While the pair would’ve made for an interesting series of ramblings, Simmons is now producing content for HBO. (ESPN has its own radio empire, and its personalities aren’t allowed to go on Francesa’s program.) But now that Simmons has parted ways with ESPN and gone to HBO, no such restrictions are in place, and the Sports Guy spent more than a half-hour this afternoon chatting on the air with Francesa.
Advertisement
Francesa is breaking his longtime embargo on collaborations with ESPN and participating in a 30 for 30 documentary about his fabled Mike and the Mad Dog radio show.
Former ESPN employee Bill Simmons joined Mike Francesa on the radio at WFAN in New York Wednesday for his first ever guest appearance with the acclaimed host. However, due to a few old friends working on the project, he’s agreed to do a 30 for 30 on the most influential sports radio show of all-time – Mike & The Mad Dog.
“Now you won’t get thrown in a dungeon for coming on, ” said Francesa. Simmons: “I do… It’s their biggest business partner by far”.
The beginning of the end for Simmons at ESPN was his three week suspension for calling Roger Goodell a liar and challenging his bosses to do something about it on a podcast.
“The story changed on their end based on who I was talking to and what day it was.” Everyone’s going to have an app. You’re gonna have a Bill Simmons app. I might even have an app before I say good-bye.
“When Dog left you called me, we discussed whether there’s a possibility I could be the co-host, but I just signed a giant contract.”
Simmons implored Francesa to reunite with the “Mad Dog”, and Francesa admitted that he’s always been open to it. Francesa explained that it might not be economically feasible, however. Francesa asked if he believed the National Football League had a hand in the whole situation, and Simmons said that he did.
Simmons: “I thought it was my friend Sal playing a joke on me”.
Advertisement
“I had a mostly happy run there, spotty times like in any (relationship)”. I got to do a bunch of cool stuff creatively.
