

Frayed Knot wrote: Edgy MD wrote: Market research, shmarket research. How can you — in a city full of millions, no small amount being out-of-work actors and/or sports know-it-alls — not find even an adequate replacement for this guy? When WFAN and ESPN went to replace long, established, and highly rated shows both (virtually simultaneously) came up with a trio consisting of a radio/TV professional flanked by a female and a black ex-jock as sidekicks, so I guess that's what qualifies as the current industry template. Both shows are reportedly off to rocky ratings starts, although at least FAN didn't build their new show its own multi-million dollar Manhattan studio in advance of its launch. That the woman on FAN isn't a blond comes as the only surprise and is what probably passes for coloring (or, perhaps more accurately, not coloring) outside the lines these days, although I don't believe the show is simulcast so the lack of blondness is allowed to slide, at least until they strike a TV deal. I think the sports radio demographic varies with the time of day but my guess would be that, at least within the talk radio world, sports radio tends to skew younger than average. Being 35 and not knowing anyone who listens might be because you don't hang around with enough sports fans 10-15 younger than yourself. It's certainly the audience they often seem to be aiming for. The younger people I know don't turn in the radio at all. They stream music and get their talking from podcasts - which incidentally have yet to be revolutionized by Mike Francessa.

Lefty Specialist Apr 25 2018 01:48 PM Re: How can we miss you if you won't leave?

My favorite line- "We're not taking A-Rod calls today".

MFS62 Apr 25 2018 02:47 PM Re: How can we miss you if you won't leave?

They bring back a bigot.: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/mike- ... -1.3632426 And, I was listening on this day: https://deadspin.com/searching-for-the- ... 1793968536 And I have never listened to him again. Later

d'Kong76 Apr 25 2018 03:06 PM Re: How can we miss you if you won't leave?

This thread title makes me chuckle to myself every time I load the N-B F. I've seen The Golden Boor twice this year on TV. The first time was on one of the CNBC daytime business shows where 5-6 regulars (mouth-breathing hot-for shorts-puts-and-calls types) sit in the round and do what they do. He couldn't get a word in edge wise. It was pretty funny, maybe you had to be there. haha The other time he was on Russo's MLB show High Heat and it was entertaining for the first 20 minutes and I had to bail. I thought there was some talk of them partnering up again to do something but don't remember what it was, there's no way they could work together on a daily basis again, but it was something.

HahnSolo Apr 25 2018 07:31 PM Re: How can we miss you if you won't leave?

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Also, the folks they replaced him with are insufferable. Not nearly good enough for a hate-listen. This was FAN's biggest fumble if you ask me. Like him or not, the guy routinely thumped ESPN Radio, and the trickle down of that is that the other FAN shows ruled their time slots too. So of course when it's time to replace him, you basically copy ESPN's multiple-voices model? FAN listeners (and I still partake occasionally, usually when driving or listening to the stream while working) don't want dumb Twitter polls--"Should the Giants hire Bill Belichick", hit us up on Twitter--or 3PM cash giveaways. They want to call up Mike in February and yell about Girardi and Betances. I don't know much about radio ratings, nor do I know if Francesa will turn the tide, but from what I understand their audience has taken a severe nosedive.

Ceetar Apr 25 2018 07:33 PM Re: How can we miss you if you won't leave?

Does FAN still blast you every 20 minutes with the same old news over and over again via a model that's been outdated for 15 years?

HahnSolo Apr 25 2018 07:49 PM Re: How can we miss you if you won't leave?

Ceetar wrote: Does FAN still blast you every 20 minutes with the same old news over and over again via a model that's been outdated for 15 years? NO! Top of the hour updates, that's it now.

d'Kong76 Apr 25 2018 07:58 PM Re: How can we miss you if you won't leave?

Is Steve Somers still on the radio? If not, there's part of your ratings problem.

seawolf17 Apr 25 2018 07:59 PM Re: How can we miss you if you won't leave?

d'Kong76 wrote: Is Steve Somers still on the radio? If not, there's part of your ratings problem. I believe he is here and YOU THERE.

Nymr83 Apr 25 2018 09:54 PM Re: How can we miss you if you won't leave?

seawolf17 wrote: d'Kong76 wrote: Is Steve Somers still on the radio? If not, there's part of your ratings problem. I believe he is here and YOU THERE. The only guy I ever tuned in for specifically. Its been years, but he was great.

MFS62 Apr 26 2018 01:09 AM Re: How can we miss you if you won't leave?

Nymr83 wrote: seawolf17 wrote: d'Kong76 wrote: Is Steve Somers still on the radio? If not, there's part of your ratings problem. I believe he is here and YOU THERE. The only guy I ever tuned in for specifically. Its been years, but he was great. He still is. The schtick is a little worn, but as long as he doesn't like the Cowboys and MFYs, he's still a fun listen. Later

Benjamin Grimm Apr 26 2018 01:04 PM Re: How can we miss you if you won't leave?

Lefty Specialist wrote: Here ya go. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=caH-cz21VeE Thanks! I just watched that again. I love the part about Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad.

Lefty Specialist Apr 26 2018 01:34 PM Re: How can we miss you if you won't leave?

"Railroad? Undaground? And what kind of name is Tubman?"

John Cougar Lunchbucket Apr 26 2018 01:44 PM Re: How can we miss you if you won't leave?

I ran into Jawn Wilkes Booth. He hates Lincoln, OK?