The Peterson Principle: 3/10/2017

Tim Peterson

Tim Peterson

By Tim Peterson

I love watching this UCLA team. With freshmen Lonzo Ball and T.J. Leaf mixed with seniors Bryce Alford and Isaac Hamilton it’s the most entertaining Bruin team in years. Throw in an Aaron Holiday and a Thomas Welsh and they may have the recipe for a national champion.

But like almost everything else in life every silver lining has a dark cloud. In UCLA’s case that dark cloud comes in the form of Bill Walton. The guy just never shuts up. Never. Shuts. Up. I turn on the PAC 12 Network to watch UCLA and Walton is there. Other times the Bruins are on ESPN, like Thursday night against USC, and again Walton is there. The guy just lingers and hangs around like a bad cough. And his ramblings never add value.

He talks about Pink Floyd, the Grateful Dead and Mick Fleetwood. He drones on about his partner Dave Pasch loving coal and how he and USC AD Lynn Swann will forever be linked. At one point he mentions Gonzaga but can’t remember their nickname and says “whatever they’re called.” Dude we don’t care! How about the game?

When he does finally get around to the game he’s always a step behind. “Look at Lonzo Ball!” Walton yells while Chimezie Metu is laying the ball in the basket for USC.

He mentions his dog, I think it’s a dog, Cortez, and how he died in his arms. Again, hey Bill! What’s the score? You have any insight? His schtick is as old as he is and completely lost on everybody except maybe …well…the dead heads. He’s not funny and you wonder why ESPN still employs him. It can’t be for ratings as you can almost feel the people reaching for the remote at the sound of Walton’s voice.

Look,Walton was a great player. Some might argue that he was one of the greatest college players of all time. And they aren’t far off. But as an announcer he ruins the game. Why? Because he babbles on about everything but the game. Bill, we don’t care about song lyrics and sunsets in the desert. We care about the game. If you aren’t going to talk about the game then don’t talk. Put a muzzle on it.

**

Great article in Thursday’s LA Times entitled “The Pride and the Pain” by Bill Plaschke. It’s a must read for all parents that have kids playing sports. You can still find it online.

**

The crowd and the atmosphere Wednesday night at the Maranatha game lends further credence to the fact that the State playoffs are almost insignificant compared to the CIF Finals. The Minutemen lost but did anybody really care? Sure, there were people there but let’s just say there were plenty of good seats available. That being said Pasadena won Wednesday night as did Burbank and Blair, who play each other, in the second round of the State Tournament.

**

UCLA football fans won’t like this but isn’t it funny what a difference a year makes? Last spring it was UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen that was all the rage with talk about him being a Heisman Trophy candidate. This year USC’s Sam Darnold, who was carrying a clipboard on the sidelines watching Max Browne at the start of last season, is now being heralded as the best quarterback in the nation while Rosen, who was injured last year, is an afterthought. The Trojans opened spring practice this week.

**

You ever purchase a lemon that you wanted to unload as soon as you drove it off the lot but then suddenly somebody works a deal for you and takes it off of your hands? The payments  are gone and you’re now free to start over and make a brand new purchase. That was the Houston Texans Thursday. They were able to rid themselves of the $16 million they would owe Brock Osweiler for 2017 and can now make a run at a cheaper and better model. Tony Romo? Is it surprising that the team that would make that deal is the Cleveland Browns? Of course the Browns picked up a couple of draft picks as well but they’re also saddled with an albatross around their neck.

They may trade Osweiler but it’s difficult to imagine somebody else wanting him a this point. On the surface it looks like another monumental Browns blunder.

I wonder what Bill Walton thinks about the Browns trade? Why did they make this deal Bill? Does it have anything to do with Dave Pasch liking coal?

That’s my principle.

Tim can be reached at tim@midvalleysports.com or on Twitter @tspeterson40.

11 Comments to "The Peterson Principle: 3/10/2017"

  1. Los Altos's Gravatar Los Altos
    March 14, 2017 - 11:36 am | Permalink

    Los Altos just hired long time assistant coach John Strickland who has coached at Charter Oak, Covina, and San Dimas. Solid hire!
    From T. Peterson: Still looking for confirmation on this. Nothing yet.

  2. sgvman's Gravatar sgvman
    March 10, 2017 - 5:11 pm | Permalink

    Thanks Tim ! Its getting late, hopefully they find their guys soon !

  3. Really?'s Gravatar Really?
    March 10, 2017 - 4:58 pm | Permalink

    I heard it is so bad in the Alhambra Unified School District that when the football teams have parents bring food for pre-game meal they have to split their servings with the girls volleyball team. Since they don’t eat as much as the boys the get to through it in the trash right in front of the coaches and players. Look, do yourself a favor and fold all three Alhambra Unified teams. All the good players are going to San Marino, South Pas, and Schurr anyway. Lmao!

  4. sgvman's Gravatar sgvman
    March 10, 2017 - 4:08 pm | Permalink

    Any word on head coaching jobs at Marshall, San Gabriel, Workman, Los Altos , El Monte ?
    From T. Peterson: Marshall may fold the program; Spoke to sources this week re: San Gabriel, El Monte and Los Altos – nothing yet. Haven’t heard anything from Workman.

  5. SoCal's Gravatar SoCal
    March 10, 2017 - 1:19 pm | Permalink

    Nobody wants to coach at SG. The demographic are bad and they have the lingering effect of the title 9 lawsuit. All the money that football raises must be split with all the girls programs. That is why San Gabriel does not have a football coach.

  6. HOT ROD's Gravatar HOT ROD
    March 10, 2017 - 12:58 pm | Permalink

    Hate how SC didn’t score the many missed free throw and knock out the annoying ruins and their lousy announcer

  7. SGHS coach's Gravatar SGHS coach
    March 10, 2017 - 12:07 pm | Permalink

    New coach at SGHS is Kevin Soto from the City Section

  8. NWO's Gravatar NWO
    March 10, 2017 - 11:59 am | Permalink

    I second the question asked by Anonymous.

  9. Nightmare Team's Gravatar Nightmare Team
    March 10, 2017 - 10:10 am | Permalink

    If Howard Cosell were still alive and working with Bill Walton on sports shows, we’d have the gold standard of bad broadcasting.

  10. Anonymous's Gravatar Anonymous
    March 10, 2017 - 9:40 am | Permalink

    @any word on the new San Gabriel coach?

  11. Joe Pulitzer's Gravatar Joe Pulitzer
    March 10, 2017 - 3:54 am | Permalink

    Not a fan of Walton’s Vitale mimickry. He wants to be the next Dick. Still I can give him a pass for now. He has had some mental issues that along with anti-depressants that may be causing his mania. If he can’t tone it down he will be axed along with a bunch of other ESPN talking heads.

Leave a Reply