Reply to thread

Message

[QUOTE="cuseincincy, post: 5087473, member: 331"]
To Bill Walton I would say congratulations on a life well lived!  I was fortunate to see him play his rookie year several times in Portland.  Back in those days NBA players had off-season jobs and one of the Blazers (Larry Steele) sold insurance out of the office my mother managed for MONY.  There were always tickets available for the office and we used them often.  One of the greatest nights of my life was when my New York Knicks came to Portland and we had seats on the court at the baseline.  Clyde the Glide and Earl the Pearl were my heroes and without a doubt the best nicknamed backcourt in history.  I look back at that and I really had no idea what I was witnessing and in the moment is was just another game.  But that night this North Dakota boy got the autograph of a guy my Mom went to college with.
Me: "Excuse me Mr. Jackson, my Mom went to UND too can I get your autograph?" 
Phil: "On this?" As he looks at the Portland Trailblazer basketball in my hands. He then signed it with a smirk and went back to warmups.  
I had no idea.  I looked back at the box score today...Walt Frazier, Earl Monroe, Bill Bradley, Phil Jackson, Bill Walton and Lenny Wilkens.  6 Hall of Famers in one game.  I was 10 years old saw my 2 heroes and happy the guy from the University of North Dakota signed my Blazers ball. 
Bill was a unique guy and in many ways a kindred spirt as I grew older. I get why people didn't like him.   But Bill wasn't going to change for anyone and enough people loved him he didn't need to.  RIP and say hi to Jerry when you see him.
[/QUOTE]

Verification

What is a Syracuse fan's favorite color?