The Dragon's Den

Join me as I talk with Janice Ward, mother of the late Torrey Ward, UAB men's basketball guard from 1996-2000. Janice shared great stories about Torrey's early life, time at UAB, and journey into becoming a coach. We also discussed her fandom for our UAB Blazers and what the university means to her as an alum, employee, and fan. I really enjoyed this conversation and I hope you will too! Go Blazers!Editing note: I apologize for any technical sounds that might have come into the background. There were a few technical issues during recording. Thank you for understanding.Be sure to follow my social media pages (@DragonsDenEFEL) on Facebook, X, and Instagram!

Join me as I talk with a legend in UAB athletics, coach Watson Brown. Watson shared some amazing stories about his start in football at an early age, his playing days at Vanderbilt which led to many years in coaching, and his time at UAB as head coach and athletic director. Some great behind-the-scenes stories that you won't want to miss. I truly enjoyed this conversation and I can't thank Watson enough for the discussion and all he did for the University. Hope you enjoy! Go Blazers!Be sure to follow my social media pages (@DragonsDenEFEL) on Facebook, X, and Instagram!

Join me as I talk with former UAB men's basketball guard Jordan Swing! Jordan has had a great career in basketball dating back to his high school years winning a state championship with Vestavia Hills High School. He played alongside some very talented UAB players and has been playing pro basketball overseas and in the NBA G League (including the Birmingham Squadron in 2022-2023) for over 10 years. He gave some great stories and in-depth analysis of his playing style. Thanks for listening!Be sure to follow my social media pages @DragonsDenEFEL on Facebook, Twitter (X), and Instagram.

Join me as I talk with Jakob Hornsby, UAB Club Hockey forward from 2016-2020 and current head coach! Jakob gives great insight into the life of a club sport athlete and the amount of hard work that goes into making a season happen! The team is back from a brief hiatus that started around the pandemic. We also discussed his history playing hockey here in Alabama, his playing time with UAB, and what Blazer fans can expect from the current team and this year's schedule in the College Hockey South league. Be sure to follow my social media pages on Twitter (X), Instagram, and Facebook by searching @DragonsDenEFEL! Thanks for listening and Go Blazers!

Join me as I talk with former UAB football defensive lineman Bryant Turner Jr.! Bryant and I discussed many topics like his athletic participation at Daphne High School, his friendships with teammates at UAB, the many big environments he played in, his time playing in the Canadian Football League for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and BC Lions, his current career in real estate and more! Hope you enjoy the episode!Be sure to follow my social media pages! Just search @DragonsDenEFEL on Facebook, Twitter (X), and Instagram and hit follow! Thanks for listening!

This is the first episode I've had with a family member of a former player! I talk with Neena Speer, daughter of the late former men's basketball center Donnie Speer. Donnie was a big part of UAB's very first basketball teams and of course the run to the Elite 8 in 1982. His legacy carried on beyond the hardwood as it lives on in the memories of UAB fans and his friends and family. Hope you enjoy! Be sure to follow my social media pages @DragonsDenEFEL on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram! Go Blazers!

For this episode I pay tribute to the biggest UAB fan of all time, my dad Morris "Butch" Harris. Sadly, my dad passed away two years ago before I could have him on the podcast to share his stories as a UAB fan, so I thought I'd share some of them and my best sports memories with him. I also received some shared memories from his longtime friend and fellow UAB fan, Steve Rutherford. Thanks for listening. Go Blazers!

Join me as I talk with one of the greats from the UAB men's basketball program in the early 2000s, Mr. Carldell "Squeaky" Johnson. Squeaky and I had a great talk about his UAB playing days, his pro career journey after UAB, life now, and more! Hope you enjoy! Be sure to follow my social media pages @DragonsDenEFEL on Facebook, Twitter (X), and Instagram! Go Blazers!

Join me as I talk with former UAB baseball pitcher, Kevin Fehr! Kevin was on the very first UAB baseball teams and recounts his playing days with the upstart program. Kevin also went on to coach baseball at the high school and college level all while officiating high school and college basketball. This led to an 18-year career officiating in the NBA. Kevin and I talked about his time in sports with some of the greats like Harry "The Hat" Walker, Shaquille O'Neal, Michael Jordan, and so many others. It was an honor to listen to some of his stories! Be sure to check out my social media pages @DragonsDenEFEL on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram! Go Blazers!

Join me as I talk with one of the recent stars for the UAB men's basketball program, Quan Jackson! Quan and I had a great discussion about his two seasons at UAB, his leadership of the team, his current pro career in Finland, and so much more! Hope you enjoy! No This Week In Blazer History this week. To listen to the postseason history of UAB basketball in the NCAA tournament and NIT, check out Episode 35 and 16! Be sure to follow my social media pages @DragonsDenEFEL on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. 

Join me as I talk with one of the original pioneers of the UAB football program, Kevin Drake. Kevin has been a journeyman throughout his life in football and in his career. We had a great conversation about his playing days with UAB, his move from quarterback to wide receiver in his senior season, his life after football, and more! Be sure to stick around for another This Week in Blazer History segment going over some all-time great UAB men's and women's basketball games, Blazer birthdays, and university events that occurred from March 1-12. Be sure to follow my social media pages @DragonsDenEFEL on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram! Go Blazers!

Join me as I talk with former UAB football kicker Ty Long! Ty and I discuss his time at UAB, his playing career in the Canadian Football League and the NFL, his current life as an NFL free agent, and more! Hope you enjoy!Be sure to follow my social pages @DragonsDenEFEL on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram! Go Blazers!

Join me as I talk with one of UAB Softball's all-time greats, Caitlin Attfield! Caitlin shares great insight into her approach to the game, her adjustment to the college level, her playing days, and her special memories from her time at UAB! I really enjoyed the conversation! Thanks for listening! Be sure to check out my social pages @DragonsDenEFEL on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram! Go Blazers!

Join me as I welcome Chris Giles (UAB Men's Basketball Forward 1979-1982) back on the podcast to promote his new book! The book is titled, Birmingham Golden Years of High School Basketball. It discusses great historical accomplishments by former and current basketball players that have gone on to the pros, great basketball coaches, highlights high schools in the Birmingham area and more! You can buy the book from Chris Giles (details in the recording) or you can buy it at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, the Vulcan Park Museum, or on Amazon (link below)! Check it out!https://www.amazon.com/Birmingham-Golden-Years-School-Basketball-ebook/dp/B0B7K83TZ8Be sure to follow my social pages @DragonsDenEFEL on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. 

Join me as I talk with one of the all-time greats from UAB basketball, Jack Kramer! Jack shares a lot of great stories about his friendships with his former teammates including Andy Kennedy, Barry Bearden, Alan Ogg, Carter Long, and many others! Jack also goes into great detail about the lives of his kids, two of which are division 1 NCAA athletes. Jack does a great job setting the scene of what it was like playing with the team and a couple of great moments from games in that era. I learned a lot from this one! Be sure to follow my social media pages @DragonsDenEFEL on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram! Go Blazers!

Join me as I talk with former UAB football wide receiver and kick returner, Frantrell Forrest. This has been one of my favorite episodes so far! Frantrell was 100% real in his discussion about the highs and lows of his playing days and life in general. He is one of the most dynamic players to ever step foot on the field for UAB football. We discussed everything from his life before college, his big game moments, what it was like on the field with some other UAB greats that played alongside him, his family life, and more! It's worth the listen! Be sure to follow my social pages @DragonsDenEFEL on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

Join me as I talk with one of the greats from the UAB basketball program in the early 2000s, Mr. Paul Delaney III! Paul had a fantastic career at UAB and his name is still all over the Blazer record book. We discuss his role on the team as a leader during the transition from Mike Anderson to Mike Davis, his clutch baskets, battling back from injury, and his current career playing basketball overseas in Israel! Also stick around for another This Week in Blazer History segment! Be sure to follow my social pages @DragonsDenEFEL on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram! Go Blazers!

Join me as I talk with Holly Holland-Berry! Intrigued by the opportunity to play in the upstart Conference USA, Holly came to UAB from her hometown near Tampa, Florida and provided a spark for the Blazers. She was one of the greatest sharp shooters from three-point land played alongside some of the greatest Blazers in the history of the program. Holly played a big role in the Sweet 16 run by the UAB women's basketball team in the 2000 season, including 21 points in the Round of 32 game against 3-seeded Mississippi State. Holly has great stories to tell and I really enjoyed our conversation! Be sure to follow my social pages @DragonsDenEFEL on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram! 

Longtime Blazer fan Steve Rutherford and I collaborate to recap the NCAA tournament appearances for the men's and women's teams in UAB's basketball history! The 1981 first appearance and the 1982 Elite 8 run for the men's team will be left out due to my last episode with Chris Giles going into great detail about both of those appearances! UAB has a rich history of basketball, and this episode breaks down all of those special moments! At the time of recording, the UAB-Houston men's NCAA tournament game had not occurred so there is no coverage on the game. Blazer nation is proud of the effort from the team this season and getting back to the Bartow standard by winning the Conference USA tournament and getting back to the big dance! Be sure to follow my social pages @DragonsDenEFEL on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram! Go Blazers!

Join me as I talk with one of the pioneers of UAB basketball, Mr. Chris Giles! Chris came to UAB through an unusual way and was there from the beginning! I was so impressed by his attention to detail in his stories about in-game situations, life on campus and around Birmingham, coach Gene Bartow, off the court memories with teammates, and so much more. Giles also came back and coached at UAB both as a grad assistant and later during the Mike Anderson era after a long stay at Jackson State. He was involved in every NCAA tournament win that UAB had either as a player or a coach up until the 2015 win over Iowa State. He is a huge part of UAB history and I know the diehard Blazer faithful will love to hear these stories. No "This Week In Blazer History" segment this week! Look for that next week in my postseason special episode! Be sure to follow my social pages @DragonsDenEFEL on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram! Go Blazers!

Join me as I talk with former UAB football linebacker Joe Henderson! Joe was one of the most tenacious defenders in UAB football history and now has his name in several top 10 defensive statistical records at UAB! We discuss some of his favorite memories, his playing career, and friendships with teammates. Hope you enjoy and stick around for the This Week in Blazer History segment! Go Blazers! Be sure to follow my social pages @DragonsDenEFEL on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

Join me as I talk with on of the legends in UAB sports, Marla Townsend! I can't say enough about how much I enjoyed this episode! Marla shares some great stories about building the softball program from the ground up, her relationships with former players and their families, Gene Bartow hiring her, and so much more. Marla is one of the most down-to-earth people you will meet and has a tremendous passion for helping young people and of course UAB and Blazer Nation.Be sure to stick around until the end for a wild "This Week in Blazer History" segment where Mars Bars and plastic megaphones go flying, two brawls occur, Blazer athletes are celebrating birthdays, and a lot of other notable events in UAB history! Be sure to check out my social pages @DragonsDenEFEL on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Go Blazers!

Join me as I talk with one of the more recent UAB basketball greats, Mr. Aaron Johnson! Aaron gave amazing insight into what it was like not only on the floor but in the locker room and off the floor as a student-athlete! AJ broke down what happened on some of his biggest shots in his career that lived on in the memories of UAB fans. We also discussed his battles with some of Conference USA's all-time greats and his relationships with his teammates and past UAB greats that served as mentors for his development. You will learn a lot about AJ and what it was like in the basketball program in the late 2000s! There are some audio issues we ran into, so please forgive us! Aaron was at the hospital at the time of recording due to welcoming his new baby boy into the world! Be sure to check out AJ's new podcast, The General Thoughts Podcast! I will drop a link on my social pages @DragonsDenEFEL on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

Join me as I talk with one of the first dominant defensive lineman in UAB football history, Mr. Curtis Jeter! Curtis, aka "The Manimal" aka "Pork Chop" was a ferocious defender on the gridiron using his quick feet and strength to get to the ball carrier or disrupt the play. He also played alongside some of UAB football's all-time greats, and we discuss the bond he with them on and off the field. Curtis gave excellent insight into what it was like playing in the late 90s and brings up many members of UAB history in his stories! Hope you enjoy!Be sure to follow my social pages @DragonsDenEFEL on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram! Go Blazers!

Join me as I talk with former UAB men's basketball guard and forward Tyler Madison. Tyler is one of the most unselfish and hard working ball players I've seen come through UAB in a long time. No matter if the Blazers were up or trailing by a lot, he was going as hard as he could, 110% on every play. He was a great energy for the team in and valuable player that played bigger than himself. See how he is doing today, hear his stories from the magical 2015 NCAA tournament run, and how he became such a good player. Be sure to stick around until the end for the This Week in Blazer History segment and also check out my social pages @DragonsDenEFEL on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram! Go Blazers!

Join me as I talk with former UAB softball outfielder Whitney Fletcher! Whitney delivered one of the greatest moments in not only UAB softball history, but UAB athletics history when she hit a walk-off triple to eliminate 12x national champion UCLA in the 2013 NCAA tournament and win the Louisville regional. Whitney and I discuss her playing days at UAB and how that has translated to her coaching style today! Be sure to stick around until the end for the This Week in Blazer History segment and also check out my social pages @DragonsDenEFEL on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram! Go Blazers!

Join me as I talk with former UAB football punter and placekicker Parker Mullins! Parker and I discuss his recruitment as a multi-sport athlete out of high-school, playing against his hometown Mississippi State Bulldogs twice in his college career, his memorable game moments, his friendships with teammates, and more! Hope you enjoy the episode!Be sure to follow my social media pages @DragonsDenEFEL on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram! Go Blazers!

Join me as I talk with Tim Stephens! For those of you that don't know Tim, he was recruited to come to UAB by Gene Bartow. Not as an athlete, but as a student to work in the athletics office. That turned into Tim working with the Kaleidoscope campus newspaper, doing photography for multiple sports at UAB, being the color analyst for UAB football broadcasts with Gary Sanders, and his career in sports journalism. Tim is also a co-author for the book Ever Faithful, Ever Loyal: The Timothy Alexander Story. This book shares the story of Timothy Alexander, former UAB football player, advocate for the football program shut down, UAB graduate, and current motivational speaker. Tim shares some amazing behind the scenes stories of his time at UAB, the legacy of Gene Bartow, his work with Tim Alexander, and so much more! You don't find many people that have had firsthand experiences in UAB athletics like Tim. Be sure to follow my social pages @DragonsDenEFEL on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram! Go Blazers!

Join me as I talk with a pioneer for the UAB football program, Mr. John Whitcomb. John played for the Blazers in the transition from Division III to 1-AA (Current FCS) and was led by the program's first head coach Dr. Jim Hilyer. If you flip through a UAB football media guide records section you will find John's name over 70 times. He made that big of an impact playing for the Blazers and many of his records still stand to this day. John tells some fantastic stories and gives great insight into what it was like in his playing days picking apart opposing defenses. We also talked about playing with other greats Derrick Ingram, Cedrick Buchannon, and Pat Green among others. A great man with great stories! Be sure to follow my social media pages @DragonsDenEFEL on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram! Go Blazers!

Join me as I talk with one of UAB basketball's all-time greats, Mr. Stanley "Stamp" Jackson. Stanley and I discuss his days playing in the old Sun Belt and Great Midwest Conferences, what it was like playing with former teammates (including his cousin Corey), how he's doing now, and more! Thanks for listening!Be sure to follow my social pages @DragonsDenEFEL on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram! Go Blazers!

Join me as I talk with Andy Galloway, an offensive line anchor for the UAB football team in the early 2000s. Andy was a leader on and off the field for the Blazers and is still a huge supporter to this day. By the end of his time at UAB he was sixth in most games played by a Blazer football player and was named to the All-Conference USA freshman team and a first team All-Conference USA member in his senior year. When he wasn't on the football field he would attend other UAB sporting events to cheer on his fellow student athletes because he knew they would do the same for his team. Hear his stories about his recruitment process being a highly touted recruit and choosing UAB, his playing days with some legends of UAB football, the historic 2004 football season for the Blazers, and so much more! Check out my social media pages @DragonsDenEFEL on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

Join me as I talk with one of UAB's most well known fans, Neil Yawn, aka The Dragon Man! Neil and his wife have been attending UAB games for decades and they attend practically all sporting events that UAB has to offer. Learn how the Dragon Man got started, hear some of his favorite trips and games he's seen in his time as a UAB fan, and get to know the man behind the dragon wings, puppet, and head gear! Neil is a true "bleed green and gold" fan. Hope you enjoy the episode!Be sure to follow my social pages @DragonsDenEFEL on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and check out my website/blog! My website can be found in my profile links on my social pages! Go Blazers!

Join me as I talk with recent UAB linebacker Fitzgerald Mofor. Fitz was a monster at linebacker! He might not have been the biggest but he had an intensity and drive to the ball that made him one of UAB's leading tacklers in his three years with the Blazers. Fitz and I discuss his time at UAB, what it was like playing Will linebacker (middle) and jack linebacker (outside/defensive end), his relationships with his former coaches and teammates, and so much more! Get to know the man behind the facemask! Be sure to stick around until the end for the This Week in Blazer History segment and also check out my social pages @DragonsDenEFEL on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram! 

Join me as I talk with one of the legendary UAB softball sluggers from the historic team that advanced to the super regionals in 2013, Kristen McGrath! Kristen has her name all in the UAB softball record books and played a critical role in the teams success over her four years with the Blazers. Hear her stories about her growth as a softball player from high school to college, her best memories of games and places she played, see where she is today, and more! Hope you enjoy! Go Blazers!Follow me on social media @DragonsDenEFEL on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

Join me as I talk with one of the first UAB football greats, Cedrick Buchannon, in episode 19! Cedrick and I break down what UAB football was like making the transition from Division III to 1-AA in the early 1990s and playing for Coach Jim Hilyer and Watson Brown. We also discuss his fandom of UAB today, his favorite things to barbecue, some other favorite memories from his time as a player at UAB and the Birmingham Steeldogs, and where he is now! Thanks for listening! *I apologize for any audio issues, we did have some technical issues that made the audio not come through as clean as it normally does.*

Join me as I talk with former UAB basketball forward Lawrence Kinnard. Lawrence is a native of Memphis, Tennessee and while they recruited him, he chose UAB. He goes in-depth into his love of playing against Memphis, knowing their players personally after playing high school basketball or summer ball with them, and having his family come down and watch the games. Lawrence is one of the most underrated forwards UAB has had this century since he was so versatile with guard quickness and shooting ability. We talk about his friendships with former players, the coaching styles of Mike Anderson and Mike Davis, his big game memories, and where he is now! Check out my social media pages @DragonsDenEFEL on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram! Go Blazers!

Join me as I talk with former UAB offensive lineman Matt McCants! Matt went from playing the tuba in the high school marching band through his junior year to playing football his senior season and playing well enough to get a scholarship at UAB. Five years later he's playing in the NFL. Matt shares his awesome story about how playing in the band helped him playing football, his time at UAB with his great teammates, his experience playing pro football in the NFL, AAF, and XFL, and his life now! Be sure to stick around until the end for the sixth edition of This Week in Blazer History with Steve Rutherford. We did have some audio problems, so if you hear them, I apologize! Be sure to check out my social pages @DragonsDenEFEL on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram! Go Blazers!

This week I combine my last two planned This Week In Blazer History segments for one postseason special episode. UAB has a rich history in basketball and this episode recaps great wins like UAB's first NCAA tournament win over WKU, UAB's win over Kentucky's "Twin Towers" Sam Bowie and Melvin Turpin in 1981, UAB's win over 1 seed Virginia led by Ralph Sampson in 1982, the win over Alabama (UAT) in 1993, and others! Fantastic game recaps gathered by longtime UAB fan Steve Rutherford! Also stick around until the end to find out about my Friday Giveaway coming up next Friday, March 26. Be sure to follow me on social media @DragonsDenEFEL on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram! Go Blazers!

Nick Vogel had what a pretty abnormal college career. After not receiving much recruiting in high school, he walked on at UAB. Then the program shut down. Then he came back when they announced the team was coming back even though he didn't know what would happen in the future of UAB football AND he had a scholarship at Southern Miss. His loyalty brought him home. Hear Nick's stories about his time at UAB as the program was rebuilt completely from scratch. "Vogeltron" also dives into his friendships with former teammates Lee Dufour and Ty Long, his technique as a kicker, and some of his favorite off the field memories as a UAB student athlete. Be sure to follow the Dragon's Den (@DragonsDenEFEL) on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram! 

For this episode I'm joined by UAB super fan Dave West. A native of nearby Morris, Alabama, Dave has Birmingham in his blood and is well known around the UAB fanbase from his twitter accounts and his time writing for the Daily Dragon. Dave is a great guy with great knowledge of UAB athletics and the city of Birmingham. Re-live some of his glorious, and some infamous, moments as a Blazer fan. Be sure to stick around until the end for my second volume of This Week in Blazer History and find out what exciting moments happened this week in UAB athletics history! All stats and facts gathered by Steve Rutherford (@MemphisBlazer on Twitter)! Also be sure to follow my social pages @DragonsDenEFEL on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram! Thanks for listening!

Join me as I talk with former UAB basketball forward Frank Haywood! Frank was known for his tenacity and hard defense on the hardwood for the Blazers. Frank gives very detailed stories about his time at UAB that included playing with former greats like Andy Kennedy, Stanley Jackson, and Elbert Rogers among others. He also gives great insight into big wins over Memphis, who was led by Penny Hardaway, and of course Alabama in the NIT in 1993. Frank is hilarious and adds a lot of color to his stories from back in the early 1990s. Stick around until the end and check out my new segment "This Week in Blazer History" with longtime UAB fan Steve Rutherford supplying some of the most notable events from this week in UAB history. Thanks for listening! Be sure to follow the Dragon's Den on social media @DragonsDenEFEL on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram! Go Blazers! 

"They fake it to Elliot, Hackney stepping up and Hackney tucking and OH WHAT A STIFF ARM! GET AWAY! LIKE A LITTLE FLY!". "He's shaking his head right now saying 'there will be none of that!'... Some quarterbacks get away from pressure like Doug Flutie, Hackney gets away from pressure like GODZILLA!" The Blazer faithful remember that night against TCU very well in 2004 and to the rest of the nation they were introduced to the Godzilla himself, Mr. Darrell Hackney. Join me as I go back in time with Darrell and talk about some of his greatest games, his favorite memories playing UAB, his friendships with former teammates, and see how the big man is doing now! You will never find a man with a higher competitive drive than Darrell Hackney and it shows in the episode! Be sure to follow my social pages @DragonsDenEFEL on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. If you want to see the stiff arm again (and why wouldn't you), the link is below! Thanks for listening! Go Blazers!https://youtu.be/SD-fkpqiNK0

Join me as I talk with former UAB football kicker Rhett Gallego. Many of you know Rhett as the man who made "The Kick" to defeat the LSU Tigers, coached by Nick Saban, by a final of 13-10. Rhett and I discuss his time at UAB, the LSU game details, his friendships with former teammates at UAB and the Birmingham Steeldogs, and his life now! It's an awesome episode with a lot of great info and even a flashback at the beginning with the call from the legendary radio broadcaster Gary Sanders. Thanks for listening! If you haven't checked out my social pages, go like or follow now! The Dragon's Den is on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram with the handle @DragonsDenEFEL. Go Blazers!

Join me as I talk with UAB athletics PA announcer Derek Scudder! Derek is in his 35th season doing PA announcing for the UAB basketball team, has been calling the UAB football games since the club football days, and is the current announcer for the Birmingham Barons. Derek has been around the block in the Birmingham sports and media/broadcasting industry and has a lot of stories to share! Hope you enjoy!Due to some technical difficulties the audio may not come through as clear as normal, sorry in advance! If you haven't checked out my social media pages, go give me a like or follow! Check out @DragonsDenEFEL on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram! Go Blazers!

Join me as I talk with TWO guests this week! Kristen Gardner is a former UAB cheerleader from 2013-2017 and also worked in the UAB football office from 2017-2018. Jeremy Hawkins is the former UAB Director of Player Personnel and Defensive Analyst for the Blazers from 2015-2018. They are now both working in their respective fields at Eastern Kentucky University. Kristen is the assistant cheer coach, while Jeremy is the defensive line coach. Hear their stories about what means to them, how they have progressed in their career, and find out more about their life now! Due to a technical difficulty, one question was omitted, but I wanted to share her answer. When asked about what it was like as a cheerleader during the UAB football program, Kristen talked about how they were active to get the program back, but they were also active cheering at sports that normally didn't have cheer involved. Sports like baseball and soccer suddenly had cheerleaders and helped spread the Blazer spirit without the presence of the football team. Thanks for listening! Be sure to follow my social pages @DragonsdenEFEL on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram! Go Blazers!

Join me as I talk with former UAB baseball great Shayne Carnes in the eighth episode of the Dragon's Den! Shayne gives a great in depth look at his progress as a player while he was at UAB and how that progress helped him break a multitude of records at UAB, many of which still stand today. Shayne was inducted into the UAB athletics Hall of Fame this week on Wednesday and he talks about the honor to be mentioned among some of UAB's greatest across all sports. You'll also get to learn a little about his life now as the head coach at Mortimer Jordan High School, his time in the minor leagues, and more! Hope you enjoy!Follow the Dragon's Den on social media! @DragonsDenEFEL on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

Join me as I talk with former UAB football center Darion Smith who started for two seasons under Neil Callaway. Darion transferred to UAB from Copiah-Lincoln (JUCO) and made a big impact from day one. Darion goes very in-depth  about his times with his former teammates, his growth as a player, he gives a behind the scenes look into what it was like on the field, and he talks about how he's doing in life now! Darion has a fun personality and it was a real pleasure getting to know him and I think you will too! Check him out on social media @theyDREAD75 on Twitter and Instagram, as well as Darion Smith on Facebook. Also follow or like the Dragon's Den on social media @DragonsDenEFEL on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Thanks for listening! Go Blazers

Join me as I talk with former UAB football running back Jegil Dugger! Jegil played for UAB from 1998-2001 and has his name in several top 10 rushing records at UAB! Jegil was apart of the team that went down to Baton Rouge and defeated the LSU Tigers and he breaks down that game in great detail! Jegil also talks about some of the great players he played alongside like Bryan Thomas, Rhett Gallego, Eddie Freeman, Roddy White, Willie Quinnie, and more! Jegil also talks about his two tech companies and how they are both helping during the COVID-19 pandemic! The episode did run a little long, but trust me you will want to hear some of his great stories about his time in the backfield with the Blazers! Thanks for listening!Be sure to follow The Dragon's Den on social media @DragonsDenEFEL on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram! More exciting former UAB athletes (and even coaches) coming soon!

Join me as I talk with Wanda Hightower, a true legend in UAB athletics history. Wanda owns the women's basketball record books and was the first UAB athlete to have a jersey retired in any sport. Coming from Memphis, Tennessee, Wanda grew up playing basketball and committed to UAB before the program had even played a single game! It was great to get to know about her basketball career, learn about UAB's history in its first years of athletic existence, and get to know about her life now! I hope you enjoy the episode! Thanks for listening!Follow my social pages @DragonsDenEFEL on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for episode updates and participate in posts! Go Blazers!

Join me in this "superfan" episode as I talk with UAB marching band legend Jesse Taylor. Jesse went to UAB from 2004-2012 playing in the marching band and pep band as well as his time as the drum major. Jess is now the marching band director at Gardendale High School. Hear his stories from his time as a student, to being on the band staff during the football program shutdown, and now his life in Gardendale and as the screaming superfan we all know on gamedays. Hope you enjoy!

Join host Will Harris as he talks with a very familiar Blazer face, former football center Lee Dufour. Lee played for the Blazers in 2014, then due to the program shutting down, left for South Alabama only to return less than 7 months later to rejoin the Blazers after the announcement of the program's return. Lee was a leader on the offense for the 2017-2019 seasons. Lee talks about the odyssey of his football career, his personal memories at UAB like his friendship with kicker Nick Vogel, and where he is now! If you are a true college football fan and loved the story of UAB football's rise from the ashes, you will want to hear this episode! Listen till the end to find out how about my FridayGiveaway this Friday (Sept. 4th) social media! Thanks for listening!