RIP Toucher and Rich Show ... It was fun while it lasted

Granite Sox

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I don’t mind Jones’ schtick… but not at 6am. The relentless trolling in front of Beetle’s pompous cluelessness in front of F&M’s manufactured straw men is just too much non-stop sports gaslighting for me. T&R‘s irreverence and “tries hard but too much of a fan and really doesn’t get it” sports approach is a much easier way to ease into the day, imo.
 

TheRooster

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Clicked off after 30s on Monday. I'll see if the Varsity is back next week. Jones may be the worst on-air personality in Boston
 

JCizzle

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It was pretty damn funny this morning when Joe Murray seriously speculated that CM Punk was the cause of credit card processing crashing nationwide.
 

Pablo's TB Lover

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I did not hear Murray's CM Punk portion but listened during a rare driving commute to the office this morning. And it was great timing, as I am guaranteed to turn into a giggling 10-year old when T&R do "Fart Court".
 

Helmet Head

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Listening to Fred talk about the Pats has become incredibly painful. The vitriol he has towards the organization after the last 20 years is abundantly clear with every Pats take he has. We get it, you think they are going to suck for a long long time and are giddy to see it happen. It was funny at first, now I am just sick of it.
 

NortheasternPJ

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Listening to Fred talk about the Pats has become incredibly painful. The vitriol he has towards the organization after the last 20 years is abundantly clear with every Pats take he has. We get it, you think they are going to suck for a long long time and are giddy to see it happen. It was funny at first, now I am just sick of it.
He said today he thought they were going to make the playoffs.
 

DisgruntledSoxFan77

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Listening to Fred talk about the Pats has become incredibly painful. The vitriol he has towards the organization after the last 20 years is abundantly clear with every Pats take he has. We get it, you think they are going to suck for a long long time and are giddy to see it happen. It was funny at first, now I am just sick of it.
He’s not a Pats fan. He isn’t from here. He’s been shit on by Pats fans since he got here, why shouldn’t he be happy about what happened last year? Knowing this, you have to go into the show understanding that football season is going to be a rough listen for you if you’re a Pats fan. Fred can be a total dick (did that writer he hung up on ever return to the show?), but at this point he is what he is
 

JCizzle

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He’s not a Pats fan. He isn’t from here. He’s been shit on by Pats fans since he got here, why shouldn’t he be happy about what happened last year? Knowing this, you have to go into the show understanding that football season is going to be a rough listen for you if you’re a Pats fan. Fred can be a total dick (did that writer he hung up on ever return to the show?), but at this point he is what he is
Yep, Jeff Howe has been on a few times and he didn't really care about Fred hanging up on him. Jeff was self-deprecating at the over-the-top fawning about Mac's elementary school soccer career or whatever nugget it was that led to Fred hanging up on him.

Re: Fred and the Pats - he clearly hates them, but he's fair in his assessment that they're a wild card type playoff team and Mac is in the best spot to succeed this year for a rookie QB. The situation is playing out exactly as he's predicted for a few years - the Pats will lose Brady, and they'll be in the same cycle of every other fanbase. 1. Draft a QB; 2. Fans develop unrealistic expectations leading into the year (see: SB predictions from some of the local writers); 3. Inexperienced QB and/or team experiences growing pains; 4. Cycle repeats itself every couple of years until the team lucks into a superstar QB.
 
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Granite Sox

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Howe reported that there was at least one team willing to trade up in front of the Pats to take Jones. Fred asked Breer if he had the same info (he did not), and then proceeded to call Howe a liar. Howe basically said, "I don't know what to tell you... I stand by my reporting." Fred lost his mind for some reason and savaged Howe for a couple minutes both before and after he (Fred) hung up on him.

Howe had been appearing every Monday (I believe) and disappeared for a couple of weeks. T&R started bringing in additional local media (Andrew Callahan, Alex Barth) to try and fill the void. Howe has been on a couple of times since the incident and proclaimed that he didn't care about what Fred did. After an unapologetic (surprise) Fred took some tongue lashing on social media for unnecessarily being a prick (over and above his usual prickishness), Fred has been playing nice and saying on air that he loves Howe and that the two of them were "in on the joke".

The postscript to this is that Howe announced today that he has been promoted to National NFL Reporter for the Athletic. Some guy coming over from the Bills beat is taking his place.
 

DisgruntledSoxFan77

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Yep, Jeff Howe has been on a few times and he didn't really care about Fred hanging up on him. Jeff was self-deprecating at the over-the-top fawning about Mac's elementary school soccer career or whatever nugget it was that led to Fred hanging up on him.

Re: Fred and the Pats - he clearly hates them, but he's fair in his assessment that they're a wild card type playoff team and Mac is in the best spot to succeed this year for a rookie QB. The situation is playing out exactly as he's predicted for a few years - the Pats will lose Brady, and they'll be in the same cycle of every other fanbase. 1. Draft a QB; 2. Fans develop unrealistic expectations leading into the year (see: SB predictions from some of the local writers); 3. Inexperienced QB and/or team experiences growing pains; 4. Cycle repeats itself every couple of years until the team lucks into a superstar QB.
lol I mean it was a little over the top with all the coverage but I guess there wasn’t enough to talk about otherwise.
He isn’t wrong with his assessment, but it would probably make his life a little easier if he would just tone it down a tad.
 

Rusty13

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I think it’s safe to say Fred hates the Applebee’s song lol!
 
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Granite Sox

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Fred was boasting about hitting a drive 290 yards when he played golf the other day. Hardy called in to say "bunk" and after a little back and forth Fred hung up on him. Hardy called back and added on the club fees comment per @NortheasternPJ. Hardy admitted that he made that part up, but Fred went unnecessarily ballistic and called Hardy a douchebag and an a-hole before hanging up on him again.
 

The Napkin

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Close.

They were talking about it off air and Hardy expressed surprise that he hit the ball that far. Fred got pissed.
This morning Fred got pissed about it on the air.
Hardy called in to clairfy.
Fred ranted and hung up on him and called him an asshole and a douchebag and a golf snob.
Hardy called back and said "I'm a golf snob? You paid $30k to join a country club!" Fred denied saying that. Hardy said "maybe I made it up" (sarcastically)
Fred ranted some more
 

Rusty13

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Close.

They were talking about it off air and Hardy expressed surprise that he hit the ball that far. Fred got pissed.
This morning Fred got pissed about it on the air.
Hardy called in to clairfy.
Fred ranted and hung up on him and called him an asshole and a douchebag and a golf snob.
Hardy called back and said "I'm a golf snob? You paid $30k to join a country club!" Fred denied saying that. Hardy said "maybe I made it up" (sarcastically)
Fred ranted some more
I mean it probably is about 30K. And, yikes, I can only imagine how uncomfortable Rich, and especially Wallach was during all of that. I remember a couple weeks ago after the Zolak/Cam incident when Brandon Merriweather was on the show with just Wallach and Adam Jones (filling in), and when Merriweather called out Zo for his comments, Wallach made believe like he had no idea what he was talking about. Unintentionally HILARIOUS.
 

dirtynine

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Fred just cannot stand to have his thinking questioned. Never concedes a point or says “you know, you might be right.” If he’s obviously on the short end of an argument he just ends up playing it off like the entire topic is beneath him, or the other person (usually Rich) is naive.

It’s led to some compelling moments, but it’s not always great radio to do it that way.
 

Rusty13

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Fred doesn't seem like a very happy person in general. Funny bastard though.
Agreed. Still makes me laugh like crazy almost every day. He’s also reading this thread again I think based on some of the comments he’s made today. Hey, Fred!
 

8slim

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Fred's comments to Merriweather at the end of his segment today, about being loved by people, after Brandon said he had been having mental health issues, was really touching. Say what you will about Fred, but he saw someone who's clearly suffering and reached out in a very genuine, compassionate way. I thought it was a lovely gesture.
 

shaggydog2000

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Agreed. Still makes me laugh like crazy almost every day. He’s also reading this thread again I think based on some of the comments he’s made today. Hey, Fred!
I don't think I've ever laughed harder than I have at some of the stuff he and Rich have done. Incapacitated for a few minutes level laughing.
 

JCizzle

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Rich handles the overly positive role well enough himself, I don't want Fred to be Captain Positive. It's great radio listening to Fred turn mundane interactions that piss him off into content. For example, his vacation recaps are always great even if most of us would shrug off half the things he gets pissed at. Meanwhile, poor Nick can't turn a bachelor party into a single segment of content.
 

NortheasternPJ

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Rich handles the overly positive role well enough himself, I don't want Fred to be Captain Positive. It's great radio listening to Fred turn mundane interactions that piss him off into content. For example, his vacation recaps are always great even if most of us would shrug off half the things he gets pissed at. Meanwhile, poor Nick can't turn a bachelor party into a single segment of content.
Oh I love Fred and he's the anchor of the show. I don't need a happy Fred, although I'd be happy for him, but it seems the marriage stuff is coming up all the time. It's none of my business, but it just stuck out to me in the last week or so.
 

DisgruntledSoxFan77

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Oh I love Fred and he's the anchor of the show. I don't need a happy Fred, although I'd be happy for him, but it seems the marriage stuff is coming up all the time. It's none of my business, but it just stuck out to me in the last week or so.
It was coming up right before he went to rehab also. I really don’t know that I see a happy ending in his future
 

NortheasternPJ

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It was coming up right before he went to rehab also. I really don’t know that I see a happy ending in his future
Yeah it was big time. Hopefully things work out for them. I can’t imagine my wife being happy with me shitting on the situation constantly to my coworkers never mind a public audience. It could all be part of his on air personality and being entertaining but he’s had a long year and hope the best for him and the family n
 

Red(s)HawksFan

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There's no chance that this is just a social media gag? That he didn't really take Brett's coffee, he just took the picture to make an inflammatory post?

Doesn't really diminish the sociopathy if he simply thought this would make a good joke, but I'm hoping, maybe against hope, that there are no real victims here (Brett or Starbucks).
 

JCizzle

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Ha! Initially I was surprised Joe Murray would pull a move like that. Jim makes much more sense.
 

JCizzle

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They’ve never addressed it - maybe health issues? Hope he’s okay!
They mentioned that he had to back out of the bachelor party a few weeks ago, and from what I recall of that segment it did sound like health issues. Fred and Rich were pretty sincere and didn't joke around like they have for other aspects of the Nick experience. As you said, I hope he's doing well - Mark is a gem.
 

VamonosPests54

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BTW I think the show has sounded great lately. T&R busting Lifshatz balls over his 40oz tomahawk has been hilarious. Seems like Dan and Joe can take the abuse now.
 

hube

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Fred/Rich reading strip club reviews and going off on the reviewers this morning was outstanding. Just off the rails funny. Agree that it's been good radio post-summer/Labor Day. Even the fantasy stuff with the CBS guy Thursday mornings has been entertaining - it's so much better when they're not taking more than a call or two.

I missed why Fred's been home this week, but it's actually added to the show to have him out of his usual element.
 

NortheasternPJ

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Fred/Rich reading strip club reviews and going off on the reviewers this morning was outstanding. Just off the rails funny. Agree that it's been good radio post-summer/Labor Day. Even the fantasy stuff with the CBS guy Thursday mornings has been entertaining - it's so much better when they're not taking more than a call or two.

I missed why Fred's been home this week, but it's actually added to the show to have him out of his usual element.
What time was that at?

Agreed on the show being great lately. Seems like there’s almost too much to get to, show moves quick and everyone’s in a good mood.
 

8slim

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Anyone think something might be wrong with Mark Gemelli? They went from having him involved with Nick's bachelor party to disappearing completely.
There are few things that give me such unbridled joy as the segments T&R do with Mark Gemelli. Really hope he's OK.

Agree with you all, the show was great this week. Every day I was very disappointed at 10am as they went off the air, which is probably the highest compliment one can give a radio program.
 

PC Drunken Friar

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Fred/Rich reading strip club reviews and going off on the reviewers this morning was outstanding. Just off the rails funny. Agree that it's been good radio post-summer/Labor Day. Even the fantasy stuff with the CBS guy Thursday mornings has been entertaining - it's so much better when they're not taking more than a call or two.

I missed why Fred's been home this week, but it's actually added to the show to have him out of his usual element.
Stephanie (wife) is out of town and he is on kid duty.
 

CantKeepmedown

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Did Jim Murray not think of this first for the afternoon guys? Pretty lame if you ask me

Want tickets to Brady's return? Prove to us that you're "NEW ENGLAND'S #1 BRADY HATER". Send us a minute long video telling us why you want to see Brady crushed this Sunday and you could win tickets to the game! #BradyHater
 

8slim

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Did Jim Murray not think of this first for the afternoon guys? Pretty lame if you ask me
T&R made it abundantly clear that they're playing this for laughs. Honestly, the whole region is going to spend this week fellating Brady, so having one show do a bit to give tickets away isn't the most awful thing.
 

CantKeepmedown

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I almost prefaced it by wondering if there was something behind it that I was missing. My bad.

And my Murray comment was pretty backwards now that I'm looking at it. He would actually be looking for Patriot haters to send to the game to support Brady. Mea culpa all around.
 

JCizzle

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T&R made it abundantly clear that they're playing this for laughs. Honestly, the whole region is going to spend this week fellating Brady, so having one show do a bit to give tickets away isn't the most awful thing.
The caller telling Fred that he should send himself was hilarious, as was Fred's rant in response. This is going to be a great week of radio.