Toucher and Hardy: The new 98.5 morning show

ChipperBo

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BigJimEd

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I have no negative opinion of her but it sounds like she came for Fred’s job in the big phone meeting where Rich let her run his side of it.
Where is this reported?
I haven't kept up with everything and all I heard is some sketchy reports about her saying the environment was toxic and that was unconfirmed as far as I know. Did more come out? Not that it really matters and I wouldn't necessarily blame her or Rich if it did.
 

NortheasternPJ

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Where is this reported?
I haven't kept up with everything and all I heard is some sketchy reports about her saying the environment was toxic and that was unconfirmed as far as I know. Did more come out? Not that it really matters and I wouldn't necessarily blame her or Rich if it did.
I’m on mobile but it’s been a lynch pin in this. I’m sorry if Fred was the worst guy in the world and ruining Rich’s life, which I don’t think it was that extreme, putting your wife on a work call around it is awful. It’s not because she’s a woman but I can’t imagine any business call where you put your spouse on. If my wife asked me to get on a work call the answer would be no.

I went through an awful work problem when my daughter was born and my boss got fired for being a massive drug user and alcoholic and it almost ruined my marriage but I never thought once to put her on a call about it.
 

Hal Waffid

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Nov 14, 2023
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Where is this reported?
I haven't kept up with everything and all I heard is some sketchy reports about her saying the environment was toxic and that was unconfirmed as far as I know. Did more come out? Not that it really matters and I wouldn't necessarily blame her or Rich if it did.
I haven't seen anything else either. If your understanding matches mine, the reporting was that during the conference call they had in may to address Fred's lies, it was Mary that said over Rich's line that the show was a hostile work environment. I don't know if it's literally true that Rich let Mary run his side of the meeting entirely. It seems more likely to me that she was probably sort of sitting with him for moral support and interjected the "hostile work environment" thing. I'm sure if they asked her she would have said Fred deserves to be fired at that point, but that's just speculation on my part.
 

Hal Waffid

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Nov 14, 2023
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I went through an awful work problem when my daughter was born and my boss got fired for being a massive drug user and alcoholic and it almost ruined my marriage but I never thought once to put her on a call about it.
Maybe your daughter should have kept quiet about your boss's substance abuse.

(sorry to hear that and I hope things are OK for you now!)
 

sharts

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Dec 22, 2023
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Joined a month ago and has only posted in this thread.
Gotta be new at some point. I was cracking a little joke since I found it bizarre that people not involved with the show were taking work calls. You get your mom on the phone saying your co-workers were bullying you?

Anyway, it seems like rich made an emotional call not renewing his contract without having something lined up in an industry that is dying whether sports was not particularly his cup of tea.
 

MuppetAsteriskTalk

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Gotta be new at some point. I was cracking a little joke since I found it bizarre that people not involved with the show were taking work calls. You get your mom on the phone saying your co-workers were bullying you?

Anyway, it seems like rich made an emotional call not renewing his contract without having something lined up in an industry that is dying whether sports was not particularly his cup of tea.
Maybe he waited until he didn't need to work anymore? Do we know he's looking and striking out?
 

Patriot_Reign

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Maybe he waited until he didn't need to work anymore? Do we know he's looking and striking out?
Given his wife's serious medical issues I would doubt that he'd be setup for the long term financially while in their 40s and with kids. And considering the economics of radio now feels like he might have overplayed his hand in immediately getting the next lucrative gig. Do hope it works out for him though.
 

8slim

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Rich presumably stopped being paid by Beasley roughly 4 weeks ago. I think it’s fair to give it a little more time before it’s declared that he’s a dummy who overplayed his hand.

Honestly, if he felt working at 98.5 had become so lousy that it was worth not re-signing and taking time to figure out what’s next, then good for him. Isn’t prioritizing life over work what we all pay lip service to here?
 

sharts

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Dec 22, 2023
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Rich presumably stopped being paid by Beasley roughly 4 weeks ago. I think it’s fair to give it a little more time before it’s declared that he’s a dummy who overplayed his hand.

Honestly, if he felt working at 98.5 had become so lousy that it was worth not re-signing and taking time to figure out what’s next, then good for him. Isn’t prioritizing life over work what we all pay lip service to here?
I mean he’s prob well off. He lived in Nantucket during the pandemic. Maybe he made some sick investments and can retire and live off of his wife’s income. That’d be awesome for him. I’m more talking about him coming back and hosting such a popular show in a major market. And tied it to bill how he’s set for life and everyone looking from the outside seems like getting another job would just be a matter of where, not if. How ego and emotions may have played a bigger role than actually setting up another gig.
Everyone can now take a deep breath and chill out.
 

joe dokes

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Rich presumably stopped being paid by Beasley roughly 4 weeks ago. I think it’s fair to give it a little more time before it’s declared that he’s a dummy who overplayed his hand.

Honestly, if he felt working at 98.5 had become so lousy that it was worth not re-signing and taking time to figure out what’s next, then good for him. Isn’t prioritizing life over work what we all pay lip service to here?
I think that's the mostly likely correct take. We've all had job we hated or grew to hate. The reasons don't matter. Rich is no different than anyone else in that regard.
 

Kenny F'ing Powers

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Given his wife's serious medical issues I would doubt that he'd be setup for the long term financially while in their 40s and with kids. And considering the economics of radio now feels like he might have overplayed his hand in immediately getting the next lucrative gig. Do hope it works out for him though.
Rich went into his own pocket to pay Mike Lockharts salary when he was fired in 2022 in order to keep him on the show (plus a 38% markup for "admin fees" he had to cover). We don't know the details, but I'm sure it was a decent size dent.

The dude was 1 of 2 key cogs to one of the most popular radio shows in a major media market. Radio hosts don't get paid like they used to, but I'm sure he could go for a long stretch before "needing" to work again.
 

sharts

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Dec 22, 2023
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Rich went into his own pocket to pay Mike Lockharts salary when he was fired in 2022 in order to keep him on the show (plus a 38% markup for "admin fees" he had to cover). We don't know the details, but I'm sure it was a decent size dent.

The dude was 1 of 2 key cogs to one of the most popular radio shows in a major media market. Radio hosts don't get paid like they used to, but I'm sure he could go for a long stretch before "needing" to work again.
By being unemployed he lost all of his negotiating power. Kinda just has to take any offer he gets. Can’t be like well I used to make x match that. They’d laugh n be like well right now you make nothing so take it or leave it. Just seems odd to work so hard to throw it all away and obviously have to take a couple steps back. As listeners we all know Fred was very destructive but the way this is playing out, career wise, Fred comes out the winner here
 

GeorgeCostanza

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By being unemployed he lost all of his negotiating power. Kinda just has to take any offer he gets. Can’t be like well I used to make x match that. They’d laugh n be like well right now you make nothing so take it or leave it. Just seems odd to work so hard to throw it all away and obviously have to take a couple steps back. As listeners we all know Fred was very destructive but the way this is playing out, career wise, Fred comes out the winner here
and you know literally none of this.
 

Kenny F'ing Powers

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By being unemployed he lost all of his negotiating power. Kinda just has to take any offer he gets. Can’t be like well I used to make x match that. They’d laugh n be like well right now you make nothing so take it or leave it. Just seems odd to work so hard to throw it all away and obviously have to take a couple steps back. As listeners we all know Fred was very destructive but the way this is playing out, career wise, Fred comes out the winner here
That's not how job interviews work...
 

Patriot_Reign

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Apr 21, 2011
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By being unemployed he lost all of his negotiating power. Kinda just has to take any offer he gets. Can’t be like well I used to make x match that. They’d laugh n be like well right now you make nothing so take it or leave it. Just seems odd to work so hard to throw it all away and obviously have to take a couple steps back. As listeners we all know Fred was very destructive but the way this is playing out, career wise, Fred comes out the winner here
I don't think anyone really thinks he's not working because he's being hard-balled, it's more that it's a tough industry and there are limited opportunities.
 

Kenny F'ing Powers

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How do they work?
If someone is going to hire Rich, it's because they think he's the best applicant to help their business. You don't treat that person like shit and tell him, "you make nothing right now, take our offer or leave it." You think that's what people who get laid off are told when they start looking for work?

If someone's hiring for a role, they want the best person for the job. There's a budget made for the role, there's a market value that gives a good idea where the market is currently set...this isn't fucking Succession. A company gives the candidate a number, the candidate counters, and people respectfully go from there. If there isn't a match, everyone moves along.

They don't threaten and strong arm currently unemployed candidates to take an offer or fuck off. What planet are you living on?
 

Andy Merchant

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Rich went into his own pocket to pay Mike Lockharts salary when he was fired in 2022 in order to keep him on the show (plus a 38% markup for "admin fees" he had to cover). We don't know the details, but I'm sure it was a decent size dent.

The dude was 1 of 2 key cogs to one of the most popular radio shows in a major media market. Radio hosts don't get paid like they used to, but I'm sure he could go for a long stretch before "needing" to work again.
Minihane seemed to think they were making $800k per year in their prior contract (link in old T&R thread), so Rich could be sitting on a nice chunk of change while he decides what to do next.
 

sharts

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Dec 22, 2023
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If someone is going to hire Rich, it's because they think he's the best applicant to help their business. You don't treat that person like shit and tell him, "you make nothing right now, take our offer or leave it." You think that's what people who get laid off are told when they start looking for work?

If someone's hiring for a role, they want the best person for the job. There's a budget made for the role, there's a market value that gives a good idea where the market is currently set...this isn't fucking Succession. A company gives the candidate a number, the candidate counters, and people respectfully go from there. If there isn't a match, everyone moves along.

They don't threaten and strong arm currently unemployed candidates to take an offer or fuck off. What planet are you living on?
Bro are you his fucking agent? Why are you so heated that he may have put himself in a less than ideal position to get hired to the same or better position than he was currently in?
 

sharts

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Dec 22, 2023
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Minihane seemed to think they were making $800k per year in their prior contract (link in old T&R thread), so Rich could be sitting on a nice chunk of change while he decides what to do next.
Do you think Wallach makes that much? I always thought third chairs were paid pretty close to their counterparts especially if they are big contributors to the show - like hardy was and jim murray is. But they seemed to make it seem like Hardy was getting a huge promotion and wouldn't need to work all his side gigs. I'd like to hope that he makes least a half a mill
 

sharts

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Dec 22, 2023
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Dude. He has multiple options. And no need to commit to one right now.
What are his options? I'm curious to see where he ends up, I'd like to listen to a just Rich show where he's not bound to bringing everything back to sports. Would be a great show.
 

Kenny F'ing Powers

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Bro are you his fucking agent? Why are you so heated that he may have put himself in a less than ideal position to get hired to the same or better position than he was currently in?
You asked me a question. I answered it. You didn't like the answer, so you resort to...whatever that response is.

You're bad at this.
 

sharts

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Dec 22, 2023
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You asked me a question. I answered it. You didn't like the answer, so you resort to...whatever that response is.

You're bad at this.
Yea i disagree with you. I was hoping for some kind of coherent answer but for some reason you’re taking my opinion as some kind of personal attack on you. As of right now rich has no job so you can make up whatever wild scenarios you cook up but I’m the only one talking in reality.
 

Kenny F'ing Powers

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Yea i disagree with you. I was hoping for some kind of coherent answer but for some reason you’re taking my opinion as some kind of personal attack on you. As of right now rich has no job so you can make up whatever wild scenarios you cook up but I’m the only one talking in reality.
...what are you talking about? You make zero sense and I no longer want to reply to you.
 

snowmanny

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Yea i disagree with you. I was hoping for some kind of coherent answer but for some reason you’re taking my opinion as some kind of personal attack on you. As of right now rich has no job so you can make up whatever wild scenarios you cook up but I’m the only one talking in reality.
You said he has to take whatever offer is out there. You said if he doesn’t make the same money he was making before right off the bat then he has taken multiple steps back. You said that this would all make Fred the winner, and, by implication, Rich the loser.

It is actually possible that his professional goals and intentions and timelines do not align with yours. People change jobs and take risks for all sorts of reasons, and not everyone jumps at the nearest pile of money every time.
 

sharts

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Dec 22, 2023
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You said he has to take whatever offer is out there. You said if he doesn’t make the same money he was making before right off the bat then he has taken multiple steps back. You said that this would all make Fred the winner, and, by implication, Rich the loser.

It is actually possible that his professional goals and intentions and timelines do not align with yours. People change jobs and take risks for all sorts of reasons, and not everyone jumps at the nearest pile of money every time.
Yea man anything is possible but I’m talking about what is going on. Fred has lucrative contract. Rich threw a hissy fit n quit and has no job.

If he takes a job for less money he has in fact taken a step back career wise. Most people don’t change jobs and take risks to make LESS money haha.
 

jayhoz

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Jul 19, 2005
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Yea man anything is possible but I’m talking about what is going on. Fred has lucrative contract. Rich threw a hissy fit n quit and has no job.

If he takes a job for less money he has in fact taken a step back career wise. Most people don’t change jobs and take risks to make LESS money haha.
This is absurd. People take risks to make less money all the time. Maybe the risk pays less today with the hope that it pays more in the future. Maybe the risk is a change of career that pays less, but is personally more fulfilling. Maybe the risk pays less, but allows your spouse to pursue their goals. Etc.
 

Myt1

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By being unemployed he lost all of his negotiating power. Kinda just has to take any offer he gets. Can’t be like well I used to make x match that. They’d laugh n be like well right now you make nothing so take it or leave it.
[H]e may have put himself in a less than ideal position to get hired to the same or better position than he was currently in?
Yea i disagree with you. I was hoping for some kind of coherent answer but for some reason you’re taking my opinion as some kind of personal attack on you. As of right now rich has no job so you can make up whatever wild scenarios you cook up but I’m the only one talking in reality.
There’s moving goalposts and then there’s whatever the hell this flight of fancy in these first two posts. It’s rare to see someone without even a nodding acquaintance with reality so vigorously claim to be the one talking about it.

Well, rare outside this thread, anyway.
 

NortheasternPJ

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Nov 16, 2004
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Wow we got a Jim Rome impression today. When was the last time he did something other than DA? I hope Fred continues to phase DA out and do other stuff for awhile.
 

steveluck7

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Yesterday, without using the DA voice, he referred to someone who has just left the bathroom as having “just manhandled his anus” and, well, I’m not sure I’ve heard a better term for probably anything.
 

NortheasternPJ

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Nov 16, 2004
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I never thought I would get sick of the DA voice, but it's just so overplayed. I feel like it's the Seinfeld with the belly button "HELLOOOOOOOO". It's even in the show's intro. I'm not saying it should be completely retired but Fred's run it into the ground. Obviously Fred, nor anyone from the show would ever read this thread, but I'm guessing others feel the same way.