Go behind the scenes with ‘Toucher & Hardy' on The Sports Hub: ‘There's a history there'

Boston Globe

3 days ago

The show features Fred Toucher (a host since The Sports Hub launched in August 2009), co-host Rob 'Hardy' Poole (who moved over from the midday 'Zolak and Bertrand' show
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The visit was for a behind-the-scenes look at how 'Toucher and Hardy' is fulfilling all of its promise ― with Nielsen Audio-dominating ratings and seamless, often hilarious, on-air rapport ― particularly striking considering the morning show's dire condition less than two years ago.
That's when Toucher and co-host Rich Shertenlieb, who had partnered to great success and huge ratings for 17 years across two stations in the Boston market, became a cauldron of dysfunction that led to
The current circumstances are the opposite of dysfunctional, in part because Toucher, Hardy, and Adam 12 are genuine friends going back to their time together at defunct rock station
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'These guys are legitimately people I talk to all the time,' said Toucher. 'We can all make fun of each other, which is a great relief, and they feel they can make fun of me, which is a great license for me because it doesn't make me have to be the jerk all the time.
'Everyone is an open book. That's a change with Hardy. It wasn't that way before. People don't feel like their ideas are precious or more valuable than anyone else's.'
The hosts don't exactly sing 'Kumbaya' during commercial breaks. They mostly check their phones, or check in with Adam 12 and assistant producers Ryan Beaton and Nick Gemelli in the control room.
The vibes are upbeat, though, in part because lead voice Toucher is intrigued by two particular topics:
'My favorite story in the history of sports,' Toucher says later.
The only quasi-tension comes when Gemelli ― who oversees
It's missing one key element: footage of the charismatic former Patriots tight end and the draw to the event.
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Felger &
— Toucher & Hardy (@toucherandhardy)
Gemelli is summoned to the studio for an on-air scolding.
'Me, Felger, me, me, Felger, Felger,' says Hardy, watching the clip. 'You know who people would like to see?'
'Gronk,' says Gemelli.
'Gronk,' concurs Hardy.
In the post-show meeting, they go back and forth some more, then laugh about it.
'I know there really wasn't too much to work with there,' says Hardy, eventually.
Rob "Hardy" Poole came to Boston in 2004 to host on WBCN, and has long been heralded for his talents on and off the air.
Suzanne Kreiter/Globe Staff
Change does them good
Given how tense circumstances were in the last months of the 'Toucher and Rich' show, it's striking, if not totally unexpected given the talent involved, that the revamped version has found both success and satisfaction.
'Toucher and Hardy' received
Much of the success is the result of management's belief in Toucher's talent, and a willingness to self-reflect and make necessary changes in his life.
The split with Shertenlieb ― with whom Toucher had worked in Atlanta before coming to WBCN in 2006 ― was public, prolonged, and surprising considering their copacetic nature on the air and years of success.
Toucher dealt with career-threatening throat problems early in 2023, which
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It would be an understatement to say it was a stressful time. Wallach said he just tried to stay out of 'the range of whatever blast radius there was.'
'That kind of situation is tough on everyone else,' said Mary Menna, vice president and market manager for Beasley Media Group in Boston. 'When mom and dad are not getting along, the kids are like … it doesn't make for a harmonious team.'
The drama may have dragged out, but the ending was abrupt. Throughout their careers, Toucher and Shertenlieb had negotiated contracts as a tandem. In 2023, with their deal set to expire at year's end, Shertenlieb decided to do it separately.
In October,
Listeners and outsiders may have presumed management would side with Shertenlieb ― a creative producer of comedic bits ― during the height of the drama, given his stability during Toucher's absence.
Yet there didn't seem to be a choice at all. Presuming Toucher was healthy and in a good frame of mind, he was their guy.
'Listen, Fred is a No. 1,' said program director Rick Radzik. 'The No. 1 chair ― there's a difference. At the end of the day, it was about the belief we all have in Fred, and that he improved what he needed to improve upon, as well.'
Said Menna: 'Some skill sets are just innate.'
Toucher put it more bluntly.
'Me being out with my throat problem is part of the reason I still have this job,' he said, 'because they realized Rich couldn't lead it.'
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Shertenlieb, informed this story was being written, provided comment via email.
'I have stayed silent in an attempt to take the high road while Fred Toucher says untrue and slanderous things about me in an attempt to defame my character, much like he admitted to doing to other members of our show months before I left,' he wrote. 'This is disappointing, as Fred was someone I once considered a good friend.'
Shertenlieb did not respond to a follow-up email asking for elaboration.
As the partnership with Shertenlieb fractured and chaos swirled in his personal life, Toucher realized that he needed to make lifestyle changes.
'I went through a lot of stuff, both self-inflicted and not self-inflicted,' he said. 'I had health issues that I had to take care of. I'm an alcoholic. I had to start looking at myself and trying to self-improve, which is something that I had become really stagnant on. I'd gone through a divorce and all of those things made me be self-reflective. I realized there was a lot of stuff in my life I had to change.'
Fred Toucher took over the No. 1 chair with the creation of "Toucher and Hardy" on The Sports Hub.
Suzanne Kreiter/Globe Staff
The pieces fit
Chemistry in sports radio is elusive, even mysterious. Hosts don't necessarily have to be friends ― Mike Francesa and Chris Russo wouldn't even glance at each other by the end of their legendary run on WFAN's 'Mike and the Mad Dog' in New York.
The easy give-and-take that at least
seems
like true friendship, however, is essential.
'There's a history there,' said Menna about 'Toucher and Hardy.' 'With that came a lot of mutual respect for each other. There was a good foundation.'
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The show works for those reasons, but also because of complementary skills.
'If we have in fact hit our stride, that means playing into each other's strengths and probably avoiding some of each other's landmines, too,' said Hardy. 'The more time we spend together not as friends, but actually doing a show, the more you get a feel for how these things are going to work in the room. If it doesn't work in the room, it's not going to work for the audience, either.'
When Shertenlieb departed, eventually landing an eponymous morning show at WZLX
'I wanted an equal and I needed his skill set,' said Toucher. 'I needed a guy who could do comedic production. And I already knew I liked him on the air and he was the guy I wanted on the air. The ball was in his court the whole time.'
Hardy said he wanted the job all along, and the only inkling of trepidation was leaving a good situation behind with the 'Zolak and Bertrand' show. Hardy acknowledges, though, that adjusting to the mornings remains a work in progress. 'Every time my alarm goes off at 4:30 in the morning, I can't believe it,' he said. 'I don't know what's happening right away.'
Hardy still isn't used to the 4:30 a.m. wake-up call.
Suzanne Kreiter/Globe Staff
Hardy's versatility is a source of admiration from his peers. Many considered him the most underutilized talent in the market during his years as the third voice on 'Zolak and Bertrand.'
'There's nothing he can't do at a high level. You don't usually see that,' said Adam 12. 'Hardy can host and lead. Hardy can co-host and be strong from a second position. Hardy's production skills are elite, and he's able to envision the way a thing is supposed to sound and then bring it to life.'
Toucher's ability to riff in real time to a piece of audio or a story line is unparalleled in the Boston radio market.
'Sometimes Fred barely wants to know anything beyond the subject matter,' said Hardy. 'Might be something as simple as, 'Hey, we've got some new audio about something that Belichick did.' 'Perfect, that's all I want to know,' and we just let them react to it live and let him take it from there.'
Adam 12's arrival brought more focus to the control room and to show prep. He books guests, runs the board, and makes sure production pieces are deployed in a timely manner. He's also changed up the 'rejoin' music ― the songs that play upon return from breaks ― which has given the show a distinctive feel.
'He wants to make sure that we're on top of things and we have more than just a skeleton, but a good game plan,' said Wallach.
He's also an expert in reading his friends' moods.
'Knowing these guys for 20 years, from the moment I see them in the morning, I can say, 'OK, Hardy's a little sleepy today.' We'll be working with that,' Adam 12 said with a laugh. 'But usually, it's 'Fred's very sleepy today.' '
Adam 12, Hardy said, 'is a positive person and has an infectious energy, but it's very difficult to get infected with energy at 5 o'clock in the morning when we first see each other. But damned if he doesn't try.'
Collective sleepiness aside, this much is true: Eighteen months after Hardy's addition, and nine beyond Adam 12 taking the wheel in the control room, the show has become the best version of itself.
All it required was uncommon faith from the bosses, and maybe a little fate in uniting three old pals at just the right time.
Fred Toucher (left) and Rob "Hardy" Poole in Waltham.
Suzanne Kreiter/Globe Staff
Chad Finn can be reached at