The tributes were pouring in for Craig Carton during his final show on Friday afternoon, highlighted by Aaron Boone, who had to call in and wish his biggest fan well in his next chapter.
Boone, who called Craig his “pen pal” for how much they communicate via text despite not yet meeting in person, needs a new pen pal at WFAN with Craig moving on, so why not Evan?
“I gotta get Evan’s number now,” Boone said. “I gotta text Evan…When Craig texted me that he was leaving the radio…I told him, ‘The Evan and Boone Show,’ we gotta get that going.”
Boone, possessor of one of the most coveted jobs in sports as manager of the Yankees, has a bit of envy for Craig being able to choose his new career path.
“It’s nice to have so many good options,” Boone said. “You just can’t decide where you want to lay your head, and you have all these things to choose from. Must be nice.”
Al Dukes also called in, much to the shock of Craig.
“Al is a dear, dear friend of mine,” Craig said. “But here’s the reality, and I’ve come to terms with it. If I don’t call him, I will never speak to him again for the rest of my life.”
Now that Craig finally had Al on the phone, they looked back on the birth of Carton and Roberts, which began with Evan asking Al if he thought teaming up with Craig was a good idea.
“I think the first thing Al told me was, ‘Yeah, I think it’s a terrible idea,’” Evan laughed. “I always appreciated your honesty. Now, he did come around and say he thought about it and that it could work, but I always appreciated his brutal honesty.”
Once Al heard Carton and Roberts in action, he knew his initial concerns were unwarranted.
“Craig, your arguments were often times no fact based, and Evan has these facts and statistics on the top of his head from games that happened eight years ago,” Al said. “As he’s spitting out actual statistical facts, you just keep plowing over him with your argument, even if it has no statistical basis. I kept thinking, ‘This is perfect.’”
Another Morning Show crew member called in after Al, as Gio wished Craig well and jokingly looked ahead to the day when Craig returns to replace him.
“Congratulations,” Gio said. “I know it’s one of those deals where you’re emotional for many reasons, and I get it, because this place as much to you as anything, like all of us. But I know you’ll be around the building, I know you’ll be doing the Saturday stuff, and I’m sure in a couple years, Chris Oliviero will tell me I’m fired because you’re coming back for a second time.”
Al’s Warmup Show buddy Jerry Recco also called in to wish Craig a fond farewell, and express the loss that WFAN has to deal with now that Carton and Roberts is no more.
“Good for you,” Jerry said. “It’s great, but I’ve enjoyed this pairing the last couple years.”
Craig, like with Al, expressed his disappointment that his only communication with Jerry is via text, but Jerry wasn’t hearing it.
“Oh, stop,” Jerry said. “I call two people, my wife and my mother. Grow up. Congratulations, grow up.”
Of course, Craig’s former co-host called into the show as well!
“You’re leaving again?” Boomer said, before surmising that Craig was holding out to see if Boomer would retire to make his decision easier. “You came into my office last summer and said you were taking the hob at FDOX, and I told you you’d be burning the candle at both ends, but you’d be good at both of them, and you were gonna end up having to make a decision. I think you were trying to make the decision over the last year by saying I was retiring, and you wanted me to make the decision for you.”
“Well, it would have been nice,” Craig replied.
In all seriousness, Boomer wished Craig the best, knowing the big shoes that Craig would leave behind at the FAN.
“Remember that the people you are leaving behind love and respect you and certainly admire everything you’ve been able to redo in your life,” Boomer said. “It’s hard to imagine what it’s gonna be like without you now.”
Even former New Jersey governor Chris Christie called in to wish Craig the best in his next chapter. Well, sort of.
“What an incredible day,” Christie said. “What an incredible sendoff. What a day of mixed emotions we’re having today. Right now, my emotions are torn between joy and abject joy, knowing you’ll be off the air…but Evan, we’ll stick with you buddy, don’t you worry about it.”
Follow WFAN's afternoon team on Twitter: @CartonRoberts, @EvanRobertsWFAN, @TommyLugauer, and @CMacWFAN
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