Bill Walton is the gift that keeps on giving. Despite making Ray Lewis and Bill Simmons suspension references during ESPNU’s Pac-12 telecast on Thursday, Walton was back for the Pac-12 semifinals both on Pac-12 Network and ESPN on Friday. We provide the quotage from both the UCLA-Arizona and Utah-Oregon games. Some have wondered if the quotes I put up on Twitter last night were real. They indeed were real.
I first provide the quotage from Pac-12 Network as Walton worked with Ted Robinson for UCLA-Arizona.
Walton-isms from Pac-12 Networks Telecast of Arizona vs. UCLA
Pac-12 Men’s Basketball Tournament
March 15, 2013Pac-12 Networks’ final men’s basketball telecast of the season featured not only a thrilling 66-64 UCLA win over Arizona, but also produced another batch of “Walton-isms” from the Hall of Famer.
Below are selected quotes from the telecast. For more, plus accompanying video, please visit: http://championships.pac-12.com/mens-basketball/more-waltonisms-from-arizona-vs-ucla-on-pac-12-networks/
“There’s nothing wrong with being selfish in the team concept.” – on Shabazz Muhammad
“When I’m playing basketball, I want as little on me as possible. I want a tank top. I want a pair of shorts. I want two pairs of socks and a pair of shoes.” – Walton on UCLA’s alternative uniforms from Thursday
“Stars shining brightly on the strip in Las Vegas.” – Walton on UCLA F Shabazz Muhammad
“One man gathers what another man spills.” – Walton on UCLA Kyle Anderson, who finished the game with five steals
“What is a traveling violation? (Arizona) Brandon Ashley in the corner, pick a pivot foot please. The refs, I don’t care if they call a foul, but every single traveling violation should be called. That will immediately clean up the quality of play and eliminate all the pushing and shoving going on.” – Walton on a missed traveling call
“I’ve done a lot of cool things in my life, but this is right at the top. Oh my gosh.” – Walton on the Pac-12 Tournament experience in Las Vegas
“Throw it down big man! One time, throw it down!” – Walton on Arizona F Solomon Hill’s dunk
“Up and down action, finally. Solomon Hill says, ‘there is nothing you can do about this. In your face!’” – Walton on dunk by Arizona F Solomon Hill
“Jordan Adams. Doesn’t look like much. Doesn’t have those bulging veins we’ve become so accustomed to. Doesn’t have those muscles where the neck disappears, but what a game, what a touch, what a heart.” – Walton on UCLA G Jordan Adams
“Jordan Adams has been the best individual player in this game today. His ability to hit the pull-up jumpers, not be out of control, stroke three pointers when they back off; Seemingly like Dr. Julius Erving from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst would be able to throw it up without even a prayer and it still goes gracefully through the twine. Only in Las Vegas at the MGM.” – Walton on UCLA G Jordan Adams
“And the UCLA faithful explodes in exultation and celebration.” – Walton on the UCLA win
“Thank you Brock. And thank you Australia.” – Walton on Washington State F Brock Motum
“This whole week has been better than perfect. Thank you Las Vegas, thank you MGM, thank you Pac-12.” – Walton on the Pac-12 Tournament experience
And from the nightcap, Utah-Oregon on ESPNU in which Walton worked with Dave Pasch.
Courtesy Cork Gaines, Business Insider Sports Page
(On UCLA-Arizona)
“Truly a game of the millennium tonight.”(On Utah’s guard Brandon Taylor, all 5’10” of him)
“If you ever think you’re too small to make a difference, you’ve never spent a night in bed with a mosquito or you’ve never played basketball against Taylor from Utah, number 11 in your program, number one in your heart.”(Hyping the Pac-12 Conference)
“This is the greatest conference in the history of college basketball.”(While promoting ESPN’s Saturday programming)
Walton: “Can we do this again next week?”
Pasch: “We can do it again tomorrow, I can guarantee you that.”(Talking about no free throws attempted in the first half)
Walton: “Anomaly alert number 2. No free throw attempts in the entire game tonight. I love that.”
Pasch: “What was number one? I forgot. Of critical import.”
Walton: “I should have paid attention ,,,.. lack of offensive rebounds.”(After an Oregon dunk)
“Waverly Austin just having the game of his life. Set up magnificently by Jonathon Lloyd. Pretty boys. Preening out there.”(On Utah’s second attempt at free throws)
Walton: “For Utah, the first free throw of the game.”
Pasch: “That was actually the last time they shot free throws.”
Walton: “Was that in this game? …. Thank you for keeping it all straight here.”(On calling nine games in the Pac-12 Tournament)
“I’m having the time of my life here. I have nine games in six days. What more can you ask for?”(As ESPN was going to break)
“Goodness gracious! All Oregon right now! Extending their insurmountable halftime lead. MGM Grand, Las Vegas!”(Coming back from break, ESPN shows some Pac-12 mascots)
Pasch: “A shot of Bill’s after party from last night and the mascots…”
Walton: “And what a show it was! Goodness gracious! You talk about … I’ve never had such a good time.”
Pasch: “And the guys in the truck cutting you off with the Super Saturday promo, it’s a good thing they did.”(Coming out from the Super Saturday promo)
Walton: “Anomaly number 5 for this game. Why is the Big 12 the only one that gets a sponsor?”
Pasch: “The Big East is sponsored, I think you skipped over anomaly number 4, but that’s another matter.”
Walton: “I need you to keep track of these things please. I missed the free throws, I missed it all! But the dunks”
Pasch: “Working hard enough over here.”
Walton: “You can tell! You’ve got a heavy burden!”(About winning championships)
Pasch: You won your share of championships.”
Walton: “Never enough. Never enough.”(About being famous)
“I’m Luke’s dad. What could be better than that?”(About Las Vegas)
“This property. This arena. This venue. This city. The best thing ever.”(On Oregon’s offensive prowess)
“All about the big picture here. The Oregon spirit on the Oregon Trail here to the Promised Land. Beautiful. Oh my gosh.”(On a delay in the game)
“The guy who’s behind me just keeps yelling at the refs all night long says, ‘Come on! Make a call! Go back to Foot Locker where you belong! Let’s get this thing going!!'”(Talking about Maryland’s upset of Duke in the ACC Tournament)
Pasch: “You forget that Maryland beat Duke 12 hours ago?”
Walton: “Was that today or yesterday?””(Pasch realizing the game is getting silly)
“It’s getting away from us here.”(Walton on becoming a First Take fan)
“I used to be a SportsCenter guy, until I found First Take.”(On going outside briefly)
“I did get my 15 seconds of sunshine today. And oh what a day it was in those 15 seconds.”(After Pasch read a SportsCenter promo regarding bracketologist Joe Lunardi)
“I want to see Lunardi on that show with Skip and Stephen A. That’s what I want to see. They won’t let him off the hook.”(Finally)
“When is Saturday?”
Classic stuff. And we’ll have more quotage after the Pac-12 Championship.
