Francensa on Johnnies

[jibsey]

The truth is that Mike never paid that much attention to college basketball until tourney time, previous life he was a CBS researcher. I mean NY has pro teams that occupy 95%of the sports attention especially with St. John’s mediocrity, so Uconn was achieving all this success while his Alma was mostly so so. Calhoun was pissed at him over the Sellers thing but eventually that passed.

I haven’t listened to him this year before this game but I have the sense that Johnnies fans and even Mike were thinking they were becoming bulletproof like their preseason ranking though now he disclaims it. Their point guard situation had improved their weakness and we should admit that most here were quite concerned about them after our loss and losing to Creighton.
Look, they can still be dangerous as we have seen but we have the more balanced roster and now the defensive formula to go forward with.

 

[Woof]

What number liver is this guy on?

 

[Bonamassa]

Spea

I listened all day as a kid. Mike and Chris, Howie Rose, Ed Coleman, and then would call in to Steve Somers at night but only because that's where I can get my calls heard...after his 1 hour monologue (which he was really good at)

Speaking of Steve Somers I remember during one of his monologues he was discussing what to name the new stadium (Gillette Stadium in Foxboro) as it was being built. He said they could name it the G Spot but "none of the male fans would be able to find it."

 

[nomar]

For those who haven't seen this old video, enjoy:

 

[Magic32]

Chief

If that was the case we would have seen double bigs

 

[Jaydumo20]

Spea

Speaking of Steve Somers I remember during one of his monologues he was discussing what to name the new stadium (Gillette Stadium in Foxboro) as it was being built. He said they could name it the G Spot but "none of the male fans would be able to find it."

Haaaaaa! So good.
He was so witty.
One night, drunk, my friend called him and asked if he thinks Tony Danza beat the tag during the intro to "who's the boss". He argued that Angela was blocking the plate. Steve took it good naturedly.

 

[HooperScooper]

The truth is that Mike never paid that much attention to college basketball until tourney time, previous life he was a CBS researcher. I mean NY has pro teams that occupy 95%of the sports attention especially with St. John’s mediocrity, so Uconn was achieving all this success while his Alma was mostly so so. Calhoun was pissed at him over the Sellers thing but eventually that passed.

I haven’t listened to him this year before this game but I have the sense that Johnnies fans and even Mike were thinking they were becoming bulletproof like their preseason ranking though now he disclaims it. Their point guard situation had improved their weakness and we should admit that most here were quite concerned about them after our loss and losing to Creighton.
Look, they can still be dangerous as we have seen but we have the more balanced roster and now the defensive formula to go forward with.

Didn't CBS have him on the set with Jim Nantz and Billy Packer during the NCAA Tournament? Maybe early 1990s? I seem to remember that. He must have been like Charles Barkley not knowing what the heck he was talking (or is that tawking?) about.

 

[huskyjawz]

Didnt he pick, like the Final Four right or something like that and that was his claim to fame

 

[BlueandOG]

IMHO, the only thing this guy is good for is being mocked by Sour Shoes on Howard Stern.

 

[cullaville]

Didn't Mike and JC have a huge fight in the early 90s? I think it was when Rod Sellers got involved with Laettner.

When John Calipari was at UMASS he played Mike and Chris like fools to bring stature to the program. He was on with them many times, they travelled up to UMASS practices and generally kissed Calipari's fanny. Once Calipari and UMASS got their recognition Mike and the Mad Dog were out of the picture having used up their usefulness for Calipari

Calhoun refused to play that game.

I remember hearing his interview with them after UCONN won the 1999 championship and wondering why he even took their call.

I wouldn't have taken the call and interview but Jim Calhoun is a better man than I.

 

[Waquoit]

I wouldn't have taken the call and interview but Jim Calhoun is a better man than I.

UConn got tons of positive notice on the FAN back then. Especially on Imus in the morning.

 

[storrsroars]

UConn got tons of positive notice on the FAN back then. Especially on Imus in the morning.

Our women's team was virtuous with good hair 😉

 

[HCCForever]

Didnt he pick, like the Final Four right or something like that and that was his claim to fame

Yes, he had a high rate of success one year. I don’t remember the details either but they paraded him out on the CBS show. At one time they called him Brent Musberger’s brain.

He also claimed to get into it with Bobby Knight. I never believed that one.

 

[HCCForever]

Our women's team was virtuous with good hair 😉

Back in the mid 90s, my coworkers argued that Geno had the best hair on the women’s team.

 

[jibsey]

For those who haven't seen this old video, enjoy:

If you look it up this guy has a bunch of these on different topics, Jawz, 1938 Berlin ( he talked to Hitler), 30AD, 1095, Santa, Columbus etc. All takeoffs on Mike’s show. Always sitting at the microphone with a bottle of Diet Coke. But you need to have been a listener of the show to fully appreciate him.

 

[huskyjawz]

IMHO, the only thing this guy is good for is being mocked by Sour Shoes on Howard Stern.

And amazingly he also does Dog.

 

[Waquoit]

Our women's team was virtuous with good hair 😉

Imus' literary agent was in love with Tate George.

 

[Tyler2Rings]

For those who haven't seen this old video, enjoy:

My buddies and I still quote this. "Are you waerried?"

 

[TRest]

Was going to post something like this. He paid attention closer than most fans and had access too. This was pre internet which made getting information, watching games, etc easier for everyone. I LOVED listening to Mike and the Mad Dog and was can't miss listening just before or after a big event. They were extremely entertaining and part of the culture - even finding their way on to an episode of the Sopranos. Mike F. is definitely way past his prime and gets tons of stuff wrong - you can tell he doesnt pay close attention anymore.

The one point Mike used to make that I still remember is watch the team that’s behind entering the second half. If they can’t make a dent in the lead in the first five minutes they generally can’t get back in the game.

 

[Waquoit]

The one point Mike used to make that I still remember is watch the team that’s behind entering the second half. If they can’t make a dent in the lead in the first five minutes they generally can’t get back in the game.

The one Mikey point I remember is when he said Grant Hill was better than Ray Allen and "It's not even close!"

 

[Ewekon]

The one Mikey point I remember is when he said Grant Hill was better than Ray Allen and "It's not even close!"

I give him credit for this. He often said if he had one college coach to get it done in crunch time, it was JC.

 

[uconngb]

Didn't CBS have him on the set with Jim Nantz and Billy Packer during the NCAA Tournament? Maybe early 1990s? I seem to remember that. He must have been like Charles Barkley not knowing what the heck he was talking (or is that tawking?) about.

Let’s see how many remember this: in 92 he was on the set w Nantz. We had beaten Nebraska in the 1st round and were ahead of 1 seed Ohio St w Jimmy Jackson at halftime and Fatso comes on and says “UConn is playing better than anyone in the tournament right now”.

We proceed to get blitzed in the 2nd half and Francesca is never on tv again as a college BB analyst.

 

[EricSD]

Our women's team was virtuous with good hair 😉

IIRC, you are talking about the "bunch of nappy-headed ho's" comment? That was directed towards the Rutgers women's hoops team, IIRC. They were nationally ranked at the time and Vivian Stringer was the head coach.

 

[storrsroars]

IIRC, you are talking about the "bunch of nappy-headed ho's" comment? That was directed towards the Rutgers women's hoops team, IIRC. They were nationally ranked at the time and Vivian Stringer was the head coach.

Duh.

 

[Scrutineer]

Vintage

He says we are a 3 seed, and may have played ourselves into a 2 seed if we keep winning. But reiterates that we are a 3. Then says we have no shot at a 1.

And he says it with conviction, like don't even doubt him.

He's been like this all his life.

Not always right but never in doubt.

Quote from Wikipedia about his comeback after his initial stint with Mad Dog:
During his radio comeback, Francesa's show was the target of criticism for reasons ranging from his frequent inaccurate predictions to his treatment of callers. His show was described as "grumbles and contentious conversations with callers on a regular basis" by Deadspin

He's a disgruntled St. John's grad who never gave UConn the credit it was due when JC lead the rise to the top of the Big East, starting with the NIT championship and then the Dream Season in 1990.

The ironic thing is his Mike and the Mad Dog show went on the air in 1989 and coincided with UConn's rise in the 89-90 season. That radio show got credit for creating the boom in sports talk shows and with UConn in the Big East and so close to New York it would have been a winner for both if he'd been unbiased.

If you remember him from those days on the FAN, you'll recall how he gave UConn no credit for years, gave us no chance against Duke in 1999 and was pained to talk about the win afterward. Of course, that's all we heard on ESPN radio the weekend of the Final Four while driving around St. Petersburg. The best line was, "Duke's so good, its second team could (maybe would, I don't remember) win this championship".

 

[Scrutineer]

He’s a St. John’s graduate so he has those blinders but he wasn’t wrong about them and their flaws and he’s right that they need another matchup with UConn to get any confidence back to work for themselves in the tourney. We’ll see if he’s right about our will to bring the intensity every game. We actually until the last 2 games have not done it consistently. I think it’s a mind game with Tarris and he turned a corner. Loved how he passed out of double teams when they came. Starting to get it!

Tarris did pass out of a couple double teams but failed to do so on several more and we ended up with turnovers on those.
Hopefully the video review will point those out and be the encouragement he needs to keep working on it.

 

[cullaville]

The one point Mike used to make that I still remember is watch the team that’s behind entering the second half. If they can’t make a dent in the lead in the first five minutes they generally can’t get back in the game.

That theory goes back a long time before Francessca,

Don't give him credit for that.

 

[Scrutineer]

Francesa gonna Francesa. last minute of this clip is chef’s kiss.

Don't know if you mentioned it, but it looks like this clip was from last year.

 

[Scrutineer]

For those who haven't seen this old video, enjoy:

Wow, he found his calling and blew it by not following up.
Showed he has a sense of humor with all his bad predictions though!

 

[HCCForever]

If you were a sports fan during that time frame before satellite radio, podcasts and the internet, Mike and the Mad Dog was entertaining. It slipped when Chris left but I used to listen to the show on my drives home.

One of the funniest incidents for me is when Mike supposedly fell asleep while talking to a listener. Of course, Mike denied it.