Latest news with #Kumbaya
Boston Globe
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
Go behind the scenes with ‘Toucher & Hardy' on The Sports Hub: ‘There's a history there'
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 Advertisement 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 Advertisement '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. Advertisement 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 Advertisement 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.' Advertisement 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.' Advertisement 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
Axios
24-04-2025
- Business
- Axios
Mecklenburg County now has two competing transit bills. Which prevails?
After years of uncertainty over whether a single funding bill would be introduced, two proposals have emerged in the North Carolina legislature that would empower Mecklenburg County to seek a transportation sales tax. Why it matters: If voters approve it, a 1-cent sales tax increase would generate an estimated $19.4 billion over 30 years. However, the competing bills in the House and Senate differ significantly in how the funds could be spent. Context: Senate Bill 145 caps the amount of money spent on rail projects at 40%. House Bill 948, filed by Rep. Tricia Cotham, allows for more flexibility: Up to 60% of the funds could be spent on public transportation, including rail, with the remainder reserved for road projects. The latest: At a transportation summit hosted by South Charlotte Partners on Thursday, elected officials and transit executives discussed the next steps. Charlotte City Council member Ed Driggs, who chairs the city's transportation committee, said the process of arriving at a final bill is ongoing. The bill will take effect with the budget, which is likely several months away from adoption, Driggs said. "That creates a little bit of an interesting situation for us," Driggs said. "If we want to have a referendum in November, we need to get busy." Between the lines: In her district, Cotham represents Matthews, where town leaders and residents are frustrated with a potential 40% cap on rail, as it would make funding the full Silver Line light rail to Matthews unrealistic. If Cotham's version of the bill prevails, Matthews can make a stronger case with the Metropolitan Transit Commission (MTC) to prioritize its segment of the Silver Line in funding plans, Driggs said. The MTC is the board responsible for adopting long-range public transportation plans. The other side: Commissioner Susan Rodriguez-McDowell, who also represents Matthews, says while Cotham's bill offers more "wiggle room," the Silver Line remains a sticking point for her and many of her constituents. "There's been a real lack of interest in exploring how we can make this plan work for everyone," Rodriguez-McDowell said. "It really fails." While Driggs notes that Matthews represents just 3% of the population in Mecklenburg County, Rodriguez-McDowell argues that percentage downplays how many people travel to Matthews. The big picture: This is the closest Charlotte has gotten to advancing its transit plans after years of discussion. At Thursday's transit summit, speakers repeatedly referred to the plan as "generational" and a "game changer" because of the substantial revenue it would generate. For example, Davidson — a town with a $20-million budget — would receive $3.2 million in the first year for its roads. Yes, but: There's still a real probability the bill could stall in the General Assembly, or voters could reject the referendum, especially with unresolved debate over the Silver Line. "I want to sing 'Kumbaya' with everyone, but I just can't get on the same song sheet with y'all right now," Rodriguez-McDowell said. Driggs said the idea of "just not doing this" is terrifying. What's next: If the tax passes, money will start to flow in the middle of next year, Driggs said. Road improvements would begin soon after, while larger endeavors, such as the Red Line commuter rail, would be constructed over a 30-year period.
Boston Globe
23-04-2025
- Sport
- Boston Globe
NFL Draft is the first big test of the Patriots' Mike Vrabel-Eliot Wolf working relationship
Owners of the No. 4 overall pick, the Patriots aren't in a clear-cut situation with their power structure or their draft choice. If the mock drafts are prescient, neither two-way sensation Travis Hunter nor spring-loaded pass rusher Abdul Carter will be available. So, whose football philosophy and talent evaluations will win out? Do the Patriots end up with a compromise candidate at No. 4 (hello, talented T-Rex-armed left tackle Will Campbell) because no one wants to step on toes? Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Related : No matter who's making the call or if it's universally endorsed, the Patriots must hit on multiple picks to mash the gas pedal on a turnaround. The team needs to reverse its trend of desultory drafts, whether that's by football fiat or clasping hands and singing Kumbaya around the draft board in their War Room. Advertisement 'There's not going to be 'Mike's guys' or Eliot's guys.' They're going to be 'Patriot guys,' ' Wolf said at the NFL Scouting Combine. 'We're excited to share the vision to work together to improve the roster.' Eliot Wolf says there won't be any battling between his and Mike Vrabel's factions during the draft. "We're excited to share the vision to work together to improve the roster," he said. Justin Casterline/Getty That's the best-case scenario, not a real-world scenario. Every NFL franchise has factions. This situation is complicated by multiple factors. The draft is Wolf's ambit of influence, the single biggest reason he's still employed after last year's 4-13 debacle. The team is keen to see the results of Wolf's overhaul of the team's scouting system from the Bill Belichick Way. The Krafts are bullish on that revamp. Their view, expressed by owner Robert Kraft at his press conference in January following the dumping of coach Jerod Mayo, is this will be the first draft under Wolf's Green Bay Packers-based scouting system, as he didn't have enough time last year to fully implement it. Wolf essentially gets a mulligan after only pulling quarterback Drake Maye out of last year's pick-a-palooza. 'I think that the department evolved a lot. … We changed our grading system this year,' said Kraft. 'Our drafts have not been good for a while. If you want to compete long term and be good in this league, you've got to have good drafts because those rookie contracts allow you to go out and get the people you need to surround people.' Related : Ownership is all in on Vrabel, the franchise's sideline savior. However, it's doubtful they want to fully cede their franchise again to the ways and whims of the coach a la Belichick's reign. Advertisement Vrabel's strong personality and equally strong football belief system are complicating factors. Vrabel knows what he wants. He's a much more forceful personality than Wolf. If there is a conflict over a possible selection, will new Patriots coach Mike Vrabel and his strong override Eliot Wolf's choice? Mark Stockwell/Associated Press Vrabel has spoken at least twice this offseason on the divergent opinions that arise between coaches and scouting departments. He has been complimentary and conciliatory. But how they get resolved is just as intriguing in this draft as who the Patriots pick. 'The longer that I do this, I always see that there are players that the personnel side may really like, and there's players that the coaching staff may covet for different reasons,' said Vrabel in the team's pre-draft media availability. 'My job, Eliot's job, and Ryan's job is to bridge that gap. Then to come up with a player that we feel like is best for our football team at that particular level. There has been a great alignment, and we're all excited about what we've been able to do in free agency. [We've] only reaffirmed that by seeing these guys in the building for the past six days, but it has been awesome.' Wolf has pledged to never foist players upon Vrabel: 'There's not a lot of GMs or people in my position in this business that are going to force players on the coaching staff. Certainly, the best decisions are made together.' Related : Some of the quotes from Wolf and Vrabel feel like they're right out of a couples counseling brochure. Still, one doesn't doubt either man's sincerity in trying this new Patriot Way. But one of the major issues for Wolf last year was being too collaborative and going against his gut to try to appease coaches who advocated for certain players. It was an attempt to make sure everyone felt their voice was valued and heard. But it backfired. The team re-signed too many players from Belichick's final 4-13 club. Advertisement The coaches were too attached to certain players. The same could apply to Wolf. He's not ready to write off woeful wide receivers Ja'Lynn Polk or Javon Baker as sunk cost, or could cling to the promise of offensive tackle Caedan Wallace. He might feel he can still salvage last year's draft. Vrabel could see things differently — and frankly, more objectively. Human nature is to want to be proven right. It's also to say I told you so. 'Well, we never want to do that, but I think that's human nature. We want to try to eliminate those things from our program, the 'I told you so's,' ' said Vrabel last month at the NFL owners meetings. This draft marks more than just a test of New England's talent identification prowess. It's a stress test of their football decision-making hierarchy, their new ethos, and the shotgun marriage the Krafts officiated to revive their team. Christopher L. Gasper is a Globe columnist. He can be reached at
The Guardian
05-02-2025
- General
- The Guardian
I want community – but am I prepared to put the work in?
In the year since I moved into my flat, I've received a few notes under the door. Some were warm welcomes – most notably, a Swiftie-style friendship bracelet from my downstairs neighbour, who'd heard me ('very faintly!') listening to the new album. Others were Christmas cards, or courtesy notes warning of forthcoming maintenance or outages. Then, there were the requests – to turn the volume down or make some other small accommodation that's necessary when living among others. The other day, I returned from running errands and glimpsed a scrap of cardboard on the mat. Somehow I knew it belonged to the latter category. Could I 'PLEASE' break down large cardboard boxes and put them inside the recycling bin instead of sliding them in between, read the anonymous note, adding: 'It makes the area look like a rubbish dump!' I felt a flush of irritation. Was twice-underlining the 'PLEASE' really necessary, on top of the caps? Would it have not been friendlier to sign their name? Then, the fit of pique passed. The request was completely reasonable, and my quibbles didn't make me any less wrong. This minor run-in made me think about community – what we mean by it, and what it asks of us. The word is used freely, to describe all kinds of aggregates. It can encompass people whose daily lives are closely intertwined through their jobs, home life or hobbies and those who simply follow the same Instagram influencer or like the same brands. When it's real, present and felt, community can be a source of social connection, belonging, shared purpose and meaning. More often – and increasingly, in the absence of other social safety nets – it's invoked in the abstract as something we desire, or should be working toward. The benefits of strong relationships and social support are well-documented and indisputable. Earlier this month, the outgoing US surgeon general, Vivek Murthy, prescribed community as a balm for the 'pain, disconnection and division' of the contemporary status quo. The word 'community' has warm, fuzzy connotations. But a siloed, individualistic culture also makes it harder to establish and maintain community; creating a shared identity and spirit of reciprocity takes effort and is not always comfortable. We may say community is the future, the cure for what's ailing us about modern life and, as Murthy put it, 'the irreplaceable foundation for our well-being' – but are we prepared for the challenges of creating it? In August 2016, when Charles Vogl's book The Art of Community was first published, people heard the title 'and thought I was talking about singing Kumbaya around the campfire', he says. Vogl outlined 'seven principles for belonging' in his book, developed during his time volunteering at a homeless shelter in Santa Ana, California, and in the Peace Corps in Zambia; labour organising in New York; and studying faith traditions at Yale University, among other roles at other organisations. Today, Vogl advises tech companies and organisations on how to build community. As Murthy and others have emphasised, social isolation is a public health issue, associated with an elevated risk of anxiety, depression, heart disease, dementia, stroke and premature death. But inflation and the high cost of living are eating into individuals' leisure time, depleting their availability and energy for socialising. 'People work so hard, they don't have time to go to potlucks,' Vogl says. Because people increasingly socialise online, there also has been an 'actual erosion in social skills'. For younger people in particular, the loss of experience and opportunities throughout the pandemic has resulted in a lower appetite for social risk, he says: 'They're more comfortable texting than they are talking.' Factor in lower religious affiliation, falling social trust and the time-honoured (though possibly declining) trend of moving every few years, and community is indeed in danger of becoming a fabled good, Vogl says. Community can also – knowingly or otherwise – be mis-sold. A group of artists or athletes, for instance, can't really be considered a community if the prevailing feeling is of competitiveness or resentment, Vogl points out. Even events that explicitly set out to foster community can fall short by being too large, loud or impersonal – what Vogl calls 'an arena experience'. Sometimes that is a failure of planning, but it can also indicate the organiser's shallow investment or transactional intent. 'A lot of people say they want to build community, but their No 1, often only, goal is to extract time, attention and money,' he warns. 'There's a constant calculation of value exchange going on, and at some point that's going to go south.' Sign up to Well Actually Practical advice, expert insights and answers to your questions about how to live a good life after newsletter promotion While you might believe you are already part of a community – for instance, in the area where you live – 'if you literally don't know the names of your neighbours … you're just strangers in proximity'. For Vogl, a community is defined not by common interests or physical space, but as 'a group of people who share mutual concern for one another'. It's the difference between someone you feel you could call on for help in the event of a 3am plumbing emergency, versus 'someone you technically ate pizza with' once. Key to that, Vogl continues, is commitment with no expectation of return. 'For this to really work, and to fill the emotional – I would even say spiritual – hole, there has to be generosity,' he says. Generosity has been so neglected in the conversation about community that, in Vogl's revision of The Art of Community, forthcoming in March, he has added it as a criterion. That's not to say community is an open invite or one-way exchange. Boundaries are important, Vogl says, not necessarily for keeping people out, but 'to make the inside safe'. Still, he adds, the need for us all to try to foster community is greater than many of the potential negative consequences. Merely extending an invitation – to come over for a cup of tea or accompany you on a trip you're already making – signals your willingness to connect, Vogl says: 'Whether the invitee accepts or not, they believe they know somebody who has the power to bring people together.' With time, such small steps can lead to something bigger, more deeply rooted and sustaining. Stopping to chat with your neighbor, instead of nodding a quick hello on your way out, paves the way for a more familiar relationship and the 'mutual concern' that Vogl says defines community. It doesn't need to be intimidating, but it does require consistency and commitment, without any expectation of return. There may be an element of social discomfort – of putting ourselves out there or risking rejection. But, Vogl adds, 'isn't that true about everything good in life?' I want to feel part of a community, to know my neighbours, and be known as a 'local' or a 'regular'. That takes time – but I've been glossing over the associated effort, as my half-hearted recycling goes to show. My neighbour was right to call me out. I may have saved myself a few extra minutes by not breaking down my boxes – but I could gain something far greater, by taking the extra care.
