Chris 'Mad Dog' Russo brings his SiriusXM show home for Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black
Chris "Mad Dog" Russo of SiriusXM radio. Credit: Getty Images for SiriusXM/Cindy Ord
Chris “Mad Dog” Russo has lived in Connecticut for many years, but when he reports for work at Bethpage State Park on Tuesday and Wednesday, he will feel right at home.
He grew up “right down the Seaford-Oyster Bay Expressway, 10 minutes away” in Syosset. And in his teens, 20s and 30s, he played golf there regularly.
Like a true Long Island golfer, he casually ticked off the park’s courses, saying he played “the red, the green, the blue, the yellow” and yes, the famed Bethpage Black, where the Ryder Cup will be contested starting Friday.
About 10 years ago, Russo played the full Black course for the first time and shot an impressive 91. “I played well that day,” he said. “But I didn’t play it from the back tees.”
On Tuesday and Wednesday, he will be content with not playing but rather with hosting his SiriusXM show, “Mad Dog Unleashed,” from 3 to 6 p.m. each day during practice rounds.
It is part of SiriusXM’s extensive coverage of the event, including 28 hours of live on-course shot-by-shot on Ryder Cup Radio (Channel 92) all weekend.
Brian Katrek and Taylor Zarzour will host coverage alongside analysts Colt Knost and Michael Breed. Raymond Burns, Emilia Doran, John Maginnes, Carl Paulson, Dennis Paulson and Drew Stoltz will be the on-course reporters.
Russo said he loves the Ryder Cup and proposed doing the show from there, something he also did for SiriusXM at the 2018 U.S. Open at Shinnecock and the 2019 PGA Championship at Bethpage. He and his former partner, Mike Francesa, were at the 2002 Open at Bethpage for WFAN.
He said he always enjoys coming home for remotes. His parents left Syosset in 1997, but that will not stop him from taking a detour to Syosset to see his childhood home and other markers of his youth.
“I definitely will take a little drive,” he said. “Syosset is my old stamping grounds . . . I will reminisce a little bit those two days. I will go by a couple of landmarks. Christiano’s is closed [since 2014], my little Italian restaurant in Syosset. But I’ll find something.”
Russo will not attend the tournament itself, not with so much else going on in sports that weekend.
“How about if the Mets are playing for a playoff spot and I’m at Bethpage?” he said. “I can’t.”
But he expects a riveting experience for those who do — and for the golfers themselves.
“I think that will be a raucous event,” he said. “Winning on the road in this event is very difficult. There will be a lot of drama. So it’ll be fun.”
Russo plans to stay with his producer in Plainview and carpool rather than brave traffic and parking with multiple cars. He has the added task on Wednesday of commuting to and from Manhattan to appear on ESPN’s “First Take,” then heading back out to the course.
Russo is not sure what guests he will be able to land but figured Tuesday and Wednesday should provide a relaxed atmosphere. He would love to get United States captain Keegan Bradley on, but the St. John’s alum might be just a bit busy.
Regardless, Russo is ready.
“I’ll definitely be into it,” he said.
Neil Best first worked at Newsday in 1982, returned in 1985 after a detour to Alaska and has been here since, specializing in high schools, college basketball, the NFL and most recently sports media and business.
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