Steve Holman broadcasts 2000th consecutive game

Since the streak started back in March of 1989, Holman has seen every Hawks moment, good and bad, and has been the enduring constant as the “Voice of the Hawks.” Broadcasts 1999 and 2000 perfectly exemplified the types of highs and lows that Steve has witnessed through the years as he called the worst offensive performance in Atlanta Hawks history on Monday (58 points) followed by the biggest win of the season on Wednesday (14 point win over Joe Johnson’s Nets). Prior to his 2000^th broadcast I was able to sit down with Steve and talk about his career, favorite moments, and what the future holds for the “Voice of the Hawks.”

Going into your 2000^th broadcast, can you believe that you’ve made it this far and that it’s gotten to this point?

You know I always hoped it would. When it started to roll a little bit I started to think about it, we got up to 500 and then got close to 1000, and at 1000 they gave me the ball and I started thinking it would be really neat if I could get another one at 2000 cause each of my boys could have one. So, here we are and we made it.

What memories really stick out for you over your career?

There are so many, it’s hard to pinpoint just several, but some of them, well most of them, center around Dominique usually. When he scored his 20,000^th point, when he broke the scoring record for the Hawks and became the all-time scorer, I was here to call that. His last night as a Hawk when they traded him, that was kind of an emotional night for everybody because he sort of knew it was coming and he went crazy in the fourth quarter of that game and we beat Seattle. So that was a tough game to do.

Some of the more recent ones, I mean that Game 6 here against Boston that first year we made the playoffs I thought that ranked right up there with the excitement level with any game we’ve had at the old Omni or here. I think that really was the coming out party for this group of players with Josh and Al and this group, and the building was rocking so I remember that night pretty well.

There was a night Smitty in Miami hit about nine three pointers and we won that game and it was shortly after he was traded to us from Miami. Another night, Matt Bullard, who was here only about a half a year, and he had one of those nights too where he hit several down the stretch of the game.

Of course, the night Lenny broke Red Auerbach’s record, that was pretty special too because I grew up in Boston watching the Celtics and Red Auerbach and all that so I thought it was neat that I was able to call that and go in the back and have a cigar with him to celebrate Lenny and celebrate Red. Those are just a few.

Any idea on if we’re going to see 500 or 1000 more games?

I hope so. I plan to do it as long as I can, as long as they’ll let me. As long as I’m healthy and can sound coherent and still do games, it’s one of those jobs, I’ve told people it’s the job of a lifetime and I want to keep it for a lifetime. I don’t plan to retire, let me say that, you know, they can wheel me out of here one night on a gurney but that’ll be about it.

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Having a conversation with Steve is always a pleasure. His insight into the game and this team, along with his love for what he does are what make him a great broadcaster and a great person to talk to. I think I speak for all Hawks fans in saying, congratulations Steve and here’s to 1000 more games for “the Voice of the Hawks.”