A dispute over Shaquille O'Neal's trade to the Phoenix Suns in February 2008 may have contributed to the eventual split of the prominent sports radio duo "Mike and the Mad Dog," according to a former producer.
Sal Licata, who produced the show during its final run in the summer of 2008, stated that a disagreement over the Suns' projected win total following the O'Neal trade was one of the final points of contention between co-hosts Mike Francesa and Chris "The Mad Dog" Russo.
Licata explained on the Awful Announcing podcast that Russo believed O'Neal's arrival would boost the Suns' win total, while Francesa argued it would decrease it. The hosts, who apparently had a shared bet on the outcome, found themselves on opposing sides of the debate.
"I remember that being a little bit of an issue," Licata said. "I’m not saying that is the straw that broke the camel’s back or whatever, but that was a little bit of an issue."
While acknowledging that other factors were undoubtedly at play in the breakup of the long-running partnership, Licata indicated that the O'Neal trade discussion added tension between the two personalities.
O'Neal was traded to the Suns by Miami Heat executive Pat Riley, a figure with his own history with the radio show. Riley, a former Knicks coach, was a frequent guest on "Mike and the Mad Dog" in the 1990s before the program criticized him for faxing his resignation to join the Heat after the 1995 playoffs.
Russo eventually departed to launch his own SiriusXM channel, while Francesa remained with WFAN until 2020.
In the 2008-2009 NBA season, the Phoenix Suns finished with a 55-27 record but were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. O'Neal was an All-Star in his first full season with the team in 2009.