RIP Bill Walton

[bamafan]

Sports world stunned by Bill Walton’s death: ‘An absolutely magnificent, beautiful person’ (New York Post)

From his eccentric rants to his trademark “Conference of Champions” quote, not to mention the zany attires and his four championships spanning college and th...

l.smartnews.com

 

[Silly Donovan]

He was a rebel and a hell of a nice guy. Not to mention an outstanding hoopster. Kept UCLA on top after the Jabbar era.

 

[paultzman]

Brady’s dad;

 

[logen]

Just a great, great, GREAT player and rivaled Bill Russell as the leading “HUH?” person to ever get behind a microphone. The world just got a little more vanilla with his passing.

 

[SJU61982]

Just a great, great, GREAT player and rivaled Bill Russell as the leading “HUH?” person to ever get behind a microphone. The world just got a little more vanilla with his passing.

He was the complete opposite of Russell as a broadcaster, though. Russell was boring, and slow (from what little Youtube clips I've seen).

Walton, IMO, was the rare broadcaster who functioned better in a 3-man booth, especially in his NBC days with Steve Jones. The byplay was great, but Walton never really functioned well when it game to discussing strategy. In close games, it would help to have another guy for that.

 

[espken]

RIP Bill Walton.

Dec 2019 SJU-Arizona highlights with Bill on the mic.

 

[AlBovino]

Blessings to a career to be revered, and a life that was well lived. His college years and the 77/78 NBA championship year was some of the best center play of all times.

 

[logen]

He was the complete opposite of Russell as a broadcaster, though. Russell was boring, and slow (from what little Youtube clips I've seen).

Walton, IMO, was the rare broadcaster who functioned better in a 3-man booth, especially in his NBC days with Steve Jones. The byplay was great, but Walton never really functioned well when it game to discussing strategy. In close games, it would help to have another guy for that.

Russell was far from boring, different times, different styles, but to each their own.

 

[Fizzy]

At first I hated his NBA announcing but it grew on me as it was so ridiculous it was funny. It seemed like Snapper Jones wanted to punch him in the face sometimes because he was so over the top.

He should have been chairman of the PAC-10 because nobody loved WC BB more than him.

He definitely lived a life fuller than 99% of us will ever live.

THROW IT DOWN BIG FELLAAAAAAA!!!!

 

[Amaseinyourface]

At first I hated his NBA announcing but it grew on me as it was so ridiculous it was funny. It seemed like Snapper Jones wanted to punch him in the face sometimes because he was so over the top.

He should have been chairman of the PAC-10 because nobody loved WC BB more than him.

He definitely lived a life fuller than 99% of us will ever live.

THROW IT DOWN BIG FELLAAAAAAA!!!!

Not to make light of the situation, but it’s almost like he couldn’t live without the Pac12

 

[Mullins Revenge]

It was such a treat to have him on the St johns/AZ call from a few years back. If I recall, he compare Figueroa to World B Free. It was hysterical.

Bill Walton was cool and will be missed.

 

[Beasts of the East]

Words that come to mind: off-beat, original, and authentic. He never forgot that basketball is just a game, and not a religion. It couldn't be a religion to him, because he's said following the Grateful Dead is a religion for him. You never got any other impression that Walton was good to the core - a man child who never got old.

Before a zillion cable channels and league passes, east coast fans never saw much of him, except Celtic fans who didn't see the best of him. A cameo in Boston was good enough to help them win a championship. He came a generation early - a big man who could rebound and score down low, but understood spacing and was as good a floor general as most point guards, not only seeing the floor from a high perch on the high post but felt the game. He could do what great smaller guys did - see the half court game as 3 on 2s and 2 on 1's. Before all the injuries he was doing what no big man had ever done before.

I don't know if there was another player Wooden loved more. Certainly if Bill needs a reference to get past the gates, he's got Wooden's. Somehow I don't think he will need it.

For me at least, Walton's death is too close to my age, too soon. Like him or not, he brightened the game of basketball. Thanks, Bill.

 

[Beasts of the East]

From LinkedIn:

Steve Lavin on LinkedIn: #fullthrottle | 65 comments

Rest In Peace Bill. You left us with the gift of indelible memories & impressions: Pulling down rebounds from above the rim with two hands & making precise… | 65 comments on LinkedIn

www.linkedin.com

James Worthy on LinkedIn: I met Bill my rookie year in Anchorage Alaska for the Lakers / Clippers… | 39 comments

I met Bill my rookie year in Anchorage Alaska for the Lakers / Clippers preseason game. We were staying in the same hotel. I came down early for breakfast and… | 39 comments on LinkedIn

www.linkedin.com

 

[NCJohnnie]

From LinkedIn:

Steve Lavin on LinkedIn: #fullthrottle | 65 comments

Rest In Peace Bill. You left us with the gift of indelible memories & impressions: Pulling down rebounds from above the rim with two hands & making precise… | 65 comments on LinkedIn

www.linkedin.com

James Worthy on LinkedIn: I met Bill my rookie year in Anchorage Alaska for the Lakers / Clippers… | 39 comments

I met Bill my rookie year in Anchorage Alaska for the Lakers / Clippers preseason game. We were staying in the same hotel. I came down early for breakfast and… | 39 comments on LinkedIn

www.linkedin.com

Thanks for posting these Beast. Beautifully done heartfelt tribute by Lav, no surprise there. Bill was one of those guys where they truly broke the mold. Rooted against his UCLA teams and also rooted against Blazers when they played Doctor J in the finals but never tooted against Bill.

 

[tnice]

-In the conversation for the greatest college player of all time
-By all accounts a great dude
- Personally couldn't stand him as a broadcaster, but YMMV
-Teller of the best John Wooden story ever

 

[SJU85]

From the Editorial Page of the May 30th edition of Newsday.

A special moment with a sports legend

Around 1994, I had returned to Kennedy Airport when I saw men gathered around a tall individual at the luggage carousel. I quickly recognized basketball legend Bill Walton [“ ‘Truly one of a kind,’ ” Sports, May 28].

I phoned my son Kevin, about 13. Suddenly, Walton is in front of me. I said, “Hi, Bill, would you mind saying hello to my son, Kevin?” Without hesitation, he took the phone and walked around chatting with Kevin.

Finally, Walton returned with my phone. “You have a really great son in Kevin, Ron,” he said. “I enjoyed talking with him.” I thanked him, and Walton and his entourage got his luggage as I got mine, and we all left.

Walton got into his waiting car and asked if I needed a ride to mine. I thanked him and said it was nearby.

Well, I had trouble finding it. A car pulls up by me. Walton had asked the driver to pull over and said, “Hey, Ron, need help finding your car?” I then spotted it in the next row, so I thanked him again. He smiled, gave me a thumbs up and pulled away.

What an amazing fellow.

— Ron Baumbach, Bethpage

 

[Beasts of the East]

From the Editorial Page of the May 30th edition of Newsday.

A special moment with a sports legend

Around 1994, I had returned to Kennedy Airport when I saw men gathered around a tall individual at the luggage carousel. I quickly recognized basketball legend Bill Walton [“ ‘Truly one of a kind,’ ” Sports, May 28].

I phoned my son Kevin, about 13. Suddenly, Walton is in front of me. I said, “Hi, Bill, would you mind saying hello to my son, Kevin?” Without hesitation, he took the phone and walked around chatting with Kevin.

Finally, Walton returned with my phone. “You have a really great son in Kevin, Ron,” he said. “I enjoyed talking with him.” I thanked him, and Walton and his entourage got his luggage as I got mine, and we all left.

Walton got into his waiting car and asked if I needed a ride to mine. I thanked him and said it was nearby.

Well, I had trouble finding it. A car pulls up by me. Walton had asked the driver to pull over and said, “Hey, Ron, need help finding your car?” I then spotted it in the next row, so I thanked him again. He smiled, gave me a thumbs up and pulled away.

What an amazing fellow.

— Ron Baumbach, Bethpage

Maybe it's just me, but I mostly give famous people I see in public their space. When you are 6'11 with red hair there is no way to go incognito (I'm pretty sure I saw Brad Pitt in first class a very long time ago with shades and a baseball cap pulled down past his eyes.) A guy like Walton must have been stopped all the time. A few years ago I heard Jonah Hill say that most fans are really nice and polite when they approach him until he says no to a request (such as a selfie him while he is eating dinner in a restaurant) and then some get nasty. It really sounds kind of rude to ask Walton to speak to someone on the phone. But thankfully the guy had a great experience from a great guy.

A few years ago I was visiting my son at school.in Boston and he recognized Conan Obrien while we shopped for sundries in a CVS. Conan looked like he did not want to be bothered and we let him be.

 

[L J S A]

Maybe it's just me, but I mostly give famous people I see in public their space. When you are 6'11 with red hair there is no way to go incognito (I'm pretty sure I saw Brad Pitt in first class a very long time ago with shades and a baseball cap pulled down past his eyes.) A guy like Walton must have been stopped all the time. A few years ago I heard Jonah Hill say that most fans are really nice and polite when they approach him until he says no to a request (such as a selfie him while he is eating dinner in a restaurant) and then some get nasty. It really sounds kind of rude to ask Walton to speak to someone on the phone. But thankfully the guy had a great experience from a great guy.

A few years ago I was visiting my son at school.in Boston and he recognized Conan Obrien while we shopped for sundries in a CVS. Conan looked like he did not want to be bothered and we let him be.

Part of the reason why Billy Joel loves Sag Harbor so much is that the locals leave him alone. He acknowledges being seen though. If you do a double take and catch his eye while he's sitting at the American Hotel drinking his coffee he'll give you a nod and slight raise of the mug to you.

 

[Beasts of the East]

One more great story about Walton, this one by local former Holy Cross HS star Kevin Stacom (Hs teammate of Billy Schaeffer)

GoLocalProv | Sports | My Friend Bill Walton - Kevin Stacom

Earlier on Monday, I was preparing an analysis of what was widely purported to be a “historic” agreement between the Power 5 Conferences and the NCAA. It’s a very complex topic involving a lot of legal and business machinations and eventual uncertainties yet to be realized. The ...

www.golocalprov.com

 

[blackpeter24]

Miss you already, Bill. May the four winds blow you safely home.