The E-Pod: Recent Episodes
The E-Pod
Elks quarterback Trevor Harris is coming off the longest off season ever, but he put the extra time to good use educating himself and looking for ways to prolong his career.
Harris talks about his growing family, his trip to TB12 camp, bologna sandwiches, his hometown and his football journey that includes playing behind two of the best ever in Ricky Ray and Henry Burris.
At Half-Time, Blake Dermott talks about prolonging careers and how it is different now than when he played. The man who played 14 years in the CFL also discusses the tough decision to walk away.
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In an interview conducted before coronavirus was a household word, Eddie Steele wrapped up a very successful nine-year CFL career after the 2018 season. On this episode of The E-Pod, Eddie looks back on his career in Hamilton, Edmonton and Saskatchewan and his Grey Cup Championship with the Elks franchise in 2015.
Steele also talks about flipping back and forth between the defensive and offensive lines for a couple of years under Chris Jones. Blake Dermott, who filled both lineman roles in high school and college, explains just how difficult it really is.
We will also find out about what a great sales tool a Grey Cup ring is.
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Born and raised a fan of the Double E, Ryan King got to live out his dream of playing for his hometown team. King, who spent eight season as the Double-E long snapper, tells stories from draft day to retirement day. The 2015 Grey Cup Champion also discusses the game and dishes on the party that followed.
Blake Dermott was one of King's coaches when he started playing football. At Halftime, Blake will talk about King’s progress from day one in minor football to becoming one of the most recognized players in the city of Edmonton.
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He is a lawyer, a former professional tennis player, a family man and a football coach. Jaime Elizondo is the 23rd head coach of the Edmonton Football Team and on this episode of The E-Pod, he tells his story from his early days in Mexico and Texas to learning from many of the best coaches and quarterbacks of this generation.
At half time, Blake Dermott gives his impression of Elizondo and talks about the couching changes he saw in his playing career.
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Quarterback Logan Kilgore has announced his retirement from the Canadian Football League. Kilgore played four seasons in the league with Toronto, Hamilton and in Edmonton where he played a key role in helping the EE Football Team to a playoff spot in 2019.
As a back up to Trevor Harris, he started five games and won a huge one against B.C. late in the season to clinch a playoff spot. He tells the story about taking a big hit early and spending most of the game with blood dripping from his mouth, and also about how he almost left mid-season in 2019.
As Kilgore leaves for a coaching job in the NCAA, he reflects on his season in Green and Gold and why he decided now was the time to walk away as a player.
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From mauler to med student, that's the path former EE football player Mark Mackie is taking. After two years in Edmonton he has gone back to school...medical school, in fact. Mackie dishes on that difficult decision and what lies ahead on the road to being called Dr. Mackie.
He also reflects back on his two years in Green and Gold and his heartbreaking Vanier Cup experience with McMaster, and ponders the connection between the football field and medical field.
At half time , Blake Dermott talks about the smartest teammates he has had.
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With the 2020 CFL season cancelled, the focus has shifted to 2021 and what the league needs to do to re-launch successfully.
Morley is joined by two Grey Cup Champions and former members of the Edmonton Football Club, Blake Dermott and Eddie Steele to talk about what needs to change and what needs to be better going forward.
The trio also discuss Labour Day without football for the first time in a long time.
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Quarterback Zach Kline spent just two years in Edmonton and only played in the preseason, but his stay had a huge effect on his life. Kline talks about preseason heroics, meeting his future wife on the sidelines at Commonwealth Stadium and his football and music heroes.
At halftime, Former Eskimos offensive lineman Blake Dermott says that Kline is not the first EE to have a music career on the side.
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As a player and now a coach, Demetrious Maxie has been chasing quarterbacks for 25 years. After 13 years as a player, Maxie joined the coaching ranks and is entering his fifth season with the Eskimos as defensive line coach.
In his rookie season, Maxie was a part of the Baltimore Stallions team that won the Grey Cup 25 years ago now. His thoughts on the team and winning the only Grey Cup Championship outside of Canada. Plus, how he followed Don Mathews to Toronto and won a couple more Grey Cups.
At Halftime, Blake Dermott reflects on the CFL's American expansion years and how the Eskimos never got to play in Baltimore.
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In part two of our chat Natey Adjei, the Toronto Argonauts Receiver discusses his junior to the pros, from City College in San Francisco to the University of Buffalo. Adjei also remembers CFL draft day when he got selected by the only team that showed no initial interest in him.
After a career year in 2019, Adjei addresses how he will approach 2020 on a new team and remembers fondly his four years as an Eskimo.
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Wideout Natey Adjei is now a former Eskimo and an Argonaut once again after signing with his hometown team earlier this Spring. He joins the E-Pod to talk about moving his family across the country twice this off-season, and how he handled his release from the Eskimos.
Unlike Adjei--and despite his best efforts--our Blake Dermott never changed teams in his 14 year CFL career. He explains why he's okay with that.
Then, hear about some of Adjei's formative years spent growing up in West Africa.
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The E-Pod returns for another season with two guests.
First, Toronto Argonauts general manager Michael "Pinball" Clemons to talk about recent racial unrest after the killing of George Floyd and the job that lies ahead for him, both on and off the field, as the GM of the Argos.
After that, CFL Commissioner Randy Ambrosie on the leagues battle to get on the field while the world battles COVID-19.
At halftime, we also hear, as always, from the commissioner's good friend--long time Eskimo Blake Dermott, who admits he never had a problem "social distancing" from Pinball.
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It took a few years for receiver Tevaun smith to get to Edmonton after the Eskimos drafted him in the first round of the 2016 CFL Draft, but he appears to be worth the wait.
Smith has had a solid rookie season and talks on this episode about his time growing up in Toronto, playing ball at Iowa, his stops in the NFL and the time he set a world record...sort of.
Along with Blake Dermott at halftime, and Sean Whyte before him, Smith shares his love of dogs.
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After talking about his college years and his first three seasons in the CFL last week, we move into Bowman’s time in Green and Gold.
We talk about several great seasons, the knee injury that almost ended it all, the 2015 Grey Cup and then how it all ended with the Eskimos.
Adarius also talks about his relationship with Mike Reilly getting off to a rocky start and reveals the greatest coach he ever had.
At the half, Blake Dermott talks about how tough it is for players in the CFL to leave the game on their own terms.
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One of the biggest fan favourites in Eskimos history, Adarius Bowman, or AD, is back in Edmonton. He's not here for football anymore though. Instead he is working and raising two kids with his wife.
From Chattanooga, Tennessee, Bowman talks about his mom kicking Nick Sabin and Phillip Fulmer out of their house while on recruiting trips and how he wanted to be like Mike, which is why he went to a basketball school for football.
After his college career, the NFL never came knocking on Bowman’s door, but a wake up call from Darian Durant eventually got him to the CFL.
And at halftime, Blake Dermott talks about how Bowman became a CFL star after landing in Edmonton.
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Justin Sorensen wears a suit and tie now. The longtime CFL offensive lineman hasn’t officially retired, but has moved on to his next phase working in commercial real estate in Edmonton after playing in B.C., Winnipeg and Alberta's capital city.
He won a Grey Cup ring and gave out an engagement ring and both times he was in his Eskimos uniform on the football field. Plus, hear about the time he turned into an offensive coordinator for the 2015 Grey Cup-winning touchdown.
At the half, Blake Dermott discusses why players stay in Edmonton long after their football careers are over.
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What do faithful dogs and long field goals have in common? Eskimos kicker Sean Whyte loves both of them. First, Whyte takes us back to the day in 2017 that he acquired his dog Tucker, his four-legged friend that changed his life.
Then, the member of the 2015 Grey Cup Champion Eskimos talks about his football journey that stopped on the Santa Monica Pier before CFL stints in B.C., Montreal and Edmonton. Find out what Wally Buono meant to his career.
And as always, Blake Dermott checks in at at halftime to talk about kickers and their place in team history.
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Kirk Penton of the Athletic talks about the genesis of his very popular weekly piece called The Insiders. He shares how he gets those anonymous quotes and what the reaction has been from thsoe around the league.
We also discuss covering the CFL at the beat reporter level compared to a national level.
At the half, Blake Dermott says he never met a microphone he didn’t like as a player, but sometimes that got him in trouble.
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We look ahead to the cold weather and a look back on the ‘coldest’ game the Houston native’s has ever played in.
Briscoe's first dream was to be a baseball player he tells the story about his move to football and how he kept going even after the University of Alabama at Birmingham pulled the rug out from under him by shutting down the program.
From that to arm surgery, the two time Walter Payton Award winner battled through a lot of adversity to get where he is now.
At halftime, Blake Dermott with a Gizmo story and his thoughts on young quarterbacks making the transition to the Canadian game and the Canadian weather.
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Craig Ellis spent his best football years with the Eskimos. But his story before he landed in Edmonton is a winding road through the streets of South Central Los Angeles, where he was born and raised through a trouble college career and several stops in the NFL. It took a while for Craig to find the right football fit, but when he did, he produced Hall of Fame numbers for four seasons in green and gold.
Ellis tells the story of a letter from Bill Walsh...a letter he did not read for over 30 years. He owns up to some bad choices that derailed his career couple of times and shares what he's doing to help his old neighbourhoods back in L.A.
A half time Blake Dermott, a teammate of Ellis’ with the Eskimos, talks about how talented he was...but also how he had trouble with song lyrics.
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The people have spoken. "More Blake," is what you said, so more Blake is what you get.
Straying from his usual spot at half Time on the E-Pod, Blake is back as our feature guest.
This time he talks about the $2,000 he feels the Eskimos owe him, plus that 1989 team known to some as the best team that never won the Grey Cup. Then, hear the story behind this quote: “..and one of those establishments...let’s just say...some of their employees danced for a living.”
At half time, Blake's daughter Carly fills in for her dad as our resident storyteller. Both Carly and Blake look back to 2017 and the motorcycle accident that ultimately saved Blake’s life.
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It's a role reversal this week for Blake Dermott on The E-Pod. Usually the 14 year CFL veteran regales us with a story at half time, and you often wish that segment would go longer. This episode it does. This week on The E-Pod it's all Blake with a special guest at half time to carry on the Dermott tradition of storytelling.
Blake talks about his unofficial record of attending more football games than anyone in the history of Edmonton football, plus his forays into the hockey and professional wrestling worlds. The stories are so good (and so long) that this is the first of two episodes with Blake as our guest.
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This episode of the The E-Pod features two die-hard CFL fans. David Gornto is a vice-principal from Knoxville, Tenn. and explains how he watches and enjoys CFL football from south of the border. He found the Canadian game thanks to a Colorado Rockies rain delay and now he never misses a game.
Quentin Ebertz found the CFL at a very young age, going to games with his father, then his wife Samantha and now their children. The Ebertz’ were the envy of all fans when they won the record setting 50/50 draw in 2017. Turns out that win was karma for a lifetime of football memories, all tied to Commonwealth Stadium.
At the half, Blake Dermott talks about the Grey Cup party he missed after winning the Grey Cup a few hours earlier.
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Josh Johnson was molded into a football player while growing up in a football home. This episode of The E-Pod features the story of the Eskimos defensive back and his football journey that took him from Dade City, Florida to Purdue, three NFL cities and four more in the CFL.
At half time Blake Dermott contrasts Johnson's detailed journey with his simple one that's kept him here in Edmonton. He also dishes the scoop on asking for a trade that never materialized.
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Watching film has been a part of football for a long time. Players and coaches spend hours watching video to prepare for games and improve their play. On this episode of The E-Pod, we examine the art form that is watching game tape.
Eskimos receiver Natey Adjei and defensive end Kwaku Boateng discuss watching tape with modern technology and the weirdest places they've done it.
At halftime, Blake Dermott recalls when game film was actually film and shares some great stories from film room back in the day.
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If Randy Ambrosie, Brian Ramsay and Jeff Keeping are in a room together, which one of them is the smartest offensive lineman? The answer, of course, is Peter Dyakowski. If you don’t get it, ask an offensive lineman. They'll explain it.
On this episode of The E-Pod, we talk with Dyakowski, a former Jeopardy contestant who was once named “Canada’s Smartest Person”. He discusses offensive linemen and the perception that they are smarter than other position players.
Also, our resident offensive lineman Blake Dermott explains his interesting theory on why offensive lineman might be smarter than most. Then, CFL Commissioner Randy Ambrosie weighs in on the topic, and adds offensive linemen are simply good human beings as well.
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In 2003, Jason Maas, Jason Tucker , AJ Gass and Tim Prinsen won a Grey Cup as teammates playing for the Edmonton Eskimos.
Flash forward to present day, and they are trying to do it again. However, this time, the four, former teammates are now all on the coaching staff , 16 years later.
Their roles are different, but the goal is the same.
All four talk about the dynamics of playing together and then coaching together, and why players who wore the green and gold seem to enjoy Edmonton enough to make it their home after they retire.
And, at half-time, Blake Dermott stops by to talk about why coaching is a good fit for some players after they retire...and why others should steer clear from the profession.
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A special conversation for Morley on this episode of the E-Pod, as he gets to talk to one of his radio heroes. Bob Irving, the long time voice of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers shares his career journey and talks about how things have changed for media covering the CFL, especially on the road. "Knuckles" Irving also explains how he got his nickname, and talks about all of the colour analysts he has worked with over the years, including our very own Blake Dermott.
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On this week’s episode of The E-Pod, Eskimos linebacker Vontae Diggs takes us into his past, sharing stories about football and life. The CFL rookie from just outside of Chicago talks about his adjustment to Edmonton, Canada and the CFL. Diggs also tells us about Lloyd Park in his hometown, and a bench he slept on when he was homeless.
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From small-town Alabama to Alberta's capital city.
On this episode of The E-Pod, Eskimos defensive coordinator Phillip Lolley talks about a coaching career that started over 40 years ago at a high school in Alabama and continues today with the Edmonton Eskimos.
Lolley shares stories about winning the NCAA National Championship with Auburn, hanging out with coaching legend Paul Bear Bryant, how he helped Chris Jones get into coaching and how it all came full circle when Jones talked him into coming to the CFL.
While Lolley talks about coaching in front of 100,000 fans - at half-time, Blake Dermott shares his story about playing in front of, well, a heck of a lot less than 100,000.
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Football injuries are some of the worst in all of pro sports. Every week, players in the CFL put their season and their careers on the line when they step onto the turf to compete.
On this episode of The E-Pod we hear from players that refused to give up on themselves after career threatening injuries, or in the case of Matt Nichols, two possible career ending injuries.
Eddie Steele shares dramatic details about what it took to get back on the exact same field to play again, after he thought it was all over. Plus, Ryan King and Brock Sunderland share stories from the Eskimos' injury infested 2017 season.
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This week on The E-Pod, a look at how the 2019 Edmonton Eskimos were built. Defensive Lineman, Alex Bazzie takes us into his living room, and to his reaction on Free Agency Day as the Eskimos raided the Ottawa Redblacks. Quarterback Trevor Harris was one of the big names signed by the Eskimos, but he also played a key role in convincing others to join him in Edmonton.
And, at the half, Eskimos alum, Blake Dermott explains the impact game day trades can have on opposing teams, as he recalls a story about the day the Eskimos made a trade with Calgary – just before they faced each other on the turf.
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On the very first episode of The E Pod: a podcast about the Edmonton Eskimos & the Canadian Football League: Eskimos receiver Kenny Stafford takes us behind the curtain of CFL free agency and shares what it was like for him as a player and as an agent representing himself. We will also hear from the other side of the negotiating table, Eskimos GM Brock Sunderland. At half-time, former Eskimos offensive lineman and 630 CHED football analyst Blake Dermott shares his hilarious story about being his own agent.
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