Johnny Holliday
Sports Radio Personality
Tuesday, March 6, 2001; 2 p.m. EST
Submit your questions by Tuesday, March 6, at 2 p.m. for Johnny Holliday, longtime radio voice of the Maryland Terrapins, on the upcoming Atlantic Coast Conference tournament, Maryland basketball and sports in general. An audio file and transcript will be displayed shortly.
Johnny Holliday is one of the most familiar voices and faces to those in the Washington area. He does daily morning and afternoon sports reports for ABC Radio Network and is the studio host of Home Team Sports' "Gary Williams Show." He is the announcer for "This Week with Sam Donaldson and Cokie Roberts" and is also seen, and heard, in commercials for a variety of companies and products.
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washingtonpost.com:
Johnny Holliday is taking your questions now on the ACC and Maryland basketball. His responses will be up shortly -- first as an audio file and then as a written transcript.
Bridgeport, W.V.:
If Maryland can play with confidence and believe that they can beat both Duke and North Carolina in the ACC, do you think this Maryland has the ability to do it and do you think this team can get the monkey off their backs and finally get to the Final Four.
Johnny Holliday: Well first of all it is very difficult to get to the Final Four. It is not easy at all. I think just getting to the NCAA tournament these days is a major accomplishment. Certainly Maryland has the talent, they have the coach in Gary Williams, they have the momentum, they have everything going for them to get to that Final Four this year. If they continue to play the same way they have played over the last five games -- which they put together a nice five game winning streak -- for the victories over top 25 teams. So they do have the potential if the can maintain the same kind of effort, the same kind of intensity and, really, the same kind of focus that we have seen the last five games.
Bensalem, Pa.:
What player injury would most hurt Maryland's chances for an ACC tourney win?
Johnny Holliday: I've got to say the most serious would have to be probably Juan Dixon. He is the key as far as scoring is concerned. The kid is one of the top scorers in the ACC. You take away 18 points a game from Juan, you take away the leading steal player in the conference (he has more steals than anybody else) you take away the top free-throw shooter -- and that's Dixon. So all three of those things, scoring, steals and free-throw shooting, would effect them dramatically. He is the guy I think that they can least afford to loose.
Alexandria, Va.:
I know Wake Forest had a good early season, but frankly they seem highly over rated in all the poles. Do you agree that while they are not a bad team, they don't deserve the attention and ranking they get?
Johnny Holliday: Well, they are ranked at the top 25 and I think it is mainly because they've had a good season. I think they got off to a great start too and I think that propelled them pretty high in the rankings. Now if you look at the top 25 they are 22, Maryland is number 11, but they are also very very dangerous. You've got guys like Darius Songaila, you've got Josh Howard, you've got Rafael Vidaurreta, you've got Robert O'Kelley who can just kill a team from downtown beyond the three point line, Hicks and Murray and Dawson… They've got the potential to really do some damage and I think that is one of the things that Gary Williams is concerned about. They've beaten Wake Forest twice during the regular season. It's tough to beat a team three consecutive times but, as I mentioned, this is a different Maryland team then we saw six/seven/eight games ago and Wake Forest has had some problems... but the Terps should win this ball game because they have better talent and they are deeper off the bench.
Silver Spring, Md.:
Johnny,
Will Georgia Tech have a home court advantage over Virginia in the first round game this Friday afternoon? If not necessarily so, do you think Virginia has a shot at winning that game in Atlanta?
Johnny Holliday: I certainly think so because Virginia is loaded. They have some tremendous basketball talent. You take kids like Adam Hall, Travis Watson, Donald Hand, Chris Williams, Roger Mason… they can do some serious damage. The one thing about the tournament going back to Atlanta is the fact that even though it is Georgia Tech's home town they don't play a lot of games in the dome in Atlanta. So you will have all these people from everywhere else coming in to support their various teams unlike other past ACC tournaments where there are just a limited number of tickets available for schools. This will be a record setting tournament. This will be the most attended ACC tournament ever. Upwards of 40 thousand people will be there. Certainly there will be a lot of Georgia Tech fans there, but I don't think there is going to be what you would call a home court advantage as there would be if they were playing at their own home court on the campus of Georgia Tech. So Virginia certainly has a shot and I would probably take Virginia to win this ball game.
Naples, Fla.:
Terrance Morris went from being a lottery pick to off the board. Was he overrated.
Johnny Holliday: First of all I would like to be in Naples, Fla. with you too. I don't think he's overrated. I think Terrance is the kind of player that does more than just score. Pre-season all-American honors I think were really based on what he had done the 3 previous seasons in Maryland and he leaves the school among the leaders all time in blocks, scoring, and rebounding. He's made all-conference now, third team this year -- with the awards just announced yesterday. I think Terrance is the kind of kid where the honors don't mean anything to him. I think he'd much rather win a ballgame, get his 12 points, get his seven rebounds - that's his average for the year - and help his team win. Now if you have been following Maryland basketball you have noticed the last few games Terrance has really stepped it up with his emotion, with his leadership ability. He's having more fun now, as are all the players, then they've had all season long. He's going to go somewhere in the NBA and I think he is to be admired for sticking it out -- not going last year. He could have taken a whole bunch of money last year, but he wanted to get his degree and become the first in his family to do so and really set an example for young kids that he made a commitment to stay in school -- he stayed in school and I think everybody has to admire him for that. But as far as a leader, I think Terrance is a silent leader. He does more then just score. If you look at the Virginia game he double doubled -- the 25th of his career. That's not too shabby. 14 points, 13 rebounds, four blocked shots. He might be the key, along with Dixon, as to how far they will go in the tournament and also in post season the way he's been playing.
Rockville, Md.:
Hi Johnny. I never listen to the TV announcers.
Compare the "noise" at Cole vs. the organized chants and cheers at Cameron. The Dukies get all the credit for being "creative." Which is the better home court advantage? I think it's the noise.
Johnny Holliday: Well, it is two totally different arenas because Cameron Indoor Stadium seats less then 10,000 people, Cole Field House is up to 14,500. The closeness of all the fans to the court at Cameron Indoor Stadium makes it a very very loud venue to go into whereas Cole Field you've got a spacious spacious building. It appears to be more noise at Cameron but it is all packed together. If the question is which is a better home court advantage… I'd say probably Cole Field House because of more people you can fit in there. You've got 14,500 cheering for Maryland where down at Duke you've got less then 10,000 people. Neither one of the places is a place an opponent likes to go into. You go into Duke and you can hardly hear because the noise is so loud, and you come into Maryland and 14,500 people are going to drive opponents nuts too. I think if you ask any coach in the conference, these are two places they least like to play -- Cole and Cameron.
Columbia, Md.:
I had heard Maryland was trying to schedule a home game next season with Georgia State so that Lefty could come back to Cole one last time. Is that still a possibility?
Johnny Holliday: If I'm not mistaken I think Lefty has turned it down for some reason. I don't think it has been officially been turned down I do believe his feelings are he doesn't want to do it and I believe the reason stems from the fact that Lefty has never been given his due. He's never been elected to the Maryland Hall of Fame, which will happen very shortly I understand, and he is still stung by the fact that he was fired from the University of Maryland. That is still in the back of his mind. He figures "why should I come back and be a part of a history making event - the last year of Cole Field House - and help them celebrate when they basically dumped me as the head basketball coach." But I think there are some people who are still trying to convince him that "that was sixteen years ago and this administration is entirely new. None of the people who were involved in those decisions back then are still around. They would like to honor you, like to have you bring your team in - it would be great for the program." This was Gary Williams idea, he wanted this to happen. Let's keep our fingers crossed that it is still not completely put away. I think it would be a wonderful event. Greg Manning, of course, is the athletic director at Georgia State and Greg was my broadcast partner for twelve years and boy do I miss him. He's done a tremendous job. Maybe subliminally he is still trying to convince the Left-hander "this is the right thing to do. It would be good for you, good for basketball, come back and help them celebrate Cole's last year in a big way."
Jessup, Md.:
What is your all-time Maryland team?
Johnny Holliday: Well in 22 years I've seen some tremendous teams and tremendous players I know you'd have to put Len Bias in there, who was most valuable player of the ACC tournament in 1985 I believe… or 84 when Maryland won the ACC championship. I would have to rank up there Steve Francis. Even though he only played one year, he did bring excitement and recognition to Maryland. Joe Smith would have to be included.
I am only listing people I have seen play broadcasting games. That goes back to the 1979 season. Buck Williams who is retired and living in the area would have to be included. Adrian Branch would be a guy I would think of who did so much. Tony Massenburg. Keith Booth, certainly, from Baltimore deserves to be in there. And even Greg Manning, for what Greg Manning did, coming out of Pennsylvania. One of the all time - still - leading freethrow shooters in the ACC. What he stood for academically, being all conference And the fact that he was also a draft pick by the Denver Nuggets back when he graduated in 1981. Albert King has to be listed among those.
There is a whole bunch of them, but that only goes back to my days when I started in 1979.
Sarasota, Fla.:
It appears to me Maryland seems to have learned the lesson to put teams away after the Duke game. Is that your perception or am I just being optimistic after watching the Virginia game?
Johnny Holliday: No, I think they came out. It's usually been the start of a second half that has done in Maryland. They usually had a slow start and the other teams have come out strong. Gary made an interesting comment during one of our television shows a couple of weeks ago… maybe he will go out and tell the kids at the start of the second game "this is the start of the game" - he won't tell them it's the start of the second half because he was so upset that they couldn't get off to a good start.
The Virginia game was a perfect example. Maryland comes out and they shoot in the second half - they hardly missed a shot. They shot something like 72% in the second half and finished off Virginia by outscoring them by 22 points. They got off to a good quick start and they forced Pete Gillen to take a time out probably less then 90 seconds into the second half. That's been a major factor. I'm sure they are all hoping at Maryland that they can continue that streak going and do the same thing against Wake Forest on Friday night.
Alexandria, Va.:
The other night Digger Phelps said he is excited about Carolina/Duke III. He has just blown off the rest of the ACC tournament. I’m sure he just wants bigger ratings for his network, but does this kind of statement from a broadcaster influence the outcome of a tournament? I believe the referees sometimes make bad calls for Duke and Carolina just because that’s who people think should win.
Johnny Holliday: I don't think so. I think that is just one guy giving his opinion. If you listen to Dick Vitale, our good friend from ESPN, he sings the praises of Maryland. He sings the praises of Duke. Certainly Carolina and Duke would be a marquee mach-up and that would be a repeat of what happened this past weekend down at Chapel Hill but I don't think it has any effect of the officials what so ever. For them to be leaning one way or the other is not a proper thing to say. I don't think it takes place at all. I don't think what Digger Phelps says will effect the ACC tournament.
You've got a tournament coming up where anybody - ANYBODY - can pull of an upset. Clemson has had some great wins. Florida State has had some terrific wins. Georgia Tech may be one of the teams that scares everybody because they are so athletic and they split with Maryland. They beat Maryland in Atlanta, Maryland beat them up here. N.C. State can rise up. Virginia can rise up. Wake Forest.
It is really a wide open tournament and I wouldn't put all my eggs in one basket with Cvarolina and Duke to be in the championship.
Herndon, Va.:
Of the the sports reporting and announcing you've done -- is there any one (or two, perhaps) event that stands out from all the others?
Johnny Holliday: Probably the number one would be the Maryland come from behind win against Miami in the Orange Bowl in football. It was especially gratifying for me because I was born in Miami - I went to high school at North Miami High School in Miami, Fla. I had a lot of my friends up in the broadcast booth with us at the Orange Bowl where as a kid - I was the quarterback at North Miami High School - got the biggest thrill of my life of playing in the Orange Bowl. So to go back there to broadcast a game was terrific.
And then seeing Miami leading 31-nothing at the half and here comes Maryland coming back. At that time the chancellor of the University of Maryland was up in our broadcast booth - we had him on at halftime. John Slaughter was his name and he is now out at California.
And I said "what do you think Dr. Slaughter?" and he said "We're going to come back and win this game in the second half Johnny" and I said "What are they serving you guys in the media room at halftime. Are you kidding me? It's 31-nothing!"
Well, they come back behind Frank Reich and Stan Gelbaugh and just some tremendous performances from guys like Greg Hill. It was an amazing comeback and something I will never forget -- in football.
Now in basketball probably the night that Maryland beat North Carolina and handed the Tar Heels the first loss in the Smith Center -- the night that Len Bias had 39 points, and he stole the inbound pass after he scored and laid it up for two, Keith passed the ball off the back of a Carolina player who had turned his back to him -took it on the ricochet and laid it up and scored. That is also a highlight of what I've seen in basketball. Plus the win last year at Duke was sensational. The win this year was sensational and the fact that probably the win over at Duke a few years ago when Gary wasn't able to coach because of a touch of pneumonia and Billy Hahn stepped in and nobody gave Maryland a chance to win. And they upset Duke down there.
So I would probably say the come from behind win over Miami and the big wins over Duke and also the Carolina win over at the Smith Center.
Washington, D.C.:
Hi Johnny. Long-time listener, first time caller.
Several years ago (five or so), Maryland had a running back named Damon Boone. He was a local guy. Any idea of whatever happened to him?
Thanks, I've always enjoyed you on the radio. I'm a UVA guy, but I'd like for Maryland to get a better football team. You deserve it.
Johnny Holliday: No idea what so ever. Damon came out of Springfield, Va. and he was hurt his first year. I think he was the Washington Post player of the year coming out of high school. There was all kinds of potential for this kid to be a real big superstar at Maryland but injuries hampered him and then he transferred out of the school. I have no idea where Damon is today.
Harrison, N.J.:
Name one player in the ACC the casual fan hasn't heard much about, but will make a name for himself in the upcoming tournament.
Johnny Holliday: Well, let's talk about Maryland because the Terps have got some kids that I think can certainly step up. Everybody has heard about Danny Miller a kid from New Jersey and the kind of job Miller has done. If you look at this team, Maryland, you've got kids like Tahj Holden who has played in 20 games this year. Chris Wilcox, a tremendous freshman who has got all kinds of potential, cuold step up and be a factor in the tournament. Couple of other guys who may get some playing time, LaRon Cephas who is a senior has been one of the unsung heroes as far as a silent leader is concerned. He hasn't played much but he has been a captain and he could have gone anywhere else and probably starred at most other schools at perhaps a lower level but he is a team player, a role player for Gary and he just gives you a lot of emotion when he comes off the bench. Then there is a kid like Drew Nicholas from Long Island who has had a chance to come in, get some valuable minutes. And he is coming off a game over Virginia where he had a season high - or career high-- ten assists to go along with sixteen points, the most points he scored. He could be a factor.
But the thing about Maryland, they have such a deep rotation I think everybody is pretty familiar with the top ten players. And there is always the kid who comes through in other schools who hasn't played too much and gets his shot -- gets a couple of shots -- and gets on a roll. All of a sudden you've got yourself a hero for people to cheer for.
College Park, Md.:
Johnny,
As a long-time UMD fan and alumni, I've noticed a coarsening of the language and the antics coming from the student section over the last 20 years or so, especially in the last decade. What do you think? Is there anything that can really be done by the University to contain it? I remember back when I was an undergrad, when a vulgar chant would start up during basketball games, the PA announcer would say to the crowd, "Show a little Maryland class" and the chant would die out. That doesn't occur any more. Could it be that simple?
Johnny Holliday: I think if the PA announcer did it today there would probably be more of it. I think it is the changing of the times. It is not only the effect it has in Maryland, I think it's throughout the entire country. Anywhere you go through the ACC you are going to hear chants against the officials. If you listen to a game on radio or watch a game on television you can pick up clear as a bell what they are saying after a bad call goes against the home team. I don't know what can be done about it. I know it takes away. I would feel very uncomfortable bringing my kids to see a ballgame when you have to be subjected to that kind of language. But I think the people of Maryland are doing everything they can to try to clean things up a little bit -- try to emphasize the fact that it is a sporting event. You want your team to do well. You've got kids, you've got women and there is no need today, in this day and age, to have to have that kind of language. But it goes on everywhere throughout the country and I don't think anybody has any kind of answers.
Raleigh, N.C.:
Hey Johnny. I have always enjoyed your commentary. How do you feel that Gary Williams has handled the depth on this year's team? He has not always had this luxury with other Maryland teams. I don't feel like he has given the freshman Wilcox enough minutes to prepare him for tough ACC and NCAA tournament games.
Johnny Holliday: Well I think what happens with Gary, he has so many good players and Chris Wilcox is going to be, no question, a definite impact player as his career continues in Maryland. Chris has played in 27 games now and that's not bad for a freshman. He's only missed a couple of them. Although he hasn't been getting the kind of minutes he wants, and probably, if there was one liability for Chris it would be his defense. But he has got so many other things going for him. He can leap out building, he can block shots, he's got a nice soft toucher on the basket and the bottom line in my relationships with Chris is he's a terrific terrific young kid. And when you look at the fact that the Terps loose this year Terence Morris, LaRon Cephas, Mike Mardesich, everybody comes back and we've got three good years to look forward to Chris Wilcox and his contributions. He can play, there is no question about that, it is just a matter that there are other guys more experienced and Gary picks and chooses his moments to put him in there. But when he gets in there he, basically, really responds and does a terrific job.
Washington, D.C.:
The Terps have looked as good as any team this year but have also been flat-out awful on several occasions.
What team do you think will show up for the NCAAs, and how important will the seeding and regional placement be?
Johnny Holliday: Well, I hope that it is the fact that they don't look flat out awful as they head into the tournament. I don't think they will because of the quality wins that they had. Four of the last five victories have been over top 25 teams. And I think the one guy you can point at -- you can say is been responsible for the turnaround has been Gary Williams. The way he has adjusted his coaching style, he's backed off a little bit, the kids have responded terrifically. I think the fact that the Terps have now climbed all the way back up to number 11. If you get to that championship game that is going to be fine, of course if you win the ACC tournament you get yourself maybe a number two maybe a number three seed somewhere. I'm not sure where they are going to go. Normally it's been - we've gone out west or gone down south - but I think it has been such a tremendous turn around. You win one game in the tournament, you win two games in the tournament - they are going to get a very good seeding no matter where they go. But I've got a good feeling that they could win for only for the third time in school history, they could win the ACC tournament only based upon how they have been playing recently.
washingtonpost.com:
Johnny Holliday, thanks so much for joining us this afternoon.
