Holly Rowe's love for sports began by following the BYU football team as a child in Utah.
The ESPN reporter, who spoke Tuesday at the Downtown Tip-Off Club at the North Little Rock Chamber of Commerce, recalled watching the Holiday Bowl in 1980 between BYU and SMU.
BYU trailed 45-25 with four minutes left. So, Rowe decided to make a phone call.
"I asked this Catholic prayer service to say a prayer for my BYU Cougars," Rowe said. "BYU came back to win that game. A Catholic quarterback threw a Hail Mary to a Catholic player in the end zone. So, you're welcome."
The prayer worked as BYU scored the game's final 21 points to stun SMU 46-45 with Jim McMahon's Hail Mary pass to Clay Brown.
Rowe, 52, has worked at ESPN since 1998. She is a sideline reporter for the network's college football, basketball and softball coverage. Currently, Rowe is the sideline reporter for ESPN's Big 12 Conference games as part of the network's "Big Monday" package.
She worked as a runner for CBS Sports in 1994 at the NCAA Final Four in Charlotte, N.C., when Arkansas was playing. Rowe admitted that at first, then-University of Arkansas Coach Nolan Richardson was intimidating to her.
"He scared me," Rowe said. "But I later got to meet him and talked to him. He couldn't have been a bigger or more wonderful teddy bear."
The mid-1990s Razorbacks left a high impression on Rowe.
"It was not a quote or a statement," said Rowe on the team's "40 Minutes of Hell" style of play. "It was life for them."
During her speech, Rowe talked about her experiences with several of the top men's and women's college basketball coaches, including Bobby Knight (Indiana, Texas Tech) and Pat Summitt (Tennessee).
Knight once told Rowe, "You came prepared. You ask good questions. You have a great way about you. Don't ever change."
Summitt, Rowe said, was fierce, competitive and feminine.
"She just could not have been a more down-to-earth, amazing woman," Rowe said. "She invited me into the locker room at halftime. She would let me come in the locker room before the game. She was the most expansive [coach]. She was the most amazing woman I've ever seen.
"Her program became so good because of her personality."
Rowe once went on a road trip with Knight from Wichita, Kan., to Stillwater, Okla., where the two shared McDonald's french fries. Also, Rowe's first alcoholic drink was with Summitt, who gave her moonshine.
"French fries with Coach Knight, moonshine with Pat Summitt," Rowe said. "I think this girl from Utah is having a good life."
Arkansas coaches, including Mike Neighbors (women's basketball), Courtney Deifel (softball) and Chad Morris (football), have Rowe's support.
"Mike Neighbors, your coach, is awesome," Rowe said. "Courtney Deifel, her team is doing great and they're in the top 25. Your gymnastics program is great here. And I believe in Chad Morris in football."
Sports on 02/20/2019