How can anyone listen to Bill Walton

[Cowtown]

Bill Walton works in announcing the way other artists might work in oils or clay. It is his true medium, a master.

Only if being an arbitrary, undisciplined, intractably self-indulgent gasbag is somehow an art form. But what the heck, "different strokes for different folks" ... :noidea:

 

[CaptainJ]

I haven't gotten to watch a Walton game in ages. Can one of you fine gentlepeople(I dont want to appear sexist) tell me when he's next scheduled to be on the air? Seriously, I want to watch the game just so I can hear if he is as different as you say. This society is so stuck on molds and trends and I like when people dare to be different, even if I don't necessarily like their style. I'm guessing I'm going to dig Walton if he is as zany as you say. I'm serious, someone please let me know.

As for the old drunk at the end of the bar spouting off about stuff nobody understands, from the reaction of some folks on here to some of my work, that sounds like a reasonable aspiration for me!

 

[CaptainJ]

Only if being an arbitrary, undisciplined, intractably self-indulgent gasbag is somehow an art form. But what the heck, "different strokes for different folks" ... :noidea:

Isn't that part of Dick Vitale's appeal?

Even though Vitale may annoy me at times, at least he sets himself apart from all the other clones, and it sounds like Walton does as well. I'd tip my hat to both for that alone.

 

[Conrad13]

NBC has had him cover beach volleyball a few times. Imagine his basketball announcing being applied to a sport he doesn't know anything about. Oi.

 

[Alsacs]

Bill Walton is a positive troll. He says whatever is on his mind, and Dave Pasch is more of a handler than announcing partner. With that said Walton is harmless and can be annoying, but he doesn't say things to get attention on himself like negative trolls. He just doesn't care if he gets fired after the game or not because calling the games is like gravy for him.

 

[Orange87]

Count me as a Walton fan. He's funny, intelligent, knowledgable about the game and and not afraid to say controversial, unpopular things.

Love, love, love when he's doing a game I want to watch.

His quotes are always memorable.

 

[BayonneOrange]

I love Bill Walton. Watch games just to listen to him. He used to have a weekly segment on ESPN radio with Golic and Greenberg that was hysterical. And he is one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet.

 

[g kushner]

The response of this board to Bill Walton is very interesting. I, for one, can not stand him and find him to be annoying and a great many times off point but then others seem to appreciate him.VERY INTERESTING!! I also agree Dave Pasch, who is a good guy and I and my son in law played golf with Dave and Joe Szombathy several years ago, seemed to be trying to keep his cool during Bill's ramblings. There must be others that are better.

 

[Orangeyes]

I haven't gotten to watch a Walton game in ages. Can one of you fine gentlepeople(I dont want to appear s e x ist) tell me when he's next scheduled to be on the air? Seriously, I want to watch the game just so I can hear if he is as different as you say. This society is so stuck on molds and trends and I like when people dare to be different, even if I don't necessarily like their style. I'm guessing I'm going to dig Walton if he is as zany as you say. I'm serious, someone please let me know.

As for the old drunk at the end of the bar spouting off about stuff nobody understands, from the reaction of some folks on here to some of my work, that sounds like a reasonable aspiration for me!

Here's a sliver

Walton's haircut

 

[tbonezone]

"OK bill that's enuf about john lithgow"
(10 second pause)
..."i wonder if john lithgow still keeps in touch with bigfoot harry. i wish i'd played against that hairy dude"

 

[HoustonCuse]

I watched most of the game just to listen to Walton.

"Sit up straight young man. Posture!"

lol

I got a kick out of that line too. For those that didn't see it, they were showing former UCLA and AZ players in the crowd (and fixating on John Lithgow for some reason), anyway, they show his son and he breaks out that line. It was pretty funny.

The other one was after zona missed their second straight front end of a 1-and-1, Pasch says something up-beat about how this is a little help for UCLA and Walton just crushes that down with "anytime you are basing your sucess on the failure of others, you aren't going to accomplish anything!"

 

[CaptainJ]

"OK bill that's enuf about john lithgow"
(10 second pause)
..."i wonder if john lithgow still keeps in touch with bigfoot harry. i wish i'd played against that hairy dude"

you guys are making me jealous!!

Editing my question about what he said about Lithgow, the post a moment before mine just answered it before I even posted it. Spot on HoustonCuse!

Re-edit: I still am unfamiliar with the hairy dude though lol

 

[CaptainJ]

Here's a sliver

And you, my friend, are quick to deliver! Awesome stuff, thank you!

PS How did you manage to get 2 media things in 1 post? I guess I just haven't tried hard enough

 

[dasher]

I love Bill Walton, guy is great.

boy does that ever figure.

 

[tbonezone]

sorry that wasn't a direct quote. i took some license. the funny part to me was that after droning on and on about john lithgow (sitting with phil jackson) pasch finally asks bill to drop it. after a brief pause in which you can almost hear walton stewing the next words out of his mouth were something else about john lithgow.

 

[Orangeyes]

And you, my friend, are quick to deliver! Awesome stuff, thank you!

PS How did you manage to get 2 media things in 1 post? I guess I just haven't tried hard enough

Have you seen my daily articles. What I did for you was child's play.

 

[Alsacs]

I will say I couldn't help, but burst out laughing when Walton said he used to find Gilbert Arenas passed out on his couch, and Walton was immediately cut off by Dave Pasch. Pasch was like What are spilling that dirty laundry for no reason. It was funny. Walton should rent himself out for parties he makes things interesting even if he can be a little annoying sometimes. As long as he isn't calling a Syracuse game I love watching him.

 

[HoustonCuse]

On a related note: they did chat about Syracuse some and Walton had nice things to say about Ennis, whom he called "that point guard" until a minute later when somebody clearly whispered his name in Bill's ear, then he said "the kid Ennis is nice".

 

[CaptainJ]

Have you seen my daily articles. What I did for you was child's play.

Im laughing although I should feel sheepish because yeah, of course I have. I reckon I wasn't thinking for a moment there.

On message boards in general I admit i do have a habit of ignoring the pinned stuff though, so I haven't followed as closely as some probably, and want to give a heads up to the newer members that they should check it out as well.

 

[Dave85]

Give me Walton over Vitale anytime.

Duke Vitale is the worst, baby!

 

[orangecuse]

I like his loopiness. So many of these guys sound just alike... and are interchangeable. Bill brings another level of entertainment to a game.

Absolutely!

 

[orangecuse]

"Nothing but net" as Zona banks a bail out three...yup Billy 'nothing but net'

DP was great too as they went to TV time out and responded "after it hit the backboard."

 

[cpatrocks]

I always love it when he throws in some sort of Grateful Dead reference.

I saw him at a Phish show once -- and I was just happy his seats weren't in front of mine.

 

[Flora'cuse]

 

[AZOrange]

Walton is like a funnier version of nbcs Johnny miller