‘Mad Dog’ Russo Beside Himself After His Bookie Convinced Him to Bet Against His Own Son: ‘God, Strike Me Down!’

Chris “Mad Dog” Russo’s betting habit reached a new low earlier this week when he actually bet against his own son in a college basketball game.

In his weekly First Take segment “What Are You Mad About,” Russo took aim at his bookie known as “Fat Rob.” Apparently, Fat Rob convinced him to bet on the University of Connecticut’s men’s basketball team to cover the spread against Northern Arizona. UConn was a 23.5-point favorite.

Russo was conflicted because his son is an assistant on Northern Arizona’s coaching staff.

“So Fat Rob wanted me to make a play on the game,” Russo said. “Now, how can I make a play on the game? My kid is coaching! The spread was 23.5; and Fat Rob, who’s religious, he bet — and he’s part of the family! — and he bet UConn to cover against my Northern Arizona team.”

When the team that’s favored to win “covers” the spread, it means it won by a deficit greater than the spread. UConn, a 23.5-point favorite, won 95-52 to cover.

Russo was at the game when Fat Rob called him to make the bet.

“So in essence, I was in the arena and I needed UConn to blow my kid out the window because Fat Rob made a bet!” Russo said. “God, strike me down!”

While Russo was initially upset about his son’s team losing, that all seemed to go away when he remembered the loss actually won him some money.

“Northern Arizona, they got destroyed,” Russo said. “I walked out of the arena in tears! But here’s the funny thing: when he told me we had UConn, I laughed all the way to the bank!”

Watch above via ESPN.