Boston-area sports radio host Fred Toucher didn’t hold back in his latest on-air rant, taking aim at ESPN and WWE personality Pat McAfee, calling him a sellout and branding his fans as “idiots” for supporting him.
McAfee, who rose to prominence after transitioning from his NFL punting career to broadcasting, has seen a meteoric rise in sports media, with The Pat McAfee Show becoming a massive success on ESPN. However, Toucher claims McAfee’s “cutting-edge” persona is a sham, criticizing him for working under corporate ownership while pretending to be rebellious.
Toucher Unleashes on McAfee’s ESPN Success
During his blistering rant, Toucher didn’t mince words about McAfee, mocking his unfiltered style while arguing that his association with Disney-owned ESPN contradicts the image he portrays.
“Pat McAfee sucks. And if you listen to him, you’re an idiot. You really might be an idiot,” Toucher declared on his radio show.
He went on to suggest that McAfee’s fans fail to see through the illusion that he’s an independent voice in the sports world.
“The best is, you don’t get it. ‘Oh, I get it.’ No, you don’t. He works for Disney. This isn’t some guy on pirate radio here changing the way the game’s played,” he continued.
Toucher also mocked the idea that McAfee’s occasional use of profanity somehow makes him more authentic or groundbreaking.
“I guess I get that he can say the s-word, and that’s tremendous. It’s very exciting. I could hear that from any kid. But I can hear it from Pat McAfee.”
The Boston radio host then slammed McAfee’s corporate ties, claiming that once you sign a contract with Disney and ESPN, any “rebellious” credibility is gone.
“Once you work for the Disney company, any cool, rebellious factor that you might be hanging on to is long gone. You are in a long, corporate game. You are a peg in the cog.”
Toucher Admits Jealousy Over McAfee’s Success
Despite his harsh words, Toucher did admit some level of jealousy toward McAfee—particularly regarding how he leveraged his platform into a highly lucrative TV deal.
“I am jealous about how he leveraged garbage views on YouTube into a really lucrative TV gig. That I am jealous of,” Toucher admitted.
He also criticized McAfee’s high-profile relationship with Aaron Rodgers, suggesting that McAfee paid the quarterback to appear on his show and that the move was purely business-driven rather than an authentic friendship.
“I think he was brilliant to pay Aaron Rodgers a million dollars a year to do his show because that’s the only thing people talked about.”
RELATED: Keith Olbermann Calls for ESPN to Fire Pat McAfee Over ‘Terrible Country’ Comment About Canada
McAfee Stays Silent, But His Fans Fire Back
McAfee has yet to respond to Toucher’s criticism, and it’s unclear whether he’ll even acknowledge the rant on his platform. Given his larger audience and influence, McAfee may choose to ignore the attack entirely rather than give Toucher more attention.
However, McAfee’s loyal fans weren’t as silent, taking to social media to defend their favorite sports personality and fire back at Toucher.
- “Fred is a jealous douche because he knows that if he went from radio to internet streaming, he’d get less than 1,000 viewers, which is not even 10% of what Pat got on YouTube. Time to retire, ya bag of bones,” one fan wrote.
- “McAfee must be hiding under his bedroom covers after this ‘rant’ from some dude named Toucher that 99.236% of the country has never heard of,” another McAfee supporter quipped on X.
A Longtime Boston Voice Takes on a Media Juggernaut
Fred Toucher is a longtime sports radio personality on Boston’s WBZ radio, known for his blunt opinions and no-filter approach. However, going after one of the biggest names in sports media is an entirely different battle.
McAfee, who built his brand through social media, podcasting, and unfiltered sports coverage, has a massive following that spans beyond traditional sports talk radio. His move to ESPN solidified him as a mainstream media giant, giving him access to big-name interviews, exclusive NFL insights, and a platform far beyond what most radio hosts could dream of.
While Toucher’s criticism may resonate with some traditional sports radio listeners, the reality is that McAfee’s influence and reach aren’t slowing down anytime soon—regardless of whether his rebellious image aligns with his multi-million dollar ESPN deal.
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