Chris ‘Mad Dog’ Russo who co-hosted the popular New York sports talk show ‘Mike and the Mad Dog’ is leaving WFAN to pursue other interests.  Russo had teamed with Mike Francesa for almost nineteen years on the highly rated afternoon radio program.

Francesa will take over and control the entire show for the foreseeable future.

“Mike and Chris pioneered the genre more than 18 years ago and have shaped the sports talk format into what it is today,” WFAN operations director Mark Chernoff said in a statement.

“As we embark on this next step in WFAN’s history, we wish Chris nothing but the best and look forward to all that Mike will do in a role in which he has excelled at for years.”

Russo is likely to end up with his own show on Sirius satellite radio.  If not there, look for Chris to possibly turn up on ESPN or elsewhere on TV.

Bill Simmons spent a good bit of time talking about the possibility of the Mad Dog leaving the show on a couple of his podcasts in the past month, so I am not truly surprised to hear of Russo leaving the show.