Bill Walton Doesn't Mince Words

[ge1974]

Read this article from Zagsblog. The "Big Redhead from La Mesa" (Dick Enberg's description) is not too happy with Ben Howland, the UCLA program and fan support at the moment.

I realy like Bill Walton as a color commentator and view him as one of the 5 greatest college basketball players of all-time. Often, he has good anticdotes about Marquette and the former players from the 70's which I appreciate. :D



http://zagsblog.com/articles/bill-walton-calls-out-ben-howland-during-ucla-game/

[MUMac]

I don't care for that when people like Marotta do that behind the scenes. Not a fan of it in this case either.

[TheSultan]

That exchange is exactly why I cannot stand Walton. Bill Walton hasn't coached anywhere or done anything really noteworthy since he retired, and yet ESPN puts him on a UCLA broadcast and he says things like they need "better style." Seriously, WTF is that???

[IWB]

About two years after Cincy got rid of Huggins I interviewed Oscar Robertson. I started asking him about Cincinnati, and I got some answers I did not expect. Had to edit several of them out of the video.... "They got rid of a great coach, and now they are stuck with this. To turn it around they need good players, and they don't have any good players. They don't have any talent out there...." I was dumbfounded, as he went on and on ripping the admins, school and team.

[ge1974]

That exchange is exactly why I cannot stand Walton. Bill Walton hasn't coached anywhere or done anything really noteworthy since he retired, and yet ESPN puts him on a UCLA broadcast and he says things like they need "better style." Seriously, WTF is that???

Well he may not have coached but he played under the greatest college basketball coach of all-time, John Wooden. He played in Portland under Jack Ramsey and K.C. Jones with the Celtics in the NBA(with Red Aurebach as the GM, the greatest NBA coach of all-time). I think he "knows" what he is talking about as a color commentator , even if his comments about the current UCLA program were "over the top".

Resume:
2× NBA champion (1977, 1986)
NBA Finals MVP (1977)
NBA Most Valuable Player (1978)
NBA Sixth Man of the Year (1986)
2× NBA All-Star (1976–1977)
All-NBA First Team (1978)
All-NBA Second Team (1977)
2× NBA All-Defensive First Team (1977–1978)
2× NCAA champion (1972–1973)
2× NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player (1972–1973)
3× Naismith College Player of the Year (1972–1974)
3× USBWA Player of the Year (1972–1974)
3× Adolph Rupp Trophy (1972–1974)
2× Helms Foundation College Player of the Year (1972–1973)
3× Sporting News College Player of the Year (1972–1974)
2× AP College Player of the Year (1972–1973)
3× Consensus NCAA All-American First Team (1972–1974)
NBA 50th Anniversary Team
#32 Retired by the Portland Trail Blazers
#32 retired by UCLA

[CaribouJim]

I watched a lot of that game and Pasch was losing his patience with Bill's outspokenness and even said something to the effect of "let's get back to the game" and some of the exchanges were kind of uncomfortable. I didn't hear him slamming Howland though, but I did hear him slamming the fan support and I agreed with him - they pumped a lot of $'s into the refurbishment of the place and I saw a lot of empty seats and not much noise.

I agree with ge1974 though - one of the best college players ever and would have been one of the best pro players if not for his injuries IMO. I too like his commentary, but last night was kind of unsettling.

[MU/Panther]

I love that Bill Walton is doing games on ESPN!!
I watched Stanford-Arizona on Wednesday and the end of Wash.-UCLA on DVR after I back from the Panthers game and snowblowing, just because of Bill Walton.

[MU/Panther]

I watched a lot of that game and Pasch was losing his patience with Bill's outspokenness and even said something to the effect of "let's get back to the game" and some of the exchanges were kind of uncomfortable. I didn't hear him slamming Howland though, but I did hear him slamming the fan support and I agreed with him - they pumped a lot of $'s into the refurbishment of the place and I saw a lot of empty seats and not much noise.

I agree with ge1974 though - one of the best college players ever and would have been one of the best pro players if not for his injuries IMO. I too like his commentary, but last night was kind of unsettling. UCLA attendance has been down for years. With so much to do in LA, this is not the old days of UCLA anymore. UCLA charges NBA pricing. $40 to $120 per ticket. Plus, this map doesn't list the good seats and those prices.

http://www.uclabruins.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/single-game-tickets.html

[IWB]

So to get the two seats I have now, with the seat license donation, it would be $7,200??

I would stay home and watch them on tv.

[TheSultan]

Well he may not have coached but he played under the greatest college basketball coach of all-time, John Wooden. He played in Portland under Jack Ramsey and K.C. Jones with the Celtics in the NBA(with Red Aurebach as the GM, the greatest NBA coach of all-time). I think he "knows" what he is talking about as a color commentator , even if his comments about the current UCLA program were "over the top".


Have you ever *listened* to what he says? He says nothing about strategy...play calling...pointing out the small stuff, etc. Everything that good commentators do. He speaks in platitudes and hyperbole. So if he *did* learn something from those coaches, he certainly doesn't seem willing to share it.

[ge1974]

Have you ever *listened* to what he says? He says nothing about strategy...play calling...pointing out the small stuff, etc. Everything that good commentators do. He speaks in platitudes and hyperbole. So if he *did* learn something from those coaches, he certainly doesn't seem willing to share it.

I disagree. The recent game I recall where he did an outstanding job discussing stratgey, play-calling, small stuff etc.was the UCLA-Missouri game in overtime last December.