Talkin' Old School with Roger Franklin Williams

The Radio Broadcast of Apopka Blue Darter Baseball's exciting 3-2 victory over rival West Orange with Play by Play by Blue Darter Baseball Alum Roger Franklin Williams on March 8, 2024. The broadcast also includes an interview with former Blue Darter Great Michael Taylor (2001-04). Michael Taylor's number 46 was retired in a a wonderful ceremony before the game that was attended by many former Blue Darter Baseball Alumni. Taylor, one of only 4 Apopka Baseball Alumni to play in the Major Leagues, played with the Oakland As and Chicago White Sox after a standout career at Stanford University.

Former FSU All American Wide Receiver Barry Smith joins Roger Franklin Williams to share stories from his All American career as a WR in FSU's pass happy offense of the early 1970's and of his NFL career. Barry Smith led the nation in receiving TDs and yardage in 1972; he was the Number 1 draft choice of the Green Bay Packers in the 1973 NFL Draft and also played for the  original 1976 Tampa Bay Bucs, the NFL's only 0-14 team. He shares colorful stories with Roger Franklin Williams about the Coach Bill Peterson era of FSU Football (1960-70), an era when FSU had the most passing yardage of any Division I program; his unfortunate, but hilarious, on-the-field encounters with NFL and College Football Hall of Famer Jack Youngblood; other bruising on-the-field encounters with NFL Hall of Famer Ken Houston and insightful accounts of the '76 Bucs, the NFLs first team to go win less over an entire season. Later in the program, Vito Fera, founder of Network Sound & Video provides great information about how guys can preserve their own personal on-the-field exploits by updating their outdated film to modern media technology such DVDs and flash drives.

Apopka Blue Darter Athletic Director Aaron Crawford joined Blue Darter Sports Central to give a wrap up of Men's Basketball and an overview of Spring Sports, which are beginning their seasons right now. Blue Darter Football standout, Ethan Korkes was also featured on the program. Ethan spent 4 years in the Apopka Football Program as an Offensive Lineman, playing both Center and Guard. He recently signed to play college football an Marist University in New York; he was also named on of the Top 10 academic students at AHS in the Class of 2024. During the interview Ethan discusses the ups and downs of the recruiting process from a "real world" perspective, reflects on his 4-year career in the Blue Darter Football program, including the satisfaction of qualifying for the Posts-season Playoffs for the 24th consecutive year. He also talks about the pride of being a Blue Darter Football player and the responsibility the players feel for upholding the standard of excellence and gives advice to young student-athletes who aspire to have a successful high school football career. 

Blue Darter Sports Central with Roger Franklin Williams 2/2/24 program featured an in-depth look at the Apopka High School Boys Bowling Dynasty and provides an update on the professional career of Blue Darter Bowling Legend Petey Vergos with special guest Demetrios Vergos, Father of Petey Vergos. Demetrios Vergos gives an update on Petey Vergos progress and accomplishments on the Professional Bowlers Tour as well as shares the inspiring story of how Petey found a passion in bowling after participation in all contact sports was closed off due to a significant head injury when he was in elementary school. He also gives great insight into the early days of building the first State Championship team, during Petey's Freshman year at Apopka in 2012, when Petey also captured the Individual State Championship. Since that time Blue Darter Boys Bowling has won 6 State Team Championships, 3 Individual State Championships and 2 National Championships and has only lost one match during the regular season since 2012.

This segment features an intro by Coach Scott Williams and includes interviews with several underclassmen for the 2023-24 Blue Darter Men's Basketball team as the prepare for a huge rivalry game vs Wekiva and prepare for the last challenging regular season games and post-season.

Segment 2 of the Blue Darter Sports Central broadcast from Frogger's Apopka features 2023-24 Seniors Chase Marks, Daren Leath and Sam Bell II. Coach Scott Williams provides the intro and background on these 3 leaders for the 2023-24 team and then the Seniors discuss the various leadership aspects of their role for the 2023-24 season.

Blue Darter Sports Central with Roger Franklin Williams highlights the Apopka Blue Darter Men's Basketball team as the embark on a challenging 4-game end of season stretch and prepare for the District Tournament. In segment 1 Coach Scott Williams provides an overview of the season to this point and outlines  his objectives for the rest of regular season and into the post-season playoffs.

Frank Pomarico, Tri-Captain of the 1973 National Champion Fighting Irish and author of the book "Ara's Knights" breaks down Notre Dame vs USC; Apopka Blue Darter Head Coach Jeff Rolson shares his personal insights about the life and impact of longtime Apopka Chief Editor John Peery; in the final segment Roger Franklin Williams shares his personal tribute to John Peery's immeasurable contributions to Apopka High School, Apopka High School Athletics and the entire Apopka community, high school football in the state of Florida, as well as his positive impact on generations of Apopka citizens, especially the youth of the community.

Talkin' Old School features Coach Brian Shafer and salutes his decades long impact in education as teacher, coach and Administrator at Lake Brantley High School. Coach Shafer is retiring from Lake Brantley High School at the end of this December. Coach Shafer shared great insights about his philosophy of teaching and coaching as well as colorful stories of his 40-plus year career at Lake Brantley High School in Altamonte Springs, Fla. The program also included tributes from Coach Shafer's coaching colleagues and former players, including Coach Gary Smith, a member of the Lake Brantley Hall of Fame and Central Florida entrepreneur and basketball trainer Brian Paldin. 

Two of Edgewater High School's All Time Football Greats, QB Theo McWhite and OL Tom Neal, joined Talkin' Old School to reflect on and share about a Great Era in Edgewater Eagles football, the 1970's under the Leadership of Coach Bob Dolce, when the Eagles were one of the dominant high school programs in the state of Florida. QB Theo McWhite was the team MVP in '78 and also a Basketball standout and heavily recruited in both sports. Tom Neal, recognized as one of the best Offensive Linemen to ever play for Edgewater, was heavily recruited by the elite Power 5 schools of the era; ultimately choosing to play for Coach Bo Shembechler and the Michigan Wolverines, with Theo McWhite choosing to play Basketball for Rollins College. The program also included current Edgewater Head Coach Cameron Duke with a preview of the huge rivalry game AND District match up with Jones High School.