Boston sports radio hosts Fred Toucher and Rob “Hardy” Poole weighed in on ESPN First Take host Stephen A. Smith’s recent criticism of New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye. Smith labeled Maye a “liar” after the rookie appeared unaware that former NFL MVP Cam Newton was a contributor to First Take on ESPN.
On Toucher & Hardy on 98.5 The Sports Hub, Toucher pushed back on Smith’s assessment.
“No one watches TV at ten in the morning, they don’t. It’s losers like we do. That’s why the ads are all for reverse mortgages and stuff. It’s for old people,” said Toucher. “He [Drake Maye] doesn’t know that Cam Newton’s on that show. Drake Maye is not lying.”
Poole added that Smith may be overestimating his audience’s knowledge.
“It’s a warning sign. Stephen A. Smith is now somehow starting to believe that it’s one thing to get a whole bunch of money from ESPN, and they want you on all these shows. That’s great, but when you start believing your own hype, that’s dangerous,” he said.
Toucher responded questioning the sustainability of Smith’s workload. Smith hosts First Take every weekday on ESPN, and also hosts his daily sports talk show on SiriusXM radio. He noted the veteran analyst’s frequent appearances across multiple platforms could be a net negative for him.
“Stephen A. Smith’s not a kid. He’s older than me. But the thing is, is that he’s on. He does too many things. There’s going to be a burnout, and he’s in that political realm now, which I’m telling you, if you’re gonna do politics, that’s what you got to do,” said Toucher. “You see what happens to these guys? I mean, it’s so polarizing.”
The Boston host further suggested that Smith’s growing focus on political commentary could alienate his core sports audience.
“Stephen A. Smith can’t be in any way divisive on a political show and then be accepted by a mass sports audience. It’s too much right now, maybe in 10 years or something, but not right now. If I was his agent, I’d tell him, you got to stop doing all this stuff,” Toucher said.
The debate illustrates a larger tension in sports media, where high-profile analysts are increasingly crossing into political and cultural commentary while maintaining credibility with their original audiences. Maye, a recent first-round pick by the Patriots, has been navigating the media landscape as a rookie, highlighting the pressure on young players to be aware of both sports and media personalities.
While Smith’s criticism generated discussion online, Toucher and Poole’s analysis reflects a more cautious view. They emphasized that expecting a rookie quarterback to track every contributor on a morning talk show may be unreasonable and could distract from his focus on the game.
The exchange underscores ongoing questions about how media figures engage with athletes and the balance between criticism, entertainment, and fairness in sports coverage.
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