The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/157974
tracking the PACK Torry Holt Moves Into The Broadcast Booth The most difficult question for some athletic legends to answer is often, "What's next?" For former Wolfpack All-American and NFL superstar Torry Holt, an overwhelmingly popular figure during his days as a wide receiver in St. Louis, there was a natural place for him to go once he officially decided to retire from the game prior to the 2012 season: the broadcast booth. This football season, he's dabbling even more into the world of media, after brief stints as a draft analyst for ESPN in 2005 and as a guest analyst on Fox Sports in 2010. He has also done other NFL coverage for Fox Sports. This year, throughout the month of August, Holt traveled between Raleigh and St. Louis, where he was joined play-by-play announcer Andrew Siciliano and former teammate Marshall Faulk as an analyst for the Rams' preseason television broadcasts. Beginning Sept. 8, Holt will also work for St. Louis radio station 101ESPN, with regular call-ins and analysis of the Rams' season as well as other events around the NFL. He will make regular 10- to 15-minute calls during the station's morning shows to talk about his former team, which he helped lead to the 1999 Super Bowl title during his rookie season as part of "The Greatest Show on Turf." For Holt, newly elected into the NC State Athletic Hall of Fame, moving to the broadcast booth is both exhilarating and exhausting. "It's a lot of preparation," said the former ACC Of- fensive Player of the Year and NFL record setter. "It's the same or more preparation that I had when I was playing. I remember the nights and hours and days and sleepless nights that I put into football while I was playing, and the results I got from putting in that hard work were pretty good. "It's the same with being a broadcaster and an analyst. You have to study these guys.You have to do research.You have to watch film.You have to stay current with the rules and with the players.You have to learn to adjust to working with new people and new producers and new writers. You have to learn the new cameras and live shows." Holt has taken the same approach that he did as a player, beginning back at Eastern Guilford High School in Gibsonville and throughout his playing career at Hargrave Military Academy, NC State and in his 12 NFL seasons. The two-time Pro Bowl selection, who was 10th in career NFL receiving yards when he retired, figures if he can strive to be consistently good he will eventually receive accolades for his performance. "Broadcasting is challenging and not easy," Holt said. "But if you have a good work ethic and you like it and you enjoy it, you will find a way to get good at it and get better. I am still learning a lot about the business and what I have to do to prepare to be good when I am on the air. "I always wanted to do things well consistently, it would turn into some form of greatness. It's the same thing with television. Do I have the answers? Absolutely not.Am I the greatest? Absolutely not. But I am working to get better. I Men's Hoops Schedule Announced Head coach Mark Gottfried and the Wolfpack will face a very challenging schedule in the 2013-14 campaign. photo by larry blankenship The NC State basketball schedule was announced Aug. 22, and the Pack will open its season hosting Appalachian State Nov. 8 at the PNC Arena in Raleigh. Then the Pack is hitting the road early. NCSU will play at Cincinnati Nov. 12 as part of an ESPN hoops marathon. The game will tip off at 5 p.m. on ESPN. The Pack will host the Cinderella darlings of the 2013 Big Dance, Florida Gulf Coast, Nov. 26. Last year, FGCU became the first No. 15 seed ever to reach the Sweet 16. NC State will host Missouri, another NCAA Tournament team, Dec. 28. NC State's only other road non-conference dates are at Tennessee Dec. 18 and at UNC Greensboro Dec. 30, a game that will played in the Greensboro Coliseum, site of this year's ACC Tournament. Tennessee is one of three out-ofconference foes, joining Long Beach State and Detroit, on State's schedule that played in last year's NIT. Detroit will play in Reynolds Coliseum Dec. 14. The ACC slate will begin with a pair of conference newcomers. The Pack hosts Pittsburgh Jan. 4 and then is at Notre Dame Jan. 7. Twice NC State will play Monday night games, the first hosting Maryland Jan. 20 and then at Pittsburgh March 3. NC State is at UNC Feb. 1 and will host the Heels Feb. 26, but the Pack will play likely ACC favorite Duke only once in the 2013-14 regular season, traveling to Durham Jan. 18. am asking questions and trying to learn. I am trying to relate better with the television audience." Though his fall will be busy with broadcasting, Holt knows where his schedule will take him Nov. 22: back to Raleigh for the second annual Athletic Hall of Fame induction at Reynolds Holt was a TV announcer Coliseum. Holt was for the Rams' preseason one of 10 new mem- games, and he will work bers selected over the for St. Louis radio stasummer, including late tion 101ESPN, providing football coach Earle Ed- analysis of the Rams' wards.They join Roman season. photo by ken martin Gabriel, Ted Brown and Jim Ritcher as former Wolfpack football greats in the 20-person hall of fame. "It means so much to me," Holt said. "NC State stuck with me and gave me the opportunity to pursue athletics and pursue academics. They gave me the opportunity to do that, when a lot of people didn't think I was going to get my scores and get in school. "I'd like to think I worked hard and made the most of those opportunities." — Tim Peeler ■ NC State 2013-14 Men's Basketball Schedule DateOpponent Time Morehouse (ex.) TBA Nov. 2 Nov. 8 Appalachian State TBA at Cincinnati 5 p.m. Nov. 12 Nov. 16 Campbell TBA North Carolina Central TBA Nov. 20 Nov. 26 Florida Gulf Coast TBA Nov. 30 Eastern Kentucky TBA Dec. 4 Northwestern 7:30 p.m. Dec. 7 Long Beach State TBA Detroit TBA Dec. 14 Dec. 18 at Tennessee 7 p.m. Dec. 21 East Carolina TBA Missouri TBA Dec. 28 Dec. 30 at UNC Greensboro 7 p.m. Jan. 4 Pittsburgh Noon Jan. 7 at Notre Dame 9 p.m. Jan. 11 Virginia 5 p.m. Jan. 15 at Wake Forest 9 p.m. at Duke 2 p.m. Jan. 18 Maryland 9 p.m. Jan. 20 Jan. 26 Georgia Tech 1 p.m. Jan. 29 Florida State 9 p.m. Feb. 1 at North Carolina 2 p.m. Feb. 8 at Miami 2 p.m. Feb. 11 Wake Forest 7 p.m. Feb. 15 at Syracuse 3 p.m. Feb. 18 at Clemson 7 p.m. Feb. 22 at Virginia Tech 2 p.m. North Carolina 8 p.m. Feb. 26 March 1 Miami Noon March 3 at Pittsburgh 9 p.m. March 9 Boston College 6 p.m. March 12-16 ACC Tournament September 2013 ■ 17 16-18,20,22,24.Tracking The Pack.indd 17 8/23/13 3:36 PM