ESPN’s Holly Rowe Inspires Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl Kick-off Dinner with Her Love for SportsESPN’s Holly Rowe Inspires Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl Kick-off Dinner with Her Love for Sports On Monday night at the Shreveport Convention Center, ESPN’s renowned broadcaster Holly Rowe shared her captivating journey in sports broadcasting and her passion for college football, particularly her connection with LSU. Rowe recounted her battles with cancer, receiving support from Nick Saban and Pat Summit during challenging times. She also mentioned memorable encounters with Keith Jackson and Bobby Knight. “I’ve never worked a day in my life,” she proclaimed, emphasizing her love for her profession. Rowe showcased her engaging personality, inviting laughter and sharing her insights. She spoke about covering the upcoming LSU-USC game, thanking the support of her followers. Rowe’s Influence and Inspirational Story As an accomplished broadcaster, Rowe has covered numerous football games and interacted with top athletes. She believes in striving for greatness wherever you are and using your platform to inspire others. Her battle with desmoplastic melanoma inspired a young girl with hair loss to embrace it with pride. Rowe also admires strong women, like Pat Summit, who exhibited both determination and femininity. Rowe’s Commitment to Sports and the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl Despite her health challenges, Rowe remains enthusiastic about football and her broadcasting career. She expressed her gratitude for being present at the event, which kick-starts the annual season in the region. “I’m a football fan, and I’m the luckiest girl in the world. I’ll die on the sidelines to give you the story,” she declared. Rowe’s presence at the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl highlights her passion for the sport and her commitment to inspiring others through her journey and undeniable love for sports.
ESPN’s Holly Rowe spoke about her love for LSU on Monday night
ESPN’s Holly Rowe spoke Monday night about her love for LSU and her coverage of Joe Burrough
ESPN’s Holly Rowe has a 35-year career in broadcasting that has allowed her to work with the top sports community in the United States, thanks to her father in Utah, who introduced her to college football at a young age.
During her speech Monday night at the opening dinner of the 14th Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl at the Shreveport Convention Center, Rowe talked about receiving a box of apples from Nick Saban during her battle with cancer, how the late Pat Summit cooked her dinner at her home, how she visited one-on-one with Keith Jackson before she went to work at the Rose Bowl and how she took perhaps the only selfie ever with the late Bobby Knight.
“Look what this dorky girl from Utah did,” she said. “I’ve never worked a day in my life because I’ve had so much fun. I get paid to watch sports, which is probably the biggest scam in the world.”
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Rowe may not have been as athletic as previous I-Bowl speakers such as Marcus Spears, Devin White, Drew Brees, Steve Spurrier, Herschel Walker, Archie Manning, Emmitt Smith, Jason Witten, Lou Holtz, Bobby Bowden, Terry Bradshaw, Kim Mulkey and Paul Skenes, but she was by far the most engaging.
She let out a few curse words, then apologized and announced she would be covering the LSU-USC football game this fall, but asked fans to forget about it since it hadn’t been officially announced yet.
Rowe has spoken glowingly about her relationship with former LSU star Angel Reese and how she took on some social media pundits who made nasty comments about the current WNBA All-Star. She honed her football talents by covering Division III games, then moved on to the WAC. She was once paid $25 to cover Michael Jordan for a Chicago radio station.
“I always tell people to make it big wherever you are,” Rowe said. “If you work hard, you can do things that other people would like to do.”
Rowe’s battle with desmoplastic melanoma, a rare invasive form of cancer, left her hairless and at one point flirting with death, but playing college football and interacting with friends helped her get through it. She now has her hair back and is cancer-free, while serving as an inspiration to others.
“I had a 16-year-old girl come up to me at a Kansas Jayhawks game and she had lost her hair. She said she had been wearing hats and trying to hide in school and being embarrassed about her bald head,” Rowe said. “And then ‘you go bald on TV and now I walk around school and I feel proud.’”
Rowe said she’s inspired by women like Summit, who stomped around on the field but were still feminine.
“I’m from Utah and I’m Mormon, but Pat introduced me to moonshine,” Rowe said. “If I could have grown it, I would have gotten it on my chest.”
Rowe’s broadcasting career doesn’t seem to be over any time soon, and she’s ready for a new football season, which brought her to Shreveport for an event that opens the region’s annual season.
“I’m a fucking football fan and I’m the luckiest girl in the world,” she said. “I’ll die for you on the sidelines to give you the story.”
Jimmy covers Louisiana sports for the USA TODAY Network. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @JimmyWatson6.
