Beat Everyone: An AL.com Alabama Football Podcast

Sometimes a heavily-hyped showdown can't possibly live up to expectations - and sometimes, it completely blows those expectations away. In what will likely go down as a classic Crimson Tide victory, Kalen DeBoer's first Alabama squad came out firing on all cylinders and still had room for one more spectacular play at the end of the game to earn a signature win over Kirby Smart's Georgia Bulldogs. On this episode of Beat Everyone, Michael Casagrande and Matt Scalici join host Ben Flanagan to break down what made this win so special and what we can glean from it about where the 2024 season could be heading for Alabama. Later in this show, Alabama beat writer Matt Stahl joins the show to preview Alabama's game against Vanderbilt and offer some tips to fans headed to Nashville for the game. Presented by Broadway Joe's Fantasy Sports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There are few names in the history of American sports that carry as much legendary status as "Broadway" Joe Namath, the Pennsylvania-native turned Alabama Crimson Tide star who went on to become a household name in America. This week on Beat Everyone, Joe Namath joins Eli Gold to share his memories of being recruited by Bear Bryant, witnessing history during the civil rights movement, and the times he spent with his teammates as the Crimson Tide won a national championship. Presented by Broadway Joe's Fantasy Sports Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of the biggest games of the 2024 college football season has arrived as Alabama faces off against Georgia this week in Tuscaloosa and Beat Everyone is joined by Alabama offensive line legend Mike Johnson to discuss how the two titans of the SEC matchup on the line of scrimmage. Later, Johnson takes us through his memories of one of the biggest wins of the Nick Saban Era - Alabama's win over Georgia in Athens in 2008, better known as "The Blackout". Presented by Broadway Joe's Fantasy Sports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Few broadcasters in history have had the opportunity to call as many spectacular, memorable plays as Eli Gold, the longtime voice of the Alabama Crimson Tide. Today, we ask Eli to list his Mt. Rushmore of Calls, his personal picks for the top four calls he's made over the course of his decades-spanning career. Some are obvious winners but others may come as a surprise even to die-hard Crimson Tide fans. Presented by Broadway Joe's Fantasy Sports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kalen DeBoer's Alabama Crimson Tide faced their first road test over the weekend in Wisconsin's famed Camp Randall Stadium and passed with flying colors. Now, with their explosiveness firmly established on both sides of the ball, can the Crimson Tide knock off the No. 1 team in college football? AL.com's Ben Flanagan is joined by college football analyst Josh Pate to discuss where Alabama stands after three games and whether the Crimson Tide can go toe-to-toe with the Georgia Bulldogs in Tuscaloosa. Later, Beat Everyone producer Matt Scalici joins Ben to take a look back at Alabama's thorough thumping of Wisconsin. Presented by Broadway Joe's Fantasy Sports Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Alabama is on the road against Wisconsin. To celebrate, Ben Flanagan and Michael Casagrande are joined on Beat Everyone by Eli Gold to hear about his favorite (and least favorite) stadiums around the country. Who has the best food? Who makes the broadcast team pay for their own food? Does he have any friendly rivalries with other broadcasters? And who has the absolute worst stadium for broadcasting? (Spoiler Alert: It's Auburn).  Presented by Broadway Joe's Fantasy Sports Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Whew. Was that the ugliest blow out victory in Alabama history? Alabama fans were on edge until well in the 4th quarter of the game against South Florida. Where was the dominant offense that was on display against Western Kentucky? Why couldn't this team establish the run or... well anything at all? AL.com beat reporter Matt Stahl joins host Ben Flanagan to discuss the issues Alabama had on O-line and what fixes Kalen DeBoer will have for his team ahead of the Wisconsin game on Saturday. There are things to improve but, hey, at least we didn't lose to Cal at home! Later in the show, Alabama legend and ESPN analyst Roman Harper joins Beat Everyone to share the surprising reason why he's glad he played for Mike Shula and NOT Nick Saban. And, trust us, you don't want to miss his prediction for when Alabama will win its next championship.  Badgers, we can't help it that you're next on the schedule. We're here to beat everyone. Presented by Broadway Joe's Fantasy Sports Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Over his decades-spanning career at Alabama, Eli Gold has had a unique view behind the curtain at the inner workings of Alabama football, including each of its head coaches dating all the way back to Bill Curry. In the course of his work as the voice of the Crimson Tide, Eli had the chance to not just meet but really get to know these fascinating figures, seeing them at their best, their worst, and everywhere in between. Today, Eli joins AL.com's Ben Flanagan and Michael Casagrande to discuss his experiences meeting and working with six Alabama head football coaches, from Bill Curry all the way through Nick Saban and shares stories about how each man approached the job in his own unique way, for better or worse. College football is here. Let's go beat everyone. Presented by Broadway Joe's Fantasy Sports Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

BOOM! Kalen DeBoer's first game as Alabama's head coach was a 63-0 romp over Western Kentucky. It's clear DeBoer picked up where Nick Saban left off, but there are plenty of differences between the team we saw on the field last year and the one that walked into Bryant-Denny on Saturday. Ben Flanagan and Matt Scalici break down the takeaways from Alabama's home opener including a jaw dropping pair of catches for Ryan Williams and Keon Sabb on both sides of the ball. Then, Josh Snead of SEC Shorts joins the show to offer a behind the scenes look at everyone's favorite SEC comedy show plus you won't want to miss out on their upcoming live event in Tuscaloosa. South Florida, we can't help it that you're next on the schedule. We're here to beat everyone. Presented by Broadway Joe's Fantasy Sports Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Eli Gold's favorite calls and his most memorable calls can be two very different things. Few moments will match the surprise of Tua Tagavailoa finding Devonta Smith for a game winning touchdown and a national championship over Georgia. And few moments will match the memorable despair of Auburn returning a touchdown to pull off a win that, frankly, we still don't want to talk about. But through it all, Eli's job has been to tell Alabama football fans what happens: good, bad and ugly.  Today, Eli joins AL.com's Ben Flanagan and Michael Casagrande to talk through some of his most memorable calls. And we also purge ourselves of bad vibes by talking through a few of our least favorite moments before the Alabama season kicks off this weekend. And Eli shares the story of his some of his personal highs and lows too.  College football is here. Let's go beat everyone. Presented by Broadway Joe's Fantasy Sports Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alabama football is finally here. After months of debating and wondering what the Kalen DeBoer era will bring, this Saturday we will finally get to see the team with our own eyes. Can DeBoer's offense help Jalen Milroe keep his name in the Heisman mix this season? Is Ryan Williams actually the second coming of Julio Jones? And what the heck is a Hilltopper? On today's bonus preview episode, Ben Flanagan is joined by Western Kentucky alum (and professional, unbiased ALdotcom journalist!) Michael Casagrande to answer these questions and more. This season, we'll Beat Everyone. But this week, we'll beat Western Kentucky. Roll tide.  Beat Everyone is presented by Broadway Joe's Fantasy Sports Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lane Kiffin and Nick Saban's relationship is back in the headlines this week thanks, in part, to revelations from an explosive new book about college football: "The Price: What It Takes to Win in College Football's Era of Chaos." This week on Beat Everyone, AL.com's Ben Flanagan and Michael Casagrande are joined by 247 Sports' John Talty, who co-authored the new book with Armen Keteyian.  Talty shares why the Kiffin and Saban tenure was so volatile, what their relationship is like today, how seriously we should take Kiffin's internet persona and the reasons why Lane Kiffin couldn't get his name in the mix to replace Nick Saban.  Then, after the break, Ben, Michael and John draft their favorite moments, players and games from the Saban-Kiffin era. What are your favorite memories from those seasons? Let us know in the comments.  Beat Everyone is presented by Broadway Joe's Fantasy Sports Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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.  Beat Everyone is presented by Broadway Joe's Fantasy Sports Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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.  Beat Everyone is presented by Broadway Joe's Fantasy Sports Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Beat Everyone is brought to you by Broadway Joe's Fantasy Sports Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices