The best

"P1G" ... I'll borrow that one.

Walton is probably my least favorite commentator. Generally, I cringe whenever Walton opens his mouth and goes off on some nonsensical rant but I don't see much here to take issue with. Unhappily, nothing speaks louder than Walton but $$$$, so his wish ill probably go unfulfilled.

The money quote

"These same proponents of moving to the Big 10, are the first people I have ever encountered in my life,
who have claimed economic hardship and limitations in Los Angeles,
and that the solution lies in the Midwest,"

Definitely the best. So nice to hear a passionate, well-reasoned rebuttal. UC is about California students. When you run off the rails and forget this most basic concept, then you're missing the point.

However, in the high-stakes game of today's college football, does it matter? Will the increased and endless pursuit of money simply rule the sport? Very possibly. Sad.

TandemBear said:

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Definitely the best. So nice to hear a passionate, well-reasoned rebuttal. UC is about California students. When you run off the rails and forget this most basic concept, then you're missing the point.

However, in the high-stakes game of today's college football, does it matter? Will the increased and endless pursuit of money simply rule the sport? Very possibly. Sad.

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Bill's point which is a great one that needs always to be stressed is Money for WHOM? This isn't about $$$ that is magically is distributed into a big giant pot to hopefulluy buy another year of tuition freeze. The $$ involved MOSTLY goes to provide higher coaches and AD salaries and PERHAPS Cost of living increases for some lower level bureaucrats in the AD office.

You go Bill! His essay is direct, terse, and comprehensive - a credit to his UCLA education.

Sure, I understand why he's not everybody's cup of tea as a broadcaster. Bill is like a chipotle chili - great when part of a larger recipe, but you're crazy if you eat one all by itself. I enjoyed him for years because he does add that spice to a broadcast as well as occasionally share some real basketball insight. But now he works too many games and I don't think he preps for them the way he used to.

It would be great if a couple of former coaches like Mike Montgomery voiced their opinions of the B1G defection - maybe nobody has asked him. Actually, he's the only former Pac-12 coach left with sufficient gravitas to make an impression unless Lute Olsen rises from the grave.

HearstMining said:

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You go Bill! His essay is direct, terse, and comprehensive - a credit to his UCLA education.

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He's a BIG FAN ot Top Dog.
Always sings its praises whenever he's broadcasting a game at Haas.

The move to the B1G for all sports does not make sense. It is being driven by football TV dollars.

Kliavkoff should negotiate a merger of sorts. We are shutting down the PAC-12 offices in SF so now is a good time. Administrative functions can be performed by the B1Gs Midwest offices.

For all other non-football sports, the Pac-12 continues as before. However, the OOC games are heaviky between the Pac-12 and B1G.

For football the entire super league splits into 7? 4-team regional pods. Each team would play the 3 other teams in its pod and either 1 team each from each of the other pods, or 2 teams each from traditional rival pods and 1 team each from the other pods on a rotating basis.

Ideally, the conference championship game would be the Rose Bowl. The Rose Parade would feature the two teams' bands.

I am also coming around to accepting staying in the PAC-10. With Knowlton's 8 year contract, what is the point? Under him Cal's football and basketball are the worst in P5 and likely getting worse. Just hoping Kliavkoff gets us a good deal.

socaltownie said:

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TandemBear said:

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Definitely the best. So nice to hear a passionate, well-reasoned rebuttal. UC is about California students. When you run off the rails and forget this most basic concept, then you're missing the point.

However, in the high-stakes game of today's college football, does it matter? Will the increased and endless pursuit of money simply rule the sport? Very possibly. Sad.

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Bill's point which is a great one that needs always to be stressed is Money for WHOM? This isn't about $$$ that is magically is distributed into a big giant pot to hopefully buy another year of tuition freeze. The $$ involved MOSTLY goes to provide higher coaches and AD salaries and PERHAPS Cost of living increases for some lower level bureaucrats in the AD office.

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The bureaucracy is expanding to meet the needs of the expanding bureaucracy.

Danny Ainge: "Bill, is there one Grateful Dead song that can help me understand their music?"

Bill Walton: "When you're a Dead fan, it's all one song."



*I actually had a flashback relating to Winterland watching that and had to lay down for half an hour.

Warning: They "tune" for 2 full minutes before playing

I would have referred Danny Ainge to this song:



"I wish I was a headlight, on a north bound train
I wish I was a headlight, on a north bound train
I'd shine my light through cool Colorado rain"

socaltownie said:

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TandemBear said:

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Definitely the best. So nice to hear a passionate, well-reasoned rebuttal. UC is about California students. When you run off the rails and forget this most basic concept, then you're missing the point.

However, in the high-stakes game of today's college football, does it matter? Will the increased and endless pursuit of money simply rule the sport? Very possibly. Sad.

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Bill's point which is a great one that needs always to be stressed is Money for WHOM? This isn't about $$$ that is magically is distributed into a big giant pot to hopefulluy buy another year of tuition freeze. The $$ involved MOSTLY goes to provide higher coaches and AD salaries and PERHAPS Cost of living increases for some lower level bureaucrats in the AD office.

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Exactly. Meanwhile, college football and basketball are slowly losing their appeal for the fans who might attend.

A surprisingly powerful and focused letter. Thanks for writing it, Bill!

bearister said:

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I would have referred Danny Ainge to this song:



"I wish I was a headlight, on a north bound train
I wish I was a headlight, on a north bound train
I'd shine my light through cool Colorado rain"

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That's great, but can you post a full-on Chinacat-Rider clip?

juarezbear said:

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bearister said:

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I would have referred Danny Ainge to this song:



"I wish I was a headlight, on a north bound train
I wish I was a headlight, on a north bound train
I'd shine my light through cool Colorado rain"

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That's great, but can you post a full-on Chinacat-Rider clip?

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Here it is….

I've always been a fan of Bill Walton
I enjoy his broadcasts, laugh at his antics, and read his autobiography

now I like him even more

DiabloWags said:

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HearstMining said:

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You go Bill! His essay is direct, terse, and comprehensive - a credit to his UCLA education.

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He's a BIG FAN ot Top Dog.
Always sings its praises whenever he's broadcasting a game at Haas.

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A big fan of Cal in general. Lucky enough to have a private conversation with him years back, and make no mistake about it, he went to UCLA over Cal because of basketball....not a shocker I know, but not something he talks about on broadcasts either....