My two cents: Walton's curiosity is compelling, for better or worse
ESPN analyst Bill Walton was at his best (or worst, depending on your view) during Friday’s Arizona-Washington game. He didn’t shut up, did he?
But I appreciated his knowledge of, and interest in, the Washington crew team and its history. The 1936 UW crew team won the gold medal at the Berlin Olympics, one of the leading achievements of any Pac-12 team ever.
The UW’s gold-medal crew team is the subject of a compelling book “Boys in the Boat,” which I read last year and recommend.
Small world: One of the Husky mainstays on the team that won Hitler’s Olympics was Gordon Adam, the father of former Arizona Daily Star sports writer Dave Adam, who was the beat writer for UA basketball in the Fred Snowden years. Dave’s widow, UA grad Karen Adam, is a judge in the Arizona Superior Court in Pima County.
Walton even wore (for better or worse) a sleeveless UW crew uni while broadcasting Friday’s game. Is there any barrier he hasn’t broken as a TV analyst? Is there anyone neutral on his presence?
I suspect ESPN and the Pac-12 Networks covet Walton’s ability to create conversation, good or bad. If and when he leaves, it’s likely to be his call.
