Bill Walton
- Thread starter FELONIOUSMONK
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Walton is a treasure. LOVE him when he's the "analyst"
I honestly think the "analyst" role could be done way better, and Walton proves it. You don't need an ex-player spouting dumb cliches ("Team X really wants to win the turnover battle." Oh really, and their opponent doesn't?). Problem is, when networks have tried it, they've hired the wrong guy, like Dennis Miller or Tony Kornheiser.
Way too over the top and bizarre for me and spends too much time trying to be funny. But Definitely one of the best centers ever during the short window when he was healthy.
A friend of mine knows him personally and says he is truly a great guy.
A friend of mine knows him personally and says he is truly a great guy.
I love Walton. I find that he makes the games much more entertaining.
I am mixed. I think his act would get old listening to him 3x per week
I went from really disliking Walton to really enjoying his broadcasts. I find myself laughing out loud multiple times every game that he does.
Recently watched Washington State play USC, Walton was the Analyst. On one play, Metu went over and sucker punched Carter Skaggs in the nuts. Skaggs was in massive pain and Metu was disqualifed from the game. Walton called Metu's act a "Crime Against Humanity" and spent quality air time during the entire game discussing the event. I was cracking up.
Recently watched Washington State play USC, Walton was the Analyst. On one play, Metu went over and sucker punched Carter Skaggs in the nuts. Skaggs was in massive pain and Metu was disqualifed from the game. Walton called Metu's act a "Crime Against Humanity" and spent quality air time during the entire game discussing the event. I was cracking up.
Love Walton. Met him a few years back and had him sign a Dead record for me, while everyone else was having him sign basketballs. "All right! That's what I'm talking about!"
Shook his hand. It's the size of a catchers mitt.
Shook his hand. It's the size of a catchers mitt.
I like him in many ways like Al McGuire years ago. Nonconformist and outspoken. Often makes interesting analysis and comments, sometimes head scratching discourse. Colorful figures, non mainstream.
I don't know how much his body actually went, he was going to grad school at night while being paid great money from
Portland because his bone spur was acting up. and it always acted up after a new contract. He also spent a lot of time and
money on backing up the Symbionese Liberation Army, that kidnapped Patty Hearst. He was actually linked to guns that
were supplied to them when they were robbing banks. He spent years after their deaths, blaming the FBI for killing them.
This garbage was an anti American, and was anti establishment leader for years, then years later he joined the establishment
he hated to make even more money. In short he is a turd.
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Fanny
Bill was part of the Wooden DYNASTY, as you know. Think it was against Memphis, he went something like 21-22 shots made (no three pointers then).
MO
Dont like watching basketball with Bill Walton in my ear. Im not anti-fun or anything but he lost me about 2 weeks ago when he said that a guard with pro potential shouldnt risk his body to take a charge.
Love listening to Walton----once a week.
Extremely entertaining.
One of the posters mentioned Al McGuire------many years ago Lou Holtz brought Al to be speaker at an ND Football Friday Night Pep Rally a weekend I was out there.
Al came out on stage arms up raised an he heard some boos.
He looked a crew by the stage right in the eye and told them
" Calm down or I'll go back to Marquette and start a football program and really kick your *** "
Priceless
Extremely entertaining.
One of the posters mentioned Al McGuire------many years ago Lou Holtz brought Al to be speaker at an ND Football Friday Night Pep Rally a weekend I was out there.
Al came out on stage arms up raised an he heard some boos.
He looked a crew by the stage right in the eye and told them
" Calm down or I'll go back to Marquette and start a football program and really kick your *** "
Priceless
Dave Pasch is the other color analyst or guy that has to deal with Bill Walton each broadcast....I think during the Arizona @ Utah game last week, Pasch asked him, "Bill, what on earth are you talking about", during play or whatever Walton was saying.
He doesn't bother me at all, but he was doing the Utah UCLA game last night and I believe would mention John Wooden at least 4 to 5 times per game with UCLA....
He doesn't bother me at all, but he was doing the Utah UCLA game last night and I believe would mention John Wooden at least 4 to 5 times per game with UCLA....
If you pay attention you can't help noticing that he is really an intellectual guy with a great brain.
I can't listen to him. He's a babbling idiot and not funny at all. Was watching Arizona a few weeks ago and had to turn it off because of him. I loved McGuire, don't think they are in the same league.
I wish Chris Webber did college games. thought he was great in the NBA playoffs last year.
I wish Chris Webber did college games. thought he was great in the NBA playoffs last year.
It took a while for Bill Walton to grow on me. He's an entertainer first which I normally dislike. But he's so good-natured about it it's hard to hate him.
And all you really need to know about him came from another announcer on a different broadcast who told his partner he was afraid of a "contact high" when he was partnered with Walton. Priceless.
And all you really need to know about him came from another announcer on a different broadcast who told his partner he was afraid of a "contact high" when he was partnered with Walton. Priceless.
My favorite analytical comment is when people say, "Belichick will try to score here at the end of the first half and then he'll get the ball to start the second half. He's a genius at that."
The only thing Belichick is a genius at with regard to this is that he knows how to use the clock. Other than that, everybody tries to do this (or all smart coaches at least). Belichick is a genius for lots of other reasons, but this is just common sense.
The only thing Belichick is a genius at with regard to this is that he knows how to use the clock. Other than that, everybody tries to do this (or all smart coaches at least). Belichick is a genius for lots of other reasons, but this is just common sense.
Bill had a speech impediment in college, and was kind of monosyallabic in interviews. First time I saw him was soph year. Wooden had won another NCAA the season before, but was losing his three big guys to graduation and the NBA and the interviewer asked if that was going to be a problem next season. Wooden said, we have some freshmen we like. Walton and, I think, Wilkes--and then you hear the freshmen beat the varsity. That first game, early on, Walton grabbed a rebound, red hair waving, sweat flying, and before his feet hit the ground, fired an outlet pass to a guard streaking into front court. You kind of knew.
UCLA won two with him at C, and then he became very political--anti-war--and a vegetarian-- they lost to NC St with David Thompson. Portland chose him, and for a couple of years, he was at war with the training staff and wasn't playing all that well when healthy. Wooden had him down to the farm for much of the summer, and his second year, he became Bill Walton again. The year Portland won it all, he had a great year statistically, and was the unquestioned team leader. Then, major foot problems ruined his career, though he had a great last hurrah as first big off the bench for the Celtics' title. Followed the Grateful Dead around, and became a color guy. He talks about all kinds of stuff; plays favorites, loves the PAC-12; and amidst the patter, comes up with some nice insights. Love it when he does a game. Al McGuire was something akin to Bill, but not as extreme. Al would vastly annoy Billy Packer, the old Wake guard who did the play by play. Walton's guy likes him, and is tolerant when Bill goes off on a tangent, or gets lost in Memoryland.
TL
UCLA won two with him at C, and then he became very political--anti-war--and a vegetarian-- they lost to NC St with David Thompson. Portland chose him, and for a couple of years, he was at war with the training staff and wasn't playing all that well when healthy. Wooden had him down to the farm for much of the summer, and his second year, he became Bill Walton again. The year Portland won it all, he had a great year statistically, and was the unquestioned team leader. Then, major foot problems ruined his career, though he had a great last hurrah as first big off the bench for the Celtics' title. Followed the Grateful Dead around, and became a color guy. He talks about all kinds of stuff; plays favorites, loves the PAC-12; and amidst the patter, comes up with some nice insights. Love it when he does a game. Al McGuire was something akin to Bill, but not as extreme. Al would vastly annoy Billy Packer, the old Wake guard who did the play by play. Walton's guy likes him, and is tolerant when Bill goes off on a tangent, or gets lost in Memoryland.
TL
Walton was a talented wacko in an era which was known for a number of out of the box types...a bit too far left for my liking...Walton, who was an intelligent guy just liked his drugs ( evident on the air sometimes)...Grateful Dead Concerts and Symbionese Liberation Army buddies more than the norm...other than that he was a very good athlete until those knees did him in...