Mike Francesa to appear on ESPN's 'First Take' with Stephen A. Smith and Chris 'Mad Dog' Russo
Mike Francesa and Chris Russo are seen during preparation for their upcoming "Mike and the Mad Dog Reunion Show" at Radio City Music Hall in 2016. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
Mike and the Mad Dog are back together again.
This time, Mike Francesa and Chris "Mad Dog" Russo will share the same table opposite Stephen A. Smith on ESPN's "First Take" on Wednesday, Feb. 1.
"Should be interesting," Francesa said during his recorded clip announcing the news on "First Take" on Wednesday morning. "Now I have a week to prepare."
Smith didn't waste any time.
"Let me say this to Mike Francesa. Don't lie to the American people. Don't start off lying to the American people," Smith said on the air. "He gotta prepare? Please. He knows every damn thing already. Between him and Mad Dog, as far as I'm concerned, they created history not just chronicled it."
Who's ready for @MadDogUnleashed and @MikeFrancesa's reunion!?
— First Take (@FirstTake) January 25, 2023
Mark your calendars for Feb. 1 👀 pic.twitter.com/oCnNkc6xVk
Francesa and Russo popularized the sports talk radio genre in New York during their 19 years together of WFAN as hosts of the afternoon drive time.
Russo hinted that he and Francesa would tag-team the debate against Smith.
"I'm the one that has the tsunami about to come down on me," Smith said.
Mark La Monica is a deputy sports editor at Newsday. He also covers mixed martial arts.
