Category: Analysts

Michael Holton played basketball at UCLA from 1979–83, and was selected in the third round of the 1983 NBA Draft by the Golden State Warriors. During his pro career Michael also played for the Chicago Bulls, Portland Trail Blazers, and Charlotte Hornets. From 2001 through March of 2006, he was head coach of the University of Portland men’s basketball team, where he served as an assistant coach in 1994-95. He was also an assistant coach at Pasadena City College in 1993-94, at Oregon State University in 1995-96, and at UCLA from 1996 until 2001.

In his own inimitable style, Bill Herenda brings high energy, an engaging style  to his media work including game broadcasts as well as on-air contributions to talk shows.

Herenda played on the 1988 UMass Lowell NCAA Division II National Championship Basketball Team, which has subsequently been inducted into the New England Basketball Hall of Fame.

Born in Jersey City, NJ, Herenda was a three-year letterman at St. Peter’s Prep, played under legendary coach, Jerry Halligan, and served as Co-Captain in his senior year as the Marauders captured the Northern New Jersey Parochial A title.

Herenda’s ties to athletics run deep as his brother, Greg is the head basketball coach at Fairleigh Dickinson University and his brother in law is Ken O’Brien, former All Pro QB with the New York Jets.

Active in the community, he is the Executive Director of the Positive Coaching Alliance, is an alumnus of Leadership Sacramento and serves as a Vice President of the El Camino High School Booster Club. Married to the former Mary Ellen O’Brien, the Herenda’s have three daughters.

Playing Career
• Key member, NCAA Division II  Championship Basketball Team, UMass Lowell
• Three Year Letterman, St. Peter’s Prep, Jersey City, NJ. Co-Captain Senior Year, Parochial A North Jersey Championship

ARTIE GIGANTINO-Football Analyst

Artie Gigantino brings a wealth of football knowledge to the microphone every time he speaks on Television or Radio. Prior to entering the world of broadcasting, he was one of the most successful and well known assistant coaches in America. After a four year term at the University of California, Berkeley,Gigantino moved to Los Angeles as an assistant at the University of Southern California. While with the Trojans he was involved with 3 Rose Bowl wins and 2 National Championships. He coached 10 All-Americans and as the Defensive Coordinator led USC to consistent high national ratings in almost every defensive category.
Following 8 highly successful years at USC, he took the step to the NFL. In his first season while coaching the LA Rams Special Teams, the Rams ranked #1 in the League in Special Teams. After 4 years with the Rams he returned to CAL as the Defensive Coordinator.
At the end of his fourth year at CAL he was faced with a very unusual situation. CBS offered him a job as their number 2 college football analyst. This was most unique considering the glib coach was not a head coach. CBS teamed him with Gus Johnson for his first TV job.
The following 10 years included:
Up Close with Roy Firestone Football Analyst
College Football Studio Analyst Fox Sports Net [Kevin Frazier and Kellen Winslow]
College Football Lead Game Analyst Fox Sports Net
Best Damn Sports Show 100 appearances
Oakland Raiders Pre-Season Games Color Analyst
Arena Football Analyst 100 games
Local [San Francisco Area] CBS post game shows NFL/College
Local and National Radio appearances and guest hosting
Weekly Article in the San Francisco Examiner on Football and Sports Media
foxsports.com —weekly article
Sporting News [magazine] weekly article
Gigantino also served as a consultant with the Oakland Raiders prior to being hired to the front office as a Senior Administrator. His on air style is often compared to that of John Madden. He describes the game in an easy to understand manner. Unlike many analysts, he is equally proficient in studio, in the booth, on radio or in writing a column.

Brad Holland-Basketball Analyst

PLAYING CAREER
University of California-Los Angeles (1976-1979)
Holland was a four-year basketball letterman at UCLA. As the last player recruited by
Coach John Wooden, he became a part of four Pac-10 championship teams at UCLA
from 1976 to 1979, two under Coach Gene Bartow and two under Coach Gary
Cunningham. The Bruins went 102-17 during Holland’s playing career and he was
honorable mention All-American and second-team Academic All-American as a senior.
That year he averaged 17.5 points and 4.8 assists and had a .598 field goal percentage,
the best ever by a Bruin guard.
NBA
The Los Angeles Lakers drafted Holland in 1979, the 14thplayer taken in the first round
and went on to win the 1980 NBA World Championship.
The rookie guard scored eight points in the decisive sixth game versus the Philadelphia
76ers. He was a member the Los Angeles Lakers organization for two full seasons.

Coaching Highlights
Holland had a thirteen-year mark of 200-176 at USD, making him the winningest
basketball coach in USD history. During his tenure at USD, Holland had eleven seasons
with .500 or better records, twice being named the WCC coach of the year by his peers,
reached the semifinals or better in the WCC tournament ten times (4-2 record in the
WCC Tournament over the last two seasons), and won the 2003 WCC Tournament
to advance to the NCAA Tournament. On top of that, Holland graduated 52 out of 53
student-athletes that finished their eligibility at USD and Holland helped raise hundreds
of thousands of dollars for the men’s basketball program through his Tournament Team
Booster club.

MEIDA EXPERIENCE
FSN West / FSN Prime Ticket, Los Angeles, CA January 2008 – March 2008
Television Commentator
Tom Feuer, Executive Producer
Color Analyst for various college basketball games
Responsible for preparation and delivery of live game analysis and interviews with
coaches and
players
CSTV, Redondo Beach, CA January 2008 – March 2008
Television Commentator
Jerry Weinstein, Executive Producer
Color Analyst for various college basketball games.
Responsible for preparation and delivery of live game analysis and interviews with
coaches and
players.
KCAL Channel 9, Los Angeles, December 2007 – March 2008
Television Commentator
Pat McClenahan, President

 

Tom Penders   is one of the winningest   coaches in NCAA Division I history: part east coast gym rat, part standup comic, and now co-author of the acclaimed book, “Dead Coach Walking.”. Tom coached for almost four decades steering programs at 7 universities: Tufts, Columbia, Fordham, Rhode Island, Texas, George Washington and Houston. His success in lifting each of them from the depths of ‘death row’ to winning glory land  lead to his nickname of “Turnaround  Tom”  More about Tom can be seen on his web site: www.tompenders.com.  His recent book tour had him on most every sports radio station in America. He has been on ESPN numerous times talking about the status of college athletics in general and Division 1 Basketball in particular.  In between coaching jobs Tom has appeared as a game analyst and studio commentator on ESPN, CBS College Sports and CBS/Westwood One radio.