Michael S. Holley (born February 26, 1970) is an American television and radio sports commentator, sports reporter and author. He formerly wrote columns for the ''
Boston Globe
''The Boston Globe'' is an American daily newspaper founded and based in Boston, Massachusetts. The newspaper has won a total of 27 Pulitzer Prizes, and has a total circulation of close to 300,000 print and digital subscribers. ''The Boston Glob ...
'', ''
Chicago Tribune
The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television a ...
'', ''
The Plain Dealer
''The Plain Dealer'' is the major newspaper of Cleveland, Ohio, United States. In fall 2019, it ranked 23rd in U.S. newspaper circulation, a significant drop since March 2013, when its circulation ranked 17th daily and 15th on Sunday.
As of Ma ...
'', and ''
Akron Beacon Journal''.
Career
While working for the ''Akron Beacon Journal'' in 1993, Holley was one of several reporters who worked on a project studying race relations in Northeastern Ohio. The series, entitled "A Question of Color," won the 1994
Pulitzer Prize for Meritorious Public Service.
Holley worked as a reporter and columnist for the ''Boston Globe'' from 1997-2001 and then again from 2002-2005, briefly leaving the paper to work for the ''Chicago Tribune''.
In 2005, Holley left the ''Globe'' to replace
Bob Neumeier
Robert E. Neumeier (November 3, 1950 – October 23, 2021) was an American sportscaster for several Boston-area media outlets. He also appeared on NBC Sports, specializing in Thoroughbred racing.
Early life
Neumeier was born on November 3, 195 ...
as co-host of the
WEEI midday
sports radio
Sports radio (or sports talk radio) is a radio format devoted entirely to discussion and broadcasting of sporting events. A widespread programming genre that has a narrow audience appeal, sports radio is characterized by an often- boisterous on ...
talk show. The show was renamed the ''Dale & Holley Show'' and features Holley and former
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team has been in existence since 1924, making t ...
play-by-play announcer
Dale Arnold
Dale Everett Arnold (born March 27, 1956) is a New England sportscaster. He hosts Boston Bruins broadcasts on NESN and co-hosted talk radio shows on WEEI until his retirement from radio on March 12, 2021, announced the day before. He was the ...
who discuss the various Boston sports teams.
On February 15, 2011, it was announced Holley would join
Glenn Ordway as co-host of the afternoon
drive WEEI program ''
The Big Show''. Mike Salk replaced
Glenn Ordway as host of
The Big Show and the show was renamed ''Salk and Holley'' on March 20, 2013. Mike Salk left the station on March 12, 2014 ending Salk and Holley. On April 1, 2014
WEEI-FM
WEEI-FM (93.7 MHz) – branded SportsRadio 93.7 WEEI-FM – is a commercial sports radio station licensed to Lawrence, Massachusetts, serving Greater Boston and much of surrounding New England. Owned by Audacy, Inc., WEEI-FM is the Boston aff ...
relaunched the Dale and Holley show with his former co-host
Dale Arnold
Dale Everett Arnold (born March 27, 1956) is a New England sportscaster. He hosts Boston Bruins broadcasts on NESN and co-hosted talk radio shows on WEEI until his retirement from radio on March 12, 2021, announced the day before. He was the ...
from 2-6 PM.
On February 28, 2018, Holley announced at the 5 p.m. hour that he would be leaving WEEI immediately after the show to pursue a full time television role with
NBC Sports Boston
NBC Sports Boston is an American regional sports network owned by the NBC Sports Group unit of NBCUniversal, and operates as an affiliate of NBC Sports Regional Networks. The channel broadcasts regional coverage of professional sports events thr ...
. It was a very emotional decision for Holley after spending 13 years with the station and 10 of those with his radio partner and friend on and off the air, Dale Arnold.
In October 2008, Holley replaced
Donny Marshall
Donny Marshall (born July 17, 1972) is an American former professional basketball player who played five seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Cleveland Cavaliers and New Jersey Nets. He is currently a college basketball te ...
as host of ''Celtics Now'', a weekly program on
Comcast SportsNet
NBC Sports Regional Networks is the collective name for a group of regional sports networks in the United States that are primarily owned and operated by the NBCUniversal division of the cable television company Comcast. The networks were origin ...
that covers on and off court stories related to the
Boston Celtics.
Holley is the author of three books one of which, ''Patriot Reign: Bill Belichick, the Coaches, and the Players Who Built a Champion'', made the
New York Times Best Seller list for nonfiction.
Holley has appeared on the
ESPN
ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). Th ...
television program ''
Around the Horn
''Around the Horn'' (''ATH'') is an American sports roundtable discussion show, conducted in the style of a panel game, produced by ESPN. The show premiered on November 4, 2002, as a replacement for ''Unscripted with Chris Connelly'', and has ...
'' as well as ''
I, Max'' on
Fox Sports Net
Fox Sports Networks (FSN), formerly known as Fox Sports Net, was the collective name for a group of regional sports channels in the United States. Formed in 1996 by News Corporation, the networks were acquired by The Walt Disney Company on Mar ...
.
On September 14, 2020, Holley joined
Peacock
Peafowl is a common name for three bird species in the genera '' Pavo'' and '' Afropavo'' within the tribe Pavonini of the family Phasianidae, the pheasants and their allies. Male peafowl are referred to as peacocks, and female peafowl are r ...
to co-host a new show with Michael Smith called Brother From Another from 3-5 ET.
Personal life
Michael Holley was born in
Akron, Ohio
Akron () is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Summit County. It is located on the western edge of the Glaciated Allegheny Plateau, about south of downtown Cleveland. As of the 2020 Census, the city prop ...
. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from
Point Park College in May 1992. On April 30, 2005 he gave the
commencement speech
A commencement speech or commencement address is a speech given to graduating students, generally at a university, although the term is also used for secondary education institutions and in similar institutions around the world.
The commencement ...
to the class of 2005 at
Point Park University
Point Park University is a private university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Grea ...
, where he received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree.
Max Kellerman
Max Kellerman (born August 6, 1973) is an American sports television personality and boxing commentator. He is the host of ''This Just In with Max Kellerman'' and the co-host of ''Keyshawn, JWill and Max'' on ESPN Radio. He previously was a co-ho ...
, graduate of
Columbia University
Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...
, often made verbal jabs at Point Park University while the two were featured on "I, Max."
Holley married on July 14, 2007.
Books
*''Patriot Reign:
Bill Belichick
William Stephen Belichick (; born April 16, 1952) is an American professional football coach who is the head coach of the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). Additionally, he exercises extensive authority over the Patri ...
, the Coaches, and the Players Who Built a Champion'' -
*''Never Give Up: My
Stroke, My Recovery and My Return to the
NFL with
Tedy Bruschi
Tedy Lacap Bruschi (; born June 9, 1973) is a former professional American football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for 13 seasons, who currently serves as the senior advisor to the head coach at University o ...
'' -
*''
Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...
Rule:
Terry Francona
Terrence Jon Francona (born April 22, 1959), nicknamed "Tito", is an American baseball manager and former player who is the manager of the Cleveland Guardians in Major League Baseball (MLB). Previously, he was the manager of the Boston Red Sox fo ...
and Boston's Rise to Dominance'' -
*''War Room: The Legacy of
Bill Belichick
William Stephen Belichick (; born April 16, 1952) is an American professional football coach who is the head coach of the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). Additionally, he exercises extensive authority over the Patri ...
and the Art of Building the Perfect Team'' -
*''Belichick and Brady: Two Men, the Patriots, and How They Revolutionized Football'' -
*''The Big Three: Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and the Rebirth of the Boston Celtics'' -
*'' Heart And Steel/Bill Cowher''
References
External links
WEEI Dale & HolleyWEEI Audio Vault: Dale & HolleyAppearance on WMBR's
' radio show May 19, 2004
Appearance on WMBR's
' radio show December 17, 2003
{{DEFAULTSORT:Holley, Michael
1965 births
American columnists
American sports radio personalities
The Boston Globe people
Radio personalities from Boston
Writers from Akron, Ohio
Sports in Boston
Sportswriters from Ohio
Sportswriters from Massachusetts
Living people
Journalists from Ohio