Beat Everyone: An AL.com Alabama Football Podcast

Thomas Rayam's desperation block to win Alabama the game on the road against Penn State was a stunning moment in football history, but what came next for Eli Gold may have been even more surprising. Or at least hilarious. How did he find himself on the receiving end of a surprising kiss? You'll have to listen and find out. 

Today on Beat Everyone, Ben Flanagan and Michael Casagrande hear from Eli about some of the best calls of his career (and some moments he wishes he had back). Michael Jordan had his flu game and Eli Gold had his Covid game. Eli also discusses the 2009 game sealing block by Terrence cody against Tennessee, why the championship win over Notre Dame was a surprisingly difficult game to call, and responds to another audience voicemail. Got a favorite Eli moment? Let us know in the comments. 

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This week, Paul Finebaum joins Ben Flanagan on Beat Everyone and doesn't pull any punches. What does he really think about Hugh Freeze claiming that he "almost" had four wins over Nick Saban? What about the moments where Saban (and Lane Kiffin) blew up at him? Who is on the hot seat this year? And how has Kalen DeBoer handled the transition at Alabama? You won't want to miss Paul's answers to these questions, and you REALLY won't want to miss his one word descriptions for some of college football's biggest coaches. 

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By his own admission, Eli Gold came to Alabama as a New Yorker, a pro sports guy, a hockey announcer and had no connections to the University of Alabama and college football. So how did he become the voice of Alabama football for nearly four decades? And how did local audiences react when he was first announced as Alabama's new play-by-play announcer? Today, on Beat Everyone, Eli sits down with Ben Flanagan and Michael Casagrande to discuss his journey from Brooklyn to Tuscaloosa and everything in between.

Tune in.

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Fall camp is underway and we've got another early glimpse of what the Kalen DeBoer era at Alabama will look like. This week, Ben Flanagan is joined by AL.com beat writers, Matt Stahl and Nick Kelly, for a discussion about what we can (and cannot) learn from fall practice. What's our strongest position group right now? What's the weakest? How is Jalen Milroe looking? 

Then, we put our reporters to the test in a quick draft of the best Tuscaloosa restaurants. What are your go to spots for breakfast, lunch and dinner? Let us know in the comments. 

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"Radio is theater of the mind," says Eli Gold. As the long time voice of Alabama football, there were no details too small for Eli to describe. But if you've ever found yourself listening to a broadcast and wondered "just how the heck did those guys know that?" this is the show for you. Eli walks Beat Everyone hosts, Ben Flanagan and Michael Casagrande, through his weekly process preparing for big games, including whether he pre-plans monumental calls, some of his biggest influences and, of course, whether or not he believes in jinxes or superstitions.

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Rashaan Evans was one of the most exciting recruits in Alabama history, in part because he opted for the Tide over his hometown Auburn team. But what was life really like for a five-star recruit? And how would his career have played out differently if he'd competed in the NIL era? 

Today, on Beat Everyone, Rashaan talks with Ben Flanagan about the moment Kirby Smart and Gus Malzahn both showed up a recruiting visit at the same family party. He also discusses the influence of Scott Cochran in the weight room, his friendship with Reuben Foster, his all time favorite plays, and a whole lot more. Tune in for a window into the life of a player during the Saban era at Alabama. 

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Eli Gold doesn't like to pre-script anything, but he learned early on that there was a right way to ask Nick Saban a question and a wrong way. Don't ask the coach to compare players. It's not happening. But as the voice of Alabama football for Saban's entire tenure at Alabama, Eli got to know Saban's sense of humor, his kindness and his unparalleled work ethic.

Today, on Beat Everyone, AL.com's Ben Flanagan and Michael Casagrande take us back into the Golden Age for a wide ranging discussion about Eli's working relationship with Nick Saban. And Michael reflects on his infamous "rat poison" moment with Saban. 

Got a question for Eli? Leave us a voicemail at 205-523-4809.

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Beat Everyone isn't here for pure fan service. We know you want to know the real chances for Kalen DeBoer's debut Crimson Tide team. So when former-Auburn-athlete-turned-ESPN-analyst Cole Cubelic says this Alabama team is still one of the teams to beat in the SEC, that carries some weight. 

Today, host Ben Flanagan is joined by Cole, for a frank discussion about how Alabama and its new coach will compete in the new look SEC. Should Alabama fans be worried about Georgia and Texas crowding them out? When will DeBoer win a title? What will a DeBoer-Freeze Iron Bowl look like?

Cole shares his thoughts and also trades his favorite Iron Bowl memories with Ben and producer Matt Scalici. And, shockingly, two of Cole's top picks were Auburn losses. Tune in, subscribe and share your favorite Iron Bowl memories in the comments. 

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On November 25, 2023, Eli Gold delivered his final call as the voice of Alabama. It was one of many instantly iconic Eli Gold calls: a hail mary touchdown pass from Jalen Milore to Isaiah Bond to win the Iron Bowl in Auburn. Eli wouldn't learn for several more weeks that it would be his last call after 36 years in the booth for the Crimson Tide.

Today, on the first episode of Beat Everyone's Golden Age miniseries, Eli Gold takes us into the booth as he made that call and shares his perspective on everything that happened afterward. Why did he and Alabama part ways? What's next for Eli? What is his message to fans? 

Eli also shares the story behind his first game for Alabama and his early relationship with Paul Finebaum.

Plus, you'll have an opportunity to leave a voicemail question for Eli Gold. Join us on the latest episode of Beat Everyone.

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Welcome to Beat Everyone, AL.com's new home for the conversations Bama fans are having right now. In the debut episode, host Ben Flanagan is joined by AL.com college football columnist Michael Casagrande and producer Matt Scalici for a frank discussion about the changing culture at Alabama. How does Kalen DeBoer's philosophy compare to Nick Saban's? Does he have full control of this team yet? They also address the ridiculous "Husky Harsin" comparisons coming from Auburn fans and then are joined by Beat Everyone producer John Hammontree for a quiz about how much the world has changed since Mike Shula stepped down.

Then, Ben is joined by former Alabama quarterback John Parker Wilson for a conversation about how he navigated a coaching change as quarterback, the early days of the Saban dynasty, the 'call me' celebration against LSU, the moment he first saw Julio Jones take the field, the hardest hit he ever took in practice, plus a whole lot more.

It's a new era for Alabama fans, but we still have one expectation: Beat Everyone.

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