While the tri-state waits breathlessly to learn the identity of Mike Francesca’s new don’t-call-him-a-sidekick on WFAN’s “Mike’d Up”, the afternoon guzzler of Diet Coke dropped a somewhat confusing hint to Newsday’s Neil Best ;
œI think if Dog and I did one thing badly, we really ignored the technology. We were so successful we totally ignored the technology and were not good at it. Now I think you have to be good at it. It™s to a point where you can™t ignore it. It™s there. You have to use a computer now. You can™t ignore it. The technology has attacked us in a way where you can™t ignore it. That™s why I like keeping the young guys around.
œSal [Licata] and Eddie [Erickson] are young. Sal™s not even 30, Eddie™s in his mid-30s. Maybe one of the reasons I didn™t bring Joe [Benigno] in was I thought it might not be good to have someone in there who™s even older than me. Maybe that™s my trepidation, because Joe did really well. More it was a case of me wondering if that was the right feel for the show, if maybe I do need someone younger?
œI™m still hunting and pecking and looking and yes, yes, keep speculating, because I™m still looking. I promise. Ask Cherny. We™re still looking. We discussed a very interesting candidate yesterday, a fascinating candidate yesterday. Cherny had a gleam in his eye, I™ll tell you that.™™
OK, let’s consider the criteria —- Mike wants a partner that’s younger than Joe Benigno-Gazingo (check). And he’d like someone who is technologically savvy (check fuckin’ mate!). Is it really this obvious?