I'd like to see ABC continue the experiment with Al Michaels. He was sharp. No, he doesn't have the same flair as a Marv Albert of Walton, but he's perfect as the competent straight-man. He would actually be a perfect foil for Walton (same as he is for Madden).
Bill Walton is the 'Jim Rome' of color commentating. Hate him at first but think he's freaking hilarius afterwards.
It's true, I hated him at first. But now I love to hear Walton call the games. He loves the big men and never stops shinning light and love onto Hakeem. "That's just HORRENDOUS!"
Bill Walton is a horse toothed jackass. But I still love him, cause he used to talk up Dream when they would actually make it to a nationally televised game. He was in his best form when paired with Steve "Snapper" Jones and Marv Albert. He's pretty excitable and its fun to watch how he can screw up a quote, song lyric, or simple sentence, in the heat of commentary. Next time he's on just go with the flow, and enjoy a beer drinking game ever time he says something stupid. You'll be very drunk by halftime. My favorite Walton quote after a flagrant foul... "There's no basketball in room for that !!!"
Bill Walton - I hated the guy back in the mid-90s because I only heard the guy *while watching Rox games*. Over the past ten years, though, I've heard the guy more and more just commentating in general, and I think he's funny. If you watch him when it doesn't involve the Rox, I think you'll have a more honest opinion of the guy. Remember, Walton was the comic relief for Marv Albert, the play-by-play guy, and Snapper Jones, the straight man for commentating. Stuart Scott and the rest of Sportscenter is now a joke. It was cool before, but now it's like they're satirizing themselves.
I used to hate Walton too, like someone said earlier, until I caught on to his "style". You appreciate him better, when you read his articles. I really loved it when he praised and prophesied Yao along with ESPN mag to be the NEXT BIG thing (no pun intended). Who could hate a guy who started this line? "Throw it doown big man. Throw it dowwn." I even got my signature quote from him!
I've lived in Los Angeles for many years now, and my friends and I all became Clipper fans only because we would look forward to tuning in and listening to Walton (he was the Color Comentator for the Clips). Its like he knew no one was watching the Clippers, so it was more like Walton raw and uncensored. We would die laughing at the crazy things he would say, especially how everything was either teeeerrrible, or the greatest/worst play in the hiiiistory of something or another (like how in last years Shaq-Yao I, he called a Rocket airball the worst shot in the history if the franchise 3 times in the same quarter). Among my fav's from Walton "David Stern in saving a spot in the Hall of Fame for Olden Polynice" and "Vlade Divac is a true visionary of this game".
Bob Costas was once asked about sports-journalism in general, and SportsCenter in particular. Costas had a candid and fascinating reply. He said that the anchors on SportsCenter should cut their jokes by 50%. It's not that the jokes themselves aren't funny. They are. But the cumulative effect is just too much, it turns the show into more of a farce. Think about it. Each individual joke would be funnier if set in a more serious context. Years ago, Dan Patrick, Keith Olberman, and Craig Kilborn's dry humor set the standard, not only becuase their acerbic barbs were hysterical, but also because they were restrained . You got the impression that they took themselves seriously, but every once in while loosened the tie for a smirky one-liner. Now there's just so much clowning around. The anchors seem to think of themselves as comedians first, journalists second. Back to Big Red. Part of the reason he's so funny is that he's set in a stuffy, serious context. The other two announcers are generally straight-men, and his humor leaps out in contrast. (In my opinion, this is why the team of Walton and Tolbert did NOT work as well---they were both comedians, or tried to be, and that's one too many). MacBeth had an interesting comparison with Letterman. I almost think of Walton as an early Dan Patrick, and if that trend continues, I fear that NBA announcing might turn into the laugh-track that is SportsCenter. Then again, maybe I should lighten up. We're not talking about Iraq. We're talking about grown men running around, leaping, trying to see how many times they can put a bouncy ball through an elevated circle. Humor is welcome. (just in moderation).
Bill Walton is a waste of space. I'll tell you what really made me mad, during the Olympics, NBC had Bill Walton doing commentary on beach volleyball. Now I play a lot of volleyball, and it was ridiculous and a mockery of the sport. I mean come on, that guy didn't know a damn thing about volleyball. He might've played a little on the beach while smoking pot and listening to the Grateful Dead back in the day at UCLA, but there are a lot more people who are more knowledgable about the game than he is. He is quite the bandwagon commentator too. He is sooooooooo negative, that's what I hate about him.
"The Mavs transition defense is just diplorable" - Bill walton "Not only can we learn a lot from Yao Ming about basketball, but also about life" - Bill Walton
He sure was wrong about one thing: "I guess Jay Z is out. That's because it takes more than just bling-bling to own a basketball team. It takes real money." - BW on the pending sale of the Nets. Ummm, yeah Bill. It does take real money...something Jigga has lots and lots of. That's why'll he'll soon be part owner of the Brooklyn Nets. Idiot.
They should just bring out Marv Albert for games Phil Jackson coaches. The guy is a barrel full of ass kiss.
I'd like to hear Bill Walton do the play by play with this Guy in the Game or Coddell for that matter.... http://www.fcbarcelonaweb.com/basquet/jugadors/****a.htm
Walton love Yao's game and how much he admired his size and ability to turn the game into even better. I appreciated when he said that Toyota Center was just simply beautiful and how much he like the Lexus Lounge. despite his got some negative feed back on some kind of odd comment, but I think it's got something to do with all the "head banger boogie" that he smoke during college years! You know! The Stones!
Bill Walton is king for each hater there are at least 3 playaz who recoqnize... Walton's recognition of Chinese New Year alone merits him a TV award... Walton tells it like it is...
