Bill Walton ready to make ammends with Portland

[noknobs]

Great article. I honestly never knew the whole story as it was before my time, but pretty enlightening. I don't really think he has much to apologize for.

Bringing a heart deep with regret, Bill Walton returned to Portland on Friday for the first time since he can remember.

Ostensibly, his return was for a banquet tour – this weekend he is receiving the Governor's Gold award, making a speech for Special Olympics and attending a fundraiser for the Trail Blazers.

But when his plane descended through the Willamette Valley on Friday, Walton said he discovered tears streaming down his cheeks, and he knew this trip was so much more than awards and encouraging speeches.

It was his time to heal old wounds. And a signal that his life was once again changing.

 

[Schilly]

He says he'd like to get back into broadcasting. It would be interesting to Have Barrett and Walton and Wheels and Rice.

 

[PapaG]

An enlightening and poignant article by Quick.

I've forgiven Walton years ago. I could always see how he loved Portland in his commentary. What I didn't know is that he never had forgiven himself for what happend here.

 

[BlazerBeav]

Excellent article by Jason Quick - and it's nice to get one of the franchise's two greatest players fully back in the fold.

 

[julius]

That was a really good read. I like how he takes most (if not all) of the blame, and even talks about how the love the fans gave him wasn't something he was able to return.

I think that was a sincere act by Bill.


now, if he can just publicly denounce his son...

 

[Schilly]

I didn't read the article I assumed his amends were for producing Hellspawn.

 

[julius]

I didn't read the article I assumed his amends were for producing Hellspawn.

sure you don't mean hellboy?

 

[oldmangrouch]

So...his explanation for why he left is that he wanted out, and the fans and media wanted him out.

B-u-l-l-s-h-i-t! The only people who didn't want Walton around, are the same type of people who now hate the NBA because it is "too black." Everybody else worshipped the guy. Even after the rash of injuries cost the team a chance to win back-to-back titles, the team was still young and fans were optimistic about the future.

As one human being to another, I'm glad he is no longer depressed and in chronic pain. As a Blazer fan...it is way too late for making ammends.

 

[SnakeOiler]

So...his explanation for why he left is that he wanted out, and the fans and media wanted him out.

B-u-l-l-s-h-i-t! The only people who didn't want Walton around, are the same type of people who now hate the NBA because it is "too black." Everybody else worshipped the guy. Even after the rash of injuries cost the team a chance to win back-to-back titles, the team was still young and fans were optimistic about the future.

As one human being to another, I'm glad he is no longer depressed and in chronic pain. As a Blazer fan...it is way too late for making ammends.

You are spot on. I think he may have read some recent threads on this forum and now feels guilty. How will he make any amends? Can't give back what he stole.

 

[BlazerCaravan]

You are spot on. I think he may have read some recent threads on this forum and now feels guilty. How will he make any amends? Can't give back what he stole.

He could mentor Oden (not physically as in 1-on-1, but teach him the mental side of the game). That would effectively do just that: give back what was stolen.

 

[Fawzi83]

What did he do exactly?

 

[chris_in_pdx]

What did he do exactly?

Did you not read the article?

 

[ABM]

"I went from thinking I was going to die, to wanting to die, to being afraid I was going to live, to now seeing rainbows, Calliopes, clowns, and dreams of a better tomorrow."

Holy moly, that sounds like 60's/70's-speak all over again!

 

[hasoos]

Well if he is going to make amends, he needs to bring the peace-pipe and supply the greenbud.

 

[Blazer_Hippie]

""I went from thinking I was going to die, to wanting to die, to being afraid I was going to live, to now seeing rainbows, Calliopes, clowns, and dreams of a better tomorrow."

Holy moly, that sounds like 60's/70's-speak all over again!

...for the uninitiated those are some Grateful Dead lyrics... "rainbows, Calliopes, clowns, and" everybody's dancing!

 

[SnakeOiler]

He could mentor Oden (not physically as in 1-on-1, but teach him the mental side of the game). That would effectively do just that: give back what was stolen.

Walton is the last person who should mentor Oden. His whole problem was blaming everyone but himself for injuries beyond anyones control.

 

[Fawzi83]

Did you not read the article?

Would I be asking if I did?

 

[oldmangrouch]

Would I be asking if I did?

Actually, yes you would. The article glossed over some important details. As SnakeOiler said - Walton blamed everybody but himself when things didn't go his way.

Walton's injuries started when he was at UCLA, (and continued after he left the Blazers), but he still used his injuries as an excuse for bailing on the team. He turned his back on his coach, his team-mates, and his fans....and tried to justify it over a disagreement with his Dr?

Now, he is trying to claim that the Portland fans and media drove him out of town! How does that qualify as "making amends?"

 

[BlazerCaravan]

Now, he is trying to claim that the Portland fans and media drove him out of town! How does that qualify as "making amends?"

The quote in the article came from his book "Nothing But Net"... how old is that book? 1995, according to Amazon. I personally wouldn't count that as "now". I think it was placed there to exemplify how much he's changed since then.

"I wasn't alone," Walton wrote in his autobiography, "Nothing But Net." "I think the Portland fans and media also wanted me out."

http://www.amazon.com/Nothing-but-Net-Just-Give/dp/0786880783

 

[oldmangrouch]

The quote in the article came from his book "Nothing But Net"... how old is that book? 1995, according to Amazon. I personally wouldn't count that as "now". I think it was placed there to exemplify how much he's changed since then.



http://www.amazon.com/Nothing-but-Net-Just-Give/dp/0786880783

Hmmm. If that's the case, it does shed a different light on things.

 

[BlazerCaravan]

I personally think it's a little trashy for Quick to even toss that quote in there; it doesn't really help the article. Everything that needs to be said is in the article already. That quote (almost entirely out of context) is just classic Quick shit-stirring. Like, "Oh by the way, just remember that 15 years ago, Walton thought we were to blame. Just thought I'd put that out there. Okay, back to the article." It obviously is there to elicit an emotional response, and in that it succeeded.

 

[oldmangrouch]

I personally think it's a little trashy for Quick to even toss that quote in there; it doesn't really help the article. Everything that needs to be said is in the article already. That quote (almost entirely out of context) is just classic Quick shit-stirring. Like, "Oh by the way, just remember that 15 years ago, Walton thought we were to blame. Just thought I'd put that out there. Okay, back to the article." It obviously is there to elicit an emotional response, and in that it succeeded.

I'll admit it worked in my case!

 

[Idog1976]

I am hopeful that we will finally see the removal of the infamous "Curse of the Big Red hippie", which has plauged our team since 1978. With the curse removed the dynasty is assured!

 

[Erroneous Subterfuge]

He sound very sincere and emotional about it, and given the fact it's 30 years removed... and given the fact people have done far worse things... Why not forgive him?

I've always liked Bill Walton regardless of all that old stuff and I'm very glad he's in better health these days.

 

[julius]

He sound very sincere and emotional about it, and given the fact it's 30 years removed... and given the fact people have done far worse things... Why not forgive him?

I've always liked Bill Walton regardless of all that old stuff and I'm very glad he's in better health these days.

It does seem like people are holding onto grudges that are kind of sad to hold onto. Yah, he may have treated the city and fans poorly with the way he acted, but it's sports. I just don't get why people don't let it go.

 

[SnakeOiler]

It does seem like people are holding onto grudges that are kind of sad to hold onto. Yah, he may have treated the city and fans poorly with the way he acted, but it's sports. I just don't get why people don't let it go.

I don't get why people refuse to hold others accountable for their actions. If he wants to be forgiven, he should ask his god (Jerry Garcia). What has he done to be forgiven?

 

[ehizzy3]

can we forgive qyntel woods?

 

[MARIS61]

After giving us a Championship, Bill was treated about the same as Zach and Rasheed were.

The exact same mentality that blew up our last good team.

It took courage for him to leave and I never blamed him at all for it.

 

[Shooter]

Walton is the last person who should mentor Oden. His whole problem was blaming everyone but himself for injuries beyond anyones control.

Oh, get over it. Walton was a great center, and he could definitely teach Oden a thing or two. This grudge against Walton that a lot of people have is just silly.

 

[SnakeOiler]

Oh, get over it. Walton was a great center, and he could definitely teach Oden a thing or two. This grudge against Walton that a lot of people have is just silly.

I was over it until some said he was the best blazer ever. Then he wants to make ammends. He was a dick. Nobody treated him like Wallace until he turned on the team and Portland. I loved to watch him. What he did to the blazers after his injury ruined the team until drexler came. Walton has a lot to do with the way players get treated today by the public and the media and apparently he knows it.