Reports last week were confirmed today—Kenny Stabler won’t return to the Alabama radio broadcast team. Here is the official word from Crimson Tide Sports Network and the University of Alabama press release:

KEN STABLER WILL NOT RETURN AS ANALYST ON CRIMSON TIDE FOOTBALL BROADCASTS
TUSCALOOSA — Crimson Tide Sports Network General Manager Jim Carabin and University of Alabama Director of Athletics Mal Moore announced today that former Crimson Tide quarterback Ken Stabler will not return to his former position as a color analyst on CTSM’s radio broadcasts of Alabama football. An All-American quarterback for the Crimson Tide in 1967, Stabler served as color analyst for the network from 1998-2007 before taking a leave of absence for the 2008 season.

“In talking recently with Kenny he has decided to pursue other opportunities and will not return to our radio broadcast team,” Moore said. “I appreciate Kenny’s contributions to our program over the years and I look forward to that relationship continuing in the future. Kenny’s an important part of our history and his involvement as part of our announce team over the years was tremendous.”

“I would like to thank Learfield Sports, ISP, the entire CTSN broadcast team, the University of Alabama and its athletic department for their tremendous support through the years,” Stabler said. “I will continue to support UA in any way possible and wish only the best to the entire Alabama family.”

A permanent replacement for Stabler has not been determined. CTSM used a rotation of former players to fill in on color analysis during the 2008 season.

“We hope to have a decision on a permanent replacement very soon,” Carabin said.

8 thoughts on “It is official: Stabler won’t return to broadcast”

  1. I am sure Snake quit of his own volition and not to make room for some Cleveland GM with no ties to Bama. So much for loyalty.

  2. it’s sad but time for him to move on.

    let’s make a clean sweep and move eli on out too.

    eli gold should go for all the same reasons john forney was shabbily and unceremoniously dumped by ray perkins and later on in the late eighties after he was rehired.

    mr. forney forgot down and distance. he lost his place during the course of games. i grew up listening to mr. forney and felt he deserved better considering his loyalty to the school. i spoke with him during his saturdays on forney and finebaum. we crossed swords many times about issues concerning the athletic dept and the man always defended his employer to a fault.

    i’ll freely admit i’ve never accepted eli as the alabama play-by-play man. the mistakes eli makes today he’s ALWAYS MADE.

    he never been consistent with down and distance. he’s always prattled on with his stories during the games. now he’s even hawking products during broadcasts and giving us menus at restaurants.

    eli brought his nascar broadcasting style to alabama athletics and it, frankly, sucks. that’s why he was moved out of the basketball pbp position. he sucked even worse at that!

    a radio pbp man is supposed to describe the game. you’re supposed to be able to close your eyes and picture the events in your imagination. larry munson could do it. jim fyffe could do it. john forney wasn’t quite as good but he could still do it.

    eli doesn’t even try. he readily accepts he’s a backup to television.

    you can tune in mid-game and you might go ten minutes before you hear the score.

    he’s gone three, four five plays without giving down and distance.

    he’ll rave about a play like it’s a thirty yard gain only to find out later it gained three.

    and i just can’t get past thinking he sounds like mickey mouse calling alabama football.

    we have a real pbp guy on payroll. it’s time to give him the reigns.

  3. I really like Paul Kennedy and was sad to see him leave during the administration change.

    Kennedy had a clear, easy to understand voice that was also enthusiastic.

  4. I think that Eli is competent. It has always pissed me off that he can never give the time. Outside of that – he is very good at what he does. The reality now in radio is that you have to pimp ads constantly – the pregame and postgame program is a big pimp out with no content. Tell the truth. Most people are watching the T.V. anyway. Do you think that in the next 20 years that they can synchronize the radio and T.V. broadcasts ?
    Kenny realized that he was knocking on that nine lives and maybe UA did not like the fact that he has manipulated the Courts in Baldwin County for years.

  5. Eli is the Pitts……..Snake was the man.

  6. Ken Stabler was a class act on the radio. A true Bama guy. Whatever Eli lacked, Stabler filled the void. How can Alabama turn their back on someone who has been so devoted to the University? Stabler may have had some personal issues, but they never interfered with his profesionalism in the broadcast booth. Let’s face it, even the Bear had some pecadillos of his own. It’s a real shame. I was eagerly looking forward to Stabler’s return this year. I’m disappointed in the Bama “higher ups” who forced our man out. And no one will ever convince me that the Snake decided to pursue other interests. No one bled Crimson as deeply as Stabler! I’ll miss him. I think it’s wrong. Oh well.

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