Longtime Alabama play-by-play voice Eli Gold is one of the most recognizable voices in college football.

He took off the 2022 season while battling cancer and returned in 2023 but only did home games. Alabama wanted him gone, I guess.

Was Gold's departure performance-based?

"Some of it was. They said I wasn't living up to the standard. That's very subjective. There was an indication that I had lost a step, or two, or three, while I was gone battling cancer, and I've come back and I didn't do the job that I should have. I don't necessarily agree, as I don't think they would expect me to agree, but if I felt that I was not doing the job, I would have stepped down. I was not going to embarrass myself or the university. I care too much for those entities. I don't know all the input, we had some disagreements on a few things, and it was time I guess when they decided to do something different. There's nothing I can do. I'm a freelance, 1099 contract laborer if you will."

==

“The original press release came out that said I’m retiring. I said, ‘I’m not. I’m not retiring.’ Then they put one out, or had a draft, that said I was stepping down. And I said, ‘I’m not stepping down, I’m being shown the door. I’m not stepping down,’” Gold said. “I didn’t want that to impact potential employers who had jobs and not offered them because, well, Eli is hanging it up. Well, Eli’s not hanging it up. I was blessed to get literally two calls, two offers, within two or three minutes of the press release coming out.”

Eli Gold became the voice of Alabama football in 1988 and went on to call the Tide winning seven national championships, including the historic run of now-retired head coach Nick Saban.

In 2014, he was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame.



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ISU will have a lot of fans at this game...be it those that live in FL and those from Iowa who are making the trip for a fun Spring Break...so good seats are high $$ for this one.

It is UCF Hoops annual Space Game plus the 1993-1994 NCAA Team under Coach Speraw will be honored at this game as well.

Only 1 pair of $75 Club seats are available as all others are in the $130 and up range.

Best get in deal as of now is a $10 pair in the lower level 103...plus a few $10 deals in 205.

Please be there Knight Nation...as your support has already helped them get THREE wins vs Top 25 teams so lets make it FOUR!

Ok Ladies and Gentlemen.

Today at our UCF Men’s Basketball game against Iowa State we will also be honoring our first ever UCF Men’s Basketball NCAA Tournament Team. It’s our 1993/94 Team…At that time I was producing our UCF Booster Club newspaper so I have a lot of fun pictures and information.

In these next couple days I will be incorporating a lot of pictures and stories of that time period. (Why two days?….I‘m retired and will be attending UCF functions, plus naps…😀😀😀)

Another thread on Reddit with 100+ comments of neutral fans asking for the Citronaut back.

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Being that it’s the offseason and a slow day at work I figured we could argue about this today.

We hired a new middle person between my director and me. I looked at her Bio and she had 2 degrees from UCF and then it said in her free time she is a big college football fan.

I immediately thought we would get along great. I just had my first 1 on 1 with her and it turns out she grew up in Gainesville. Yes you can see where this is going. I told her, even if I have to drag her kicking and screaming, she is coming with me to at least one game in the bounce house next year. It is now my mission to convert her!

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No details on who may have been onboard. Didn't know OSU had their own airport.

Article:

Flight Aware:

DM me if interested.

When will the reveal be for Saturday’s game? Any rumors on what they will look like? I’m hoping for some canaveral blue!

The Story County Attorney's Office has filed a criminal complaint against Iowa State University quarterback Hunter Dekkers, charging him with tampering with records related to the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation’s probe into sports gambling.

Dekkers is accused of placing 26 wagers on Iowa State sporting events, including the 2021 football game against Oklahoma State when he was a sophomore backup quarterback, according to the complaint, filed in Iowa District Court for Story County. Dekkers did not play in that game.

The complaint alleges the DraftKings account controlled by Dekkers completed approximately 366 mobile/online sports wagers totaling “over $2,799.”

Dekkers, who started all 12 of the Cyclones' games last season, would face permanent loss of eligibility under NCAA guidelines that prohibit athletes from wagering on their own games or other sports at their own schools.

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Not advocating for policy or anything really, but thought this study was eye opening. The common refrain has been that marijuana is “natural and safe” but more and more studies are finding correlation between marijuana usage and heart disease.

Especially with medical MJ, I know a lot of people are taking part often.

They had thought these correlations were just because MJ users are also smoking cigarettes but this study aimed to target people who don’t and still found correlation.

Welcome to The Knighted One’s Podcast, Episode number 27. We are the ONLY podcast that features a former UCF National Champion, a former UCF radio host, and several podcasters shooting the breeze, talking UCF Sports.

This week, we talk about UCF's mirrored last two games, a university picking a fight with ESPN, and whether Dawkins deserves another contract.

Please comment for subjects that we should cover in our Intern Re-Education segment!

Introductions
Text Talk: Hoops - 00:03:39
EERS Brought The Tears - 00:10:10
- Strats & Stats
- In The Zone (Scared)
- Everything Going Wrong
- Not Seeing What We Know Is Possible
- A Game To Put Behind Us
Tech Sees Red...After Losing - 00:26:30
- Strats & Stats
- Doing What We Do
- Ben's Tall Take
- A Great Offensive Game
- Huge Plays Coming Off The Bench
- Holding On To The Lead
- We Can Do This Way More Often
- More Opportunities To Come
- TI & Antonio Brown On a Knight Out??
- 9000 Pairs Of Eyes
- NIT Hopes?
- Has Dawkins Earned Another Contract?
- For Your Consideration
- What Could Work
- Ben Has ONE More Thing
UCF Football Talk - 01:18:11
- Spring Is In The Air
- Getting In Position
- What're We Looking Forward To?
- High Expectations
- Annual Uniswag Awards
- ESPN's Got Beef With FSU
Allen's Oxymoronic Stat Of The Week - 01:36:45
- DJ Taking The Reigns
- Paint Battle
UCF Baseball - 01:39:47
- Small Ball to Big Bats
- Staying Pitch Perfect
- Cows at The John?
- Big Things To See
Josh's Sometimes Funny Facts Of The Week - 01:48:06
- Cyclone Origins
UCF Sports Update - 01:53:00
- Men's Baseball To Face FAU Next Week
- UCF Softball Isn't Having The Best Luck
- Women's Hoops Take Two Losses
- Men's and Women's Tennis Are Tearing Through Opponents
- Josh's Super Fans
- Shoutouts And Exciting Things On The Horizon


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#ucf,#ucffootball,#UCFsports,#TK1,#ucfhoops,#ucfwomensbasketball,#ucfvolleyball,#ucfknights

Welcome to The Knighted One’s Podcast, Episode number 27. We are the ONLY podcast that features a former UCF National Champion, a former UCF radio host, and several podcasters shooting the breeze, talking UCF Sports.

This week, we talk about UCF's mirrored last two games, a university picking a fight with ESPN, and whether Dawkins deserves another contract.

Please comment for subjects that we should cover in our Intern Re-Education segment!

Introductions
Text Talk: Hoops - 00:03:39
EERS Brought The Tears - 00:10:10
- Strats & Stats
- In The Zone (Scared)
- Everything Going Wrong
- Not Seeing What We Know Is Possible
- A Game To Put Behind Us
Tech Sees Red...After Losing - 00:26:30
- Strats & Stats
- Doing What We Do
- Ben's Tall Take
- A Great Offensive Game
- Huge Plays Coming Off The Bench
- Holding On To The Lead
- We Can Do This Way More Often
- More Opportunities To Come
- TI & Antonio Brown On a Knight Out??
- 9000 Pairs Of Eyes
- NIT Hopes?
- Has Dawkins Earned Another Contract?
- For Your Consideration
- What Could Work
- Ben Has ONE More Thing
UCF Football Talk - 01:18:11
- Spring Is In The Air
- Getting In Position
- What're We Looking Forward To?
- High Expectations
- Annual Uniswag Awards
- ESPN's Got Beef With FSU
Allen's Oxymoronic Stat Of The Week - 01:36:45
- DJ Taking The Reigns
- Paint Battle
UCF Baseball - 01:39:47
- Small Ball to Big Bats
- Staying Pitch Perfect
- Cows at The John?
- Big Things To See
Josh's Sometimes Funny Facts Of The Week - 01:48:06
- Cyclone Origins
UCF Sports Update - 01:53:00
- Men's Baseball To Face FAU Next Week
- UCF Softball Isn't Having The Best Luck
- Women's Hoops Take Two Losses
- Men's and Women's Tennis Are Tearing Through Opponents
- Josh's Super Fans
- Shoutouts And Exciting Things On The Horizon

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#ucf,#ucffootball,#UCFsports,#TK1,#ucfhoops,#ucfwomensbasketball,#ucfvolleyball,#ucfknights

I'm looking at making the trip up on March 2nd for the basketball game vs Iowa State and sticking around for some of the baseball game vs. the cows. I already secured some hoops tickets in the club where I'll be able to buy some beer. The question I have is, do they sell beer at the baseball game all over the stadium or is that only available in the club section? I'm about to pull the trigger on some seats but wanted to find out first. I don't see any club seats available for that day so my second question would be, is anyone selling their club seats for that day?

Also, do they sell liquor in the basketball club? I remember them having beer and wine the one time I sat there before a few years ago.

Had the 2019 Duke game pop up in my YT feed and it got me thinking of what the best games UCF has played, in any sport, in the modern era of UCF sports. My history with UCF sports really only starts in my senior year of HS so it is limited but the top 5 I thought of initially were: (not in any order)

2019 Duke MBB
2018 Cindy CGD
2019 UH CGD
2017 Auburn Peach Bowl
2024 Kansas MBB

And after I thought of those I started to realize there were a lot of other games that could very easily be argued,

2023 Michigan to clinch the Super Regionals for the first time ever
2017 usf
2017 Memphis Part 2
2018 Memphis Part 2
2013 Baylor Fiesta Bowl
The entire 2017 NIT run
2007 Texas Bounce House Opening Game

What does everyone else think their Top 5 would be?

Just like I did for Kansas, I’m putting that mojo out for the next two games. I encourage y’all to to join me in an amount you feel you can/want to.
Two final games, team has already performed above expectations. Let’s reward the players for their efforts when they win.

I’ve got $100 towards each win.

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Ethan Barr's transfer portal journey took some unexpected twists and turns, but the linebacker is happy to write his next chapter at UCF.

Barr, a two-time team captain and three-year starter at Vanderbilt, fielded plenty of offers when he entered the portal in late November. He visited just two schools though: Washington and UCF, ultimately choosing the Huskies in mid-December.

The Flower Mound, Tex. native made the move to Seattle and then joined U-Dub in Houston for their National Championship appearance against Michigan on Jan. 8. A few days later, Washington head coach Kalen DeBoer accepted the head coaching job at Alabama.

In a situation of uncertainty, Barr re-entered the portal and contacted UCF, which still had room for him.

"The coaching staff here is great," Barr said. "I had a great relationship with them out of the portal. This is somewhere I really wanted to come out of the portal originally... There was a lot of uncertainty (at Washington). Long story short, I wanted to be at a place that I chose. So I ended up here."

It just so happened that he'll be coached by a familiar face. After Barr made the decision to come to UCF, Gus Malzahn shuffled his coaching staff and brought in veteran coach Ted Roof to be defensive coordinator and oversee the linebackers. Roof was Barr's DC and position coach during his freshman season at Vanderbilt in 2020.

"I spent a lot of time with Roof back at Vandy, just meeting together one on one," Barr said. "He did a good job teaching me the game. I'm super excited to be back here with him."

Barr was an impact player at Vanderbilt, totaling 219 tackles over four seasons.

"My first year was COVID year, so there was a lot of moving parts with guys being injured or out," Barr said. "I was able to play in the first game at Texas A&M. I got to play in that game and played in every game since. I got to start three games my freshman year and then I started every game my sophomore year on. I have a lot of experience. With those circumstances, I was able to get experience early and that helped me in the long run."



He comes in with a wealth of experience, something UCF really needs at the linebacker position.

"I think I bring leadership," Barr said. "When adversity hits, I think I can be a guy that the team can lean on."

What will he bring to UCF's defense?

"I would say people would call me a run stopper," Barr said. "I'd say I'm pretty good at pass coverage too. I've had my fair share of plays (in the passing game). I had three picks my sophomore year. I'd say I'm pretty good in the run game. I think that's where I excel and what I'm known for."

As the upcoming season approaches, Barr is particularly looking forward to a homecoming of sorts when UCF travels to TCU on Sept. 14 for the Big 12 opener.

"It'll be really cool," Barr said. "TCU was a place I was a fan of growing up. It's probably 40 minutes from my house. My old roommate from Vanderbilt (Ken Seals) is now the quarterback there. I look forward to that game. It'll be cool to be home and have a lot of people at the game."

Vanderbilt compiled a 9-36 record during his four years in Nashville, never reaching a bowl game. For his final season of eligibility, Barr is excited to play for a winner.

"That was one of the main things I'd say (for why I chose UCF), to come in and win now," Barr said. "That and the opportunity to hopefully play. Those are the two main things I was looking for coming out of the portal. I think they're really investing in the team and bringing guys in that will help the team excel. I know they had a good team last year and lost some close games. I'm super excited to excel even more and go win the Big 12. That's why we're all here and what we plan to do."

My youngest is taking a field trip to Busch Gardens with the advanced learning cohort from his middle school here in Satellite Beach.

Dropped him off at 5:45 this morning and we both perked right up when we saw one of the two buses was the UCF Future of College Football bus! When I checked him in it was all he and his buddies could talk about, they were fired up and hoping they’d be assigned to that bus.

TLDR: UCF vibes at 5:45am, the youth are fired up, if we rent our buses out to public schools enough we might not be poor.

On this week's Sons of UCF LIVE: We go LIVE to Sons reporter Andrew Cherico at the Orlando Magic game as he covered Taylor Hendricks and the Utah Jazz. We reunited members of Kirk's Jerks before this weekend's recognition of Kirk Speraw and the 1993-94 NCAA Tournament team. Ben Hazel, former UCF Development Coach, stops by to talk about the Knights two-game winning streak. Finally, Levi Stevenson, Managing Editor of Wide Right & Natty Light, a podcast covering Iowa State Athletics, drops in to preview the Cyclones.

All this and more during Sons of UCF LIVE. Just click here.

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On this week's Sons of UCF LIVE: We go LIVE to Sons reporter Andrew Cherico at the Orlando Magic game as he covered Taylor Hendricks and the Utah Jazz. We reunited members of Kirk's Jerks before this weekend's recognition of Kirk Speraw and the 1993-94 NCAA Tournament team. Ben Hazel, former UCF Development Coach, stops by to talk about the Knights two-game winning streak. Finally, Levi Stevenson, Managing Editor of Wide Right & Natty Light, a podcast covering Iowa State Athletics, drops in to preview the Cyclones.

All this and more during Sons of UCF LIVE. Just click here.

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Assuming Robbie Avila goes in the portal. He's just a sophomore.


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Yesterday's online news was an article on how good David Pollack took his budget cut removal from ESPN College Gameday. His quotes were a very sincere and mature manner in accepting the termination and talked about how his ESPN boss was sincere in informing him too.

Today's news story we have this:
Fox News: Pat McAfee tees off on ESPN executive, claims he has no 'motherf---ing boss'