Archive for the ‘TBJ Q+A’ Category

Special New York correspondent, David Weinfeld, can be found at PhD Octopus, a blog written by a group of PhD historians. When not writing or studying, he continues his quest to eat every animal in the world.

Are you at work today? The nine to five grind getting to you? Is old man Leland busting your hide just to get those TPS reports done on time? If that sounds like your life, well then former NBA star and sportscaster Bill Walton has a message for you: “Quit your job and chase your dream!”

I heard Walton repeat that mantra again and again yesterday, but it never got old. I was one of several bloggers who had the opportunity to live a dream themselves (admittedly a strange dream): drinking Guinness in an Irish sports bar in New York and talking hoops with Big Bill Walton.

The theme of the gathering was the coming March Madness NCAA basketball tournament, which according to Walton, by “perfect harmonic convergence,” would begin on March 17, St. Patrick’s Day.

Walton was in good spirits as he stooped underneath the low ceiling and plopped into a comfy chair and addressed his eager audience. He immediately got laughs when he informed the group that he was still “undefeated” in his bracket. While I drank a pint of Guinness, Walton limited himself to a cup of hot water, focusing instead on sharing the wisdom of the ages in anticipation of the big day.

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Earlier today I had a chance to talk on the phone with Hall of Fame big man and all-around awesome guy Bill Walton for about 10 minutes. We talked about Shaquille O’Neal, the Lakers and Celtics, the Heat, the importance of coaching and home court advantage in the NBA, dominating the paint, the beauty of Pau Gasol and most important, Bill’s work with Taco Bell and World Hunger Relief. Basically everything you could ever want to hear Bill Walton talk about.

The interview is below. It’s long, but it is so, so worth it. The man can talk.

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Bill Walton: Good morning, Trey! Bill Walton here. How are you, sir?

Trey Kerby: I’m doing good. How are you?

BW: Never better, thank you.

TK: I just have to let you know that my mom was very excited when I told her I’d be interviewing you. You’re the first person’s she’s recognized without me having to explain who you are.

BW: (laughs) I hope it’s for the right reasons.

TK: Oh, she’s very excited. I just wanted to start by talking a little about this coming season. You played on some legendary teams when you were still in the league, and one of those teams — the 1986 Celtics — you joined that team in a sixth man role after being a star your entire career. It’s very similar to the way that Shaquille O’Neal has joined the Celtics. How do you go about adjusting to that new role?

BW: There’s no adjustment at all in terms of what your personal goals are, with regards to helping the team win. You do whatever you can to figure it out, which is a basic mantra as we try to fight through all the challenges. As Shaq has proved through his career, he’s one of the more incredible forces in the history of basketball. Now, he finds himself in a fantastic situation, with great teammates, remarkable fans and a great history and legacy. It’s just going to be a perfect situation for Shaq. I couldn’t be happier for him. I think we’re going to see a huge contribution from Shaq this year, and he will make a major difference for this team and he will continue his huge presence on the financial level for the NBA and the Celtics. But also, he has the ability to inspire and to lead and to help other people’s dreams come true. That’s really what all life is ultimately about.

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