The default term for people with the job Mike Francesa has for the New York sports radio station WFAN is “radio personality.” And while that seems somewhat wrong in this case -- Francesa could be more accurately described as either a “radio fixture” or “barking dismissive goiter” -- it’s close in that what sets Francesa apart from other sports radio types, besides his decades-spanning success and thick-sliced Lawn Guylun accent, is indeed his personality.
(Not) Mike Francesa on the Revolutionary War
In which one of the best Mike Francesa imitations ever recorded is a big fan of Lord Cornwallis.
Which is world-historically superior and curdled and otherwise not-nice in a way specific to his region. Imagine a version of Paul Finebaum that looks like a meanish veal chop fitted into Jos. A. Bank shirts and replace any trace elements of in-on-the-joke humor with stifled diet soda burps and you’re close. In other words, if any sports radio personality is ripe for a video parody -- complete with an astonishingly good imitation -- set during the Revolutionary War, it’s Mike Francesa. You will maybe not be surprised by his rooting interests.
There is, of course, more to Mike Francesa than being rude to people and slavishly worshipping power, as Joe DePaolo discovered in his fine longform profile of him. But also there’s just something right about him treating Lord Cornwallis with the reverence otherwise reserved for Bill Parcells.
