Can someone please find out where Bill Walton’s ride is?
The Greatest UCLA Bruin Ever To Be Linked To Patty Hearst (above, right) was all over ESPN Radio today, guesting with Mike Golic and Mike Greenberg this morning, visiting Dan Patrick in the afternoon and motormouthing his way through drivetime with Eric Kuselias.
Since I missed the Patrick show, I cannot tell you if Walton added a 5th or 6th utterence of the phrase “winners of the genetic lottery” to describe today’s NBA stars, nor can I tell you if he waxed poetic about the similarities between Jerry Garcia, John Wooden and Larry Bird 3 times today, as opposed to the mere two that I heard.
Which isn’t to say that the local sports radio options were any better. The local ESPN outlet 1260/1530 AM has turned over the afternoon drive programming to the monumentally unfunny duo of Gregg Henson (above) and Dave Tepper, a benighted pair who make Jim Rome seem like Oscar Wilde by comparison. Today’s sitting duck was a caller who insisted that contact sports for children were “barbaric”, claiming that his own offspring had to wear safety helmets while riding in the family car. Said caller sounded as legit as Henson’s claim that playing football in high school “helped me get laid”. Done properly, calls from ringers can be great entertainment, but such stunts require some smidgeon of improvisational ability, something these pinheads are sorely lacking.
Walton and his clean-the-backboard-sized teeth were also on ESPN’s Hot List at 5:00…taking precious time away from me bud Bruce Markusen’s HOF chat with Brian Kenny.
a busy day, indeed. Either Bill is being paid by the word or he’s trying to get the SLA back up and running. Or both.
Walton can only improve from the nadir of his broadcasting career, calling Luke’s Arizona game in the Sweet 16 vs. the Illini and filling copious amounts of airtime with personal anecdotes.
“Luke passed the ball inside beautifully there just like he passes mashed potatoes at the dinner table…”
Bill Walton was on ESPN Radio around 1:00 am ET this morning as I was falling asleep. It was concerning to then hear him a few hours later on Mike and Mike and Mike. Hope they got him a cot.
Easy as it is for me to agree that The Big Redhead’s nadir might’ve come while praising his kid (and more-effusively praising Richard Jefferson), I have to think that his low-point as a broadcaster either came 1) when I was in college and he used to make fun of the Clippers while getting paid to announce Clips games on KCAL9 (e.g. when he responded to the onscreen posting of Pete Chilcutt’s less-than-inspiring stats by saying “As you can see SPECIAL numbers for Chilli”) or 2) when he was a guest on Carson Daly’s late-night show. I attended that taping — it was definitely NOT to see Goldfinger, the night’s musical guest — and Walton talked a lot about drums given to him by Mickey Hart and Phil Lesh, and about the “spirit room” (I may be misremembering this part, but I hope I’m not) at his house. I do know that his interview went on for about 25 minutes, and I know they didn’t air most of it. That said, as today’s media schedule proves, you can’t knock his hustle. Although you can knock his giant, alarming face. I won’t, but you could.
I’m old enough to remember when Bill Walton wasn’t just the ultra-windy mouthpiece we know and tolerate — I remember when he was considered one of the most dangerous men alive. By the FBI, anyway.
He’s also my 6th or 7th favorite New Alliance recording artist. So it pains me to conclude, based on the research above….that Bill Walton is homeless.
according to bob ryan, a man who has seen more basketball than i ever will, bill walton was the best basketball player he’s ever seen.
arguably the best college player of all time, yeah. And during a 3 year span with Portland, he was the finest big man of his day.
tallest maybe.
new alliance? was that back in bill’s tie dye days , touring with the likes of alternatives, lawndale, tom trocolli’s dog, and, of course, octoberfaction ?
or am i thinking of greg ginn ?
Though G.G. (w. coast version) is a player of some repute in his own right, Walton’s new alliance hook-up is no joke. you can look it up.
The notion that Bill Walton is in the Top 50 All-Time NBAers while Bob McAdoo sits outside in the cold makes everything on this planet just a little less credible. If we’re gonna start rewarding guys for ‘shoulda/woulda’s instead of actual accomplishments, I would like to welcome Grant Hill, Penny Hardaway and Allan Houston to the Hall of Fame.
TH
….wait a minute gerard……you mean walton WAS on new alliance records? you’re kidding, right?
Tommy,
if only for a 3 year span, Walton’s accomplishments far outstripped those of Hill, Penny or Houston. Though McAdoo was jobbed in that Top 50 — I’d have taken him over Ewing (or, at the time the list was put together, Shaq)
Tim,
I’m not kidding. If you don’t believe me, look it up.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SST_Records
CSTB-
Im not saying Walton wasnt awesome. He was – it’s indisputable. But he was awesome for three years. And three years just isnt enough to consider you one of the NBA’s Top 50 players. I mentioned Hill, Penny – and Houston to a less degree, obviously – because they didnt live up to their potential. And they have rightfully been relegated to the category of could have been’s.
But as great as Walton was for three years, McAdoo was as good for three, and much better for three.
Walton’s legendary status has been kept alive by the fact that:
1) He’s a ‘character’ – wacky Deadhead UCLA center!
2) He’s outstanding at marketing himself. And still is.
3) He is white.
But the true test of Big Red’s greatness will be if he can coach his son to market himself well enough to make the ‘Top 75’ list in 2025.
TH
damn,…..i stand corrected. b.w. WAS indeed a new alliance recording artist (d. boon is turning over in his grave as we apeak). ….
TH (NJ version),
I think the NBA Top 50 was bogus to begin with. I didn’t agree with Ewing getting a nod over McAdoo, nor did Shaq merit inclusion that early in his career. But I still think the Grant Hill, Penny Hardaway and Allen Houston comparisons are unfortunate. All 3 of those guys never quite achieved what they were supposed to for a variety of reasons…but even in his short tenure, Walton has it all over them. None of those guys won a title, was ever the league MVP nor could any of the 3 have been considered the best player in the league when they were at their respective peaks. Walton is about as far from a shoulda/woulda as you can get. He _did_ fulfill his promise. Trouble is, he didn’t do it for very long.