Francensa on Johnnies

[Scrutineer]

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.

CBS did feature him around that time..............for one tournament.

He went up in flames, and it was painful to watch, even if you didn't like his bravado.

If you didn't see it or don't remember it, he was introduced as the guy with insights the audience would enjoy hearing. Here's an example I made up about how poorly he did:
Billy Packer: "Mike, UConn is facing Robert Morris in the first round. How do you think the Huskies will do?"
Francesa: "Well, Billy, UConn has won a lot of games this year and Robert Morris has won only fifteen so I believe Robert Morris will play the game but UConn should win."

He looked tight, nervous, and like a high school kid suddenly thrust into the spotlight.

 

[jibsey]

CBS did feature him around that time..............for one tournament.

He went up in flames, and it was painful to watch, even if you didn't like his bravado.

If you didn't see it or don't remember it, he was introduced as the guy with insights the audience would enjoy hearing. Here's an example I made up about how poorly he did:
Billy Packer: "Mike, UConn is facing Robert Morris in the first round. How do you think the Huskies will do?"
Francesa: "Well, Billy, UConn has won a lot of games this year and Robert Morris has won only fifteen so I believe Robert Morris will play the game but UConn should win."

He looked tight, nervous, and like a high school kid suddenly thrust into the spotlight.

Remember it well. He was built for radio and that was his youth without experience and before he became a so called know everything, never wrong sports god.

 

[Palatine]

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.

OSU had a big fat center and we couldn't stop him.

 

[uconngb]

OSU had a big fat center and we couldn't stop him.

Incorrect. Jackson had 23, Chris Jent had 14 and their PG was their next high scorer.

I think you are thinking of the “meat hook” for FL 2 years later

 

[freescooter]

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".

I don’t know about his views on UConn. I recall him talking about how Calhoun had made UConn into “a program.” Which on his definition was a good team year in and year out. He compared them to the Dukes, UNCs and Kansases of the world.

 

[huskyjawz]

Calhoun and Mike did not get along after Mike came down hard on Sellers after the Laettner thing. Once he and Calhoun made up, Mike and Dog were huge fans of Calhoun and UConn and talked about how great Calhoun was and what a program builder he was.