Mike Francesa is open to an audience with Stephen A. Smith and Christopher “Mad Dog” Russo on ESPN First Take, but it is far from a certainty.
The WFAN legend addressed Monday’s blockbuster report from The Post’s Andrew Marchand on his latest BetRivers podcast.
“I know there was a story written. The story had a lot of — I wouldn’t say it was 100% accurate, but it had a lot of truth in it. I’m going to tell you exactly what happened,” Francesa said Tuesday.
“They called me last year and wanted me to surprise Dog and Stephen A. on First Take. … I was a little leery of surprising anybody. I thought it was better if they knew about it. We were going to decide that, we hadn’t decided yet. We went back and forth trying to find a date. We agreed on a date we were going to do it, and I had a bad cold. … I passed on that day, I think it was in March, and said we’d get back to them. We kind of never got back to each other again. And that’s where it’s stood.
“They did ask me to do it, they left with me that they would like me to make an appearance there. I would say there is a chance, there is a chance, that maybe in the next couple of months I might make one. But it’s not locked in yet. They did ask me to do it and we were still discussing it, is where it was. And I don’t know how it got out, it didn’t get out from me, but it is true that there was conversations, they did ask me to do it.
“They did not talk to me about any offer to do it on a permanent basis or anything like that. As far as I knew it, we were just doing a one-time thing. That was my understanding at the time when we discussed it. And we haven’t discussed it since last, I would say, April. Maybe May, right around there. We did not discuss it this fall. Would we discuss it again? Maybe. I haven’t heard from them in a while, to be honest with you. But when they left it, they left it that they did want me to do it. So I would say it is a possibility. It’s not locked in, but it’s a possibility.”
Make the call, ESPN. And make it worth the big guy’s while. Because this would be the greatest event in sports debate television history.
MORE ON ESNY:
• Jets have some work to do if they want to prove Robert Saleh right
• Steve Cohen likes idea of Mets signing Carlos Correa … on Twitter
• Nets’ hot streak has catapulted them up Eastern Conference standings
• Do the Yankees need to add a veteran shortstop this offseason?
• Joe Benigno says Jets’ Mike White ‘should’ve been the QB all along’
James Kratch can be reached at james.kratch@xlmedia.com
