Kansas basketball: Watch out for Bill Walton Sunday
By Stan Unruh
Kansas basketball fans look forward to the Jayhawks returning to their winning ways Sunday. They might not want to listen to Bill Walton’s color commentary from Allen Fieldhouse.
Kansas Basketball coach Bill Self will have his team ready to get back on the winning track Sunday. The Arizona State Wildcats come to Allen Fieldhouse along with ESPN’s Bill Walton. The Jayhawks are coming off their first loss of the season. Another Pac-12 team shocked the No. 2 ranked Jayhawks. Self and the team don’t care who ESPN assigns to cover the game.
On the other hand, fans who tune in to the television coverage do care. On Thursday, news revealed ESPN assigned Bill Walton to do the 1p.m. game at Allen Fieldhouse. This may be the perfect time for fans to get their radio or computer and dial into the voice of the Jayhawks Brian Hanni and former Jayhawk player Greg Gurley. They do an outstanding job.
As a matter of fact, due to a crazy schedule and other reasons, I never listen to the television announcers. If I’m home, my wife will listen to the TV talking heads. I always plug the radio into my ear. She won’t want to listen to Walton. I don’t care for his commentary but I think he is a lot of fun on television.
Some fans remember Walton’s blabbing on and on at last’s season’s Naismith Awards. Many Jayhawk fans were tuned in online to see Frank Mason win the player of the year honor. Walton wouldn’t shut up in a presentation to honor Ann Myers Drysdale. Other fans remember listening to Walton when the Jayhawks played at Texas last season. He took off his shirt in the middle of the broadcast.
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Fans on Saturday should expect Walton to refer to the Pac-12, conference of champions. He’ll really go wild on that since another Pac-12 team beat the Jayhawks this week. I’m just glad Sunday’s game is at the fieldhouse. Walton needs to experience it and the fans need to overwhelm him.