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Mike Francesa is a true OG in the sports talk radio game. He's been on WFAN's airwaves since 1987, dishing out heat every weekday. As one of New York's most influential media figures, he's feared and praised for his on-air tirades, holding everyone in New York sports accountable, from "mongos" (idiot callers) to Rex Ryan, to the Mayor. Whether it's his yelling, his humor, his New Yawk accent, his straight-to-the-point arguments, or his common sense, you can't help but smile, cheer, and nod your head in agreement when Francesa uncorks a rant. Click through the slides to watch Mike Francesa's Best Sonnings.
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Not Even WFAN Employees Are Safe
Date: 9/24/2010
Who got sonned?: WFAN Jets Beat Reporter Peter Schwartz
Key line: "Peter, use your noogan, use your noodle here!"
Francesa most definitely shoots the messenger here.
Get ESPN Outta Here
Date: 5/29/2013
Who got sonned?: ESPN
Key line: "What a bunch of clowns they are."
ESPN does have a history of playing up their "sources."
Summing up ESPN, Rick Reilly, and Also the World in General
Date: 11/13/2012
Who got sonned?: ESPN, Rick Reilly, and modern sports media
Key line: "How do you break a story that we watched on TV?"
Hey, we're all for wanting to get some shine on social media, and journalists using Twitter to report news has changed our lives for the better. But it also forced journalists to engage in a laughable rat race to be the first to a story, get credit, and rack up followers. Rick Reilly, the poor sap, gets slammed here by Francesa, and rightly so: there's no value in your tweets or credibility if you're pining for un-due credit.
Charlie in the Closet
Date: 6/4/2013
Who got sonned?: Charlie in Brick
Key line: "Are you in the closet or under the pillow?"
LOL. Francesa imitated and embarrassed the caller so badly that he hung up. He should've hit Charlie with this classic Drake line: "I just ask that when you see me you speak up, that's all."
Mike Francesa Is Rex Ryan's Daddy
Date: 12/29/2009
Who got sonned?: Rex Ryan
Key line: "Who ya selling that garbage to? C'mon Rex, you can't sell that stuff in New Yawk."
After the Jets beat the previously undefeated Colts in 2009—a victory that secured a playoff spot for the still reeling Jets—Rex Ryan decided to laud the win, even though the Colts sat their starters by the 4th quarter to preserve them for the playoffs. No way Francesa was going to have any of that unwarranted chest-pounding.
"What is this, English class?"
Date: 2011
Who got sonned?: Joe on the cell.
Key line: "My R and L, if you don't like the way I roll them, you know what? Tough. And that's what I'm gonna tell you, tough. I don't care."
Joe on the cell should know better than to teach the Sports Pope grammar lessons. Bob from Brooklyn gets it. Da Pope is from New Yawk. If you don't like it, tough.
Erupting on Fans Who Expect a World Series Every Year
Date: 10/19/2012
Who got sonned?: Dan in Belmar.
Key line: "I'm not stubborn, I am realistic. Youah ridiculous!"
Some fans with unrealistic expectations just need to be put in their place.
Rich in Amsterdam Wants to Replace Mariano Rivera with Johan Santana
Date: 3/18/2011
Who got sonned?: Rich in Amsterdam.
Key line: "How much thought have you given about this? A lot?"
Worst. Idea. Ever. As Francesa masterfully demonstrates here, sometimes a humorous and dismissive approach is the best way to exterminate dumb people. No sense getting worked up over proposed Johan Santana to the Yankees trades, or anything Johan Santana related for that matter.
On Manti Te'o Conspiracy Theorists
Date: 1/17/2013
Who got sonned?: Gary in Garfield.
Key line: "Oh no, come, no, come, oh my God, oh my God, no, oh my god, jeez. Now I've heard everything. Now you think the writer did this? Oh God. I think that might just finish the calls for today."
Francesa listens to idiot callers for a living, and isn't lost for words very often, so that nonsensical ramble of "oh no, come, no, come, oh my God, oh my God, no, oh my God" just shows how much he wasn't fucking with any and all Te'o conspiracies.
A Series of Crazy Callers
Date: 1/18/2013
Who got sonned?: Various callers
Key line: "Here's a question: Do they actually let you out alone, or do they make you go out with an escort?"
The Manti Te'o situation last January brought a lot of outspoken, strange callers out of the woodwork.
Story Time Gets Boring
Date: 10/14/2010
Who got sonned?: Chappy in New Canaan.
Key line: "I apologize that we had to get a Reader's Digest version, but we didn't have a lot of time." *hangs up*
Cool story, bro.
Mike Francesa is, In Fact, Not Brad Pitt
Date: 6/8/2009
Who got sonned?: Matt in Ronkonkoma.
Key line: "I'm just there to do sports. I'm not Brad Pitt."
Just a note: Don't be a smart ass and make fun of Francesa's face make-up before trying to make a salient point. Unfortunately for Matt in Ronkonkoma, his argument for Jorge Posada to bat lefty against left-handed pitching made no sense. In the middle of the sonning, Matt just about tapped-out and screamed: "Would you stop yelling at me!" Doesn't he know what Francesa does best?
Upon Further Review, the Refs Still Suck
Date: 3/21/2013
Who got sonned?: NCAA Tournament Referees.
Key line: "If I'm running the Tournament, those guys don't officiate another game."
Countless hours are spent every year lamenting the shitty performances of referees, umpires, and officials in all sports, but only Francesa could unload on these NCAA Tournament referees like THIS.
A Few Thoughts On Pujols In Pinestripes
Date: 4/18/2012
Who got sonned?: Bill in North Port.
Key line: "Oh God." *hits button for next caller*
Francesa couldn't be bothered. Bill in North Point never stood a chance.
This Poem About the Mets is Actually Worse Than the Mets
Date: 4/1/2011
Who got sonned?: Mike in Merrick.
Key line: "That's a terrible poem. It didn't even rhyme."
You could just feel Francesa's disgust with the poem building up even as he remained silent and listening. Some of it did rhyme though.
Questioning Francesa's Credibility
Date: 11/16/2012
Who got sonned?: Sam in Middlesex.
Key line: "Rex Ryan should criticize his players every once in a while. Maybe they wouldn't think they're better than they are."
The best way to rev Francesa up? Say that he has "no credibility," and then go on and (big surprise here) make a fruitless point. Sam in Middlesex, have a seat.
On Joba Chamberlain's Role
Date: 6/3/2009
Who got sonned?: Alex in Bedminster.
Key line: "Ay, get rid of him. Get me the Joba stats for his career, I'll teach Alex a lesson here."
Lesson No. 1 when you call into Mike Francesa's show: Come with your facts correct, or you will get embarrassed. Alex in Bedminster, you've just been sonned.
The Sports Pope Holds Court
Date: 2009
Who got sonned?: Chris "Mad Dog" Russo, Sirius, and ESPN.
Key line: "But if you're gonna come after us, then you gotta bring more than pea shooters."
ESPN and Sirius radio are no real competiton to New York Sports Radio Kingpin, Mike Francesa. The Mad Dog was on Howard Stern telling lies and got called out on it. When come at da gawd make sure you get your facts straight. #factsonly
Cancelling the NYC Marathon
Date: 11/2/2012
Who got sonned?: Mayor Bloomberg.
Key line: "This woulda been like if they ran a regatta through New Orleans after Katrina."
Leave it to Sports Radio's Godfather to be the voice of common sense and realness. Soon after this rant, the Mayor's office cancelled NYC Marathon. Coincidence? Maybe, but Francesa's loud mouth definitely contributed as a catalyst to put pressure on Mayor Bloomberg, and to knock some sense into him.
THE Mets Rant
Date: 8/23/2012
Who got sonned?: The Mets.
Key line: "TTHHHEEEEYY STINK!"
Having a team that loses because you're simply not good enough is one thing, but having an organization that, from the players, to the manager, to the owner, accepts a failing attitude? Francesa will not have that. The rant of all rants from the best in New York sports radio.
