Bill Walton

[hogfooey]

I know some people like him, but he drove me crazy.  I think he talked about everything, but the game.

Ooooops, saw there was already a Walton thread.  Mods, please move.

[Boss Hog in the Arkansas]

I know some people like him, but he drove me crazy.  I think he talked about everything, but the game.

At one point he randomly started talking about solar panels. I was like WTH

[alohawg]

Irritating sucker

[Lanny]

Announcing and split screens were horrific

[hawg1221]

But he had good things to say about the team and Mike Anderson.

[hawg1221]

What I didn't like was the split screen for long periods of time when the game is going on.

[JONAS]

Announcing and split screens were horrific

The split screens drove me crazy.  I like listening to Walton.  He cracks me up.

[hogfooey]

Also, when he did talk basketball, he didn't even know who was in the game half of the time. 

[Danny J]

Hey I  have an idea! We have a great basketball game going on so let's talk about solar panels...

Also...every player on the court was the best player in the history of the PK80

[Rawker]

You people are understating this.  As a producer of national programming, I would vote that the technical director, Walton, and the play-by-play be sent to a Black Site in Syria for this utter disgrace.  And while we're sending them, put everyone but Manny from the WatchESPN broadcasts on the plane, especially the technical director, who doesn't seem to realize that you should take the camera that is shooting the free throw shooter.  Please God, don't let Walton call any more of our PK80 games.  Just get out there and ride your bike, Bill....to a place far enough away that you can't make it back before the next Hog game.

[Soooie21]

Trey Thompson, MVP..

[tusksincolorado]

Ole' Bill was having a moment while eating some of those "special" gummy bears!

[Stewhog 11]

I love Bill. He's entertaining and doesn't take anything away from my enjoyment of watching Arkansas. The split screen did get annoying when the game was being played, but that's not Walton's fault. The producers are the one's at fault there.

[Dominicanhog]

I love Bill. He's entertaining and doesn't take anything away from my enjoyment of watching Arkansas. The split screen did get annoying when the game was being played, but that's not Walton's fault. The producers are the one's at fault there.

I almost agree here.. love BW but this setup was bad tonight,,,

He did like Gaffford, though he wasn't sure when he was on the floor..

[98hogs]

I don't like the Valley Boy but he gave the Hogs some Props

[gangstaback]

I love Bill. He's entertaining and doesn't take anything away from my enjoyment of watching Arkansas. The split screen did get annoying when the game was being played, but that's not Walton's fault. The producers are the one's at fault there.

"By the way, you ever been to Macon Georgia? Beautiful town"

I called ESPN after this crap.

[AugustaHog]

Their producer drove me crazy with the split screens and focusing the camera elsewhere on FT attempts.  You had to guess whether a FT was made or missed.  Awful to watch.  I think Walton is a pretty interesting human being, but I don't want to hear all that crap the entire game.  The PBP guy isn't great but I give him a little credit for trying to keep BW in the same universe as the rest of us.  It was fun to hear Bill get excited about Gafford though.

[theFlyingHog]

I think ol bill has smoked a lot of dope in his day

[Stewhog 11]

"By the way, you ever been to Macon Georgia? Beautiful town"

I called ESPN after this crap.

I laughed out loud and continued to watch the game.

[widespreadsooie]

Split screen was so excessive. We get it Bill. You're edgy, like drugs, and interested more in just about anything other than what you're commenting on.

[rude1]

I actually cringed when I heard BW was going to be calling our game, wasn't as bad as I expected. Like others have pointed out, the split screen was awful and took away from the game, and though BW tends to wander off topic too much during the games, I thought it was an adequate job turned in, gave credit to both teams, seemed to enjoy up tempo scoring basketball, and gave good insight I thought when he stayed focused on the game.

[ChicoHog]

Take it with a grain of salt.  I wouldn't want him all the time but for a few games it's kind of fun.  Keeps it entertaining with all the tangents he comes up with. 

[Pancetta]

Bill Walton's biggest fan is Bill Walton.  His lips must hate each other because they can't stay together for more than 10 seconds.

[greenEGnHAWGS]

What was the deal with all of the shoe talk? Seemed like every good play either team had, he'd say "must be the shoes".

[Kevin]

I think ol bill has smoked a lot of dope in his day

in his tee pee

[SPAL]

He didn't alter my enjoyment of the game. Split screen was annoying but he didn't bother me. He was actually more complimentary than most. Hog fans gripe when don't get respect. Gripe when we do. He said many times we were the better team. Talked highly of Mike, our players, the team. I don't love the guy but he didn't take away from a GREAT basketball game.

[HogMantheIntruder]

Bill Walton loves three things- Bill Walton, Bill Walton's bicycle, and Trey Thompson- in that order. I think he got his point across.

[Hogs49ers]

He didn't alter my enjoyment of the game. Split screen was annoying but he didn't bother me. He was actually more complimentary than most. Hog fans gripe when don't get respect. Gripe when we do. He said many times we were the better team. Talked highly of Mike, our players, the team. I don't love the guy but he didn't take away from a GREAT basketball game.

Yah I actually kind of like Bill, but absolutely hated the split screen (not his fault though).  Maybe I was just so zoned into the actual game and how we were playing to really take notice or let any announcer really affect how I felt about what was happening.  Dicky V is really the only announcer that can take me out of my zone and piss me off while watching a game.

[AugustaHog]

He didn't alter my enjoyment of the game. Split screen was annoying but he didn't bother me. He was actually more complimentary than most. Hog fans gripe when don't get respect. Gripe when we do. He said many times we were the better team. Talked highly of Mike, our players, the team. I don't love the guy but he didn't take away from a GREAT basketball game.

He was very respectful of lots of our players, particularly Macon, Gafford, and Trey.  He was a fair guy to both teams which is all you can ask.  I'd take him and the random crap over Vitale every single time.  I'd rather hear about solar panels, Bob Dylan, etc. over how amazing the other team is the entire game.  I'm glad Bill is a Pac12 announcer and this tourney will be our last time seeing him this year.

[HogFaninMemphis]

I think ol bill has smoked a lot of dope today

fixed it for ya
He is quite awful. He calls a ton of Pac-12 games. I challenge any of you to watch a Pac-12 conference game in which he doesn't say "The Conference of Champions" at least once.
That said, he is kind of entertaining. I don't really care to have announcers usually, so I don't mind his rambling. He's kind of like Cardinals announcer Mike Shannon where he rambles about stuff not game-related but still entertaining.

[Hawg414]

i thought walton was fine.  before the game, there was a thread dreading how terrible he would be.. that he wouldnt know anything about the razorbacks.  and since im not familiar with him calling games, i deferred to the people who were familiar with him.

but as the game progressed, he couldnt have been more complimentary of the hogs, or had any more basic knowledge.  multiple times he even cited where someone was from without enough time to have looked down at his info sheet and found it.  he naturally knew it.  called CMA "legendary."  he loved macon, loved thompson and loved gafford.  granted, there was one time when gafford had literally just checked into the game and walton commented he about gafford not being in the game.  the other dude pointed him out - "yes he is, he's #10!" - and walton immediately acknowledged his mistake. 

other than that... i mean, yeah, the guy is a west coast hippie.  has been since the 70s.  definitely goes off on wild tangents sometimes.  has probably seen - and done - things that most people havent.  but so what.  there is only so much technical basketball you can talk in a 2 hour program.  gotta fill it in with some color.  and i dunno... i guess maybe i like the break from the same ol same ol cookie cutter announcer types.  "wow, daryl macon cant miss.  speaking of.. you ever been to macon, GA?"

the ONLY thing that really kinda rubbed me wrong was when the other guy referenced "big nasty" and walton said that zidek made him look more like big sissy.  other than that... i guess i find myself realizing i kinda enjoyed him.

[Hogs49ers]

i thought walton was fine.  before the game, there was a thread dreading how terrible he would be.. that he wouldnt know anything about the razorbacks.  and since im not familiar with him calling games, i deferred to the people who were familiar with him.

but as the game progressed, he couldnt have been more complimentary of the hogs, or had any more basic knowledge.  multiple times he even cited where someone was from without enough time to have looked down at his info sheet and found it.  he naturally knew it.  called CMA "legendary."  he loved macon, loved thompson and loved gafford.  granted, there was one time when gafford had literally just checked into the game and walton commented he about gafford not being in the game.  the other dude pointed him out - "yes he is, he's #10!" - and walton immediately acknowledged his mistake. 

other than that... i mean, yeah, the guy is a west coast hippie.  has been since the 70s.  definitely goes off on wild tangents sometimes.  has probably seen - and done - things that most people havent.  but so what.  there is only so much technical basketball you can talk in a 2 hour program.  gotta fill it in with some color.  and i dunno... i guess maybe i like the break from the same ol same ol cookie cutter announcer types.  "wow, daryl macon cant miss.  speaking of.. you ever been to macon, GA?"

the ONLY thing that really kinda rubbed me wrong was when the other guy referenced "big nasty" and walton said that zidek made him look more like big sissy.  other than that... i guess i find myself realizing i kinda enjoyed him.

Well said.  The only commentators that our fan base will not start a thread about how awful they are and will actually like are former Razorback players.

[SPAL]

Well said.  The only commentators that our fan base will not start a thread about how awful they are and will actually like are former Razorback players.

I am convinced that they are just miserable people who must gripe like it's a drug addiction. Griping on a message board feeds the habit. It's weird.

[Hogs49ers]

I am convinced that they are just miserable people who must gripe like it's a drug addiction. Griping on a message board feeds the habit. It's weird.

Haha I think you are right, but it truly is incredible and mind boggling.  I mean we played a great game and beat a good team, and Bill Walton knew our players and gave compliments to 3-4 of them while talking about how great Mike was, yet there are 3 freaking threads about how awful Bill Walton was and that is all we talk about after our win.  I almost feel bad for contributing to this, but decided that the discussion was happening whether I was part of it or not...

[JenksHawg]

I love Bill. He's entertaining and doesn't take anything away from my enjoyment of watching Arkansas. The split screen did get annoying when the game was being played, but that's not Walton's fault. The producers are the one's at fault there.

Wow.   "doesn't take anything from my enjoyment of watching Arkansas"? Apparently you don't really enjoy watching the Hogs play then.

[Stewhog 11]

Wow.   "doesn't take anything from my enjoyment of watching Arkansas"? Apparently you don't really enjoy watching the Hogs play then.

Actually I do. That's why some guy talking about solar panels doesn't make me angry. I'm not there for the commentators, I'm there for the Arkansas game. Which I saw.

That's a weird thing to tell me by the way, that I don't like something. Do you like cheeseburgers? What if I just told you that you don't. Doesn't make much sense does it?