Bill Walton Will Not Be Back With ESPN
Monday, November 02, 2009
It's not a firing situation, but Bill Walton will not be returning to ESPN to cover the NBA. Walton has been dealing with back issues for years now (the reason for his original departure from ESPN), and has subsequently made the personal decision to retire from broadcast entirely. Via Sports Business Daily....
Citing persistent back problems, Bill Walton has decided not to appear on ESPN’s NBA telecasts this year, ending a relationship that started in '02. The Basketball HOFer missed most of last season because of back pain. His deal with ESPN expires after this season. “As I return after a grueling multi-year, life-threatening, life-changing ordeal with back problems, it is time to dedicate the rest of my life to service,” Walton said in a statement released by ESPN. “It is great to be back in the game. Thanks everybody -- for everything.” ESPN Exec VP/Studio & Remote Production Norby Williamson: “Bill is a Hall of Fame talent, both as a player and broadcaster. NBA fans will miss his distinct personality. We appreciate all of his contributions to ESPN and share best wishes toward continued health and happiness.”This is obviously a sad day for the NBA community, because even though you may not always enjoy Walton's commentary, you can't deny his passion for the game of Basketball. Things just won't be the same without him.
6 Comments:
That is horrrrrrrrible.
This is the greatest tragedy in the history of the league, the nation, and the entire world.
Bill Walton was such a great analyst. He brought so much insight to the broadcast and he would do it in such an entertaining way. If he is was broadcasting a game, I was more likely to stay tuned in. It's a shame that he hasn't been able to analyze much at all over the last couple years with his injury, and today's announcement is not really a surprise. NBA fans have missed and will truly miss him as the dropoff from Walton to other analysts such as Mark Jackson and Jeff Van Gundy is precipitous.
Finally, some change I can believe in.
Look, Bill was a great player and is probably a nice man and all that and no one wants to take anything away from him and we wish him a full recovery blah blah blah BUT: Let us be honest here: the man routinely said the most stupid, most obvious, and most inane comments ever made by a professional broadcaster. I wish Bill a lot of future success, just so long as I never have to hear him talk during any sporting event ever again.
He can say "back" but we all know that he is too ashamed of his son.