Mike'd Up: The Mike Francesa Show

[joe dokes]

I think the only response here is to double down.
 
"Mike, we all know that football is now America's past-time and the Super Bowl is like an American holiday.   So what Belichick did is like treason against America.  He should be executed like the Rosenbergs."

 

[Spacemans Bong]

 
The MFY teams he worshipped growing up were led to championships by "The Chairman of the (Emery) Board" Whitey Ford, who used to doctor the baseball on his belt buckle or have Yogi Berra cut the ball on the sharpened buckle of his shin guard.  Someone should ask him if he thinks all those MFY championships should be vacated and both Ford and Berra tossed out of the Hall of Fame.  
 
 
That doctoring of the balls had a far more significant effect on the game than what the Pats may or may not have done with these balls.  

 
Forget that, the Yanks were rigging the league since every time they needed a good player, they could just shovel shit to the A's and get Roger Maris, Bobby Shantz or Clete Boyer back. 

 

[Dahabenzapple2]

"Belichick typically evasive"

Mike is now coming off as confused

"If he did it, he would still deny it"

Yesterday he said they did it

He is incoherent

 

[Dahabenzapple2]

Somehow he is saying the NFL has to find a resolution this week.

The unstated issue is the NFL must have nothing to prove anything

 

[jodyreeddudley78]

Everyone saying that they found it unlistenable yesterday is missing the point. He was so amped up with the possibility of creating something out of nothing yesterday that he was making ridiculous statements and painting himself into a corner. Today, you can already hear him wavering. It is great. We went from a SB without BB + 1yr suspension + loss of draft pick (given directly to the Colts, mind you), to him today saying that Brady must be suspended. All over speculation. While he shouts down the one dissenting caller that had the nerve to even contact him today. What makes all of this great is that the Sport Pope is making himself seem utterly ridiculous. If you don't like that, well, don't listen. But I love him trying to make Belichick sound like a cross between Nixon and Dr. Evil.

Edit: keep in mind, I am certain he thinks that Goodell is tuned into 660 right now and taking his opinion as gospel.

 

[Dahabenzapple2]

The best was is when he brings up Nixon.
 
The intro today was great because as you said above, he painted himself into a corner. He is somehow hoping the NFL has a smoking gun but if it hasn't come out yet, it is very doubtful they have anything except confusion. Does anyone really even think the NFL "knows" that the Referee(s) actually tested the balls either 2;15 before the game or right before the game?
 
Let alone have any proof or documentation?

 

[JohntheBaptist]

This is funny, almost a year ago to the day he was bloviating and abusing callers on the "is A-Rod guilty?" issue, operating on the same playbook.

 

[Dahabenzapple2]

Plus he is wont to lecture the world on "Integrity" and "teaching our children the right things"
 
His hypocrisy and hubris knows no bounds.

 

[Stu Nahan]

"If he did it, he would still deny it"
 

 
Says the guy who brought ARod on his show to categorically deny taking steroids after he had an established history of lying about using them in the past.
 

This is funny, almost a year ago to the day he was bloviating and abusing callers on the "is A-Rod guilty?" issue, operating on the same playbook.

Mike bullied callers who said ARod was guilty before we had the full story and has been bullying and shouting down callers who dare to suggest that Belichick might not be guilty before we have the full story. Fatty's biases are really twisting him into quite a pretzel here. Wonder if he would be singing a different tune if Belichick made appearances on his show and they were friends?

 

[JohntheBaptist]

 
Says the guy who brought ARod on his show to categorically deny taking steroids after he had an established history of lying about using them in the past.
 
Mike bullied callers who said ARod was guilty before we had the full story and has been bullying and shouting down callers who dare to suggest that Belichick might not be guilty before we have the full story. Fatty's biases are really twisting him into quite a pretzel here. Wonder if he would be singing a different tune if Belichick made appearances on his show and they were friends?

 
Right, it was all just cutting people off with "you be-lieeeeve MLB? With how they acted? Were they working within the letter of the law?" Of course, none of the mouthbreathers that called in had the bright idea to say "well no, maybe not, but that isn't mutually exclusive with his obvious guilt." That's what's so annoying, he has this mechanism to rhetorically bully people with poorly constructed thoughts because he can cut them off before they get anything substantive out.

 

[Omar's Wacky Neighbor]

Please tell me I just misheard something:
 
3:55, coming out of a playback of the BB press conference, and I could have sworn FF said it was the first time he was hearing/listening to it

 

[bankshot1]

I need a reality check;
 
I heard both BB and Brady.
 
I thought BB was typical BB, curt but honest.
 
I thought Brady was a little nervous, but answered the questions to the best of his ability. I do not think he lied.And I do not think he would tamper with the balls. I buy into his "fair and square" take.
 
I'm listening to FF and every caller is ripping into the honesty.
 
And FF is brutal, "the Pats cheat, its what they do, every day of the week"
 
Is my take totally f'ed up?
 
.

 

[Dan Murfman]

I need a reality check;
 
I heard both BB and Brady.
 
I thought BB was typical BB, curt but honest.
 
I thought Brady was a little nervous, but answered the questions to the best of his ability. I do not think he lied.And I do not think he would tamper with the balls. I buy into his "fair and square" take.
 
I'm listening to FF and every caller is ripping into the honesty.
 
And FF is brutal, "the Pats cheat, its what they do, every day of the week"
 
Is my take totally f'ed up?
 
.

I hope not. That's basically mine too

 

[JohntheBaptist]

I need a reality check;
 
I heard both BB and Brady.
 
I thought BB was typical BB, curt but honest.
 
I thought Brady was a little nervous, but answered the questions to the best of his ability. I do not think he lied.And I do not think he would tamper with the balls. I buy into his "fair and square" take.
 
I'm listening to FF and every caller is ripping into the honesty.
 
And FF is brutal, "the Pats cheat, its what they do, every day of the week"
 
Is my take totally f'ed up?
 
.

 
I don't watch football and don't care about the Patriots: your take is not fucked up.
 
Strikes me as every single person who ever let Belichick and to a lesser extent Brady get under their skin is taking their admittedly perfect opportunity to just drill them. It isn't a "perfect" opportunity, actually, it seems really profoundly silly to me, but everyone seems to get that it'll require amping up the moral outrage to absurd levels to hide how profoundly silly it is. I thought they sounded genuine too, but the "I don't know" response, while probably true, was exactly what the storm needed.

 

[nattysez]

Here's Francesa in a nutshell -- when the new Jets GM suggests Francesa come visit the Jets' training facility, FF has to make a big production about how he "doesn't think he'd be welcome there."  Not "it would be great to start out a new relationship on the right foot."  Not "I'd love a chance to visit."  Just "I don't think your owner will think it's OK because he and I have a beef."  
 

“If you’ve ever had a chance to come out here, the facility is...” Maccagnan started in discussing the organization.
“They don’t love me,” Francesa interrupted.
“What?”
“I’m not one of their favorites. I’m sure you’ll find out.”
“You can come out here,” the GM invited.
“You better check with the owner first, before you make that claim,” Francesa said. “I’m just telling you, you might want to check with him.”
Maccagnan: “Well if I can get it cleared maybe I can have you out here for lunch...”
Francesa: “Maybe, but you might want to check with him first. We’ve had a little bit of antagonistic relationship.”
Maccagnan: “Oh well, I’m sorry I’m not aware of that.”
 

 

[Zupcic Fan]

The only good thing about all this silliness with the footballs is that it possibly gives Mike less time to do that almost unbearably boring super bowl giveaway quiz that he for some reason feels compelled to do every year.  It was less awful when Dog was there because he could be funny about it.
The concept is ridiculous:  Let me ask one question that everyone knows the answer to because I repeat if 50 times a show. Eventually I will get to a question that no human on earth could answer.
And then I will do the same thing 500 more times:  "Which coach wore brown shoes for three consecutive dinners after his team went through media day?"
There are many things that I don't like, but I at least understand how other people could like them.  This would not be one of those things.

 

[worm0082]

I think it will forever be ingrained in my mind now, that Ahmad Bradshaw led the Giants in rushing in two Super Bowls.  
 
"Gotta get tha cookie outta tha way"

 

[worm0082]

From last year, this is the best... 
 
[media]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQdSEb6OSKo[/media]
 
Suppah Bowl credit cahhrd holdah!

 

[Omar's Wacky Neighbor]

It was scary yesterday just how vocal Tank and Troy Aikman were in loudly declaring, in NO uncertain terms, just how much worse Deflategate is than Bountygate.  As in "Yes, I am saying that this is MUCH worse than.......".  Their reasoning, in two part harmony:
 
Bountygate is an extension of playing the game just the way the game is supposed to be played:  physically, and if the QB gets knocked out of the game early, that's all part of the game and exactly what your hoping for/trying to do;
 
but Deflategate is so wrong simply because it's cheating and affects the very integrity of the game.

 

[Leather]

There are myriad rules in place to discourage and limit player injuries.

That's like saying an arcane and obscure football rule is more important than a domestic abuse epidemic because....oh wait.

 

[ivanvamp]

As I posted in the eternal thread a day or two ago (god this is taking FOREVER), Francesca had a caller try to explain to him that, scientifically, it's possible for footballs to decrease in pressure enough to fall under the league regs.  Francesca countered with (paraphrasing here):  we don't know the measurements.  Don't talk to me about that, we have no idea what the pressure was exactly.  What we DO know is that the balls were measured before the game and they were fine.  Then they were measured at halftime and were deflated.  So we KNOW that someone tampered with the footballs!"
 
Belichick's press conference today basically was taking Francesca out behind the woodshed and kicking his fat butt for 20 minutes.  Beating him over the head with science.  And then, as others have pointed out, many scientists have chimed in, supporting Belichick's story (or at least saying that he got the science right).
 
I sooooo wish I could hear Francesca tomorrow morning for his football show.  I am dying to hear how he responds to the science.  It's almost certain he has NO CLUE WHATSOEVER about how the science works, but will only double down on his claim that BB is hiding something.
 
Despite science and Belichick kicking him right in the teeth today.

 

[Stu Nahan]

Don't hold your breath waiting for him to admit that he was wrong. He'll just play it off as inconsequential. "The Pats investigated themselves and came up clean. Big surprise." Then Mike can go right back to making accusations despite the fact that he has no proof to back them up.

 

[redsoxcentury]

Don't hold your breath waiting for him to admit that he was wrong. He'll just play it off as inconsequential. "The Pats investigated themselves and came up clean. Big surprise." Then Mike can go right back to making accusations despite the fact that he has no proof to back them up.

funny thing is after brady press conference he immediately complained that patriots didnt say they were doing their own investigation. well now they did but i am sure he will say it means nothing until the nfl does or releases its investigation and this story is not over. and when belichick refuses to answer any more questions that will stoke his anger even more.

 

[Buster Olney the Lonely]

This is how Francesa typically responds when confronted with the truth.
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUk8bTBeeFI
 
Although, I am looking forward to his conversation with Nantz. There's been quite a bit of contentiousness between the two recently. Wouldn't be surprised if there's a shouting match tomorrow. 

 

[Dahabenzapple2]

"The commisioner is the Patriots' patsie"
 
"They are allowed to get away with murder"
 
"well I shouldn't say 'murder' but then again they had a tight end who is a murderer"
 
paraphrased, but this is his take now
 
of course Belichick was lying and all of what he was talking about Saturday were excuses and obfiscation, etc.
 
Goodell never intended to talk to Brady as he was in the tank for the Patriots

 

[jodyreeddudley78]

This is why I think this is must listen radio. As referenced earlier in the thread, Mike already painted himself into a corner. He has zero way out now, because he is incapable of admitting he is wrong. I mean, he can't admit he fell asleep on air despite there actually being evidence. So of course he is going to double down. I expect that by the end of this, he will be calling for the banning of... someone, because this has made him look as dumb as a soccer/hockey question could. If you thought he hated Belichick before, it just got worse.

One caveat, don't listen if you can't listen through this prism.

 

[Stu Nahan]

He is leaving himself an out. If they get punished, justly or unjustly, Fatso is "right". If they don't, it's because Goddell is Kraft's buddy and the Pats get away with everything. Of course Kraft's good buddy just let his team get dragged through the mud for a week over what is looking more and more like nothing. Facts don't matter.

 

[strek1]

I wish this guy would have put in half the energy of this last week into the MFY steroid abusers in years past. His Pats hatred is just so palpable that he is damaging HIS integrity (If he ever had any).

 

[bankshot1]

Some guy just called in, and you could tell he had the rational argument, he was calm, but Francesa would not let him talk, shouted him down, ridiculed him, changed  the subject. It can be infuriating radio.

 

[strek1]

Some guy just called in, and you could tell he had the rational argument, he was calm, but Francesa would not let him talk, shouted him down, ridiculed him, changed  the subject. It can be infuriating radio.

 His ego wasn't big enough before, they actually had a "Francesacon" this weekend  ?!!  Wow

 

[jodyreeddudley78]

Of course, Francesacon isn't the reverential event that Mike portrays it to be. I'm sure he attended with good intentions (charity or something), but that doesn't mean that the people at the event are there because he is The Sport Pope, they are there because he believes he is The Sport Pope.

 

[bankshot1]

 His ego wasn't big enough before, they actually had a "Francesacon" this weekend  ?!!  Wow

 
A friend who is a huge MFY/Giant/Range/Knick fan is also a big FF fan, and he's attended the last couple of these Francesa stroke fests. I told him if he had any balls he'd show up in a Sox hat and Pats jersey.

 

 

[strek1]

Boy, NOBODY is disagreeing with him on this issue.  Another shoutdown.
 
 
More shouting, shouting & shouting.  Eveyone seeking further evidence is gullible but him.

 

[Stu Nahan]

I actually considered calling in and asking him how he explains away Carnegie-Mellon scientists performing tests that support Belichick's contention. Then I heard him shout down a calm caller, say there is a "preponderance of evidence" that the Pats cheated, state as fact that all the Pats balls deflated to the same level, and say that the Colts balls didn't decrease in PSI. What's the point?

 

[strek1]

I actually considered calling in and asking him how he explains away Carnegie-Mellon scientists performing tests that support Belichick's contention. Then I heard him shout down a calm caller, say there is a "preponderance of evidence" that the Pats cheated, state as fact that all the Pats balls deflated to the same level, and say that the Colts balls didn't decrease in PSI. What's the point?

 Yeah, being on hold for 2 hours  just to have somebody hang up on you after 10 seconds is a classic example of a wasted afternoon.

 

[Mystic Merlin]

If Goodell is in the Pats' bag, please explain the Spygate penalty. It was the worst ever levied on an NFL franchise at the time.

 

[Investor 11]

Mike is not a fan of science.....or facts. Caller brought up the temperature influence and Mike laughs him off and says he doesn't know how someone could believe that the atmosphere could reduce 11 balls all to the exact same pressure.

 

[Omar's Wacky Neighbor]

He just repeated, again, that all 11 balls were all lowered to the exact same pressure.
 
Hey, he just gave credit to the Pats for something:  making the NFL and Goodell look like idiots and patsies.
 
OK, back to Kraft had Goodell destroy video evidence so none of us could ever see it......

 

[Omar's Wacky Neighbor]

Mike is not a fan of science.....

Sure he is, as long as it agrees with what he's saying.  He just defended all the scientists who explained why this is impossible and contradicted what BB said in his Saturday PC.
 
But yeah, he's completely dismissing any and all facts that dont fit his narrative.
 
And his take yesterday on FrancesaCon was funny.  Deeply touched by it, wished he had brought his kids to it, plans to attend next year as well, et., all the while never realizing (or at least never admitting) that it's a goof on him.

 

[Investor 11]

You're right about him mentioning scientists that explained it away.

It also seemed like he was trying to portray the Wells statement on not discussing the case as something that the Patriots were putting forward. He then criticized that by saying something to the effect of "you can't stop me from talking about it just because you don't want it mentioned." But I may have just interpreted it wrong.

 

[Omar's Wacky Neighbor]

Did it again:  11 balls all at the exact same illegal psi. 
 
He just agreed with a caller that Kraft probably called out the NFL yesterday just to make it LOOK like he's not buddy-buddy with Goodell and to make it LOOK like he's mad at Goodell.

 

[Investor 11]

Did it again:  11 balls all at the exact same illegal psi. 
 
He just agreed with a caller that Kraft probably called out the NFL yesterday just to make it LOOK like he's not buddy-buddy with Goodell and to make it LOOK like he's mad at Goodell.

That was an awesome exchange with that guy.

 

[Dehere]

And his take yesterday on FrancesaCon was funny.  Deeply touched by it, wished he had brought his kids to it, plans to attend next year as well, et., all the while never realizing (or at least never admitting) that it's a goof on him.

It's partly a goof on him, yeah, but there seems to be a healthy streak of real, and really self-aware, fandom. If you check the YouTube video of his appearance or read Katie Baker's story on Grantland the feeling you get is that a lot of the attendees are sincere Francesa fans but also find a lot of his mannerisms ridiculous. Or maybe I'm just projecting because I know I feel silly for enjoying his show as much as I do.

 

[Buster Olney the Lonely]

only reason I watch Mike is for he unintentional comedy. Have to tune out this week because he's been so shrill. 
 
I mean where else can you get stuff like this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWhqircUI0k

 

[Investor 11]

Mike saying its on the Pats to disprove they didn't deflate the balls not on the league to prove they did it. And they can't use atmospheric conditions as an excuse

 

[redsoxcentury]

I put on Fox Sports 1.  Has quote from FFF on the scroll at bottom of screen: "The Patriots excuses have become unbelievably comical."
 
Click.

 

[strek1]

Mike saying its on the Pats to disprove they didn't deflate the balls not on the league to prove they did it. And they can't use atmospheric conditions as an excuse

"Guilty until proven innocent" isn't that slightly backwards?

 

[Mystic Merlin]

Mike saying its on the Pats to disprove they didn't deflate the balls not on the league to prove they did it. And they can't use atmospheric conditions as an excuse

 
Prove leprechauns do not exist.  

 

[shawnrbu]

Wrong thread.

 

[NJ Fan]

Hadn't seen this in ages...Russo's father Tony calling in as M&MD were breaking up in '07.  Amazing how much Mike has aged since then.
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFNLTIVOytQ