Pope’s ego FANs reunion rumors
Mike (Sports Pope) Francesa making a mistake? How shocking. Throughout his never-ending “retirement” tour, Francesa bellowed on about how he just needed a change, while claiming he wasn’t getting out of the business. He said he would announce his new gig in April, which has seven days left. He still hasn’t made that announcement. Probably because he has not landed a gig and is so frustrated over deciding to leave WFAN he is too busy kicking himself in the butt.
Here’s the bottom line with Francesa: He overestimated his value in the marketplace and underestimated how much he would miss the business. His ego is so large that he’s not satisfied just looking in the mirror and making the same points over and over again. He still needs the adulation of the unwashed masses to feed his ego.
Francesa’s inability to land a gig has led to speculation that he approached WFAN suits and talked about coming back. This would not be surprising. As a matter of fact, since he made his “retirement” announcement in 2016, we predicted Francesa would never leave WFAN. Francesa scoffed at this notion.
So, now that he can’t find an alternative gig anywhere else, he decides to scurry back “home” like a hungry rat? What a guy.
“If he came back here it would be a real s--- show,” a WFAN source said. “It’s no secret that he is not well-liked. How do you think we would feel if he returned just to take someone else’s job?”
Francesa shows he has absolutely no regard for the trio of Maggie Gray, Bart Scott and Chris Carlin who replaced him. They have been on the air a grand total of three months — and one ratings book — and Francesa feels comfortable playing it coy and not issuing a denial that he ostensibly is trying to take their jobs?
That’s dirty business. Real dirty business. But what can you expect for someone like Francesa who is skilled in the arts of lying and bullying.
And what about WFAN management, Mark Chernoff and Chris Olivero?
The duo selected the new team. What happened to all their talk about giving Gray, Scott and Carlin a chance to succeed? Have the suits lost their guts and the confidence in the team they picked? Are they worried their legacy might include hiring a three-headed David Lee Roth (the man who replaced Howard Stern)? Are they so gutless they would prematurely pull the plug on the trio they selected? Or are they so frazzled they — incredibly — may have reached out to Francesa believing he is a cure all?
This would be a huge reversal from a management team that has been supportive of Gray, Scott, and Carlin. “I thought management was in their corner. The only thing different is they (the afternoon trio) have been more micromanaged by Chernoff,” another FAN source said. “I don’t know if that’s what they really need at this point.”
So, Francesa, who has not denied he is trying to take Gray, Scott and Carlin’s job, must be viewed as a quick fix if there have been any conversations between him and FAN management. It also shows management, notoriously cheap, is willing to bust their budget.
If Francesa were to return, it would not be anywhere near to the $4 million per he was making, but it would still increase FAN’s budget. The new team is under a multi-year deal worth a combined $1.5 million. Even if they left afternoon drive and were moved to another time slot, they would have to get paid. No doubt there would be a trickle-down effect. If the afternoon trio was moved out, they would likely be re-assigned to other time slots. Some other Gasbag would have to be moved, or shown the door.
Wonder if Francesa has given thought to that. For him, this would be just another mistake.
How shocking.