Author Topic: Bill Walton retires  (Read 4627 times)

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Bill Walton retires
« on: November 02, 2009, 11:20:05 PM »

Offline BadNewsBarnes

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Hope this hasn't been posted already:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4617603

I will miss Bill Walton.  He was one of my favorite players when I was a kid.  I loved watching UCLA when he was there.  I was crushed when NC State beat them. 

We were lucky to have him for a year.  One magical year that gave us one of the greatest teams of all time; the 1986 Celtics.  I'll never forget that game we played against Atlanta in the playoffs that year.  They played the most perfect quarter of basketball I have ever seen.

Just curious how others felt about Bill Walton.  I thought if he had stayed healthy he would have been one of the top 5 centers of all time. 

Re: Bill Walton retires
« Reply #1 on: November 02, 2009, 11:23:50 PM »

Offline Redz

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I looked at Bill the Broadcaster as a somewhat toned down NBA version of Dick Vitale.  A wealth of knowledge, but a bit too much schtick.

And yes, top 5 for sure if healthy.
Yup

Re: Bill Walton retires
« Reply #2 on: November 03, 2009, 12:15:13 AM »

Offline moiso

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Bill the broadcaster was horrible in terms of insight but I loved him because he was so amusing.  He was so far out in left field but he always cracked me up.  He was out there.

Re: Bill Walton retires
« Reply #3 on: November 03, 2009, 12:28:36 AM »

Offline moiso

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Oooh the competetive greatness of Kobe Bryant, much like the bassist for the Grateful Dead and Michael Jordan...

Re: Bill Walton retires
« Reply #4 on: November 03, 2009, 12:49:29 AM »

Offline lon3lytoaster

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That's a shame, I've always wanted to listen to him and Tommy together. That would have been an adventure for the ages.

Best of luck to Bill in anything else he decides to do.

Re: Bill Walton retires
« Reply #5 on: November 03, 2009, 01:14:07 AM »

Offline Celtics17

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Bill was great as a C's player. My dad once said he was the best big man to come out of college ball. The guy was such a fundamentally sound player. That one year was indeed magical! I really liked him as an announcer as well. I remember when Dick Stocton was interviewing him before Portland played Chicago in the Finals one year and Dick asked Bill what one thing he missed most about playing bball was. Bill replies "Do you really want to know Dick" to which Stockton replied "yes". Bill says " the thing I miss most about playing basketball was knowing that in a few hours I was going to go out there and kick someone's a.. on the basketball floor". Stockton replies "you cant say that on national television" and Walton replied "well, I just did". He was certainly one of a kind.

Re: Bill Walton retires
« Reply #6 on: November 03, 2009, 12:58:23 PM »

Offline Spilling Green Dye

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Now I can call my father and tell him it's safe to un-mute nba games. 

Great player, but his retirement as an announcer is great news to me.  Thankfull McHale is now involved.

Re: Bill Walton retires
« Reply #7 on: November 03, 2009, 01:11:58 PM »

Offline the_Bird

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This is TERRIBLE news!

Re: Bill Walton retires
« Reply #8 on: November 03, 2009, 01:16:33 PM »

Offline QuinielaBox

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I am sorry to hear that. His priceless pontifications on the History of the NBA were a great source of amusement to me. His irritating, condesending tone while demonstrating his vast knowledge of the game may be loathed by most everyone but will always be cherished by me. Bill, have a happy retirement and stay healthy, buddy. And thank you for helping me through the dark ages of the Celtics in the 1990's and that deadful Rick Pitino era.
Wins are few, times are hard. Here is your bleeping St Patricks Day Card.

Re: Bill Walton retires
« Reply #9 on: November 03, 2009, 01:29:42 PM »

Offline Eja117

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I looked at Bill the Broadcaster as a somewhat toned down NBA version of Dick Vitale.  A wealth of knowledge, but a bit too much schtick.

And yes, top 5 for sure if healthy.

This may shock you but I love schtick and schticky situations. I even love to get schticky and when I find something worth schticking to I schtick to it.

Re: Bill Walton retires
« Reply #10 on: November 03, 2009, 01:43:15 PM »

Offline Eja117

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I am so gonna miss him when he'd do his thing. I was really looking forward to explaining to my kid why that guy was so weird.

There is just nothing like

Maaaaaannnn it's like the John Wooden triangle and the muuussic and when you're playing basketball it may not seem right, but it just feels right, and you have to do it, kinda like hanging out naked with Jerry Garcia, like when Sheed shot the three pointer with a guy's hand in his face. I know he'll probably miss it, but what if he makes it? That's like when you hear a song come on the radio and you're just like in the flow and you're like "I'm gonna listen to this channel." It's what makes you you and Sheed's teammates understand him, and they think 'hey, for win or lose this is a guy I want to play with man' and the sum becomes greater than the parts. It's like a flow of consciousness and weeeeelllll you have to uunnndderstand man that basketball isn't played in the head, it's played in the heart man. CP3 and Rondo shouldn't fight. It's like Vietnam man. It's an unwinable war, and the more you try the more you lose and Danny Ainge is gonna tell him that. Danny Ainge is a Mormon and is at peace with the game and knows everything about basketball that Rondo doesn't know and couldn't know. "

Jeff van Gundy: You're absolutely right Bill. It's exactly like that. I would tell my players it's like that every day in practice and the whole team has to buy into it.

Al Michaels: What these guys mean to say is that was a great shot by Sheed, and Rondo's getting a little out of hand again.

Re: Bill Walton retires
« Reply #11 on: November 03, 2009, 02:20:06 PM »

Offline Bill Walton

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I will enjoy this!

Re: Bill Walton retires
« Reply #12 on: November 03, 2009, 02:26:28 PM »

Offline fairweatherfan

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Bill was up there with Dick Vitale on the list of "guys who used to drive me nuts but grew on me later in life".  His smackdown two years ago of Jeff Van Gundy mocking how many retired numbers the Celtics had was epic.  Shame he's done, but I think his health pretty much made him unable to travel like that anymore.

Re: Bill Walton retires
« Reply #13 on: November 03, 2009, 02:27:00 PM »

Offline Celtics1990

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anyone remember during the FIBA Worlds a few years ago when he would just ramble about whatever was on his mind?  I think one time he rambled for five minutes about all the vacations he's ever taken.
UBUNTU

Re: Bill Walton retires
« Reply #14 on: November 03, 2009, 02:32:28 PM »

Offline GreenFaith1819

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Wish you the Best Mr Walton.

My fondest memories of him were back in 1986. I had only been a fan of the C's for 5 years, and I barely knew the Redhead.

Once I found out about his past issues with injuries I was a little concerned, but boy did he play his tail off for Boston that year or what???

I believe that Sheed will do same for us in his role. And we have Sheed for 2 more years.

God Bless you Mr Walton and wish you the best in your future endeavors. Thanks again for 1986!!