Chris Russo wagered retirement on the NLCS and Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo hopes to make him pay.
While the Philadelphia Phillies and Arizona Diamondbacks already have their seasons on the line in Tuesday night’s Game 7 of the National League Championship Series, Russo raised his hand and put his career on the line too. Attempting to emphasize his doubt over the Diamondbacks being able to overcome a 3-2 series deficit, Russo vowed to retire if they advance to the World Series.
I stand by my promise! https://t.co/Yr9JpgXVnL pic.twitter.com/wAYeZihmuA
— Chris Mad Dog Russo (@MadDogUnleashed) October 24, 2023
“I’ve been wrong on Arizona from day one,” Russo admitted during his Monday afternoon radio show. “I would not be stunned if they won tonight [Game 6], I would be floored. And I’ll say this right now, and Bob Raissman, write it down, if they win the next two games and win this series in seven games–if they win, I will retire on the spot.”
Consider Russo floored because the Diamondbacks beat Philly 5-1 Monday night. With Russo’s retirement promies going viral after the Diamondbacks won Game 6, Arizona’s manager weighed in to reveal he hopes they can finish the job.
Want to run through a wall?
LISTEN TO THIS from Torey Lovullo….Longtime sports talk host Chris ‘Mad Dog’ Russo (@MadDogUnleashed) says he’ll retire if the #Dbacks best the Phillies in Game 7.
“I would love to see him quit if we won today. You know what I mean? There’s… pic.twitter.com/z351f9NeLE
— Cameron Cox (@CamCox12) October 24, 2023
“I’m looking forward to that,” Lovullo said in response to Russo’s vow to retire. “I would love to see him quit if we won today. You know what I mean? There’s nothing better than a wise guy New Yorker saying something and then having to chomp on those words.”
Lovullo also noted that he and Russo are friends. But that shouldn’t excuse Russo from wagering more than he wants to pay. Sports Illustrated’s Jimmy Traina offered a longer clip from Russo’s Monday show, where the radio host quickly backtracked from wagering retirement altogether. But then on Tuesday, Russo doubled down on the retirement vow, clarifying that it would only pertain to his SiriusXM show, and not impact his weekly gig alongside Stephen A. Smith on First Take.
Chris “Mad Dog” Russo clears up the story about whether he will retire if the Diamondbacks beat the Phillies tonight. He also said this only pertains to SiriusXM and he will not leave @stephenasmith and First Take. pic.twitter.com/UiSdi73INr
— Jimmy Traina (@JimmyTraina) October 24, 2023
Is Russo really going to consider retiring should Arizona advance to the World Series or is this going to be another empty wager like the time Mel Kiper attached his ESPN career to Jimmy Clausen. Probably the latter, but maybe this is sign from Russo who recently teased plans of reassessing his SiriusXM future after the Super Bowl. He’s 64 years old with prominent jobs at SiriusXM, ESPN and MLB Network. He has to slow down at some point, maybe the Diamondbacks being in the World Series is that point.
Years ago, everyone thought Mike Francesa might be the one to send Russo into retirement. But with Russo now enjoying a career renaissance after joining ESPN’s First Take, no one could have guessed the Arizona Diamondbacks would be threatening him to retire.
