Changing of the Guard

First, Tom Suiter. Next, Bob Holliday. WRAL Sports said "goodbye" to a pair of local legends in recent months.

And for many of us, these fellows were friends. They were our eyewitnesses to Final Fours, bowl games, high school football and the Stanley Cup playoffs. They will certainly be missed.

As the Sports Photographer for WRAL from 1980-1986, I would like to share a couple of thoughts about Tom and Bob.

Allow me to crank up the Flux Capacitor to March 1980. I was fresh out of college and starting my first job as shooting sports at WRAL. Tom Suiter was the Weekend Sports Anchor at the Big 5. Tom and I were a team. We went everywhere together.

Whether it was interviewing a newly hired Coach K, a grumpy Ralph Sampson or NASCAR up-and-comer Dale Earnhardt, Tom's enthusiasm and laser-sharp sense of humor was amazing. We laughed our way to and from most of our assignments. And I owe Tom a huge debt of gratitude as he taught me the words to every fight song in the ACC.

Now fire up the DeLorean to 1981. Bob Holliday visited the sports office as part of his job interview at WRAL. I'm not sure Bob knew what he was getting himself into. As he eloquently told us of his sports philosophy, Tom and I played a spirited game of Nerf basketball. Bob never missed a beat as the ball bounced off his noggin and Tom did his best impression of Tommy Heinsohn shooting free throws.

After joining the WRAL Sports team, Bob and I became the new duo. "The Captain" and I teamed up for some great assignments: Daytona, UNC's '82 championship, the Cardiac Pack in '83, and too many great high school football games to remember.

I want to take a moment to address some of the concerns about Tom and Bob moving on (although Tom remains at WRAL for special assignments). They will be missed. No question about it. But their fingerprints are all over the Big 5 Sports team. They have left behind an amazing legacy. Each member of the sports office was strongly influenced by Tom and Bob.

Jeff Gravley. Ken Medlin. Josh Hailey. Jason Jennings. Each of these guys grew up watching Suiter and Holliday, dreaming about the day they might work one day with their TV idols. (As a matter of fact, you might say that my son Jason literally grew up in the WRAL Sports office as he followed dear ol' dad on numerous assignments.) Once here, they learned from these men first-hand.

We miss Tom and Bob. As a friend, I miss having them around. As a colleague, I'm indebted to both of them for allowing me to grow not only as a Sports Photographer but as a Reporter as well. I want to publicly thank both of these gentlemen for everything.

But their legacy lives on. It is not necessarily the end of an era. More like the changing of the guard. Just tune in to the Big 5 Sports tonight and see for yourself.

Jay