Bill Walton's announcing. What do you think?

[00dog]

Walton was one of the announcers on the Texas A&M - Arizona game. To me, he was just bad. He seemed argumentative, condescending, and, at times, clueless. He repeatedly harped on his ecology agenda while the other announcer was trying to bring the discussion back to the game. Just wondering...

 

[wtw2400]

Bill Walton is a bad basketball Announcer but an entertaining one. Consider me a fan because I'll watch the game to find what whacky thing he says. So if you like basketball you'll probably be mad but if you need a reason to watch he's the reason for me.

 

[klong-dog]

Yeah, he's very annoying. He gets away with the regular analyst/color commentator speak because of who he is. So he is basically says whatever the hell he wants without repercussions.

 

[hailstate19]

The dude loves him some grateful dead. Its great.

 

[Wizard.sixpack]

I felt so sorry for the guy with him during the PK80 Tourney. I bet he said “let’s get back to the game” 10 times because Bill wanted to talk about everything but the game. He would just go off on historical facts. The guy was getting obviously annoyed

 

[Lawdawg.sixpack]

I'd rather listen to Verne and Gary. Seriously.

 

[FlotownDawg]

Bill Walton is playing a character, much like Skip Bayless does. He used to be a good NBA announcer back in the day but since he came to ESPN a few years ago it’s obvious they told him to play up the pothead hippie schtick. It’s gotten really annoying.

 

[Dawgzilla]

It's HOOOORRRRRible.

 

[Shamoan]

It was bizarre. The rules had to be explained a few times and he seemed confused. That said, he is probably building a schtick. I thought it was entertaining in a train-wrecky sorta way.

 

[Msubulldogfan1]

Bill Walton is playing a character, much like Skip Bayless does. He used to be a good NBA announcer back in the day but since he came to ESPN a few years ago it’s obvious they told him to play up the pothead hippie schtick. It’s gotten really annoying.

This. He’s done some NBA finals before and was pretty good.

 

[IBleedMaroonDawg]

When the game is good enough he forgets its all about him, he's pretty good, which ain't often.

He needs to just go ahead and retire to a nice ganga community.

 

[DAWG61]

This entire video is about Bill Walton

 

[olblue.sixpack]

I felt so sorry for the guy with him during the PK80 Tourney. I bet he said “let’s get back to the game” 10 times because Bill wanted to talk about everything but the game. He would just go off on historical facts. The guy was getting obviously annoyed

He’s a distraction.

 

[BulldogBlitz]

He is always condescending. Always.

 

[DreadNought.sixpack]

The only thing worse than someone with an ecology agenda is a militant vegan.

 

[512taylor]

Embarrassing

 

[Dawg1976]

Is he still a vegetarian? That should tell you something.

 

[GhostOfJackie]

He’s terrible in all aspects of life and professsion.

Is the little “schtick” where him and his announcer partner hate on each other real or fake?

 

[mstateglfr]

A few things.

- Walton is a horrible commentator- as terrible as Dicky V for the same reason- rambling about **** they forcibly talk about unrelated to the game.

- Walton pushed like hell to get Howland fired. Back on 2012/2013, Walton publicly argued for Howland to be fired over and over again. He gave interviews about it. He campaigned on TV for Howland to be fired while working a UCLA game even. I appreciate getting the Howland seconds from the UCLA-Howland breakup, but if you read about what Walton was bitching about and why he wanted Howland fired, its actually comical because Howland had changed his approach in the year Walton was complaining and Walton’s points were contrary to what the team was doing.

- The Pac12 telecasts have, at least last season, a picture in picture when he calls games so those watching have to see him on camera ranting and rambling on about random **** while the game is played. Seriously, there is a fixed camera right in front of him on the table. That is indefensible by the production team.

- Walton and his longtime college basketball partner Dave Pasch are the most real life Felix and Oscar television duo of all time. Dave Pasch denies evolution and Walton very much supports the idea that animals evolve thru history. This was actually discussed on air a few years ago because Walton gave Pasch a book about Darwin and observed Evolution. Pasch apparently believe Irreducible Complexity is a supportive argument to Intelligent Design, even though its been shown over and again to be pseudoscience.
All of this basically just goes to show how extremely odd the pairing of these two guys is and that since they clearly accept working together year after year, their commentating is going to veer away from the game a lot and in all sorts of ways. It’s a shame to see that the commentators are taking away from the reason everyone is watching- the basketball game.

- Those on here ripping on his eco-centric ramblings for the topic…well bless your hearts. Take issue with the rants in general, but caring about ecological preservation is just not something to make fun of. Its cutting off one’s nose to spite your face. It damages oneself more than the object of one’s anger. Ecological conservation and preservation(which are different) are absolutely worth supporting- even the most skeptical global warmers among us should want conservation and preservation to exist across the country. It benefits everyone directly or indirectly. Directly- hunters, cyclists, hikers, climbers, farmers, kayakers, etc. Indirectly- anyone who enjoys breathing clean air and eating food with low direct amounts of chemicals.
But hey, Im sure this point will draw ire by the reactionary among us- noses be damned.

 

[jethreauxdawg]

Thanks, Luke

 

[engie]

Last time I heard him, I thought he was 10 years and beers away from being the basketball version of how I remember Harry Caray. Maybe never have the endearing self-deprecation...

 

[tatedog]

In order to appreciate a Bill Walton commentary, you have to smoke as much pot as Bill Walton.

pro tip: you aren't going to make it.

 

[mstateglfr]

Thanks, Luke

Good one. Yup, i criticized Bill over and over again, but im Luke.
Almost clever

 

[Dawgwalk.sixpack]

Literally every time I've tuned into a bball game he was on he was talking about something non bball related.
I swear one time he was talking about salmon spawning in a river in Oregon.

 

[jethreauxdawg]

Hence the joke, Francis

Lighten up