Mike Francesa's show to air on Fox Sports 1: Report

It didn't take long for the Sports Pope and his ever present Diet Coke to find themselves back on TV.

Only one week after his contract with the YES Network expired, Mike Francesa struck a deal to simulcast his WFAN radio show on Fox Sports 1, according to a source. 

Francesa's 12-year simulcast run on the YES Network ended on Super Bowl Sunday.

No information was available on the terms of the contract, but Francesa said on his show last week that an announcement would be official early this week, and that New York's Numbah One was looking to be back on TV in time for March Madness.

The deal comes after a week where Francesa’s replacement on YES, Michael Kay, opened his ESPN radio show by tossing a Diet Coke in the trash, prompting Francesa to call the move “classless” and sparking a bit of a feud between the two hosts.

Since FS1 and YES are both owned by Fox, it now puts Francesa and Kay in the same TV family and should make the head-to-head competition very interesting. And those are a couple of huge noggins we're talking about.

Whether or not that means their "feud" is over remains to be seen. 

MSG had widely been considered the most logical candidate for Francesa's show after making a bid for it five years ago that YES matched. But FS1 entered the bidding, presumably in an effort to increase the new cable sports network's visibility.

Mongos rejoice.

Mike Woodson pulls out of regular radio spot, ESPN host blames Knicks brass for muzzling coach

A previously scheduled, heavily-promoted radio appearance by Mike Woodson on ESPN-98.7 was abruptly cancelled when an industry source said the New York Knicks head coach called co-host Stephen A. Smith before the show and said he would not be appearing on the afternoon broadcast.

On Wednesday morning, the day after the Knicks lost 93-82 to the Indiana Pacers and fell behind 3-1 in the NBA second-round playoff series, Woodson pulled out of his regular radio segment.  Smith put the blame squarely on the higher-ups with the Knicks organization, according to The New York Daily News.

“Mike Woodson was supposed to be coming on, ladies and gentlemen. We didn’t lie to you. The New York Knicks organization backed out,” Smith said at the beginning of Wednesday’s show. “The coach didn’t back out because Mike Woodson wouldn’t do that — no matter what he says.”

An industry source said Woodson called Smith prior to the show and told him he would not be making his scheduled appearance. The station had promoted the Woodson segment during its morning programming.

“The New York Knicks (organization) pulled him, so be it,” Smith said on the air. “I don’t need to talk to Mike Woodson today. As much as the Knicks stunk out the joint last night, what the hell is there to say?”

Throughout the season, Woodson has been candid while discussing his team with Smith and his partner Ryan Ruocco. During his last appearance, the coach made news when he revealed he would consider benching J.R. Smith.

“I don’t blame them for wanting Mike Woodson to be quiet,” Smith said. “Good move by the Knicks organization — for a change.”

The Knicks have self-destructed in the series and are creeping towards elimination.  They were out-rebounded 54-36 even after the team went bigger on Tuesday night. They must win three games in  a row starting on Thursday at Madison Square Garden.

And now James Dolan's paranoid lackeys pump up the controversy.

Woodson did talk to the media who showed up at the Knicks practice at their Greenburgh, N.Y. practice facility on Wednesday afternoon.