Mike and the Mad Dog not ruling out a reunion

“Mike and the Mad Dog” has been off the air for nearly nine years but, thanks in part to ESPN’s upcoming “30 for 30” on the epochal New York City sports-talk show, it’s back in the news again. Mike Francesa and Chris Russo primed the pump on Thursday night with a SiriusXM Town Hall in New York, once again hinting that a more permanent reunion could be in the works.

“First someone has to make an offer, which no one has yet,” Francesa said, per the Daily News. “But if something comes up, I’ll always listen . ... Who knows? But I’m not saying the economics would work either, so I’ll have to wait and see. I don’t know if there’s something there or not.”

Said Russo, now heard on Sirius XM: “I think we both know we could easily do shows together. I think we both know we’d be amenable to it if they come up with the right forum (and) price . ... I wouldn’t think five days a week now. I think it would be sporadic — maybe one day a week, maybe something around big events.”

It’s hardly the first time the two have speculated about a reunion. Russo said similar things to Sports Illustrated in April and, with Francesa’s pending retirement from WFAN in December, it’s only natural that everyone thinks they’re getting back together, at least partially. According to the New York Post, Francesa also is weighing the idea of a podcast after he departs WFAN, even though he called that platform “a folly” two months ago.

“I’m still working on that,” he said. “I’ve had a couple of unconventional meetings that I’m not at liberty to discuss until after the Dec. 15 deadline.”

Speaking of Francesa and WFAN, little-loved New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie will be getting an audition as Francesa’s possible replacement next week, co-hosting the 2-6:30 slot with WFAN’s Evan Roberts on Monday and Tuesday.

Francesa and Russo also talked Thursday about how bad things had gotten between them at the end of their WFAN run

run in the late aughts — they didn’t speak to each other except when they were on the air — and how Francesa’s second wife, Roe, patched things up by inviting Russo to their wedding without telling her future husband.