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Fred Toucher Returns to 98.5 The Sports Hub, Apologizes For Attacking Colleagues

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Fred Toucher Returns to 98.5 The Sports Hub, Apologizes For Attacking Colleagues

On Wednesday, the Toucher & Rich crew learned that Fred Toucher would be back on the show Thursday morning. When Thursday’s show began, Toucher opened the mic and explained his diagnosis and took responsibility for lashing out at his co-workers on social media.

After other doctors had dismissed Fred Toucher’s vocal condition as nothing serious, he visited Dr. Steven Zeitels, who has worked with multiple celebrities, including Dick Vitale, to overcome voice problems.

Zeitels diagnosed Toucher with leukoplakia, a condition associated with smoking. It causes a thick buildup on the throat.

“So I go in there, and they put the tube down your nose, and he starts poking around like, ‘Your throat has blown up,’’’ Fred Toucher said.

Toucher admitted that he had been smoking since he eleven years old. He then said that Thursday marked forty days without a cigarette for him.

Rich Shertenlieb took the day off on Thursday. 98.5 The Sports Hub program director Rick Radzik told Chad Finn of The Boston Globe that Shertenlieb had taken a sick day, however it should be noted that there has been some public tension between the Toucher & Rich co-hosts.

Fred Toucher acknowledged that is likely his fault. He tweeted last month that he had not heard from or received any support from most of his co-workers while he was away from the show.

On Thursday, he said that wasn’t entirely true.

“They were completely unfair,’’ Toucher said of his tweets. “I talked to Jon, I talked to Rich. He had offered his connections at Dana Farber, he had offered these things. In retrospect, it was a stupid thing to do.”

He added that while it is no excuse, he felt isolated as he was worried about the future of his career and health. He noted that he hopes his co-host returns soon.

Donald Trump: Kaitlan Collins ‘Was Put There to Do Damage, But It Damaged CNN’

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In a New Hampshire town hall Wednesday night watched by more than 3 million people, CNN moderator Kaitlan Collins clashed with former President Donald Trump. He has made it clear he wasn’t a fan of the way the interview transpired.

During an interview with 77 WABC’s Sid Rosenberg Thursday, Trump said things went well for him, but not so much for CNN.

“It turned out well,” Trump said. “We’re getting rave reviews. She’s not. This was not Barbara Walters I was dealing with, let’s put it this way. This was a person who was put there by CNN to do some damage, and she did. She did it to CNN…they tried to go for home run balls and it was really disgraceful.”

Trump’s comments came after Rosenberg called the work done by Collins “disgraceful.”

“I thought she was nasty, to Donald Trump’s point. This was an agenda-driven, biased hitjob for 60 minutes,” Rosenberg said.

“She was trying to get me to say things that are inappropriate to say,” Trump later said when asked about a line of questioning from Collins regarding Roe v. Wade and abortion access. “She was horrible last night. She’s gotten horrible reviews. Just horrible reviews. This will not be Barbara Walters. Barbara Walters in her grave is probably rolling over.”

Reaction to the performance by Collins has been split mostly along party lines. Former cable news host Bill O’Reilly claimed that her inexperience showed during the interview. Meanwhile, CNN colleague Michael Smerconish argued that she did “as well as anyone could have” in the town hall setting.

Although Trump had harsh criticism for Collins Thursday morning, as the New Hampshire event concluded Wednesday evening, they shook hands with a microphone picking up Trump telling her “Thank you very much, Kaitlan. Good job.”

Sid Rosenberg: Kaitlan Collins Hosted ‘Nasty, Agenda-Driven Hit Job’ on Donald Trump

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Sid Rosenberg: Kaitlan Collins Hosted ‘Nasty, Agenda-Driven Hit Job’ on Donald Trump

Reactions to CNN’s New Hampshire town hall event continue to pour in, with responses generally falling along party lines. 77 WABC host Sid Rosenberg was not impressed by the job CNN moderator Kaitlan Collins did Wednesday night, and had many harsh statements about the host.

“I thought Kaitlan Collins was disgraceful,” said Rosenberg during a discussion with WABC host Frank Morano on Sid and Friends in the Morning Thursday. “I thought she was nasty, to Donald Trump’s point. This was an agenda-driven, biased hitjob for 60 minutes.”

“I’m glad it happened, and I think it was a smart thing for CNN to do and a smart thing for Trump to do,” Morano said. “I agree there was a level of snarkiness that was completely unnecessary. I think on the whole, she had an impossible job. Donald Trump is the kind of a guy — even on the best of circumstances — is tough to keep up with for an hour.”

“He’d eventually raise his voice after she asked the question six or seven times, but he sat there very deliberate, very measured, and she would ask him the same question 10 times,” Rosenberg countered. “It was almost like a cop in a coerced confession. Don’t tell me ‘For the most part, she had an impossible job’. Ask the question, let Trump answer the question, and if it doesn’t go your way, move on.”

Former President Trump joined Rosenberg for a phone interview Thursday morning. The host called her “disrespectful” before he asked the former President how he thought the evening went.

“It turned out well,” Trump said. “We’re getting rave reviews. She’s not. This was not Barbara Walters I was dealing with, let’s put it this way. This was a person who was put there by CNN to do some damage, and she did. She did it to CNN…they tried to go for home run balls and it was really disgraceful.”

Grace Curley: Tucker Carlson Move to Twitter ‘Cements It As A Town Square’

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Grace Curley: Tucker Carlson Move to Twitter ‘Cements It As A Town Square’

The surprise announcement that Tucker Carlson will be moving his wildly popular television program to Twitter after he was fired by Fox News last month continues to elicit reactions across the media landscape. Radio host Grace Curley believes the move will be a positive one for the social media platform.

During The Grace Curley Show, the host argued against a point made by media reporter Brian Stelter about Carlson’s move to Twitter potentially turning the social media network into a “right-leaning platform” and his worry about who would “police” Carlson.

“No, no, it’s actually — and Elon Musk said that, he said he hopes liberals bring shows to Twitter — it’s actually cementing Twitter as a town square, where you can say what you want,” Curley said. “And that’s what we should be promoting. That’s what we should be advocating for. Policing someone’s words? I mean, what the hell is going on?

“This is at MSNBC. I know I shouldn’t be surprised, but they say that with a straight face. They don’t understand how dumb they sound. The reason people want to watch Tucker is because he can say what he thinks,” continued Curley. “It’s the same reason people do not watch Brian Stelter when he’s on MSNBC. Because he can’t say what he thinks. Maybe this is what he thinks, and it just brings nothing to the conversation.”

Podcast From Rachel Maddow Wins Hillman Prize

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Podcast From Rachel Maddow Wins Hillman Prize

Rachel Maddow Presents: Ultra has received the 2023 Hillman Prize Award for Broadcast Journalism. The victory marks the first time a podcast has won the honor.

The podcast — written, produced, and hosted by Maddow — is an eight-episode non-fiction series set in World War II-era America. It chronicles lawmakers who spread disinformation to aid insurrectionists, while also profiling the journalists who tried to counter the plot.

After launching in October of last year, the film rights for the podcast were purchased by Steven Spielberg’s production company.

“I think all of us are deeply cognizant of the fact that it takes trust and a certain tolerance for risk on the part of our employers to let us chase these things and that’s hard, no matter what part of the business, so I feel thankful for the freedom to do this,” Maddow said while accepting the award earlier this week.

Since 1950, the Sidney Hillman Foundation has honored journalists who pursue investigative reporting and deep storytelling in service of the common good. The Hillman Prizes recognize a significant news story, resourcefulness and courage in reporting, skill in relating the story, and the impact of the coverage.

Stephen A. Smith: I Cannot Be Objective About Knicks or Yankees

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Stephen A. Smith has been particularly outspoken about the New York Knick’s struggles against the Miami Heat, expressing the anguish and melancholy he has faced throughout his life since the team won its last championship 50 years ago. He has hardly been shy about criticizing the performances of various players, including forwards Julius Randle and R.J. Barrett, but has also exalted over the play of guards Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart.

While Smith tries to view the game objectively, he admitted Thursday morning on First Take that the Knicks, along with the New York Yankees, are the two teams he discusses in a subjective manner.

“I am a fan first,” Smith said. “That doesn’t stop me from giving my analysis and breaking down what I see, but it hits me personally because even the great Spike Lee, there’s no one on this planet that roots for the New York Knicks more than me.”

Smith prefaced that statement by revealing that he has heard rumblings of players on the Knicks complaining about what he has said throughout these playoffs. The allegation, Smith said, is something he will not lose sleep over because he is enamored with the organization and is desperately yearning for a championship.

“We as New York Knicks fans have suffered for over 50 years,” Smith exclaimed. “Do you realize as much as we love Clyde Frazier – even with those wild ass suits that he be wearing, which is his M.O.? We love him and we deify him because he’s the last representation of a championship that we have.”

Basketball fans, pundits and insiders alike have recognized that the National Basketball Association has become a league more conducive to the wants and needs of the players than ever before. Smith says that won’t stop him from sharing his opinions “when” the New York Knicks disappoint him again.

“We’ve suffered before you were even born,” Smith said, seemingly directed at the players. “We want it bad. We’re not rooting against you – we’re hurting! One franchise after another representing the New York Knicks year after year after year can’t get it done. So I don’t care – it’s not personal, but it’s emotional.”

Brett Favre Drops Lawsuit Against Pat McAfee

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Brett Favre Drops Lawsuit Against Pat McAfee

And just like that, the case of Favre v. McAfee comes to an end!

“As I have previously stated, I respect the hell out of Brett Favre, the football player, and his Hall of Fame career on the field,” Pat McAfee said on his Thursday show, appearing via video conference to read the statement. “And I have no personal knowledge about any case involving Brett in Mississippi. I am pleased to report that based solely on me again clarifying these points now, with no settlement paid, Brett is withdrawing his suit against me.”

McAfee was the subject of one of three defamation suits Favre and his attorneys filed following accusations that he was part of a conspiracy to defraud the welfare system in Mississippi and use funds to build a new volleyball stadium at the University of Southern Mississippi.

Shannon Sharpe was the subject of another one of those lawsuits. The FS1 star’s attorneys filed a motion last week to have Favre’s lawsuit against their client dismissed.

“I would much rather talk about sports than about lawsuits,” McAfee added. “So I’m glad we have all of this behind us.”

Brett Favre issued a statement of his own about the lawsuit via Twitter.

“I’m happy that Pat McAfee and I have settled this litigation. Like Pat said, he was attempting to be funny and not commenting based on any personal knowledge. We’d both much rather talk about football.”

Bankruptcy Court Voids Gray Television Deal With Phoenix Suns, Mercury

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Bankruptcy Court Voids Gray Television Deal With Phoenix Suns, Mercury

Matt Ishbia cannot put Bally Sports in his rearview just yet. After the new owner of the Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury announced a new TV deal last month that will put the NBA and WNBA teams’ games on local stations owned by Gray Television, Diamond Sports, the owner of Bally Sports Arizona filed a lawsuit to stop the deal. On Wednesday, Diamond got some good news from the court.

The deal between Gray and Ishbia’s teams has been voided. The court ruled that a new TV deal violated the right of first refusal in Diamond’s contract with the teams. It also ruled that the Suns and Mercury violated the automatic stay in bankruptcy law that protects debtors’ assets from being modified or seized without their consent.

Sports Media Watch points out that the ruling does not guarantee that Diamond can match the offer from Gray Television. It simply recognizes that Diamond has the contractual right to match any offer to the teams that is worth less than the current TV contract and that the teams did not give Diamond the opportunity to make a counterproposal.

The Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury have argued that while the proposed deal with Gray is worth less money than the teams generate from Bally Sports Arizona, being on free, over-the-air television would make it easier to generate more advertising and sponsorship revenue.

Michael Smerconish: Kaitlan Collins Did ‘As Well As Anyone Could Have’ in Trump Town Hall

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Reaction to CNN’s New Hampshire town hall event with former President Donald Trump continues to be mixed, but SiriusXM host Michael Smerconish had praise for moderator Kaitlan Collins.

“Kaitlan Collins did as well as anyone could have in that situation,” Smerconish said Thursday morning. “I do not envy her given that task. She was poised, she was smart, she asked intelligent follow-up questions. She did as well as you can do. What else could she have done?

“As I watched all the reaction, both on television postmortem and on the Twitterverse — because I was keenly interested to see how this would play, although I had my strong suspicions, and I was right — there’s universal praise for Kaitlan Collins and appropriately so,” continued Smerconish. “Even the people who are most upset at this event having transpired, go to great lengths to say ‘But she did wonderful’.”

Collins continually clashed with Trump over his allegations surrounding the 2020 presidential election being “rigged” against him, before calling the moderator “a nasty person”. However, at the conclusion of the event, Trump told Collins “good job”.

Smerconish also defended CNN — where he hosts a weekend program — for its decision to hold the event in the first place. He argued that avoiding covering Trump’s 2024 Republican presidential run is impossible.

“I don’t think you can have a rule only for Trump,” said Smerconish. “I think you have to have a rule for everybody.”

The Bettor Angle Coming to BetQL Network

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The Bettor Angle Coming to BetQL Network

BetQL is launching a new multi-platform show as part of its weekend lineup. The Bettor Angle will pair Kate Constable and Camron Smith every Saturday from 4 to 7 PM Eastern.

“The Bettor Angle is the latest example of the BetQL Network’s dedication to delivering top-quality Wagertainment to our listeners and viewers, seven days a week,” Andrew Williams, brand manager of BetQL Network, said in a press release. “Kate and Camron will take listeners behind the numbers and uncovers the stories that shape the games. From injury reports to coaching strategies, they’ll help listeners understand the factors that can make or break their bets.”

The show will be available on all of BetQL’s platforms. In addition to terrestrial radio and the Audacy app, fans can also tune in via Twitch.

The Bettor Angle is built with a focus on live and in-game betting. To that end, the show will include interaction via polls and special guest interviews to breakdown matchups and situations in real-time.

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