Bill Walton
- Thread starter Pitt5593
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I think Walton and Kareem both lost one game at UCLA, right? The NC State David Thompson game and the Houston game where Kareem had his eye scratched and made less than 50% from the field for the only time in his college career.
They lost four games his senior year. To Notre Dame to break the long winning streak, back to back games against Oregon State and Oregon (literally back to back, a Friday and Saturday) in conference play, and then to NC State in Greensboro in the NCAA semifinals.
Walton’s sophomore year was the best UCLA team, ever.
His final year was the most disappointing Bruin team. The seniors had enough of Wooden and his strict rules and wanted it to be over. That team never should have played in the consolation game, it should have been the national champions.
His final year was the most disappointing Bruin team. The seniors had enough of Wooden and his strict rules and wanted it to be over. That team never should have played in the consolation game, it should have been the national champions.
I loved reading about Walton especially in the Seth Davis Wooden book. The fact that a very shy guy who had a stutter got so much out of the college experience is awesome...going to jazz shows, anti war protests, sitting in on extra history lectures just because he loved history, while being one of the greatest college basketball players of all time is the way to do it.
I liked Walton as an NBA announcer for a while but hes become a parody of himself and the PAC 10 sucks.
I had the opportunity to spend several hours at the hotel bar with Bill Walton in Denver. He spoke at our national convention and stayed over at the hotel. Fascinating guy. He knew a lot about Pittsburgh due to his very close relationship with Maurice Lucas. He absolutely loved Maurice and his family. I really enjoyed talking basketball and life with him.
They lost in OT to a damn good NCState team in the semis. What made that a disappointing team was those back to back losses in the Pacific Northwest late in the season. I was a huge Bruin fan back then and couldn't believe that.
The best story was when he reported to the first practice his senior year with long hair and a beard. That was against Wooden's policy and he told Bill he had to get it cut or he was off the team. Walton told him it was his right to wear it long to which Wooden told him that it was indeed his right and that the team was going to miss him. Walton said he busted ass to the barber right away.
I remember the Sports Illustrated cover bemoaning the "lost weekend", or something like that. They played NC St. earlier in the year, and beat the brakes off of them. The Final Four was in Carolina, so that was a big break for the Wolfpack. Even then, UCLA had something like a 7 point lead, either late in regulation, or in overtime, and couldn't hold it. I was pissed. I didn't like UCLA, but I was mad at NC St. for blowing out Pitt the game before, despite the David Thompson injury that sent him to the hospital.
I was waiting for it. Just a matter of time. I think he is hilarious. He entertains me. To each his own
The Sports Illustrated cover read " The Bruins are in Ruins." Quite a shock to be a Bruins fan during that time. First time I ever heard about the seniors being fed up with Wooden, although I had heard the Walton haircut story before. Be safe Everyone!!!
I don't believe the Bruins lost those 2 games because they were fed up with Wooden. I think losing that win streak deflated them to the point they lost their fundamentals. The loss to NCState is easily explained to it being a match up of two very good teams that one of them had to lose.
I don't know about that. They won the game after the Notre Dame loss by 42. They followed that up with beating Notre Dame in the rematch in LA. Then they won three conference games, including beating both Oregon (by 18) and Oregon State the weekend before they lost to both of them. It seems odd that they would lose their fundamentals four weeks after they lost the ND game.
You are correct. I should have said they suddenly lost their focus on the road. But I doubt it was because of any animus toward Wooden
The traveling call in a breakaway layup was a joke . Probably cost them the game jn OT. Was it Tommy Curtis ?
The breakdown of Walton's feet cost Portland two more titles. The 1977-78 and 1978-79 seasons had two champions that the NBA wants us to forget about. The Blazers were 50-10 in 1977-78 before Walton's injuries popped up.
That Portland team was the last team I really followed in Pro Ball. With healthy feet Walton is in the discussion of who was second to Wilt.
No better trio of passers on the same team in NBA history than Walton, Bird, and DJ on the 86 Celtics.
The 77 Blazers are the definitive "superior team over superior individual talent" finals over those Sixers.
The 77 Blazers are the definitive "superior team over superior individual talent" finals over those Sixers.
That’s exactly why I liked that team. They played the game as a team and not as individuals. I’ve watched from afar ever since.
Only Sabonis rivals Walton to me as a big guy passer who would just hold the ball way up in the air and sort of "flip" it to an exact spot. Really amazing. Jokic is getting there too, and the more obscure one is Sam Lacey (perfect back cut bounce pass from a big guy too.)
This was Walton in his mid 30s after coming back from injuries. He was an incredible player in his younger days.
I agree, I love quirky nut job announcers, you know, like Myron Cope or Cosell. We won't see that sort of thing in the future, just cookie cutter clones.
Yes, but his exceptional passing never went away even as a slowed down older sixth man.
The 1977 Blazers had zero players over the age of 30. It was almost purely Walton's injuries that stopped them from coming back. Lucas and Walton were 24! Lionel Hollins 23, Bob Gross 23, Twardzik 26.
yeah, the bostonians slobbered over him in 86 as somehow they got him in 80 games. Could still rebound and pass some, but nothing like 10 years earlier.
Doesn't he have something to do with the Lithuanian national team having some sort of tie die Dead Head logo uniforms in the '90s?
I remember that Memphis game, if I'm not mistaken, he was 22-23 from the field and had 44 points.
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