24 Comments
May 30Liked by Avinash Kunnath

Thank you for writing such a perfect tribute piece. He was truly one of a kind.

I am forever impressed that he didn’t let the “what if” of his career define him like so many others would have, but instead lived life on his terms following his passions. An inspiration to all in that regard. His love for life, Cal, California and the Conference of Champions will be missed.

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May 30Liked by Avinash Kunnath

I miss him already. The first time I heard him & Dave Pasch on a broadcast, I couldn't believe what I was hearing, but I was hooked in a minute. When I was a kid, I started getting Sports Illustrated around the time Walton was with UCLA, and I loved reading about him and Wooden; I "hate LA," but nothing but respect for those two, Kareem, etc. So fitting that the P12 and he went nearly simultaneously.

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May 28Liked by Avinash Kunnath

The world is a little darker today without Big Red, really sad to hear of his passing. I briefly met him once, (well, hi-fived, low-five for him) at a Dead show during my Cal days; it was at the Kaiser Aud. in '87. Loved hearing his stream-of-Consciousness schtik as a b-ball color commentator, nobody put the color into that gig as much he did! RIP Bill Walton.

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May 28Liked by Avinash Kunnath

As I smarted over the pain of Cal getting unjustly left out of the NCAA D1 Baseball Tournament, Bill’s death put the weekend in perspective for me. Ever the big picture guy, and the consummate PAC 8/PAC 10/PAC 12 advocate, in my mind’s eye he would have had something poignant yet uplifting to say about the matter.

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May 28·edited May 28Liked by Avinash Kunnath

I was surprised and saddened to hear news of the Great, Bill Walton passing away. The guy epitomized what is right with the world. His genuine curiosity for life and his ability to look beyond artifice and boundaries was unrivaled in sports broadcasting. You will be sorely missed, Bill!

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May 28Liked by Avinash Kunnath

Avi, here’s what sets you apart as an interviewer: You ask good, short questions. You listen to your subject and acknowledge with your facial expressions and body language that he is reaching you. You’re prepared with facts, such as his parents going to Cal, which permits him to share another view from a much younger perspective. Great job. Thanks for sharing that clip. Most impressive.

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May 28Liked by Avinash Kunnath

One of my first thoughts besides the sadness was how poetically tragic that his passing coincides with the death of his beloved Pac-12 conference…

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May 28Liked by Avinash Kunnath

An eloquent tribute for an elequent man.

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As Bill might say….Go Bears!!

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May 28Liked by Avinash Kunnath

Absolutely outstanding piece. Even while he drove me crazy the last few years with his rankings on basketball telecasts, you HAD to appreciate his genuine nature & fiercely, defiantly himself. Not to mention I wholly admired his amazing basketball skills & IQ, even if he was always playing for my team's opponents. As much as I despise nearly all things fUCLA, I will celebrate Walton's life & career and mourn his way-too-soon passing. RIP Big Red. 🙏

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May 28Liked by Avinash Kunnath

Thank you so much Avinash. The news of his death has deeply saddened me, and I've looked for a place to state that Bill Walton has been my favorite sports personality of all time. I love that man. He is my philosophical brother. He was a Zen master. He saw clearly what many never see. Our world is truly a bit worse off without him, so for those of us remaining, can we honor our own lives and live with a bit more gusto, more verve, more freedom? Thank you, Bill.

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May 28Liked by Avinash Kunnath

This a great piece. Really well written about a great man

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May 28Liked by Avinash Kunnath

God I’m going to miss than man and his colorful broadcasts. Like watching a great artist creating a masterpiece on the fly.

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