Shaq oddly played a role in ‘Mike and the Mad Dog’ split: ‘Caused some tension’

Former "Mike and the Mad Dog" producer Sal Licata, who was working for the show at the end of its run in the summer of 2008, said one of the final straws in the often-tense relationship between the iconic co-hosts had to do with the trade of Shaq to the Suns in February 2008.

"I think there was an issue over the Phoenix Suns' 'Over' win total," Licata said on the Awful Announcing podcast. "That Mike was on one side of it, Dog [Russo] was on another side of it, and they were fighting because they had the same bet together. And Shaq got traded to the Suns.

Mike Francesa (left) and Chris Russo of 'Mike and the Mad Dog' get together for a SiriusXM Town Hall hosted by Chazz Palminteri at SiriusXM Studios on Thursday, July 6, 2017, in New York City. Getty Images for SiriusXM