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RE: Bill Walton RIP - bbm233 - 05-28-2024

I was a teenager in Oregon when "mountain man" Bill Walton led the Trailblazers to the only major professional championship in the state's history. RIP to the perfect center for Dr. Jack's transition game that we knew as Rip City. 

I liked listening to Bill do color except when he was paired with a certain national play by play guy. I caught an interview this morning with Jason Benetti, who absolutely loved working with him, and said that Bill was genuine, curious, and pushed him to be better, but knew just how to provide encouragement. IMO, the unique thing with Bill is that he broadcast basketball as if it was baseball - full of stories when the action wasn't interesting, but insightful when the action warranted. I loved him paired with guys who do baseball play by play, like Roxy or Ted Robinson.

Always and forever a legend to me.

RE: Bill Walton RIP - lex24 - 05-28-2024

(05-27-2024, 04:38 PM)burger Wrote:  I'll admit it, there was a time where I would cringe when I saw that Bill was calling a Stanford game.  But over time, I came to really enjoy his games.  He absolutely loved Stanford.  He always had positive things to say about Stanford players and the coach, even when the team was struggling.  He had interesting (though never topical) stories.  Bill just seemed like a super nice guy.  I'll miss seeing him call Stanford MBB games.

This story, from Rick Carlisle (Pacers coach), was nice, too: https://twitter.com/CassidyHubbarth/status/1795220441843253474

Thanks for posting that.

jk1926 - jk1926 - 05-28-2024

ESPN produced a four part 30 for 30 documentary on Bill Walton’s life titled “The Luckiest Guy in the World”. Released in 2023.  Available for streaming on subscription service ESPN+.  Worth watching.

RE: Bill Walton RIP - Spiny_Norman - 05-29-2024

The story of how an IM basketball game at Stanford changed Walton's life.

https://the-cauldron.com/the-intramural-basketball-game-that-saved-bill-walton-s-career-b14d9a67c6a2

RE: Bill Walton RIP - jacket3ree - 05-29-2024

So many great remembrances. Thanks everyone. I hope Paradise is what Bill thought it would be. I very much remember him in the NBA, but not so much his UCLA days other than I know he thought David Thompson (my hoops idol when I started playing just enough to know I sucked) was the greatest ever, so that meant Walton was A.O.K. in my book. As I become older I realized that Walton got it. Maybe it was schtick, but everything and everyone wherever he was at a given time was the greatest ever. What a great way to go through life. I'm glad he did not succumb to his darkest thoughts during those times of extreme physical pain. We would have lost so much.

Thinking he might have been at that same Dead show at Frost in.....must have been '86 (before I knew the future Mrs. Jacketree because she for sure wasn't there), I dropped needle on Blues for Allah in his honor on Monday rather than watch a hoops game in which I only had very peripheral interest.

To me the greatest legacy of Bill Walton is that he affected people he never knew he affected, even if in very small ways. While my son was away at USNA and especially during his three deployments with USMC, far flung text commentary on Stanford sports was the way I knew he was OK even if he couldn't talk. I distinctly recall one winter evening when he was off in the Far East somewhere, receiving a text from him with two words and punctuation. "Detlef Schrempf!"  That meant that somehow using whatever means necessary, he was watching the same Stanford game I was, with Pasch and Walton.  My son and I used to work on our Walton impersonations and I think somehow Frank Caliendo's impersonation made it into our public domain.  Thus, Detlef Schrempf, who must have been at some point the greatest player on Earth according to Bill Walton.

RE: Bill Walton RIP - Genuine Realist - 05-29-2024

(05-29-2024, 01:18 PM)jacket3ree Wrote:  So many great remembrances. Thanks everyone. I hope Paradise is what Bill thought it would be. I very much remember him in the NBA, but not so much his UCLA days other than I know he thought David Thompson (my hoops idol when I started playing just enough to know I sucked) was the greatest ever, so that meant Walton was A.O.K. in my book. As I become older I realized that Walton got it. Maybe it was schtick, but everything and everyone wherever he was at a given time was the greatest ever. What a great way to go through life. I'm glad he did not succumb to his darkest thoughts during those times of extreme physical pain. We would have lost so much.

Thinking he might have been at that same Dead show at Frost in.....must have been '86 (before I knew the future Mrs. Jacketree because she for sure wasn't there), I dropped needle on Blues for Allah in his honor on Monday rather than watch a hoops game in which I only had very peripheral interest.

To me the greatest legacy of Bill Walton is that he affected people he never knew he affected, even if in very small ways. While my son was away at USNA and especially during his three deployments with USMC, far flung text commentary on Stanford sports was the way I knew he was OK even if he couldn't talk. I distinctly recall one winter evening when he was off in the Far East somewhere, receiving a text from him with two words and punctuation. "Detlef Schrempf!"  That meant that somehow using whatever means necessary, he was watching the same Stanford game I was, with Pasch and Walton.  My son and I used to work on our Walton impersonations and I think somehow Frank Caliendo's impersonation made it into our public domain.  Thus, Detlef Schrempf, who must have been at some point the greatest player on Earth according to Bill Walton.

Very creative code.

RE: Bill Walton RIP - lex24 - 05-29-2024

jacket3ree dateline='[url=tel:1717013917' Wrote:  1717013917[/url]']
So many great remembrances. Thanks everyone. I hope Paradise is what Bill thought it would be. I very much remember him in the NBA, but not so much his UCLA days other than I know he thought David Thompson (my hoops idol when I started playing just enough to know I sucked) was the greatest ever, so that meant Walton was A.O.K. in my book. As I become older I realized that Walton got it. Maybe it was schtick, but everything and everyone wherever he was at a given time was the greatest ever. What a great way to go through life. I'm glad he did not succumb to his darkest thoughts during those times of extreme physical pain. We would have lost so much.

Thinking he might have been at that same Dead show at Frost in.....must have been '86 (before I knew the future Mrs. Jacketree because she for sure wasn't there), I dropped needle on Blues for Allah in his honor on Monday rather than watch a hoops game in which I only had very peripheral interest.

To me the greatest legacy of Bill Walton is that he affected people he never knew he affected, even if in very small ways. While my son was away at USNA and especially during his three deployments with USMC, far flung text commentary on Stanford sports was the way I knew he was OK even if he couldn't talk. I distinctly recall one winter evening when he was off in the Far East somewhere, receiving a text from him with two words and punctuation. "Detlef Schrempf!"  That meant that somehow using whatever means necessary, he was watching the same Stanford game I was, with Pasch and Walton.  My son and I used to work on our Walton impersonations and I think somehow Frank Caliendo's impersonation made it into our public domain.  Thus, Detlef Schrempf, who must have been at some point the greatest player on Earth according to Bill Walton.

What a great story.  Thanks for sharing.

RE: Bill Walton RIP - GK3 - 05-30-2024

(05-29-2024, 09:05 PM)lex24 Wrote:  
jacket3ree dateline='[url=tel:1717013917' Wrote:  1717013917[/url]']
So many great remembrances. Thanks everyone. I hope Paradise is what Bill thought it would be. I very much remember him in the NBA, but not so much his UCLA days other than I know he thought David Thompson (my hoops idol when I started playing just enough to know I sucked) was the greatest ever, so that meant Walton was A.O.K. in my book. As I become older I realized that Walton got it. Maybe it was schtick, but everything and everyone wherever he was at a given time was the greatest ever. What a great way to go through life. I'm glad he did not succumb to his darkest thoughts during those times of extreme physical pain. We would have lost so much.

Thinking he might have been at that same Dead show at Frost in.....must have been '86 (before I knew the future Mrs. Jacketree because she for sure wasn't there), I dropped needle on Blues for Allah in his honor on Monday rather than watch a hoops game in which I only had very peripheral interest.

To me the greatest legacy of Bill Walton is that he affected people he never knew he affected, even if in very small ways. While my son was away at USNA and especially during his three deployments with USMC, far flung text commentary on Stanford sports was the way I knew he was OK even if he couldn't talk. I distinctly recall one winter evening when he was off in the Far East somewhere, receiving a text from him with two words and punctuation. "Detlef Schrempf!"  That meant that somehow using whatever means necessary, he was watching the same Stanford game I was, with Pasch and Walton.  My son and I used to work on our Walton impersonations and I think somehow Frank Caliendo's impersonation made it into our public domain.  Thus, Detlef Schrempf, who must have been at some point the greatest player on Earth according to Bill Walton.

What a great story.  Thanks for sharing.

Yes, thanks for sharing.  Here is another tribute to him that is worth reading.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/columnist/mike-freeman/2024/05/30/bill-walton-nba-celtics-lakers/73884649007/