Earlier on Tuesday, Fred Toucher announced that Rob ‘Hardy’ Poole would be taking over as the co-host of the morning program on 98.5 The Sports Hub beginning on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2024. The new show, titled Toucher & Hardy, came into fruition when Rich Shertenlieb left the station after 14 years, ending a 17-year partnership between he and Toucher that began on WBCN before the launch of 98.5 The Sports Hub in 2009.
Since joining the station in 2009, he has contributed to various programs and has most recently served as a contributor with the Zolak & Bertrand midday program on the outlet.
Following Toucher’s announcement, Scott Zolak and Marc Bertrand discussed Hardy’s exit from their program to work in the mornings interspersed with various callers expressing their gratitude towards his contributions to the show. The program has been simulcast on NBC Sports Boston since July 2018 and has accumulated large market shares in the daypart, most recently finishing with a 14.6 share, according to data from Nielsen Media Research.
“This is a really sad day,” caller Matt in Rhode Island said. “I listen to all three shows mostly every day. I’m just curious who’s going to take Hardy’s seat now. I feel like there needs to be a day dedicated to Hardy at this point with Hardy montages.”
Zolak concurred with the suggestion, stating that it was something the show would do in order to honor his contribution to the program. He then decided to start a segment about who would take Hardy’s role on the show, specifically limiting suggestions to people who were either fired or quit 98.5 The Sports Hub. Some of the guesses the co-hosts and contributors provided included Andy Gresh, Damon Amendolara, Nick Cattles, and Rich Shertenlieb himself.
When the question was later raised about whether or not Toucher or Hardy would miss more shows in the next year, Hardy stated that he does not blow shows off and is looking forward to the new opportunity. Moreover, he interacted with callers congratulating him on the new job and articulating that they would listen to the new pairing on weekday mornings.
“It’s a little tough getting up in the morning though,” Zolak said. “You’ve got to really reset your clock.”
“Oh is it early, the morning show?,” Hardy replied. “You have to get up early for that? You know what? No one has mentioned that to me.”
Hardy remarked that he believes his dog is going to have the biggest change in her routine, specifically when she is taken on a walk. Additionally, he shared that despite filling in on the morning show last week and driving at 5 a.m. in the morning, he still hits traffic on I-95 for his commute into the studio. He drove from 98.5 The Sports Hub’s studios to Gillette Stadium to participate on Tuesday’s edition of Zolak & Bertrand, broadcasting on location.
