The Bill Walton Belt, 2017-2018

[bedeviled]

It's time for that thread again...

Michigan State earned the Bill Walton Championship Belt this evening by beating their opponent, who had retained the belt from last season's NCAA Tournament (Backstory: here (http://forums.dukebasketballreport.com/forums/showthread.php?33027-The-Walton-Rankings-Who-is-No-1&p=701611#post701611)).

The ACC can win the belt back on Nov 30, Notre Dame @ MSU. Otherwise, MSU's next likely threats are within the B1G conference.

(Although we played MSU prior to their gaining the belt, Duke does currently hold the less-heralded Corollary Title as the undefeated preseason #1)

[weezie]

I'm already feeling a little dizzy.

[uh_no]

I updated last years threads. While I refuse to accept the legitimacy of a certain team holding it, at least according to bill walton, they would have held it until tonight, when they lost to MSU.

I think in my noble and just world, the owner of the belt came into dispute, and thus naturally the new preseason #1 would be the interim holders, which would of course be duke. I'll cling to that in the face of reality.

Anyway, MSU has the belt. Hopefully at some point my substitute reality is re-unified with actuality in a glorious unification bout.

[84Duke]

Does the Bill Walton belt have a secret compartment full of maps of Oregon and tabs of acid?

[mgtr]

Does the Bill Walton belt have a secret compartment full of maps of Oregon and tabs of acid?

Well, it used to, but Walton dropped the acid.:D:D
So, who spends a greater percentage of the game talking about irrelevant matters -- Bill Walton or Dickie V? Be a close thing.

[ChillinDuke]

Well, it used to, but Walton dropped the acid.:D:D
So, who spends a greater percentage of the game talking about irrelevant matters -- Bill Walton or Dickie V? Be a close thing.

Extremely close. The nuanced difference IMO is this:

Dickie V spends time talking about inane anecdotes such as Joey Pitstains who owns a diner down in Tallahassee and makes the best chopped steak of your life. I don't care, and I'm not entertained.

Bill Walton talks about how Miles Bridges is not related to Lloyd Bridges, the Tilikum Bridge, the St. John's Bridge, or the Golden Gate Bridge. I don't care, but I'm entertained.

In this day and age where I basically find color commentators to be watered down party-liners with a total lack of insight and canned storylines, I'll take Walton's entertainment value. It's idiotic, but it gets me to laugh - whereas the alternatives mostly make me irritated.

Plus, I'll admit, I googled the St. John's Bridge afterwards.

- Chillin

[tbyers11]

Extremely close. The nuanced difference IMO is this:

Dickie V spends time talking about inane anecdotes such as Joey Pitstains who owns a diner down in Tallahassee and makes the best chopped steak of your life. I don't care, and I'm not entertained.

Bill Walton talks about how Miles Bridges is not related to Lloyd Bridges, the Tilikum Bridge, the St. John's Bridge, or the Golden Gate Bridge. I don't care, but I'm entertained.

In this day and age where I basically find color commentators to be watered down party-liners with a total lack of insight and canned storylines, I'll take Walton's entertainment value. It's idiotic, but it gets me to laugh - whereas the alternatives mostly make me irritated.

Plus, I'll admit, I googled the St. John's Bridge afterwards.

- Chillin

I agree with this take. I have also heard every story Vitale has five times. Walton would annoy me if he was calling a Duke game. For any other game I am generally entertained by his stream of consciousness.

[BigWayne]

All I can say is that when I turned the game on and saw the tail end of the cheats game playing, I was happy to see they were getting shellacked but sad to hear Bill Walton on the soundtrack. Fortunately, he disappeared between games and was replaced by Jay Bilas. Say what you will about Bilas, but he's infinitely better than Walton.

[duke4ever19]

Did anyone else hear Bill Walton say, "Thank you Phil [Knight]. Thank you for our liiiiiivessssss." ?

It was right as they were sending the telecast over to Seth Greenberg in the studio and Greenberg was like "What? Thank you for our lives??"

[ChillinDuke]

Did anyone else hear Bill Walton say, "Thank you Phil [Knight]. Thank you for our liiiiiivessssss." ?

It was right as they were sending the telecast over to Seth Greenberg in the studio and Greenberg was like "What? Thank you for our lives??"

Yes, it was amazing. It was a last-minute, send-off thank you to Phil Knight that was over-the-top graciousness for helping create such a huge business enterprise in basketball and American sport, generally - an enterprise that employs both the announcers that were signing off. At least that's how I took it.

Or maybe he was on peyote. Who the heck knows.

- Chillin

[Olympic Fan]

All I can say is that when I turned the game on and saw the tail end of the cheats game playing, I was happy to see they were getting shellacked but sad to hear Bill Walton on the soundtrack. Fortunately, he disappeared between games and was replaced by Jay Bilas. Say what you will about Bilas, but he's infinitely better than Walton.

Wow! Could not disagree more.

I'll talk Bill Walton any day of the week over Mr. Pomposity.

As I posted in another thread, Walton is my favorite color man. Bilas is my least favorite.

[uh_no]

Wow! Could not disagree more.

I'll talk Bill Walton any day of the week over Mr. Pomposity.

As I posted in another thread, Walton is my favorite color man. Bilas is my least favorite.

bilas has gone so far downhill. at least he used to provide SOME insight among his pontificating....now his insights seem limited to

"this is a really important possession.....Duke could either close the gap, or Florida could maintain or extend the lead"

No $%*&# sherlock. That's clark kellogg levels of idiocy.

[duke4ever19]

Yes, it was amazing. It was a last-minute, send-off thank you to Phil Knight that was over-the-top graciousness for helping create such a huge business enterprise in basketball and American sport, generally - an enterprise that employs both the announcers that were signing off. At least that's how I took it.

Or maybe he was on peyote. Who the heck knows.

- Chillin


I know the intention, I know what Nike means to sports (especially basketball). I know what Walton was trying to say by his thank you.

I'm not undermining/disagreeing with the sentiment.

I'm saying that it was a typically 'Walton-esque' way of saying something. So 'Walton-esque' that even someone who expects the bizarre from Walton was like, "That's a weird way of putting that." and Greenberg's immediate reaction just affirms it's the wording that's odd, not the sentiment behind it.

[BigWayne]

Wow! Could not disagree more.

I'll talk Bill Walton any day of the week over Mr. Pomposity.

As I posted in another thread, Walton is my favorite color man. Bilas is my least favorite.

I try not to spend too much time listening to the announcers. Bilas is easier to tune out, for me anyway.

[Pghdukie]

For us Woodstock alumni - I hear Walton loud and clear. Do we agree with his verberage - nope.

[jv001]

Did anyone else hear Bill Walton say, "Thank you Phil [Knight]. Thank you for our liiiiiivessssss." ?

It was right as they were sending the telecast over to Seth Greenberg in the studio and Greenberg was like "What? Thank you for our lives??"

Walton was one of the best basketball players that I was blessed to see play. However it's apparent that his drug use has affected his brain. And that's a pity, because he was not only a gifted athlete, but he had a brilliant mind for basketball as well. I put Bill up there with Elmore and Dickie V as announcers that I mute if they are doing a Duke game. GoDuke!

[Jeffrey]

Wow! Could not disagree more.

I'll talk Bill Walton any day of the week over Mr. Pomposity.

As I posted in another thread, Walton is my favorite color man. Bilas is my least favorite.

Strongly agree! I'm surprised more serious fans do not have higher regard for Walton's commentary.

IMO, Bill Walton was the most fundamentally sound college basketball player. Wooden was one of the two greatest college basketball coaches. Bill Walton is extremely knowledgeable about college basketball.

IMO, Bill Walton is a great teacher of the game. It's not coincidence Luke Walton is an NBA head coach and did an excellent job coaching Golden State during Steve Kerr's absence.

If I want to learn about finance, I listen to Warren Buffett. Technology, Bill Gates. IMO, if you want to learn, listen to the game's best. Life is too short to listen to the rest.

[flyingdutchdevil]

Gotta watch this: http://thebiglead.com/2017/11/27/video-bill-walton-has-expansive-thoughts-on-bridges/

Does ESPN pay Walton in cheap weed? 'Cus there is no way Walton is a real announcer with a real salary.

[Jeffrey]

Gotta watch this: http://thebiglead.com/2017/11/27/video-bill-walton-has-expansive-thoughts-on-bridges/

Does ESPN pay Walton in cheap weed? 'Cus there is no way Walton is a real announcer with a real salary.

Or, watch this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUrlzeab6sQ

[rsvman]

bilas has gone so far downhill. at least he used to provide SOME insight among his pontificating...now his insights seem limited to

"this is a really important possession....Duke could either close the gap, or Florida could maintain or extend the lead"

No $%*&# sherlock. That's clark kellogg levels of idiocy.

I've also noticed that Bilas, over the years, is more and more moving into Billy Packer territory. In Packer's world, nothing is ever done well; nobody ever does anything well. Anything good that happens is the direct result of somebody doing something poorly; of somebody screwing up.

So, if a player makes a great steal, in Packer's world somebody made a terrible pass. If somebody makes a great move that leads to a slam dunk, in Packer's world the defender messed up. Bilas is not quite all the way Packerified, because he sometimes compliments a player on a good play, but season by season he seems to slip further into Packer territory.

[subzero02]

Strongly agree! I'm surprised more serious fans do not have higher regard for Walton's commentary.

IMO, Bill Walton was the most fundamentally sound college basketball player. Wooden was one of the two greatest college basketball coaches. Bill Walton is extremely knowledgeable about college basketball.

IMO, Bill Walton is a great teacher of the game. It's not coincidence Luke Walton is an NBA head coach and did an excellent job coaching Golden State during Steve Kerr's absence.

If I want to learn about finance, I listen to Warren Buffett. Technology, Bill Gates. IMO, if you want to learn, listen to the game's best. Life is too short to listen to the rest.

You must have a smart television that translates and captions his commentary into intelligible English.

[Jeffrey]

You must have a smart television that translates and captions his commentary into intelligible English.

My wife says everything I have is smart, especially my backside.

[jimsumner]

God invented the remote control so I could hit the mute button every time Dick Vitale or Bill Walton is working a game.

[fuse]

Walton is not terribly entertaining, he’s just terrible.

I had to turn the channel after he repeatedly berated his co-commentator on not being well read or well traveled.

I understand it was intended in good fun. It came off as way tone deaf to me, along with his comment about not caring about the largest NBA contract in history as much as not having to shave or cut his hair for Wooden.

[uh_no]

we missed it!

on the 7th, OSU beat MSU to claim the walton belt

In my sad little world where i pretend that UNC didn't win last year, and duke took the interim title as preseason #1, BC took it from us in december, and UVA took it from them.

[Olympic Fan]

I heard Walton the other night, trying to compare a player to former LSU star John Williams. His play-by-play man was giving him a hard time for pulling up the name of an older player than not many listeners would recognize.

Walton's response: "History did not start Saturday morning. Don't use your own ignorance to diminish the past."

What a great sentiment.

[ChillinDuke]

I heard Walton the other night, trying to compare a player to former LSU star John Williams. His play-by-play man was giving him a hard time for pulling up the name of an older player than not many listeners would recognize.

Walton's response: "History did not start Saturday morning. Don't use your own ignorance to diminish the past."

What a great sentiment.

Just outstanding television.

Russell Westbrook, Alexander Hamilton, Edward Snowden, and the Bruins mascot - all in one broadcast (http://www.espn.com/video/clip?id=22051195). Who could pull that off?

- Chillin

[Faustus]

I didn't watch much of that 1st half last night (joining soon after he predicted UCLA will be National Champion this year), but, yeah, I did love the way he seamlessly brought Alexander Hamilton's birthday into the game broadcast. Pure gold, if batty... Evidently he hasn't been to Hungary yet; I'm very glad to have learned that too. (Sorry his Conference of Champions didn't make it into the national football play-offs this year either.)

[wobatus]

I heard Walton the other night, trying to compare a player to former LSU star John Williams. His play-by-play man was giving him a hard time for pulling up the name of an older player than not many listeners would recognize.

Walton's response: "History did not start Saturday morning. Don't use your own ignorance to diminish the past."

What a great sentiment.

Indeed.

John Williams was the star of an LSU team that went to the 1986 Final 4. He wasn't a bad NBA player, either. His career overlapped partially with another college player in Louisiana, John "Hot Rod" Williams, who went to Tulane, and also became a pretty good NBA player. The LSU John Williams had a tendency to put on weight and became known as "Hot Plate".

My favorite Walton line heard during the PK80 was when someone took a charge. He said "I hate charges." The play by play guy says "Really? Most people consider that good defense." Walton says "You should just block the shot."

Easy for him to say. A phenomenal college player, and a great NBA player until injuries ruined his career. He led the NBA in rebounds and blocked shots in 1977 season and was Finals MVP, then was MVP the next year as Portland started 50-10 until he went down with an injury and missed all the rest of that year and the next. He was never the same.

21-22 in the 1973 NCAA Finals with 13 rebounds. Not against a stiff, but up against Larry Kenon, future ABA and NBA all-star. Which lads me to another tangent: the 1974-'76 Nets won 2 ABA titles and were the best professional basketball team in the world in that era. Julius Erving, Larry Kenon, Billy Paultz (the latter 2 traded to San Antonio for the 1976 season), Brien Taylor and John Williamson. All of whom had successful NBA carers as well. Walton is right. Know your history.

[JasonEvans]

on the 7th, OSU beat MSU to claim the walton belt

Pretty decent chance Collins' Nwestern can claim the belt as they host OSU on 1/17.

[bedeviled]

The "Conference of Champions" is knocked out of the NCAAT, but Bill Walton still has some championship considerations in play:

The Bill Walton Championship Belt was worn into the NCAAT by Michigan. Michigan took out contender Montana but faces Houston on Saturday.

The Corollary Title (starts with the AP preseason #1) will be on the line Friday when UVA takes on UMBC.
Note: Duke held this title at the beginning of the year (until losing to BC) and again from Feb 14 (beating VaTech) to Feb 26 (losing to VaTech)

Once again, we are guaranteed to have a unified, undisputed champion in the end!

[jv001]

God invented the remote control so I could hit the mute button every time Dick Vitale or Bill Walton is working a game.

ESPN had Walton on their Bracket Buster 24 hour marathon and he was on Mars. On every question he was asked his answer had nothing to do with the subject matter. After about 3 or so minutes, a guy comes up and stands close to Walton. Walton sees him out of the corner of his eye and asks him, "who are you". The dude tries to get him back on track and Walton continues his rambling. It would have been funny but it looked like the guy was trying his best to get Walton off the set. I really believe Bill needs professional help and that's sad. He was one of the best players ever. I guess his life style has caught up with him. :p GoDuke!