Chris Russo erupts over Oakland possum

The Oakland Athletics have a myriad of issues, but it’s their possum infestation that seems to have pushed Chris “Mad Dog” Russo over the edge.

After a possum bumped SNY’s New York Mets broadcasters out of the Oakland Coliseum’s visiting booth Friday night, Russo railed against the franchise Wednesday morning on First Take. There, he claimed enough is enough, get the team out of Oakland.


“Baseball’s gotta do something. This is a disgrace,” Russo started. “The SNY broadcast, they could not broadcast from their booth in the Mets-A’s series. Why? Because there was a possum WHO WAS LIVING IN THE WALLS! LOOK AT THAT! This is a Major League Baseball facility! A team plays here! The Oakland A’s, they’ve won four championships and they got animals in the walls!”

Russo proceeded to passionately explain that he hired someone to get rid of the bats in his attic, and Stephen A. Smith revealed he similarly had a company take care of a squirrel problem in his home. The A’s, however, have had a possum living in the visiting broadcast booth and press box for years and have failed to rectify the problem.

“Animals! In the Alameda Coliseum and baseball allows this to happen? I love Manfred, but Rob! Get Oakland out of Oakland!” Russo ranted. “Put ‘em anywhere! Put ‘em here! Put ‘em in the New York City subway system, there’s less rats! But this is stupid, they cannot play any more baseball in that facility! NOW!”

Russo’s passion for displacing the A’s from the Oakland Coliseum rivaled his famous 2008 Yankee Stadium bathroom debate with his then-WFAN co-host Mike Francesa. But while Russo was on the side of preserving the old Yankee Stadium, despite the long bathroom lines, a possum was the final straw in convincing Dog it’s time to tear down the Oakland Coliseum.

[First Take]

About Brandon Contes

Brandon Contes is a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. He previously helped carve the sports vertical for Mediaite and spent more than three years with Barrett Sports Media. Send tips/comments/complaints to bcontes@thecomeback.com