University of Tennessee Athletics
HOLLOWAY-GREER NAMED AS ARGOS NOMINEES FOR CFL PASSING TANDEM
August 02, 2006 | Football
Aug. 2, 2006
Dan Ralph, Canadian Press
TORONTO (CP) - Whenever quarterback Condredge Holloway got into a tight squeeze with the Toronto Argonauts, he knew he always had a reliable safety valve in receiver Terry Greer.
"Terry was the type of receiver that when you threw him the ball, three things would happen, and none of them were bad," Holloway said. "First, he'd catch it. But if he couldn't catch it, then he made sure the other guys didn't either.
"The third thing was the pass was incomplete, but at least you still had the ball and had another chance to make a play. The trust factor between quarterback and receiver is essential in football and there's no doubt I had that with Terry."
On Friday, the former Argos stars were named as the sixth of nine nominees in the Greatest Quarterback-Receiver Connections in CFL History program. It gives fans the opportunity to vote on-line for the top pass-catching tandem in league history.
Greer said he and Holloway had the uncanny knack for knowing what the other was thinking on the football field.
"I just knew when the ball was coming to me," Greer said. "If things broke down, I knew Condredge would look to me and he always knew where to find me. That was something that came from hours of practising together."
Holloway and Greer join Anthony Calvillo and Ben Cahoon of the Montreal Alouettes, Danny McManus and Darren Flutie of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, Ron Lancaster and Hugh Campbell of the Saskatchewan Roughriders, Khari Jones and Milt Stegall of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Warren Moon and Brian Kelly of the Edmonton Eskimos are the other entrants named thus far.
Once all nine tandems are unveiled, fans can go to www.cfl.ca/makingtheconnection and vote for the team of their choice. The winners will be announced during halftime of the 2006 Grey Cup, slated for Canad Inns Stadium in Winnipeg on Nov. 19.
Holloway was drafted as a shortstop by the Montreal Expos, but decided to play football and upon graduating from Tennessee began his CFL career with the Ottawa Rough Riders in 1975. Holloway initially teamed up with former Notre Dame star Tom Clements with the Riders, who won the 1976 Grey Cup. Holloway eventually became Ottawa's starter before being dealt to Toronto in April 1981.
He remained with the Argos through the 1986 season before finishing his CFL career with the B.C. Lions in 1987-'88.
Holloway, 52, guided Toronto to consecutive Grey Cup appearances in 1982-'83, winning in '83. But Holloway, who was stricken with the flu, had to watch as Joe Barnes came off the bench to rally the Argos to an 18-17 victory over B.C. in Vancouver, their first CFL title in 31 years.
Holloway captured the CFL's outstanding player award in 1982 and in 1998 was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame and Museum. The Argos have named both Holloway and Greer to their all-time team.
Holloway said his years with Toronto were his best in the CFL.
"Without a doubt," he said. "I enjoyed teaming up with Tom in Ottawa and then the time I had alone there, but in Toronto we had guys like Terry and running back Cedric Minter, who was a legitimate 1,000-yard rusher and other receivers like Emmanuel Tolbert, Paul Pearson and Jan Carinci and another Canadian receiver named Geoff Townsend, who could really fly.
"We had a really balanced team."
Holloway has been working as the assistant athletic director of player relations at his alma mater since '98, the year the Vols won their last NCAA title.
Greer, who turns 49 in September, spent six seasons with Toronto (1980-'85) before joining the NFL's Cleveland Browns in 1986. Greer was with Cleveland for just one year before spending three seasons with San Francisco (1987-'89), winning a Super Bowl ring his last year there. Greer capped his pro career with Detroit in 1990.
Greer's best pro season came in 1983 when he became the first receiver ever surpass the 2,000-yard plateau, registering 2003 yards on 113 catches, marks that still stand today as Argo club records.
"That (2,000-yard season) was a big honour but it didn't really dawn on me until after," Greer said. "I remember breaking the huddle and going to my position and seeing all the guys on the sidelines all standing up and waiting to see me do it.
"And once I caught that pass, they all rushed on to the field. That's what made it special because it showed how close a team we were."
Holloway and Greer played together for five seasons, combining for 219 receptions for 3,991 yards and 27 touchdowns. Included was a 246-yard receiving performance versus Hamilton on Sept. 10, 1982 that still stands as a club record.
These days, Greer works as the manager of a manufacturing company in Cleveland. He is married with a 16-year-old daughter and six-year-old son and gave up coaching football to spend time with his family.
"Coaching takes up a lot of time," he said. "I enjoy spending time with my wife and kids, that's what's really important to me."
© The Canadian Press 2006
