D.A. Named Morning Host at SiriusXM Mad Dog Channel

Huge news as the Mothership is literally getting blasted into outer space. SiriusXM’s Mad Dog Channel has brought The D.A. Show over to satellite. Read about it here. The show begins on Monday 10/2. And on top of it, the suits at SiriusXM are giving DA-liens 3 free months to see if they like what they hear. Details coming.

D.A.’s Take on Orioles Suspension Gets Noticed

When the Orioles suspiciously suspended broadcaster Kevin Brown it became national news. The franchise looked embarrassing and Brown must have been fuming. But I’d like to think it’s actually the best thing that could have happened to KB.

Mraz’s Teary Sendoff Gets Awful Announcing Treatment

Is there anything better than having the trades write about our silliest moments? Here we are having a tearful goodbye to Mraz after a decade on the show, and we are reminded that he’s just the guy that soiled himself on the air. Ah, the legacy of The D.A. Show.

The 2023 Bob’s Bar One-Sheet

Friday 6/16 we’ll celebrate another kickoff to summer at Bob’s Bar. We know plenty of DA-liens are looking at making the trip. Here’s a travel guide for the festivities. We’ll keep adding to this as as needed, but remember you can always ask us over social media or call into the show for other questions.

Time: Live show 6a-10a ET. Gates open at 6a (the front gate to the Morash’s back yard). After the show we’ll have live music playing and everyone will be welcome to hang out and have food and drinks.

Late night? Last year the party endured into the night because of the Rangers playoff watch party. There will probably not be a late night gathering, but listeners are welcome to stay after 10a until at least the afternoon.

Cost: The event is free. Just be a nice person and don’t punch D.A. in the nose, and you will be welcome with a bear hug. Any food/drink to share with the party or gift for Bob the Deli Man (this is acting as his retirement party) would be appreciated.

Age limit: All ages are welcome, from infants to Lou Carnesecca.

Parking: Zach Gelb lost the football picks competition, so you can pull up to the party and he will valet your car. He’ll be wearing a Matt Rhule outfit.

Address: West Babylon, New York. We will release the exact address closer to party time.

Air Travel: Newark, LaGuardia and JFK all service NYC. Islip (MacArthur Airport) is even closer, although it is smaller and fewer flights come in/out. JFK is probably the most convenient, followed by LaGuardia. Newark is the least desirable because it’s in New Jersey, on the other side of the Hudson River.

Ground travel: The Long Island Railroad (LIRR) is the easiest way to get from NYC to West Babylon. There are two stops that are equidistant to Bob’s Bar. The Babylon stop and the Lindenhurst stop, which are both short Uber/cab ride from the house. Cabs are often parked there, but ride shares are easily available. Mraz has even been known to drunkenly walk home from the LIRR as well. LIRR schedules are located online, and Mraz can be available for specific questions.

NYC traffic: Summer Fridays are notoriously difficult to drive in/out of Manhattan. There will be no traffic at 6a, but don’t plan on driving back into Manhattan (or other boroughs/New Jersey) in the late afternoon or risk massive delays. It’s best to take the LIRR or plan on staying on Long Island Friday until traffic dies down later in the evening.

Hotels: Within a 5-minute drive there is a Courtyard Marriott and Townplace Suites at the Republic Airport (a small, private airport). A little further away there is a Residence Inn by Marriott Long Island, Holiday Inn Express Happauge, and Hampton Inn Long Island/Commack. There’s also a Marriott Melville and Homewood Suites in Melville about 15-20 minutes away.

Nightlife: There is a bustling main street of Babylon with plenty of bars and restaurants, which would make for a good evening jaunt. Happy hour drinks can be found at The Local and The Villager. For late night revelry Mary Carroll’s (121 Deer Park Ave) is the spot and a popular Mraz watering hole. Mraz says it smells of “the 2 H’s” - Heineken and heroin.

Food: Zorn’s of Bethpage (4321 Hempstead Turnpike) is a favorite for comfort food and fried chicken of Pete the Body.

Day trips: Long Island’s south shore beaches are considered some of the best in the country. Some are free, some have daily fees. There are wineries on the North Shore and shopping/tourist destinations throughout. The sunsets on the Island are particularly amazing. Mraz suggests Adventureland for kids.

The Mothership: Boise Photo Album (2019)

If you’re connected to the show in any way (radio, video, social media), you’re well aware of our spectacular trip to Idaho. The 5-day trek was unforgettable, and stuffed with incredible people and experiences. I had so many pictures I wanted to share, I brainstormed an idea to get them into the hands of our Boise DA-liens in a creative way. We’re introducing our first ever photo album for The D.A. Show, and you can have it in time for the holidays. Even better, I’m signing the first 20 copies to whoever you want, with whatever you want written. Take advantage of my naivete and generosity this holi-DA season.

Just head over to the “shop” tab on this website and send along the message you’d like me to scribble in your book. And relive with over 20 pages of color images the moments we shared with the great listeners in Boise.

You can also check out the short video as I flip through the book, and on the “shop” page you’ll see a link to be able to look through the pages to see if you’re in it!

"NOMAD": MY NEW WEB SERIES DEBUTS

I'm not usually comfortable sitting still, so everyday provides a new opportunity for a mini adventure. Sometimes it's a unique place to eat, something I've never seen before, and occasionally it's just a good view. With that in mind I decided to create a weekly web series that will document some of these excursions, armed with nothing but my iPhone, a GoPro and an annoying selfie stick. 

NYC is the perfect place for this project because every day has a different moment of weird and/or interesting. My first jaunt was to the place I started my career, Dutchess Stadium. The Hudson Valley Renegades (Tampa Bay Rays Single-A Affiliate) gave me my initial internship at a time when I was plugging away on cable access. They have one of the best fan experiences in MiLB and some incredibly bizarre (and delicious) foods. Twenty years later, I took it all in. 

We'll release a new episode weekly, and all of them (including "shorts") will be linked at the "NOMAD" tab in the header here. Bingo Bango. 

Flashback 1997: Sitting Down with Mike Francesa

Mike and I had our documented dustup last summer when he famously took aim at my CBS Sports Minute that ran during his show. He bagged me for my Hulk Hogan take and using my initials, and as ridiculous as that sentence is, it's probably one of the things I'm most known for. I actually tracked him down that afternoon in the newsroom to clear the air, we had a laugh and he assured me this wasn't personal. He was just sick of all those damn Hulk Hogan-focused minutes (who could blame him?), since this was the day Hulk's racist video was made public. I discussed this episode in further detail with Al Dukes on his podcast. To me, this is the essence of Mike. Gruff on the exterior, but a warm guy underneath.

In 1997, as a high school senior, my communications class at Warwick (NY) Valley High had a second-semester project to create a TV show. Myself and three other classmates (my cousin Greg, one of my close friends Lee, and Steve) decided to develop a sports-interview themed show. We called it "Metro Sports North" because we would bring the stories of the NYC sports scene 50 miles northwest to our little hometown. Four ambitious teenages, Greg became the Athletic Director at neighboring Goshen (NY) High, Lee built a successful career in video and film production, Steve is still running an audio production company. 

One of our hopes was to do a story on the famed Mike and the Mad Dog show, a vital part of the Big Apple's heartbeat. We sent letters (pre-email) and followed up with phone calls to station management, and they allowed us to come film the show and arranged for a few interviews with the hosts. Those decision-makers (Mark Chernoff and Eric Spitz) are my bosses today. Amazing. 

This footage hasn't seen the light of day in 19 years. It aired once on our cable access station in Warwick, TKR-8. I had it on a VHS tape, but hadn't watched it since high school, and it was stored away in a box of all my old videos. Mike was very professional towards me, giving credence to my questions with thoughtful answers. As you can see, I was stiff and probably mind-numblingly nervous during the interview. But he calmed me at the top by insisting I not call him "Mr. Francesa," and taking time to answer every question. 

After we wrapped up, I remember him saying softly, "Not bad." That clip made my dad the proudest. He still talks about it. I love the old cart players, VCR and tape decks in the old WFAN side studio. This is also solid evidence I've been a fashion victim since the womb. That oversized shirt, buttoned all the way to the top, complete with bizarre mullet/boyband bangs gives the whole thing a '90s look that just can't be topped. I showed Mike some of this footage before I published it. We shared a chuckle. Through the looking glass, into a different lifetime, which is actually not so different today. Just with a tabloid radio-battle thrown in for good measure.