I have to credit tweeter CJZero for that headline. Either Bill Walton was on his “A” game or someone spiked his bottled water tonight because he was really coming out with some gems during the Oregon-Washington game in the first round of the Pac-12 Tournament. Having already worked the Utah-Cal game for Pac-12 Network with Ted Robinson, Walton stayed courtside to work with Dave Pasch on ESPNU for the nightcap.
What we got was pure TV gold. Below are various quotes gathered from the game either by myself or Matt Yoder from Awful Announcing. Thanks to the DVR and closed captioning, this is quite accurate. By just reading them, you might think Bill had smoked weed before the game or just plain was high on life. Whatever it was, we the viewers were the beneficiaries of some tremendous quotage.
“The cheerleaders have been dancing on top of the tables.”
(On Las Vegas as host of the Pac-12 Tournament)
“It’s unbelievable in your life when you have a dream and it comes true.”(As video was playing of Pac-12 mascots getting out of a limousine)
Walton: “I was way in the back with Ray Lewis and it was unbelievable how much fun, oh my gosh, how many people were in there!”
Dave Pasch: “I think we’ll just dismiss the Ray Lewis comments….”
(After being called out by Pasch for making a blatant plug for Southwest Airlines)
Walton: “They’re gonna suspend Bill Simmons. Anything is possible.”
Pasch: “Again, we’ll just dismiss that and get back to the game….”“Fans beyond description. Dancing angels of mercy. What more can you ask for?”
(After Pasch says working with Walton during tournament will age him 8 years)
Walton: “Your wife’s been calling me.”(On the SEC Tournament’s location in Nashville)
“I’ve been to Nashville and it’s nice, but not nearly Las Vegas. Goodness gracious, are we having the time here!”“The dogs barking here and now the girls are dancing! The band, strike it up! Las Vegas! What more can you ask for?”
“But we’re in Las Vegas! You’ve got to win! The tournament on the line! Let’s go!”
“It’s Las Vegas! Restaurants are open until 6 a.m.!”
Pasch: “How much of that is instinctual as a shot blocker, how much of it is teaching?”
Walton: “100 percent of both.”Walton: “We got all the dancing girls here tonight.”
Pasch: “Let’s get to the brackets….”“His parents own a candy factory four hours south of Tehran, oh my gosh how sweet it is.”
(As the game went into overtime)
“What could be better? More basketball! Let’s go!”“Tonight’s start was electric. Just both teams riding quasars all the way to the top of the mountain to the promised land!”
Walton: “So many things here have defied rational thought.”
Pasch: “You’re not kidding.”Pasch: “The (Pac-12) Championship game, Bill and I will have it on ESPN Saturday night at 11 Eastern….” That depends if Bill is not suspended for his Ray Lewis comments.
I can only wonder if Pasch’s head was spinning as he was leaving the MGM Grand tonight. Buckle your seatbelts. We have two more days of Big Red at the Pac-12 Tournament.
