Don’t expect different Carton in his WFAN return

THURSDAY, in what sounded like a case of greasing the skids for his return to WFAN on Nov. 9, Craig Carton was heard. He spoke contrition for his recent sins, yet was also heard as a hardly humbled wiseguy. But who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of radio characters, starting in 1930 with The Shadow.

When the Carton segment ended, listeners heard from John Jastremski, another WFAN junior-grade show host who was suddenly assigned to emphasize sports gambling as if he’s a renowned and successful tout (there’s no such animal). As if on cue, Jastremski discussed NFL betting lines.

Also, Thursday came word that WFAN’s parent company Entercom, has signed a six-year deal with FanDuel to become the “official sportsbook” of Entercom stations as WFANsinks desperately deeper into the gambling quicksand.

And now WFAN will team Carton, the station’s most infamous gambler, with another of its new, station-anointed Masters of Sports Gambling Expertise, Evan Roberts. Suggested name: “The Regret & Remorse Show.”

Hell of a place for Carton to further pursue recovery from a criminal gambling addiction.

It seems impossible that

Carton will return a humbled, disgraced and repentant man. His radio ratings success was predicated on conceit, defamations, excessive self-entitlement, vulgarities and attention-desperate obnoxious public conduct.

In other words, even if Carton wishes to be seen and heard in a better, postprison light — more of a human who practices humanity — it’s unlikely WFAN management would encourage that on a continuum. His tacit rules of engagement are to aim low, go lower.

It seems far more likely that the shot-callers want him to pick up where he left off on the day he was arrested and the day he replaced Don Imus. Not that WFAN ever took care to take care of its credibility.

In Texas Hold ’Em terms, WFAN is “all-in.” How it can be all-in while leaving Carton out would be a stunning card trick.