The Hurley Edition

It's the six-month birthday of The Hurley Edition (yes, we're counting six-month birthdays), and with the holidays approaching, it's the perfect time to look back at the best and most memorable moments from the first 16 guests of the podcast. From Michael Felger to Rich Shertenlieb, and everybody in between, enjoy some of the best clips from 2017.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of The Hurley Edition, Sports Hub host Adam Jones joins the podcast. Jones has been dubbed "The Dark Knight" and "The Sports Vulture" for his negative sports takes, so he's asked if he's a bit misunderstood (2:15). Jones then explains the unique challenges facing the evening show (4:55) and weighs in on what percentage of fans who give him a hard time on Twitter are in on the joke or are actually angry (8:30). Jones reflected on his early days at The Sports Hub and shared how he ended up getting to the Hub from Northeastern, by way of ESPN 890 and with a stop at ESPN Boston (10:15). He explained what his goals were when he got the night show gig back in 2012 (32:20), and discussed how he stays healthy despite the nocturnal work schedule (39:00). Jones also discussed when the show lost Rich Keefe (46:15) and added Nick Cattles (48:20). Before saying goodbye, Jones shared his best and worst memories from his five years of hosting the evening show (52:25).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of The Hurley Edition, ESPN SportsCenter anchor Randy Scott joins the program. The conversation began with what life is like as a SportsCenter host (3:00), including how the job and the industry has changed (12:00) over the years. He recalled what life was like living on month-to-month contracts at NESN (14:35) and his early career bouncing from small town to small town (23:00). He then revealed that he wakes up for work every day at 1:45 a.m. (25:55), and he explained how that affects his life. The conversation then turned to the amount of hatred and rage felt toward ESPN from many people around the country (38:35) and how he feels about it. He also talked about how difficult it is when ESPN undergoes its highly publicized layoffs (49:55). Then Mike had some fun at Randy's expense for how tormented his life has been since the Tuck Rule ruined his life as a Raiders fan (58:10). Randy also shared a great story about how he accidentally bashed Tom Brady for a whole night in front of Tom Brady's sister (1:04:20). Before the podcast ended, Randy turned the tables and asked Mike a question about why he is so bothered by the famed Seahawks fans who refer to themselves as The 12s (1:12:50).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on The Hurley Edition, Rich Shertenlieb of The Toucher & Rich Show joins the podcast. Rich shares the truly unbelievable stories of his hometown of Kennesaw, Georgia (6:10), and how he successfully escaped (15:30).  He also discusses how he planned to pursue a career as a rock star before beginning his radio career (18:15). Rich talked about his mind-set when recording bits in situations that most people would find very uncomfortable or awkward (28:20), and talks about the time he gave fake Star Wars spoilers to a room full of nerds who got dressed up to see the movie (30:20). Rich got into his relationship with Fred Toucher, discussed the secret to having a successful morning show (34:35).  He talked about how surprising it can be to meet people he's made fun of for years, like Bronson Arroyo (42:08), before explaining his background as a sports fan (45:00). That includes the odd sexual attraction that many women in the '80s felt toward Kevin McHale (46:10). What was that all about, anyway? On a bit of a more serious note, Rich discussed his wife's battle with cancer and his family's experience of being in the middle of the Boston Marathon bombing (52:20). They close out the conversation on a lighter note, like how he got Charlie Sheen to come into studio at the height of his popularity (1:06:00) and how he got to ask Madonna a question about A-Rod at the Super Bowl (1:09:30).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of The Hurley Edition, Big Jim Murray from the Felger & Massarotti program joins the podcast. Murray details his journey from growing up in Melrose, to getting his start at WFNX in the '90s (7:00), and he recalled some of the more tumultuous times during his stint in rock radio (19:20) and how he basically tried to get fired for a while. He also discussed how he managed to work at WBCN without actually working at WBCN before having to quit his "job" from WBCN (29:50).  He then explains how and why he went to Atlanta to host a sports talk program (36:30) and how he ended up coming back to Boston (40:30). He discussed how he fits in to the Felger & Massarotti program (46:45) and then faced a rapid fire round of questions (1:01:30) to close out the podcast.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, Sports Hub morning show host Fred Toucher joins The Hurley Edition podcast. He answers the age-old question of how in the world he lives despite waking up so early every day (2:30), discusses the origins of the Toucher & Rich show (8:05), and recalls the uncertainty of going through the format flip from a rock station to a sports talk station in 2009 (11:18). Known to hold the occasional antagonistic interview, Fred talks about that quality (19:53) before discussing how frustrating it can be to spend time on Twitter (29:30). Then he talks about which famous people have gotten angry at him over the years (35:23). He also discusses how he navigates a talk show during the weirdest era in American politics (39:10). Finally, Fred and Mike get into their main topic of the day: the eighth season of New Girl (45:20). The guys go deep on New Girl -- deeper than they knew possible. And then talk a little bit about their mysterious co-worker, Michael Felger (51:58), and Fred shares his vision for his future podcast (54:12).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of The Hurley Edition, Rear Admiral from Barstool Sports joins the podcast. The conversation covers a lot of different areas. He talked about how Barstool rose from a local Boston site to a national empire (5:10) and the challenge he faces in getting more prominent promotion from the site (16:00). The two talked about how there's a lack of traditional media coverage of hockey compared to other sports (23:55), and how the NHL can't seem to get out of its own way all too often (29:50)., including the shame of preventing players from participating in the 2018 Olympics (35:38). Then, Rear Ad got into his true passion: watching movies (42:35). And being a lifelong Boston guy, he gave his thoughts on the significant changes the city has undergone in the past 15 years, and what's been the most disappointing change (49:25). Before signing off, he showed off a rare talent that only a hockey fanatic can pull off (58:40).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode, Michael Hurley welcomes in Scott Zolak, a local legend and a bit of a Boston sports phenomenon. Zo shares how he got his career in the media started (3:00) before going back to his days as a kid watching Joe Montana play in high school (6:15). Zo explained how he lasted 10 years in the NFL (13:50), shared some praise for Pete Carroll and his unorthodox methods (15:45), and shared some behind-the-scenes information from Bill Belichick about how the Patriots felt they forced the Seahawks to make that historic decision to pass at the goal line at the end of Super Bowl XLIX (17:55). The trip through the '90s includes a tale about Bill Parcells volunteering to babysit Zo's dogs (21:50), before Zo explains how critical he was of his early days on TV as an analyst (25:20). He discussed how he watches games as a radio color commentator (28:55) before answering the question that cannot be answered: How does he have so much energy?  Hurley uncovered some never-before-heard audio of Zolak giving an interview in 1990, which is some must-listen stuff (32:30), and before signing off Zolak shares what he hopes the next decade of his life brings for him personally and professionally (37:45).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on The Hurley Edition, Celtics writer Brian Robb joins the show to offer some thoughts on the shocking trade of Isaiah Thomas for Kyrie Irving and also to talk about what life is like working full-time for the new sports media outlet. The conversation begins with a discussion of whether the Celtics or Cavaliers would win a series right now (2:28). Robb talked about the one aspect he was very surprised by with the trade (5:30) and then they discussed how it was a bit stunning to see the Celtics trade Thomas after all he did for the Celtics (14:22).  After that, Robb talked about the decision to join a sports media outlet that didn't even exist yet when he started (16:50). Robb then shared what life as a freelance sports writer was like (20:24) and then the two shared the time they sort of got fired by some podcasting company after just one show (28:10). Lastly, Robb answers the question to which everyone is dying to know the answer: Is this the end of BRobb in the closet? (29:42)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Hurley Edition is back, as former Patriots linebacker and current analyst Matt Chatham joined the program. He talked about the difficulties of earning a roster spot in the NFL as an undrafted free agent out of The University of South Dakota (3:25), what it was like to make the game-ending tackle in Super Bowl XXXVIII (16:00), and how many times he's had to talk about tackling the streaker at that same Super Bowl (18:20). Chatham shared a story of when Bill Belichick was so angry with him that the coach called out Chatham specifically in front of the entire team (21:00) and discussed what it was like being on the Jets when Spygate blew up in 2007 (26:00). Chatham talked a little bit about the dishonesty and arrogance in Roger Goodell when he became commissioner during Chatham's playing days (30:29). He also talked about what drew him into the world of media following his playing days (31:30).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on The Hurley Edition, Twitter celebrity and GIF master Pete Blackburn joins the podcast. He discusses getting laid off from Fox Sports (3:50) and the general changes in the sports media online, before explaining how his career began (14:00). As the world-famous "GIF Boy," Pete weighed in on the controversial proper way to pronounce the word (17:29) and shared how posting GIFs raised his profile to unbelievable levels.  Pete also explained the surprising sucess of his weird podcast known as "Brunch" (27:30) and his Red Sox podcast before getting into the evolution of his Twitter beef with Bruins reporter Joe Haggerty (34:26)and how he managed to get Chris Christie very angry. Pete also talked about the tweet about Donald Trump's son which led to Pete receiving many death threats and nearly cost him his job (37:50). On the flip side, Pete talked about the weirdness of how Twitter led to him striking up a friendship with adult film star Mia Khalifa (50:28). Before signing off, Pete talked about what the future holds for him in sports media (51:45).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on The Hurley Edition, Mark Goodman from Craft Beer Cellar joins the show to help listeners (and hosts) find a new variety of beers to try this summer. With the Fourth of July coming, and with cookout season in full swing, Mark offers his expert suggestions to those who want to broaden their horizons. Whether you're strictly a Bud/Coors drinker or whether you're deep into the craft beer movement, you'll definitely learn something in this episode!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, Michael Hurley welcomes Sports Hub host Rob Poole -- better known to listeners as "Hardy" -- on the podcast (2:35). Hardy talks about how he landed a role acting as an extra in a David Ortiz commercial (6:30), and he reveals how he got his nickname (8:08) and recalls his time as a DJ for WBCN (11:00) while discussing the decline of major rock radio stations. Hardy also talked about what life was like working as a DJ for a rock station in Las Vegas (21:38). He then shares the experience of transitioning into sports talk radio on the Hub in 2009 (26:08) and the many challenges that come with it. And the conversation couldn't end with Hardy being asked what it's like to work next to Scott Zolak every day for eight years (47:00).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thrice drummer Riley Breckenridge joins The Hurley Edition from the band's tour bus (3:10). Riley discusses the band's decision to tour as an opener for Deftones and Rise Against instead of headlining a tour (5:30) and the challenges that come with it. He also provides perspective on what it's like to release new music in the age of streaming services (11:25). He shares his thoughts on the major turning point in Thrice's career (16:40) before briefly discussing the legendary side project known as Puig Destroyer (22:10). Mike and Riley commiserate on being on the DL in men's league baseball (23:48) before getting into the woes of the Angels (25:40) and talking about the feeling of having Thrice's music play through some sports arenas around the country (29:27). Lastly, he recalls what it was like to play in Boston as a Lakers fan during Game 7 of the 2010 NBA Finals (31:15).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of The Hurley Edition, Boston writer Luke O'Neil (who writes for Esquire, among other publications) is in studio to touch on a wide range of subjects. After sharing what life is like as a freelancer (3:50), the conversation turns toward sports. Luke discusses his Patriots fanhood (11:00) before getting into the conundrum he's faced since the relationship between Donald Trump and Tom Brady drew attention (12:44). Luke talks about the two times he interviewed Brady (18:52) and the regrets he has about not asking about the Trump relationship. Luke also expresses disappointment in the revelation that Brady receives compensation from Best Buddies for his appearances (22:30). Eventually, Mike and Luke talk about their unhealthy obsession with Twitter (29:08), and how exhausting it can be working online these days. Luke later talks about his recent discovery of his exercise bulimia, and he shares how and why he writes about his personal life in such detail (33:30). Lastly, Luke talks about Emo Night, which he DJs every month, and why emo remains important to him (39:40).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Michael Hurley is joined by Jared Carrabis of Barstool Sports on this episode. Jared explains how he got to his current position on TV and radio (2:45), discusses how he's mended fences with Dan Shaughnessy (11:10), and shared how he holds grudges (16:00). He also explains his WWE-inspired bravado (17:20), what it's like to work for Dave "El Prez" Portnoy, and why Barstool Sports has such a cult following (19:20). Carrabis doesn't hide the fact that he's a Red Sox fan, and he shared his evolution of fandom (31:38) and how that's impacted his work. He also relived the fallout from accidentally getting Pablo Sandoval suspended (36:45) and talked about how his friendship with David Price has changed (40:15). Lastly, he talks about how the Bobby Valentine year almost drove him to quit writing forever (51:52).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Michael Felger joins Michael Hurley as the first guest on The Hurley Edition Podcast, and Felger is standing by his paternity leave stance. The last time these two talked, things got ugly, as Hurley called in to Felger & Mazz to protest Felger's complaints about paternity leave. At 1:35, you can hear what Felger said to start the whole thing, with the fight starting at 7:00. Felger joins the podcast at 13:00 for the exchanging of pleasantries, and at 15:10 you can hear Felger double down on his stance. At 15:55, Felger explains his reaction to the Nantucket comment, and at 24:00 he explains that he does take his vacation days.Felger revisits his Al Horford comment at 27:15, saying he doesn't regret a single thing about his comments. At 32:30, Hurley calls out Felger for an actually damaging type of statement. After saying all they need to say about paternity leave, the two change gears. Felger discusses the new challenges of his new TV schedule at 36:25, and he answers the question of whether he'll ever join Twitter. At 39:20, Felger answers the most popular question from Twitter users. At 42:25, Felger ponders his future, and at 45:00 he discusses what he thinks of Boston sports fans who boo him.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.