Imus, Mike and the Mad Dog, & Doris from Rego Park: The Groundbreaking History of WFAN

by Tim Sullivan, Steve Somers (Foreword)

A behind-the-scenes look at the most powerful voices on New York’s AM dial, this is the all-encompassing history of WFAN. Created in 1987, WFAN was the nation’s first 24-hour, all sports radio station and this work recounts how, a quarter-century later, it is the highest-rated station in New York and the home to many unforgettable radio personalities past or present, including Don Imus, Chris “Mad Dog” Russo, Mike Francesa, and Boomer Esiason. Seasoned journalist Tim Sullivan provides an account that soaks itself in the history, impact, egos, fans, and all the controversies of WFAN, making it an enthralling read for any sports fan.

Genres: Sports, Nonfiction

256 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

Timothy Robert Sullivan was an American science fiction novelist, screenwriter, actor, film director and short story writer.
Many of his stories have been critically acknowledged and reprinted. His 1981 short story "Zeke," a tragedy about an extraterrestrial stranded on Earth, has been translated into German and was a finalist for the 1982 Nebula Award for Best Short Story. "Under Glass" (2011), a well-reviewed semi-autobiographical short story with occult hints, has been translated into Chinese and is the basis for a screenplay by director/actor Ron Ford. "Yeshua's Dog" (2013) was also translated into Chinese.

Reviews

[Mark Simon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book (I would call it a 4 star read) ... one that is basically meant for people with a modest amount of familiarity to a lot of familiarity specifically with WFAN. If you want to know more about the likes of Ian Eagle, Evan Roberts, Mad Dog Russo, and even the update guys like John Minko, you'll like this book. It's a very quick read (a 2-day'er).

[Mikey · Rating 3 out of 5]

blah blah blah. Poorly written and trying to make something which could have some cool history seem bland.

[Josh · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked this up as I'm a radio junkie and an avid listener of sports talk radio. The book was okay, but would probably resonate stronger if you're from New York. I was expecting more details about notable broadcasts that occurred in the station's history. You got that with the infamous Imus-Rutgers debacle and Russo's farewell, but that was it. The profiles on Imus and Mike & The Mad Dog were the book's strongest points. This would have worked better as an oral history going in chronological order.

[Andy Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting. I feel like this book was written for those very familiar with the personalities, the content, etc. I listen to the station, so some of the names and voices I'm relatively familiar with. Since this book mentions specific people, and direct quotes from shows, this book could do with some sort of "companion audio material" kind of thing. maybe there is, and I just don't know about it. Because this is for such a specific audience, a lot of it was lost on me. Still some interesting stuff in here, though.

[Tucker Elliot · Rating 5 out of 5]

"even though the bar was going to close the FAN wasn't"

I had the chance to meet author Tim Sullivan at a terrific book event hosted by Bergino Baseball Clubhouse in NYC recently. I've since read the book and found it to be quite entertaining. Some other reviewers noted that the book doesn't delve into any real dirt regarding the FAN's history, and while those reviews are correct and I agree with them, I'd suggest to readers who would like some of that to listen to the podcasts from Tim Sullivan's events promoting the book.

The event I attended gave audience members a full hour to ask the very questions mentioned in some of these reviews and the author did a great job telling stories not in the book. When asked why those stories are not in the book his answer was simply there was too much information -- he could have written 4-5 books with the material given him, but ultimately he chose the route he did, and personally I think it's a success anyway.

Someone asked the author why WFAN became so important to NY area listeners and he gave a great answer, saying, "Even though the bar was going to close the FAN wasn't." And really, that's who this book is for -- the fans who when the game is over are eagerly waiting for the post game shows so you can discuss and dissect and debate to your heart's content.

[Jeff Russo · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm a bit tweaked that a history of WFAN has been written that didn't mention Bill Mazer, but... beyond that... not bad, but not very good. This is not the kind of book I typically read, a sort of contemporary history, basically good-natured, not exactly a sword-swinging vicious journalistic effort. So maybe I'm just being a little hard from that standpoint.

Also, this may say more about me than about the book, but I'm amazed at how much of what is discussed here I just knew... obviously I was a long-time WFAN listener or I would not have bought the book, but... I don't feel like I've been illuminated much by reading this.

[Lee Shufro · Rating 4 out of 5]

solid - loved it

[Tony Teri · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for any New york sports fan.