Eli Gold Not Expected To Return To Booth In 2024

[Ledsteplin]

With every game on multiple outlets nowadays, the days of a single broadcaster being entrusted with an iconic call on the spur of the moment are gone.

"Brad Nessler's call wasn't that good? Fine. Cue up home announcer. Not good? Cue up away announcer."

I think 4th and 31 sort of caught him offguard a bit. I know it did me. It wasn't as good as 2nd and 26, but was ok.

 

[Ledsteplin]

Yeah, it's weird. Listening to Eli's interview on Tide 100.9 right now, he keeps saying "the university" decided to go in a different direction.

Maybe the University had to approve it under their contract.

 

[GrayTide]

I never had an emotional connection to Eli because I rarely listened to games on radio in the last 30 years or so.

The optics aren't good, but I wonder if this is also about just having a new, fresh clean start.

Eli's days were limited no matter if he came back this year or not.

I agree that this is likely a new, fresh, clean start. The old guard is mostly gone, a new day in Alabama footbal looms on the horizon. While the optics are not good, based on what we actually know, but now is the time to move on.

 

[bamadwain]

I want to add my two nickels' worth (inflation, you know) because some interesting thoughts expressed here and I concur with the bulk of them.

Eli Gold is a PLAY-BY-PLAY announcer.
Not a legendary coach.
Not a legendary player.
Not a legend in the front office who oversaw massive growth.
He's a guy who tells people listening on the radio - or apparently doesn't from many of the comments - what is happening so the couple in rural Lafayette listening to the game on their radios can get a mental picture.

1) Everyone gets replaced.
The only questions are "when", "how" and "by whom or what."
Maybe it's a computer.
Maybe it's globalization.
Maybe the backup QB throws better than the starting QB with only one loss on his two-year resume.
IT. HAPPENS.

2) Eli loves Alabama and they done him wrong. (That's the assessment)
This is the point where I say, "If he loves Alabama so much and his performance has sunk, he has an obligation to the university he loves to step aside and make this easy." I hate to break it to folks but company/brand loyalty virtually never runs either uphill or downhill anymore because it doesn't have to. Coach Saban was never going to be Coach Bryant in that sense - because Bryant played here, it was a different thing for him than it could ever be for Saban (this is not a judgment, just an observation). But time marches on and things change. Speaking of which....

3) Change needs to be done incrementally and whoo boy...
Just seven weeks ago, we were looking at a possible 8th national championship ring for Saban (7 at Alabama)...now we've lost a DC, head coach, a ton of players, and the play-by-play announcer (and I'm sure others I haven't even noticed). Rapid change doesn't tend to go over well. You would THINK that rapid change would dissipate and diffuse the discomfort, but for reasons I can't explain, it tends to make even smaller things become bigger to the fearmonger. I know Bryant was dissed for his slow move towards integration, but given he survived and thrived afterwards, it seems to me his critics on that issue need to get bent (as if Bryant could have come out and issues a Moses-like decree ending segregation on the football team). A few years back I got into a heated discussion with an African-American man giving me the party line about Colin Kaepernick and in the same context Bryant's "refusal to integrate" came up. At which point I said, "Now tell me - which approach actually accomplished more and had more long-term good for more people, Bryant's focused approach or the absolutism of Crusader Colin?" Of course, people never admit when they're wrong and he got mad (with the always expected accusation that I was okay with segregation), but the results speak for themselves. INCREMENTAL change effective. Severing arms and legs and thinking we will create the bionic man? Well, that was a TV show.

4) Your way out is up to you until it is no longer up to you.
Once upon a time, John Elway threw for 336 yards in a Super Bowl game, the third highest in SB history at that time, and won the game's MVP. A little over 3 months later, he stood before the podium and broke down in tears saying he "couldn't do it anymore." Mike Schmidt, the greatest third baseman ever, called a press conference to retire, saying his skills had deteriorated...yet he was still in the top 10 in the league in HRs and RBIs at age 39.

Eli's exit is sounding more like Mack Brown sans having a legend in waiting to replace him.
"Mack/Eli, we really wish you'd leave with a nice gold watch here."
Mack/Eli: "But even though you don't want me, I want to stay here!"


Cue the music for the finale of "Mr Holland's Opus"......

Ugh Chipper Jones is greatest 3rd baseman lol

 

[BamaInBham]

It appears Eli did not leave on his own accord. Listen people we aren't Texas and we aren't Notre Dame. We stand by our people because we are a family. This reeks of corporate decision and not standing by our brother. Why cant Bama be the one school that stands by our people and principles? This decision makes me sick.

Oh, please. It's the University's prerogative to change as they see fit. This wasn't a spur-of-the-moment decision. He's been working for 35 years. IMO, he should have gracefully exited the stage and if he still wanted to work, do so. This is on him - not about him. (Eli added a certain dignity, even elegance to the broadcast and seemed to appreciate his opportunity. But, IMO, he was mediocre as a play-by-play man. The listener often did not know where the ball was, nor the game time, even late in a close game. It was frustrating.)

Btw, Chris Stewart has the same problems as Eli - he does not handle the fundamentals well. Please Chris, tell us exactly where the ball is after every play and tell us the time remaining frequently. You are a talented guy, but wait till you do the basics before you show your cleverness - which I like btw. It's as though he thinks we are watching the game and listening to him. Chris, you are very articulate and clever, just do the easy stuff first. We care about the Alabama game first and foremost, that is why we're listening - not to be entertained with clever thoughts and phrasing, that's just a nice add-on.

Chris and Bryan are good on basketball, but they often do the same and Bryan really needs to work on being more concise. They almost always talk through free throws and you don't know until play restarts how many were made - though you can often tell by the crowd response.

Mike Keith is incredible. I don't care for the Titans that much except for DH, but I will sometimes tune in just to hear Mike call a game - he is incredible. Super smart and cares about the listener, letting him know EXACTLY what is going on, on EVERY play.

 

[bamafaninbham]

Bad look as right or wrong it could appear to some that coach KD had something to do with this. As in new coach pushing for a change.

My opinion, but why would a head coach of a blue blood football program care in anyway who is in the radio booth. I would think there are approximately 348,914 other things more important to putting a winning product on the field.

 

[DzynKingRTR]

With every game on multiple outlets nowadays, the days of a single broadcaster being entrusted with an iconic call on the spur of the moment are gone.

"Brad Nessler's call wasn't that good? Fine. Cue up home announcer. Not good? Cue up away announcer."

on 2nd and 26 McDonough call was the best one. wegot the voice crack an all.

 

[Crimson1967]

Unless he is an idiot he has enough money to live on the rest of his life. So I’m not too worried about him.

 

[TideATL70]

After having the night to sleep on it, I actually applaud Byrne and CTSN for having multiple meetings with Eli and trying to handle it the right way while also offering plans to honor Eli this spring. That said, I love Eli and greatly appreciate what he's meant to UA all of these years. It's just a tough situation and hopefully any ruffled feathers get soothed out in the future.

 

[HighlandOak]

It appears Eli did not leave on his own accord. Listen people we aren't Texas and we aren't Notre Dame. We stand by our people because we are a family. This reeks of corporate decision and not standing by our brother. Why cant Bama be the one school that stands by our people and principles? This decision makes me sick.

I wouldn't go that far, but, yeah, losing Eli stinks, but he wasn't going to be around forever.

 

[4Q Basket Case]

Well that's all very disappointing. That's sowing discord.

Yes, it is. He's getting in front of every microphone that will have him.

 

[TiderJack]

Nothing remains the same. Another page turns.

And the overwhelming majority of us don't like change but it was time for it.

 

[UAH]

Eli sounded a little petty with his response. I know he wanted to continue, but listening to him last year, it seemed below the standard that ELI had for years.
We don't always have a choice when our time is over.

Just never a fan of his on Alabama radio or NASCAR radio. Grew up with John Forney and always had a strong preference for him although he had his critics. I watched Gold's series on his greatest calls over the Saban era. One has to wonder if we ever see success like that again. It is not a given for many reasons!

We are all going to have to retire even the Bobby Bowdens of the world. Just my opinion but Alabama doesn't owe him anything. He should be very proud of the run he had and attempt to do the best he can to survive the years ahead.

 

[TiderJack]

The abruptness of this situation tells me that no exit strategy was ever discussed. If that is true, why not? Pushing out a legend is not a good look for anybody.

I saw where Eli made some contract demands that were not well received and it was over time pulled off the table.

 

[CoolBreeze]

When does Spring practice start?

 

[teamplayer]

Yes, it is. He's getting in front of every microphone that will have him.

It seems that he is. This is quickly changing from an "Oh, that is a shame" situation to a "What is wrong with him?" situation. The dude has had this good paying job for over half his life. Appreciate what you had and move on.

 

[NoNC4Tubs]

Would have preferred that they give Eli that one last year and possibly included Stewart as sort of a handoff...

 

[Slowpoke Catracho]

Yes, it is. He's getting in front of every microphone that will have him.

My feeling about how he is taking it. Obviously, it's personal for him. It's business for the University. 35 years at the helm is a long, glorious time. Did he make Alabama, or did Alabama make him?

 

[davefrat]

I've been an Alabama fan for 30 years now and I never once considered Eli to be anything more than an announcer.

Honestly, in the greater scheme of things, why does anyone care about this?

 

[Slowpoke Catracho]

Pretty soon we will have AI Avatars announcing games anyway.