Let’s welcome WNSP’s Michael Brauner to talk about the Crimson Tide basketball win over Florida, Eli Gold’s departure from the radio booth, EA Sports and more!
This is the Joe Gaither show on BAC central.com good morning tuscala afternoon West Alabama how are you doing everybody who’s watching the Joe gate through show on B Central and Bas central.com I am of course Jo Gaither you are the listener and the viewer and I appreciate you guys so so much you’re
Watching us on YouTube or on Facebook or on Twitter at jo6 or B Central you’re listening to us on Spotify Apple podcast or on Amazon The Joe Gaither show on Bama Central subscribe rate and review the show send it to a friend and you can
Connect with us at Joe gther 6 on all the social media machine send this your likes comments questions queries and complaints we’re going to have a fun Thursday morning hopefully everybody’s up up and out got everything rolling and getting ready for the weekend we’re going to talk about Alabama basketball
Defeating the Florida Gator 98- 93 last night in Coleman Coliseum oh my God how many different ways can this basketball team find itself winning a game and we’re gonna talk about Eli Gold we’re gonna talk Alabama football and Eli Gold in the multiple different layers of
Dynamics that go along with Eli Gold and then of course we’re going to finish it up with news from EA sports EA Sports has now offered it’s the first day that players can opt in to college football NCAA college football 2025 I guess is what it’s going to be called and so
We’ll talk about whether the opt-in package is good or not and if you’re excited about EA Sports uh in football 2025 but we’re going to do all of that with our friend from mobile Michael Broner down there you can listen to him at 105.5 The Sound of mobile app and you
Can follow him on the Twitter machine at IM roner wnsp listen to them in the mornings now Shi from the afternoon to the morning you’ve upgraded when you go to morning radio they see you as more professional so well done Michael you’ve made that uh that that that move and how are you
Happy happy Thursday oh I’m doing great Joe happy to be on your show once again it’s always a pleasure uh yeah no the morning the morning schedule has been phenomenal so uh you know everything good down here in the 251 you getting ready to within morning schedule to get
You know The Season’s changing going to start Tak taking advantage of the golf course a bit more I have been I you know once it got colder I I was all I didn’t really play for a couple of months there uh I’ve started picking it up a little
Bit the game’s not where we want it to be but uh never is it never is it never is and never will be so you know that’s the never ending uh you know if one thing is good uh you know something that was good previously goes out so that you
Know you’d probably know how that is better than anyone absolutely that’s the way it wors man uh that’s the way it wors well we’re hanging out with Michael Broner and it is Thursday we’re what three weeks away from Spring football getting going and really six or seven weeks away from AA so everything’s
Coming up com coming uh really me the calendar is just moving uh Michael why don’t we start with last night though and not Football let’s start with basketball because last night was absolutely crazy Alabama Alabama basketball makes what six three-pointers in the night 25% now if You’ have told me
From Saturday last Saturday you beat Texas Anum 100 to 75 and you you’re you hit what over 40% from the three but you get your ass out rebounded by double digits all right if you told me Alabama moves from that game and goes and wins the rebounding battle against Florida
But extremely the three-point percentage the three-point make percentage falls falls significantly it’s the lowest three-point make percentage in Coleman Coliseum this season but the tide still able to win against a team who would won seven out of their last eight like what did you just make from last night how do
You beat this team yeah if you reversed the rebounding total and then still told me that they shot what was it 11% from three in the first half and 25 for the game I mean I I would have said at that point they lost and they lost the
Rebounding battle and were still able to find a way to win I mean well rather they won the rebounding battle by about 10 but uh you know Florida was killing him on the glass in the first half and H I mean it it’s like you said it’s hard to it’s
Hard to beat this team it’s hard to have a complete you need to have a complete game and uh you know Alabama it’s another it kind of reminds me a little bit of the Arkansas game at home last year three balls just not falling and
You know they find a way to be able to get it done that’s just what this team uh what this team kind of does how important uh is lro Right cell to you after after seeing after seeing him no it wasn’t available last night anybody was paying attention he didn’t
Play last night he suffered a bit of a head injury it seemed like like in practice on Monday we’ll see if he’s available on Saturday for the Crimson Tide against Kentucky but clearly missing TR trelly ril uh yeah no doubt about it uh well he’s one for one he’s the best on ball
Defender on the team uh so that’s probably the aspect he was most missed in but you know he’s kind of come along as a shooter it was kind of a wild quote this week NATO said something along the lines of you know basically he’s the best shooter he’s ever coached which you
Know I don’t know if that’s accurate by any means but I’ll take Nate’s word for it better better than mine I mean in terms of just a pure stroke uh he’s phenomenal it sounded like they were holding him out just as a precaution so hopefully he’s available to go on
Saturday I think he’s a guy that you know when Sears isn’t making threes and really no one besides Sam Walters was making threes last night I think Walters was four of seven I think Grant Nelson didn’t make one so made one and Sears made one so he had six Sears made the
Big one with like five minutes left uh yeah Grant had one um Sears had one Ryland had two and and Sam had four Ryland had the three I believe on the uh the four offensive rebound play so you know if there’s a play that epitomizes Blue Collar basketball it was that and I
Think that was in the first I think what that was one of two makes in the first half so yeah definitely I you know when you get to March you’re gonna have to win when your best thing isn’t working and that’s kind of exactly what they did
Last night they still kind of got Exposed on defense again kind of like how everyone has been doing but you know they scored 98 points on a day where they shot 25% from three obviously having an overtime helped that uh but it’s gonna be hard to uh to put this
Team out in March it’s I kind of feel the same way about them now as I have all season I could see this team making a wacky run which I’m starting to believe a little bit more at this point and I I’m not going to be shocked if
They lose in the F in the first weekend so uh you know we all want it we’ll we’ll see what happens well if you read our friend Blake berer over the last week he did a bit of a deep dive on the analytics of Alabama basketball and how that this
Team compares to the last what 25 years of Ken pom’s of Ken pom’s information and it really Compares very favorably to 2015 Notre Dame if you I encourage everybody to check out BAC central.com and Blake berer is kind of analytical approach to that Alabama one of the top
Offenses in the last 25 years 127 points per game number one of 127 points per 100 possession excuse me it’s not points per per game it’s points per possession 1.27 uh what in the world NATO you lose three assistants you lose Brandon Miller top you know top three draft pick you lose
No Clowney and then you just go out into the transfer portal and you get your Island of Misfit Toys bunch of uh bunch of nobody wanted you Aaron Estrada at hofra and I guess we’ll take you grant Nelson and chy ritel coming out for like like these guys are not none of these
Guys were really superstar players in college basketball last year maybe you could argue that Grant was at North Dakota state for his own level but a put up big numbers as well but yeah H but to to the chemistry to get it all not only
To say hey uh Aaron Estrada we want you and we’re going to use you and you know we’re GNA accentuate your skill sets but the the chemistry I mean when you add one new piece you add one new ingredient to your recipe it changes things but
You’re going to add what 10 is that what it was you had three returning players uh so so nine you added nine pieces really nine new ingredients and the recipe obviously is still not done yet with the season is still not done yet but uh it’s smelling pretty good in the
Kitchen like goodness gracious Nat uh we need to get you on a on Food Network or something he has just been incredible uh and you see Ohio State make it a little bit of higher you’re kind of worried about Louis what are are you concerned about
Holding on to Nats in the future that’s kind of the big picture I’ll get concerned a little bit when Tom ISO finally hangs it up but in terms of Louisville and Ohio State or Louisville and Ohio State not really at all uh first of all you mentioned Blake berer
By the way he does just a phenomenal job on Twitter in terms of providing radio people some some fodder with stats and home records and all that he’s been he’s been absolutely killing it that this year so big thanks to Blake but uh all that being said so Nate outs no I in
Terms of Louisville Ohio State I’m really not concerned at all I think Greg Burn’s going to continue to compensate him fairly he should be getting a raise basically every I mean this is the best it’s not the best team he’s had I think that undoubtedly would be last year but
It’s without a doubt the best coaching job he had uh you know last we’re we still put last year team on the floor and put this year’s team on the floor obviously you get duplicates of Mark Sears and Ryan grifflin we’re just going to pretend that this is you know
Hypothetical computer programs does last year’s does this this year’s team might I don’t know I think they might beat him the Bako factor is the huge is the huge bonus for last year’s team you get the rim protection if you played that game 10 times it it might be five to
Five or six and four uh something like that it’s not as big of a gap as we certainly thought it was early in the season and of course you know I it’s it’s time to move on from this talking point but it’s so easy to think every game imagine if
This team had Charles Bako imagine if this team had Charles bako and and I do genuinely feel bad for him like obviously he got some some bad advice and it’s not working out for him at the next level but uh you know another year I think certainly No One’s Gonna argue
Would have helped in both his stock and you know um his career at the next level it’s it’s a tough situation for Bako I’m going to still say last year’s team was was certainly better uh maybe if Ryland Griffin doesn’t foul down two or three with 45 seconds left against San Diego
State maybe uh we have a different talking point about this team because I think had it not been San Diego State Alabama wasn’t gonna beat Yukon last year I don’t think they were gonna win a National Championship but you know at least uh we could have said we’ve made
It further than auburn at that point don’t you think uh don’t you think the this year’s team I mean obviously the rebounding and interior defense is is a bit of an issue but don’t you when you think about longterm runs in March and most casual fans aren’t even watching
College basketball quite yet they’re waiting till that first weekend don’t you think this year’s team given the deficiencies and you just hit it on bako but aren’t they more capable more equipped to make a Deep Run I mean that 2015 Notre Dame team that they’re
Being compared to made it to the Elite 8 if you go to the Elite 8 you win the SEC regular season this is Nate’s best team Michael I mean this team’s equipped to do that and this is his best team I think they are I mean it’s semantics at
This point I think they are equipped to do more than Nate outs has done at Alabama but I I mean last year’s team was equipped last year’s team was up by nine against San Diego State in the sweet 16 and didn’t close it out and
Things didn’t work out at the end of the game Brandon Miller just chose the worst time of the season to play his worst game in an Alabama uniform so yeah I mean I don’t think that uh even like even if this team went to the final four
I think I think I would still say last year’s team was more talented but you know results are more important than Talent so it is what it is there uh I’m definitely excited to see what this team can do but cautiously optimistic in that you know who who things could get dicey
Early but all you gotta do is be hot for six games so I mean this team’s figuring it out Gotta Do yeah it sounds easier when uh when you say it now but and then we’ll get to March and you run into Marquette or whoever in the sweet 16 and things
Things get dicey but I don’t know I I feel good about the ceiling for this team uh I don’t feel so great about the floor like for I’ll give you an example last year take like the Maryland game in the sweet 16 obviously you know it’s a
Eight or nine seed and you’re a one seed at that point I wasn’t remote we were both at that game in Birmingham I was n remotely nervous that like oh Alabama’s not gonna I mean I think we pretty much most Alabama fans would have been in agreement like all right like we’re
Gonna handle Maryland fairly easily and then the going gets real uh the next game whereas this year I’m not gonna I’m G be nervous going into a sweet even if Alabama’s a two seed and plays you know a 710 in the in the second round it’s gonna be I don’t
Know well you’re probably looking at that two or three and I’m really excited about it getting all getting here but but before you get there it’s going to be what four more five more games five more games in the regular season Alabama with this one game lead you go to
Kentucky you go to Old Miss you bring Tennessee into town you bring Old Miss and Arkansas into town no no you don’t have the home and home with old miss you go to Old Miss you go to Florida and Kentucky that’s right uh am I right no
They definitely go to Florida and I don’t yeah yeah yeah yeah uh Old Miss is not coming to exclusive that’s what that that’s extra game that I’m throwing in my head that doesn’t exist what do we think about going to Kentucky Kentucky goes to Auburn beats Auburn pretty handily plays their best
Defensive game H they’re going on two two wins in a row what was that three wins in a row and then they go to LSU last night and okay I guess you consider LSU has been playing better because they just beat South Carolina uh but what’s what’s what’s Alabama gonna be R running
Into on Saturday in Big Blue Nation yeah for LSU to have been playing better is a uh is a pretty low bar Bas last two years LSU basketball has been a mess they are they are getting better so credit to him and that’s a huge win against Kentucky last night it’s not
They’re not a tournament team I don’t think anyone I mean barring a crazy run in the SEC tournament it’s not gonna happen all that being said yeah I don’t know what to make of this Kentucky game before last night I would have said yeah that’s that I mean that’s almost a
Scheduled loss I I don’t think anyone would would disagree with that uh kind of in the way at Auburn a couple weeks ago was a scheduled loss if you’re looking at the schedule in preseason but now I don’t know it’s so weird in that you know you felt not great about it
After Kentucky beats Auburn you know they’re starting to come together they’re getting their guys back then they go and lose a game against LSU and that’s kind of an aberration but you know oh they just you know they shot poorly against LSU they’re probably gonna be hot on Saturday you know NATO
Would tell you all about the law of averages on that ESPN’s analytics already giving Alabama a 62% chance to win the game on Saturday I’ll just tell you where I sit from here I don’t feel good about that especially with Kentucky and the recent results I think they
Probably gonna have a really good performance on Saturday at Home Alabama you go four- one over these last four or five games you’ve won the SEC regular season for the third out of the out of five years just absolutely wild wild to to to put Alabama back you you fire
Avery Johnson no excuse me Anthony anth Anthony Grant Avery Johnson because I always get Anthony and Avery mixed up uh you fight you fire R Johnson uh and five years later you’ve won two t you’ve won three SEC championships you’ve gone to what’ll be four no three three NCA
Tournaments in a row because of covid you didn’t have covid uh just crazy to put Alabama basketball on this play on this play in this in this realm you’ve got Daren Reed and Aiden Cheryl you got a top 10 class again coming into town Michael what’s the next five years of
Alabama basketball look like will Alabama be playing in a new arena in five years is it even important does Nate even care about that as long as he’s getting these five star recruits use the money for the recruits instead of the bricks and mortar building what’s the next five years of Alabama Foot
Alabama basketball looking like yeah it’s funny I think last time I was on your show that was one of the things we talked about at the end and it kind of looked like it’s not going to happen and but at this point does it really matter
It’s like you said what’s what 27 and one over the last two years at Coleman Coliseum obviously the Clemson loss this year stings uh you know because it could just as easily be 28-0 I think four- one is a tall ask over the next five but
We’ll see what happens uh as for the next five years I don’t know Greg burn is spinning positive news I guess about the arena I don’t know I’m I’m kind of starting to develop like a fondness for Coleman colos you saw the ticket prices when uh Alabama went to Auburn this year
I mean people like you and I are C were certainly priced out of even attempting to go to that one and I think you’d probably see maybe not quite that uh but similar uh in terms of just high demand less Supply and you know the team I
Think the team’s going to continue to be good so I am not going to be upset as I was a year ago if you know the arena didn’t happen five years from now would I be for it yeah sure but you know they Alabama doesn’t really lose games like
Coleman Coliseum it seems like and we talked about this too the crowd sizes I mean this was kind of right before SEC play started I think when it was kind of like like the crowds are not good there always is a non-conference that’s what drives me bleeping nuts November and
December it’s like who wants to be in Coleman Coliseum like you got a good basketball team right here yeah and I think the crowds during the SEC schedule have been as good or even better than they were last year uh you know certainly comparable at the very least
So I think that idea that you know Alabama can’t create a homecourt advantage in Coleman Coliseum it’s clearly dispelled they don’t lose games in Coleman Coliseum and gets really loud it sounded even really I know you were there last night I’m sure I’m sure uh your ears are still ringing there it
Sounded loud on TV tickets for five bucks last night I in hindsight I’m I’m regretting not driving up but that’s not something you’d ever see in a new Arena you know $5 tickets for an game on a Wednesday nights you won’t you wouldn’t see that again so yeah I mean I’m not
Going to be upset if the arena doesn’t get built I think NATO it’s going to continue to recruit well gonna continue to win games and we’ll see what happens with that but at this point I’d say I’m neutral on the arena I still hate the corner student section I think uh I
Think everyone feels the same way about it I can’t I can’t remember what game it was that they allowed uh students to to kind of wrap around and it was a Missouri or a South Carolina home game early South Carolina where you had a bad weather night and basically it was
Students and nobody else so they left the doors open the whole and honestly Michael I know I’m not a fire marshal and I know I’ll never be a fire marshal and like I don’t understand the oh capacity leave those dadgum doors if the Stu like I get the oh you got what 2200
Seats for the students and they’re all in that section but leave the dadgum doors open if a student sneaks in and sits in Billy Boo Boer seat and Billy Booster happens to show up late and okay the student moves and Billy Booster gets his seat but
Like the restrict the the arena talk is fun but I but I’ve kind of gotten over the arena talk because I don’t know that you get a brand new arena is that going to change is that going to energize the average Alabama basketball fan not that you would me like I’m watching every
Game because I love I I really enjoy this program I had for my whole life but like will it energize the average will it get your butt into into I guess hypothetical new Arena X against Eastern Kentucky on December 16th where where they’re playing Eastern or uh who
Else did they play this year that was ter you played Arkansas State Brian Hodson former assistant coach comes into town and there’s no one there and it’s like okay if you’re not g to come for the competition come to say thanks Brian Hodson for your last three four years of
Service to the university but they don’t even do that they don’t even do that and so will a new Arena get people in November and because you got the January crowd you’ve got the February crowd and you’ve got the crowd when number one Houston comes to town last year and top
Five Baylor uh you know when you get these big big big teams [ __ ] Clemson they weren’t ranked and no one was in town it was it was it was the Wednesday night Tuesday night ACC SEC challenge you’re on national TV and no one comes is it about
The arena is it about we just don’t like basketball that much in Alabama or is it about oh you get the TV time six o’clock tv time is tough for the Birmingham crowd because we get off work at five and can’t get there like give me a bleep
And the arena is Fun the new arena is fun talk but I don’t think it’s the fix to let’s get let’s take this uh I guess passion for this program from level six to to level 8910 I don’t think the arena is the key to that I think there’s got
To be something else to get the average West alabamian the average to say you know what it’s Tuesday I don’t have anything to do tonight I’m gonna flip the basketball game on I’m gonna watch it from start to finish I’m not just gonna scroll on it on Twitter and watch
It for watch two seconds of highlights and think ah dang Alabama basketball can’t shoot their threes tonight like watch the damn game on Wednesday night and and be ex go through the roller coaster of of emotions of fun of oh my gosh you’re gonna win oh my gosh you’re
Gonna lose oh my gosh this team’s so good oh my gosh this team’s so bad and holy smokes at the end of the three hours we’re all having fun and and smiling is it as simple as building a new Arena or is there something else to take
That to take that support from level six to level eight n 10 yeah I think last night was the perfect example of that that roller coaster as uh that you kind of just brought up you know I know I was uh I said Pro when it when it got to a
Nine-point game with five minutes left I think I may have audibly said the words this game is over and then Alabama just goes on a 70 run so yeah the roller coaster of a basketball game is uh is reality uh as for would the I think the
Arena would solve that issue maybe for a year or two when there when there’s excitement uh you know about oh there’s a new Arena like who cares who they’re playing let’s go watch but yeah long term probably not I mean let’s face reality here Alabama is always going to
Be a football first school and I think it’s hard for nothing wrong with that at all I think it’s hard for a student to put themselves in the mindset and this is just your regular everyday student like not your super fanatic sport fan of every sport I think it’s hard for them
To put them in the mind put themselves in the mindset of basketball mode when they’re still like I think about the fact that Alabama made the playoff and there was that month like no one’s thinking the common person is not really thinking about basketball it’s just reality and and it’s probably always
Going to be reality at Alabama I wish that wasn’t the case but you know I talked to uh friends of mine that are still there and you know I asked are you going to the game tonight this is before conference play started he said no why
Would I go it’s basically you know a buy so yeah I I I think that a new Arena long term probably doesn’t solve that issue the biggest reason I’m for the new arena is that I would and it’s not like Coleman doesn’t have a homec court advantage we’ve made that clear and the
Record makes that clear but the students wrapping around the court man it’s hard to go to Auburn lose by 18 when it’s probably you know eard deafening loud and the players leg or the defense legitimately affect the game you know wrapping around the court in a Duke
Style thing and say like yeah we don’t we don’t really need that like Coleman’s fine like Coleman is fine colan is fine and the home court advantage is fine but it’s hard not to be intrigued at the possibility of it being better uh in ter
And I would be I know the logistics are difficult I would be for keeping Coleman completely overhauled the way they do the student section and maybe making renovations to Coleman adding in bleachers on that lower level and you know as for Billy Booster you just got
To figure it out uh I mean that’s a job for Greg burn it’s not a question I have to answer a question Greg burn would have to answer so I mean I would be for that and I would be fine with that and I’d do really like Coleman but it’s hard
Not to get excited about the possibility of a new Arena to your point though yeah I mean two years down the line of of after it’s opening it’s probably the same case on a Tuesday night in December that that’s the frustrating as aspect to me is that you want to get the
Go you want to get the home court advantage and you want to oh you know so get support for the program but you’re only going to show up for the kenty for the Auburn home games for the you know for the for the like you had South
Carolina you had Missouri in here and last night you had Florida in here and yes it was a six o’clock tip Joe it’s hard to get from Birmingham give me a bleeping break like tell your boss I’m leaving 15 minutes early you got the lady singing the
National Anthem last night and the arena is 70% full 70% full for for an SEC game now by the time she had finished the national anthem and everybody you know the lights had come back up and you looked around you’re like okay people are still coming in so you had a good
Crowd last night it was it was a good crowd in spurts in spurts there was a lot of sitting on your hands anxiety nervous last night I just don’t know what it’s going to take I don’t I think the arena is um it’s not a cheap trick
To uh to to to to to like spur the the passion but I do think it’s a trick just to just to get a a cheap bump uh in the passion and we’ll have to kind of see I don’t I don’t know whether it’s TV times or it’s schedule even harder goodness
Gracious Nate oats is that even possible like he’s scheduling his ass off to try to get you into the arena and you’re still not coming for non-conference gam so it’s just I I don’t know I think I think that talk is a little overblown let’s get a new Arena it’s going to
Change everything that argument is the one point that does make you a little bit concerned about long-term Nate oats at Alabama uh because you know we we discuss reality is it’s always going to be a football school like would he rather coach at a quote unquote basketball like Louisville like I can
See why that would be intriguing to him uh at the least you know he he knows that Alabama’s always going to be a quote-unquote football first school uh and you know he could win back-to-back national championships and that’s still going to be the case uh you know the
Question is can he accomplish what he wants to accomplish in college basketball more likely than he can at Alabama and I don’t think he can I think he he can accomplish everything at Alabama that he could frankly at any other program in the country uh has it
Happened yet no is it coming I think so that’s what’s so exciting about coacho is if you just keep recruiting at the same level keep putting the math out there eventually that that formula is going to come up 100 for Alabama and that’s gonna be a lot of fun you want to
Talk about football we’ve talked a lot of basketball you want to talk a lot a little football sure oh my gosh do you like the drama that’s going on in the last 30 hours in the Alabama football family here’s the thing I wish it weren’t drama tell everybody what’s happening for the
People who are living under a rock so obviously uh Eli Gold is out Chris Stewart is in Eli Gold did not go quietly about it even though they wanted him to he’s saying it was anything but he kind of even said like it wasn’t particularly amicable and and uh it just
That’s it they decided to go in another Direction and Eli certainly could have said I’m stepping down and Chris is stepping in and no one would have questioned it at that point uh you know we have both Chris and Eli on our station every week and we had Eli on
This morning actually and you know he’s that go for you uh he’s he’s not particularly happy uh I and I don’t necessarily blame him I mean he’s it’s 36 years I I certainly get the argument of he should be able to go out on his own terms but here’s the thing man and
And just’s no one with a straight face is gonna sit there and tell you that Eli Gold is a better play-by-play announcer than Chris Stewart right now he and we all love Eli I I’m not saying anything negative about Eli but it sounds like this was in the works for a few years
Now uh obviously you know drama within the apartment Department rather um you know kind of delayed things but it would be different if they didn’t have someone so talented waiting in the way Chris Stewart is one of the best in the business I mean he is phenomenal football basketball whatever I mean
Obviously we’ve heard him longer for basketball than football but you know he got his feet in the water last year and then doing the away games this year it’s like and I hate to rag on Eli better but if you listen to pause real quick I want
I want to play a game with you because you’re getting to a point that I want to play with let’s pretend you watched no football last year none at all you know what the game is but you spent a year on Mars all right you’re coming back and
You’re saying what was the biggest play last year in Alabama football and I want you to tell me if you can tell if our listeners if you Michael Broner or our listeners are viewers if you spent an entire year away from Earth and you came back and said what happened in Alabama
Football I’m only going to give you 30 seconds of audio for the biggest play of the year you tell me what happened and this is what you get fourth and goal from the 31 yd line here’s the SNAP milro stands in lets everybody get downfield Still Standing he throws into
The end zone it’s caught it’s caught by Isaiah Bond caught by Isaiah bond in the corner of the end zone touchdown Alabama the Crimson Tide with 32 seconds to go in the ball game what happened right there who was on the field for Alabama was it uh what
Kind of formation was it for the Crimson Tide how did Auburn line up was Auburn rushing anyone was Auburn rushing any any players was were they double teaming any rece you don’t know what happen coach I mean el el you’ve got a mixture on the Alabama fan base of old school
Fans who I just love Eli Gold and then you’ve got the fans who actually want to know what’s actually happening in the game because I might be driving down Highway 82 and I can’t watch the game today or I might be you know working in the backyard with with the wife and kids
I can’t watch the game today I want to know time and score formation I want to know Tendencies I want to that call sounded like um he’s on cough medicine what’s what’s the nicest way to say it it sounded subdued it didn’t sound genuine it sounded forc it sounded
Oh I need to be excited about this but I’m not fourth and 31 Alabama win I guess the dead gum Iron Bowl life on the line Alabama the season on the line fourth and 31 you should be falling out of your dead gum chair the booth should be you should be
Throwing things in your booth but no he’s sitting there and like is he a legend yes you’re a legend you’re absolutely a legend and I every time I’ve ever talked to him he’s always been absolutely kind to me but there’s a time for everything yeah and the the the part
That stings the most on the fourth and 31 is you just know Chris Stewart would have had this epic classic and and I’m for Stuart’s sake I’m I’m happy he was able to do the SEC Championship in the Rose bow uh obviously there wasn’t that one icon you know SEC Championship was
Phenomenal we were both there uh but there wasn’t that one ridiculous play where all was lost and then it wasn’t snatching Victory from the jaws of defeat and so that makes it sting a little more with the specifically the fourth and 31 call but yeah it’s uh it
Wasn’t good I mean there’s there’s no other really way to to say that and you know I maybe that’s even sugar coating it a little bit it’s it’s unfortunate it is reality uh you know someone just said uh Eli never goes over the top I want my
Play-by-play an outst her to go over the top with a play like not all the time because then you know it’s uh it gets watered down a little bit I’ll give you an over-the-top Eli Gold call that stays in my head all the time right after the 09 National Championship win you’ve won
In the Rose Bowl Eli Gold comes out the roses in this grand old stadium or once again crimson red like that’s that was excite it was the first time in 17 years that was excitement that was his history I can’t think of like you got Devonte
Smith down the like you get the second and 26 I guess it’s it’s okay it’s okay call I listened to that this morning like you just get so much more meat with with Chris Stewart as far as who’s on the field what’s been happening and it’s the same in basketball you know where
The gu guys are what the time and score is how many timeouts each each each team has like the basics of football like you’re radio man Eli you know this no one’s watching we need you to tell your information and and so it becomes Michael where do you balance the you’re
A legend absolutely you’ve been doing it since 1988 right or versus versus maybe you’ve kind of fallen off your game I heard him yesterday on one of his M dude he was doing the media tour yesterday uh telling his side of the story and I guess still this morning uh he was
Basically saying yeah the university did imply that there was performance-based uh reasoning for for for to make this decision and like look you’re not going to shove I don’t it just seems like the right place at the right time and you you got to have a little bit of
Awareness about yourself to say you know what I’ve been doing this since 1980 longer than than I have been alive so like so years before I was alive yeah respect to you for that but uh it’s just a time and a place for everything and I think you’re at the
Right time and at the right place for this transition it’s just unfortunate to me the way that Eli’s maybe received it you can be upset absolutely you absolutely have a right to be angry upset unhappy uh absolutely feelings are valid but don’t urinate on the last 35 years
Of great work and a great relationship uh I heard him yesterday talking about the university offered him a ticket package and parking packages and different different perks and amenities and he turned it all down I wonder Michael and it sounded like he turned it
All down in a bit of uh emotion uh I wonder if six months from now a year from now if he will regret the way that he gone about these last 40 hours yeah parking pass might be uh might be the big might be the biggest uh benefit in
That whole thing you know getting free parking on tus loose for the game yeah you ask where they find that balance between those two factors and I guess yesterday you saw where they where they find that balance it’s I wish it wasn’t the case uh you know I I don’t know it’s
Hard to blame Eli but again like he he had to hear I’m sure he listened to Chris Stewart and you know he he actually like hasn’t really mentioned Chris Stewart that that I’ve heard and during his farewell tour don’t know that they have the I think they’re very
Professional with one another yeah but I’m not sure that they’re close per se yeah no I think that uh is probably accurate I since 1988 it’s like he could have just kind of said like all right I thank the university for 36 years and I’m gonna
Hang it up now and go do other things it could have stayed working you know he he says he’s going to stay working and that’s great you still can’t work to as long as you want to but it’s just this insinuation this breakup oh Michael how do you balance
The little old ladies who are uh listening to Eli Gold because it’s Eli Gold and it’s Alabama football versus the uh maybe ex’s and oads who want to know everything about like your play byplay guy it’s a hard balance I mean we’re being critical right now but it is
A it is a very difficult job to balance both telling what’s going on and being entertaining and incorporating history and job in this field no doubt about it so it’s very challenging but Michael you’re I’m seeing a lot of reaction social media wise I’m never gonna listen
To Crimson TI sports radio again that Eli’s gone oh somebody who can I email at Alabama to to get mad who can what you’re seeing petitions get signed I mean and it’s natural emotion right after a decision but but but again if you are an administrative role are you more
Interested in your play byplay your sport your radio guy making everyone feel good and getting everybody to to to turn it on and making you feel Alabama football rad tight it just sounds like sweet home it just sounds like sweet tea but or are you more interested in having
Your play-by-play guys say or your radio broadcast say you know what Nick sa on the 50 yard line talk Lane kein they’re shaking hands they’re walking away and lanin’s laughing and Nick sa shaking his like giving you the exos this is what’s actually happening yeah clearly uh you
Know they lean the second and you know it’s not that Eli wasn’t great for 30 years he w i mean but I don’t think there’s like no one with a straight face like I said can tell you that he hasn’t lost the step in the last couple like
Clearly he has and it’s reality I mean the man 70 years old he was sick uh you know he’s he’s lost his step it’s not disingenuous or disrespectful to say and you know maybe some people don’t want to hear that but it it just it is what it
Is and maybe if they didn’t have someone like Chris Stewart waiting in the wings uh you know maybe he gets the farewell tour or whatever you want to call it I mean he had said I think it was Tony sakalis tweeted this he said something along the lines of he thought he was
Gonna call games for another decade another decade I mean another decade that’s yes that’s that’s that’s insane at that point they offered him to do a day as kind of a farewell and do you not just it sounds like the university offered him every extension that they
Could have offered him as a we want to move in a different direction but we want to treat you with respect as the best we can here’s you want this ticket package you want to do aay you want to be honored in this way and that way and
It sounds like Eli was just like nope you have stepped on my stepped on my toes and I’m upset now you know what’s funny at least I I can only speak for our show and like the comments in in our app this morning it was certainly yes on the sound of mobile app
Which you can download and listen to any of our on our content on 105.5 The First FM sports station in the country uh all sports FM sport anyway uh all that the Shameless plug there you know what was funny the people who were most upset about it and like calling the university
Classless and like saying how do you justify something like this they were all Auburn f they were all Auburn fans Auburn you know so they’re just going to take any opportunity to uh you know jump on Big Brother and say like oh like how could Alabama do something like this you know
It the the wee elbow is also a a big discussion as of for one game Mohammad wagi so they’re all they they were fired up about it this morning you know the same regular commenters who comment let me ask you though about that loyalty Factor because I’m seeing that a lot you
Is not being loyal to you he worked here for 30 something years U is being loyal they’re being loyal to a good product I mean that’s that’s where they loyalties lie and and frankly the product the last couple years has not been good and it’s unfortunate but things come to an end
And they make way for better things that’s you know that’s all this is uh I I think the The Dramatics are a bit much frankly it’s unfortunate to see the uh infighting in the Alabama football family I guess maybe infighting is a little too strong but just dis just
Upsetness Discord Discord in in the Alabama football family uh this would never happen at Auburn it’s different down there you know they’re a family well I mean Unfortunately they didn’t get to exper oh they had a different transition with their reg guys they had a tragedy there you know Andy
Bur does a good job uh so but you know 20 years from now it’ll be time to get rid of and Andy goes like ask ask el like gold are you gonna were were you going to let Nick sain go all the way until he went s
And six two or three years in a row and I don’t think it was quite seven and six radio but it wasn’t 12-0 radio it wasn’t 11 And1 radio it was a lot closer to8 and4 8 and4 7even and5 radio you know in that range and and and Alabama football
Fans uh and really the brand as a whole I think deserves deserves Chris to deserves the uh really what Chris has brought to the table from a radio perspective I do wonder if if Chris Stewart and I actually have no knowledge of this situation this is purely speculative I do wonder if Chris
Stewart had kind of been saying internally like listen like I’m gonna I’m gonna go elsewhere if you let the if if you let him Eli go for as long as he wants which apparently was another decade uh you know I’m gonna just have to go and at I wouldn’t blame him I mean
He’s so talented that you know how could you blame him but you know nobody loves Alabama more than Chris Stewart I mean he wanted this job and deserved this job more than anyone so uh you know I I I wish it wasn’t going down that way but
It it is this will blow over by the time gonna be this big topic uh you know so once once the dust settles on this I think people will for the most part at least realize that it was time absolutely well the last comment that I
Have on this is what they should have done last year when uh they were bringing Eli go back and they were doing those Clos scrimmages and they had a couple close scrimmages that were basically like practice they should have some sort of somehow someway set up an
Nil link to where Joe Gaither and Michael Broner can pay your $10 to listen to Eli Gold call the false scrimmage before you and like you know how many people would have fallen all over themselves to uh to hear that broadcast you know it was during the
Time of the quarterback battle and kind of who’s going to be the quarterback and how’s Tommy Reese coming along with the offense uh but I’m sure that if that idea was even explored Nick sain said H we a we ain’t putting any of this out
Here yeah I think uh he would be the last person to allow some what is interesting though is you know obviously the the Eli factor is not a thing I think kayin dbor I think there’s G to be a lot more access quote unquote to the
Program where you know to which if he were the coach maybe something like that have been possible I don’t think it’s going to be as shrouded in secrecy which you know for people like us is certainly and really the common fan is certainly a good thing I think people are excited
About that absolutely spring practice we’re not going to be in front of the the in front of the coach saying uh tell me about this player we didn’t see today and that player we didn’t see today in this position group it made it so hard and Coach Sabin had his reasons for it
But it made it very challenging to ask good questions when you didn’t see anything at all all in Spring practice I think it’s going to be very different with cayin theore yeah when we were back at tide 109 I got sent to one of those open practices you know it’s 10 minutes
And you know they purposely by Design put the quarterbacks literally on the opposite end of the field so I was using you know whatever camcorder we had at the station and uh you know that was probably the shakiest footage ever because it was Zoomed In from 150 yards
Away uh so hopefully that’s some something like that we uh we can see some Chang on that front let’s talk about one more thing that we are experiencing changing in college athletics as news breaking today EA sports EA Sports has now opened the door for all the college athletes who want to
Opt in to NCAA football 2025 I guess it’s coming in June July somewhere around there to get you ready for the new season obviously all the video gamers are really excited Michael I haven’t turned my PlayStation on in probably a year and a half or so uh
Maybe not that long maybe maybe just a year uh but I might be purchasing in 20 2025 especially if they end up with our friend Nick sain on the cover uh as they should for for at least an addition of the game but you’re seeing golly I don’t
Want to say it’s one side of the political Spectrum or not but it seems like one side of the political Spectrum saying $600 that’s not enough to be in the video game $600 that’s Terri terrible value and you say yeah I uh it went up from 500 didn’t
It if I’m not if I’m not mistaken so yeah they they came up an extra $100 I’ve actually been playing the uh the old nca1 14 on the 360 a little bit uh as for whether the new game is going to require a new console or not uh I won’t
Be purchasing a new console so uh I might be you know as they say so on uh on the new video game but all that being said yeah I I can kind of see both sides of this one I guess because in theory you know the player’s
Name if it’s a star player is worth more than $600 I get it but like how do you balance that like all right Caleb Williams you get a million uh meanwhile Ty Simpson you get 600 it just it just doesn’t work uh you know out there on
The roster it would be I mean if this was five years ago even you know $600 would be you know the best thing ever I mean obviously the nil uh laws were what was keeping this game from existing for a while so you know that’s kind of a
Moot point but yeah I mean if it was me $600 is more than enough I would do it for free because I just want to be in the video game but I can understand the mindset of players that say like oh like only 600 I I get it I don’t like it but
I at least get it I think there’s a lot of players who that’s going to be fine for or probably most players that they just want to be in the game uh I mean I don’t think the The Narrative is coming from the players I think all most of the
Players are exactly like you’re saying get me in the game and I just want to play with myself and my buddies uh I I want to just see you know the these kinds of things your your your point is it’s probably something that a lot of people aren’t aren’t anticipating you’re
Jayen milro he’s going to get his $600 check but I promise you jayen milro and whoever else who you want to go with not I mean Arch man Jaylen Miller Quinn ERS and Carson Beck boom those three guys are getting a lot more than $600 because they’re gonna put some sort of something
On their social medias or they’re going to be involved in some sort of commercial for the game they gonna get a lot more the the faces they gonna get a lot more than $600 but uh the backup offensive linemen that just got on to onto campus that $600 check’s going to
Be great for them to have their name in the game and them to play with their buddies yeah in the nil era I think $600 is mostly Pennies on the dollar uh for most of these guys but you know and I I hate to be in the nil’s ruing college
Football crowd but you know uh the there’s certainly been a shift in mindset over the last couple of years in terms of priorities and and all that you know keeping it very general but uh you know it’s obvious the effect that nil has had on college football you know
Take Isaiah bond in his Lamborghini are you going conser are you going uh old school conservative on me was bad I don’t think nil is bad I mean I think nil as a principle is should exist and should have always existed so I I I think there’s almost no one who
Argues that at this point but I don’t think anyone else would argue that it’s not a mess and it’s not being used the way it was intended to be used I mean there need to be guidelines put on used exactly the way it’s was intended to be
Used I guess it depends on uh on who you ask there but yes ask Texas and ask Texas A&M this is exactly what they wanted in an Ideal World in my mind at least there would be a revenue share and players would just get paid you know
Take the SEC TV contract is $700 million if you took 30 million of that each player would get $50,000 a year or whatever the I mean there needs to be I like let’s cut the nonsense and just make the players employees uh that I mean this is getting then you bite into
The university model my man yeah well you know this this whole this whole conversation is I mean we could go another hour on this exact time because the nil the college athlete space and are they employees what are they worth this that and the other who’s paying
Them whether it be the TV contracts or whether it be outside entities this is the H in my uneducated opinion has been the the biggest problem with with with with Ed you know college as a whole like when my parents were in college went to the University of Georgia they’re paying
Like 500 bucks a semester it’s a whole lot more now because oh I can just go to the go to the government and get myself a like there no one’s paying for it colleges are just jacking up the price oh we’re not paying for these these athletes no we’re gonna take the money
From the TV we’re gonna take the the money from the TV guys and we’ll let we’ll let Piggly Wiggly pay for these guys and we’ll let we’ll let you know Don’s Auto Shop those guys but we a like it’s all the higher education scam just multiple level scam to to and scam may
Not be the right word I’m sorry but a multiple level scheme to that’s not much better I mean I and that’s not something I I push back on at all obviously I I think most people are aware of that uh you know but at this point in 2024 to
Call these athletes amateur like amateurism is dead I think everyone knows that so you know my my thoughts would be to just kind of cut the nonsense and just make the players employees and it would be a lot easier that way uh but you know we’re in an era
Of transition I think everyone knows that and we’ll see what product comes out on the other side a few years from now Michael Broner Everybody follow him at M Broner wnsp you listen to him every single day 105.5 in Mobile on the sound of mobile app what y’all been doing in
Mobile uh y have yall recovered from the Senior Bowl just about you know obviously it’s probably the most hectic week of the year uh we’re in that weird period right now it’s obvious and it would would have been different a few years ago uh without both basketball
Teams in the state frankly uh you know competing for an SEC Championship and gonna be high seeds in the tournament but you know how it is it’s that weird postf football season LOL where everyone wants to talk about spring football I want to talk about spring football I’m
Excited excited for it to come along but obviously uh you know the way the basketball team has been over the last few years has presented a nice tied tied you over period no pun intended uh you know to get you to that football season to the summer but you know we’re excited
About it are you going to a sec tournament in Nashville um TBD uh TBD we we’ll Circle back on that all our listeners can uh can wait with with baited breath as they want to hear if Michael vont Broner makes it to mobile Michael have a great rest of your day
Man we knocked this out early on my timeline so I appreciate it hope you have a great day anything else you want to we need to talk about it anything we haven’t caught up on that what that ah well you know we’re uh there’s not a
Whole lot of football to discuss at the at football do you miss me of course making sure there’s nothing on our on our on our radar that we need to talk chat about no you’re doing a phenomenal job I listen to your show pretty often I’m always happy to uh to
Come on and all right literally anytime well Michael you’re the man I appreciate your time I hope you have a great rest of your day make sure you go follow Michael Broner at M Broner wnsp and please when you’re not listening to the Joe Gaither show on B Central you’re
Downloading the sound mobile Sports app and you’re listened to those guys down there they’re going to get you all kinds of Ryan Williams information between now and May 28th when he enrolls and we’re going to keep stay all up on the basketball Baseball spring football and
We’ll see if Michael makes it to ntion we’ll catch up hopefully around that time SEC tournament time thanks man appreciate it Joe yes sir it’s Michael Broner joining us today and we had a a great day it was a blast we appreciate uh we appreciate Hunter Johnson joining
Us yesterday on the program talking about Alabama basketball and football a little bit of baseball there uh we talked a lot with Michael about Eli Gold about Alabama basketball’s Big Win 98- 93 over the Florida Gators in overtime and a little bit about EA Sports $600 to
Get into the game I’m taking it I’m signing up if I’m if I’m an Alabama football player whether I’m a jayen milro type or a backup Left End Long Snapper type I’m absolutely Happ hopping in that game six $600 is absolutely a okay for me as a college uh athlete all
Right so we appreciate every always sign watching the program each and every day listening to it each and every day you watch it on uh on YouTube on Facebook and on Twitter Jo gther 6 on all the social media machines and at Bama Central on the YouTube channel you’ll
Listen to it on Spotify Apple podcast and on on Amazon you subscribed rate and reviewed the show with five stars and told a friend and you’re ready for tomorrow’s episode tomorrow we’ll talk about Alabama and Kentucky we hit some recruiting news there’s been a couple of little tidbits on recruiting and uh
We’ll see look the news cycle never stops we’ll see where it goes tomorrow right here on the Joe Gaither show on Bama Central and Bas central.com thanks for joining us on today’s edition of the Joe Gaither show on B Central keep up with Joe on all his social media Pages at Joe Gaither
6 subscribe rate and review the show on Spotify and apple podcasts and be sure to read us daily at bamma central.com
1 Comment
Hey Joe. I’ve never heard of you before today! After listening, now I know why.