AUDIO: Boomer Esiason Poignantly Discusses Craig Carton Situation On-Air

As the initial digestion phase of the bombshell story on Craig Carton’s arrest on Wednesday for allegedly running a fake ticket scam Ponzi scheme to cover millions of dollars in gambling debts gives way to reflection, Boomer Esiason opened today’s morning show with some thoughts on his co-host of 10 years.

Neil Best of Newsday transcribed the segment, of which this was a key part:

"“Maybe our point guard’s not here but we’re going to continue to do it and I’m going to bring my friends in here until we find a permanent replacement, if in fact that’s where this is going to take us. But I just want people to know out there that I love my partner for 10 years. I still love my partner. I love his family, I love his kids. “And I am praying every single day that he lands on his feet, that they land on their feet, and there’s nothing worse than having a family go through what they have to go through now.”"

Esiason was also very thankful for how the show’s longtime adversary Mike Francesa handled the situation yesterday:

"“I have not talked to Craig at all since the last time we were together on the air. I did, however, talk to Mike Francesa yesterday. I ran into him in the hallway. I was here. Mike was unbelievable. I can’t explain it. For all the fun that we make of Mike here and laugh at some of the things that go on in the afternoon, he was great yesterday. I know he couldn’t talk about it yesterday because the company doesn’t want anybody talking about anything, but I have to tell you, he and I had maybe a five to six-, seven-minute conversation and he was great.”"

It remains to be seen if Carton can ever land on his feet again — from afar, the Feds’ case seems pretty open and shut — but for the foreseeable future Boomer and WFAN are going to have to figure out a long-term replacement.