Bill Walton Cuts Astronomically Legendary Promo Ahead Of The Heat vs Nuggets Finals | Pat McAfee

But joining us now is a man that we've never got a chance to talk to and I ******* love him as a human. He is his own person, always has been, always will be. He's a two-time, two-time NCAA national champion. He's a two-time, two-time NBA champion. Hall of Famer both on the basketball court and in life. The incomparable Bill Walton. Yeah, Bill! Hell yeah, dude. Hell yeah. Alright, Pat. Good day. I'm the luckiest guy in the world. We've got the NBA Finals tonight. We've got Denver. We've got Miami. We've got absolutely spectacular players. So many things going down here. The fate of the known world is in the balance. Who's gonna, who's gonna come out on top? And that's all gonna depend because nobody knows. You can't predict who's gonna win. Of course. You play these games. And so, who's gonna be the best player? You've got Nikola Jokic, two-time MVP. You've got Jamal Murray, who's come all the way back from a devastating one-time career-ending injury. You've got tremendous role players with a fabulous coach at Mike Malone in Denver. An incredible fan base with ball arena and the home court advantage, which could be critical. And the altitude, we'll see how that plays out. I've had plenty of high-altitude training in my life. Okay, real thing, real thing. You think not only the high clouds, high spirits, lifted mindset, but I'm talking about the actual clear, thinner air at mile high, you think is a thing? Absolutely, Pat. And what happens is that when you're not used to it, for those of us who live on the coast, 50% of the people in the world live within 50 miles of the ocean. The other 50% are trying to get there. And so, when you have elevation, a full mile high, they've got it right there at the free throw line, 5,280 feet, the elevation of the city of Denver, the mile high city, where we've spent tons of time doing all kinds of different things. But at the beginning, whether you're riding your bike, whether you're playing basketball, that first couple of minutes, you're sucking for oxygen. And so, one of the things that the experienced teams do, they usually try to take an early timeout just to catch everybody's breath. But what's happened in the evolution of sports, Pat, is that the nutritional advantages that the players have today, everything in the NBA today is better than it used to be. But when you have the improved medical care, when you have the physical training, when you have the equipment, when you have the shoes, when you have all the science behind you and the nutrition and the hydration, you've got serious advantages and never discount the Miami Heat. Everybody who they've played this year in the playoffs, Milwaukee, New York, and then Boston, they made those heavily favored teams, they made them quit. And Miami plays a beautiful style that all comes from the top with Pat Riley, who at 78 years old, is still totally on top of everything, what he has instilled there in the culture. And one of the main things that Pat has done is that he has backed his coach. Eric Spolstra will one day be in the Hall of Fame. He's already been voted one of the 15 greatest coaches in the history of basketball. But every player in that franchise, they know. They know that they're expendable and Eric Spolstra is not. And so quitting on the coach, quitting on the team and the franchise is your fastest ticket out of town. And so while they got a ton of players, Bam Adebayo going up against Nikola Jokic is going to be tremendous. Jimmy Butler, who can play every position in the game. And then you've got all these different guys coming in. You've got Kevin Love doing a nice job as a role player, but you've got Gabe Vincent, Max Struess, you've got Kayla Martin, and you've got Kyle Lowry. Kyle Lowry, very much like a former teammate of mine, Lionel Hollins. Kyle Lowry, he wins the game. Now, he's not the lead player any longer. But years ago, he's 37 years old right now. And 37 years old, unless you're LeBron, you're not going to be dominating as the lead player. But Kyle Lowry, when he comes in, everything changes because he is able to dictate the outcome of the game. And that's what this is all about. We will certainly dive into the other things that are happening in Denver at a later part of this conversation. Excited to hear what you meant and were referring to there. But to talk about the coaching standpoint and how good Spolstra is and Malone seems to be loved by all of his players. Is there a chance that they might be a little bit cold coming off like a week and a half break with Miami still playing? And will it matter with the style of basketball that they can play in the moves that Malone can make? There's always a chance. It's a basketball game, and anything could happen. But playing at home is a huge advantage. The crowd, the fact that the Nuggets will not get tired, they will not be fatigued. But Miami is in superb physical condition, and they're used to the wild, raucous crowd. Those crowds in Milwaukee and New York and Boston who they've just faced, they're every bit the equal of any great home court. But what has to happen is that Michael Malone has to have pushed these guys. The top coaches, they know the pulse of their team. They know that it's not about leaving it on the practice court. It's about developing, pushing yourself, embracing the pressure and the opportunity. So when that ball is put up at Center Court at Ball Arena and the eyes of the world go up with that ball, the two hands going up to determine the fate of the known world one more time, then you've got to be ready, and you've got to be ready. And when you're looking at the Denver Nuggets, their game is up and down. Now, when they played Denver against Phoenix and the Lakers, their strategy there was to just run, run, run, because Phoenix and the Lakers, they are older teams in terms of their big-time stars, Chris Paul and Kevin Durant, and with the Lakers, LeBron and Anthony Davis. But the Miami Heat, they're in phenomenal physical condition. They'll be ready. The question is, will they be good enough? Nobody has been able to take the control of the flow of the game away from Nikola Jokic, who is such a remarkable player in every way. Bill, he's shooting like this, Bill. He's shooting like this. One foot over his head. Splash. He's a combination shooting-wise of Jack Sikma, of Dirk Nowitzki, of Patrick Ewing, and he's just a remarkable mind-dominant player. He's smart as can be. There's every aspect of the game he is totally in control of, and what I love, I love the team game. Now, Miami certainly plays the team game. Boston was unable to do that, and Denver plays the team game because their best player, Nikola Jokic, is so humble and so selfless, and he enjoys passing, and his passes are timely and accurate, and when you have that, it allows the offense to flow seamlessly, pretty much like the Arkansas River coming off the eastern spokes of the Continental Divide there. Oh, my God, just like it. I mean, you were kind of painting a picture there. I saw that ******* water flowing in that thing, and before AJ has a question for you, where are you calling from right now? I think we all would like to know. Every time that is popped up on the screen, full screen, I've got a good chuckle because I'm starting to figure out there's no way that's a collage. That's an actual place, right, Will? This is where I live on planet Earth, and this is a mural that I created with some of my favorite places. I am very much into nature. I try to be tuned into nature, the importance of nature, so in the upper left, you've got Yosemite, and in the upper center, you've got Death Valley and Zabriskie Point. In the upper right, you've got Horseshoe Bend on the Colorado River. Then you've got Monument Valley and the huge pinnacles and the sandstone monoliths. In the lower right-hand corner, you've got the Colorado Plateau. In the lower left-hand corner, you've got the California redwoods and the northern coasts of the Golden State, and then you've got the islands of Hawaii, and if I move to the side a little bit, you can see the sun, the center where it all comes from. Heat, light, energy. Yeah, I'm ready to go. I'd say! Yeah! And then you've got a little cosmic space in there right behind your head, just in case we get a little flighty in the middle of the day. You got to do what you got to do. Absolutely. Well, the spiritual nature of competition, which is what I love, and the preparation, what goes in to making this all happen, and when you look at what some of these guys from Denver have done with their lives, because at least three of them have suffered career-ending injuries early on, and now they're back full speed ahead. You got Michael Porter, Jr., who's had at least three spine surgeries. Now, I'm a spine patient myself, so I know how serious this is. Now, my spine bothered me since I was in college when I broke my back on January 7th, 1974. Not that I remember the date, but I've had serious, serious spine issues. Could you imagine? Hey, Bill, could you imagine? That sucks that it happened. If I fact-checked you there? Actually, could you imagine if I would have fact-checked you on that date right there? That would have been... January 7th, 1974. No, no, Bill. It was actually January 6th. Imagine if I had that piece of information. You said you're not keeping track. Imagine if I did, though. Imagine if that was part of... You'd be wrong. That would be... You'd be wrong. Yeah, okay. Sick, sick, sick. You've got Jamal Murray, who tore up his knee a couple years ago, and in the day, that injury was the end of the line. Anybody who had that injury that Jamal Murray had never played again. But now things are different, and the injuries that people have come back from, Kevin Durant with his Achilles injury, Clay Thompson with his torn ACL, Clay Thompson with his Achilles injury, out two and a half years. The load management that the NBA is utilizing right now is fantastic, and the way that they allowed Joel Embiid, the reigning MVP, to take the time to get better, and now their careers are extended. And then you got Jeff Green. Jeff Green, who is as interesting, as smart, as intelligent, as kind and generous as a human being as I've ever come across. And he's been in the NBA for 15 years. He's been on 11 different teams, but partway through his career, they told him, hey man, you got a defective heart, and you cannot play basketball anymore. So Jeff stopped, and then he had some medical procedures. Medical technology today is over the top. I'm alive today, Pat, because of all these advances in medical technology. Well, we're thankful for that. Thank you for that. I'm the luckiest dude in the world. And then you've got the Miami Heat, who they have all these players who seemingly nobody wanted. You talk about seemingly nobody wanted, but Nikola Jokic was the 41st player chosen in the draft. He's the only second round draft pick to ever win the MVP. And the other guy to do it was Willis Reed, who was the eighth pick overall, because back when Willis was coming in, there was just a handful of teams in the entire NBA. But when you have Caleb Martin, who's just on fire offensively in Miami, they dig in defensively. They can guard you. They don't need a lot of gimmicks. Now, they're going to be faced against a player, Nikola Jokic, who was at the top of his game, at the top of the NBA right now. And so how they're able to defend Nikola Jokic with Bam Adebayo and Cody Zeller, who will come in and do a very nice job. But Gabe Vincent can score with the best of them. Max Strews can do everything they want. And then you've got the key players in Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo. And Bam Adebayo's offense will be critical. He'll have to attack. He'll have to occupy Nikola Jokic, because Nikola, when he just is able to roam defensively and grab literally every defensive rebound, then it just makes it too easy on them, because the way he dribbles, there's never been a center. Now, both centers, Adebayo and Jokic, they will both drive the ball up the court to initiate the fast break. And that is just another aspect of the evolution of the world's greatest game in the world's greatest league. And so it's all on display tonight. And we are just going to be treated to an absolute great spectacle of drama and expertise. Yes, Pat? Bill, this promo you put together here is amazing. I can't wait to watch it. Now, you said world's greatest sport, world's greatest league. We would have differing opinion, but that is how the NBA is viewed by its legends. Like greatest league of all time. Feels like players in the league get along more in the NBA than anybody else. I think the NFL players in the league kind of have a little bit of differences. When you retire, normally you have a lot of heat towards it. But it sounds like you, a free thinker, right, I believe, and that loves nature, you saying like the world's greatest league and the world's greatest sport still being so close with it, it feels like that kind of vindicates the point that the players in the NBA, in the NBA itself, get along better than mostly any league. Is that a valid statement there? Yes, Pat, but that has changed over time. Now, the players themselves have always loved the league back from the very beginning. And what David Stern did, David Stern, God rest his soul, David Stern was the most important man in the history of basketball. And he never shot a basket. But he took a game and made it into a business, a $10 billion a year business. But what the Players Association did, starting with Bob Cousy, Larry Fleischer, Tom Heinsohn, please read The Cap by Josh Mendelsohn, an outstanding book, how David Stern and Larry Fleischer shaped and formed a modern day NBA. But through the Players Association, working in conjunction with the league itself, you have this incredible business with the world's greatest athletes who were just tough as can be. But what has changed is the relationship of one team's players to the other team's players. Everybody likes everybody. Is that what you're saying? Because what's happened, Pat, is that when we grew up, and when you ever hear some old guy like me, and I'm 70, when you ever hear, oh, back in the day, that's the surest sign that we're getting way too old. But those days, the players on one team despised the other team. And wanted nothing to do with them. But now, with free agency, which has changed everything, the most important thing in the history of pro sports, which has made it what it is today, is free agency. The second most important thing, which has changed everything in sports today, is franchise free agency. But with players changing teams all the time, with players growing up together, with the international, with the global aspect of the game, and people really top players, being exposed and playing with and against each other from the time they're young teenagers, they know each other. So they know that the other guys are not the devil. And so they come out and they hug and they kiss before the game. But no. Can't have it. Back in my day, back in my day, they weren't happy to see each other. This is the first time I'm seeing you in like two years. It's great to see you. We grew up together. Yeah, can't smile though. You know why? Because we just lost. All our fans are going to think that we don't care. We do care that we lost you. Like, **** you for that. But also, great to see you. It is a whole new world, Bill. You're 100% right. AJ, go ahead, pal. If they're not on my team, I don't want anything to do with them. Respect. But one thing, but one thing that I have to appreciate and respect, these guys today who have these remarkable lives, which have been created because of the success of the league financially, they live oftentimes very isolated worlds. And so they don't get to spend much time. So after the game, when they go, right when the game is over, you'll see them go and they'll hug and they'll kiss and they'll exchange jerseys and they'll talk to each other. And that used to bother me because, you know, I'm into the winning and I'm into the competition and I'm into trying to be the champion. And I don't even want to be part of the other team, right? But those rare moments when these guys, you know, who live in this bubble that's been created around them, where they're always chaperoned, always with security, always with charter flights and just walking right into the middle of the night into the hotel and rarely interacting with their peers. But those moments have become very special. Yeah, we agree. But that was a little bit of a transition there from the viewer's perspective. Go ahead, AJ. Bill, if you were coaching the Miami Heat tonight, what would you do defensively to try to slow this Denver offense down? AJ, it is AJ, correct? Yes. Hell yeah. What did you think, Bill? What could it be? AJ, AZ, AM? Well, I'm an active guy. I get it. I respect that. I'm going to say triple A. Okay, sick. All right, triple A, great question there. Go ahead. So, when you're playing against somebody like who does everything for Denver with the ball. And they have other good players, but most of them are finishers. The creator is the key guy. And Nikola is very, very much like Steve Nash, one of my favorite players of all time, also an international player. And when you're playing against somebody like Nikola or Steve who loves to pass, make them a scorer and wear them out because that's what Bill Russell used to do with Will Chamberlain. Now, Bill Russell, my favorite player ever. I'm a team guy. Everything about my game comes from Bill Russell. And when he would have to play against Wilt, who would have these phenomenal games, Bill Russell went to his teammates with his coach, Red, and he said, okay, look, the way we're going to win this game against Wilt is that I'll guard Wilt by myself. Wilt will have huge numbers. And he did. Wilt's greatest numbers came against Bill Russell, but Bill Russell's team won the game because Wilt's teammates were not involved. And so if Miami is willing to do that, if Bam Adebayo and Cody Zeller, who will play a key role to staying out of foul trouble against Nikola Jokic, is very difficult because he's very crafty, very skilled, very creative, and you can make him a scorer and not let him get Michael Porter Jr. or Aaron Gordon. We haven't even talked about Bruce Brown or Caldwell Pope. These are two little guys who were just fiery sparks out there. It's like lightning on the Great Plains when they get the ball because it's just so explosive and so electric out there. And so if they can somehow, Miami, slow those guys down and make Nikola Jokic go for big, big numbers himself, but Miami's still controlling the game. But Miami will not wear down. Miami is extremely and superbly conditioned. But their challenge is going to be to find the guy because in basketball, it's who has the best player. And the best player is not decided on the Pat McAfee show. The best player is decided on the court. And so they're going to walk out there, and Jimmy Butler, he believes he's the best player. And Caleb Martin, he thinks he's the best player. And there's an argument to be made that he should have been voted the MVP of the Eastern Conference Finals. But that's not what it's about. It's about who wins the games, and Miami won the games, and they made everybody who they played against quit, and they were so far off the radar coming in. And so now Nikola Jokic is going to walk out there and say, I'm the best player. And Jamal Murray's going to say, I'm the best player. And Bruce Brown and Caleb Caldwell-Polk, they're going to say, I'm the best player. But who's going to get it done during the course of the game? Who is going to dictate the terms of the conflict? Who's going to be the best player on the court? Yeah. One of them is. That's right. Who shall it be this evening? The fate of mankind is on the line. Is that what you've said? Absolutely. The fate of the known world. Now, there's a lot of the world that we don't know. Oh, of course. Of course. But we're going to come in, and the eyes of the world will be so laser-focused in on these games. Oh, yeah. Because what the NBA has become. Bill, Bill, before we get any further. Aliens, right? Aliens right now. UFOs. Like, fate of the known world. Our known world has grown bigger, isn't it? Since, like, whenever you were probably dancing in the conversation about maybe some other things happening in our world. And now we seemingly know everything. And the Pentagon's releasing stuff. So do we know who these people are? Have we met them before? Have you met? Have you seen a UFO? Do you know the aliens? What do you think about the future of the known world? Not just this evening, but forever. I love expansion. I love growth. I love blasting through boundaries. And I love experimentation. I love exploration. And I was super lucky in that my parents encouraged me to be curious. My parents, they never said no. They just said go. And the greatest parents ever. Zero interest in sports. But what we're seeing now, every day, every day we find new stuff. New information, new knowledge. How AI and VR is going to change everything as we're moving forward. The delivery systems of how we eat, how we survive, how we consume our information. Like the Pat McAfee show. And now, all of a sudden, they bring it all inside. And it was very much like, you know, you're going to one of the real power spots on Earth here in the state of Colorado. I mean, there is so much goodness going on there. And then, I'm not sure if you were there, Pat. I can't remember specifics. But it was back in the 70s, maybe early 80s, when we were up with the Grateful Dead at Red Rocks. And the Storm King. And it was supposed to be three nights. And just everything came down. Lightning, thunder, rain, floods, you name it. And then, they had to move the shows overnight into McNichols Arena, which is the predecessor to Bowl Arena. And so, as we were able to make that transition. And the key for all these guys is going to be the transition. Because one of the things that makes basketball the greatest game is that it never really stops. You're just up and down all the time. And that ability to keep it going, to keep that flow, and to be willing to embrace uncertainty, risk, failure, doubt, hesitation, all the things that come in when you're walking out there. But once that game starts, you're going to say, hey, man, we've done this before. Let's go. Let's play. Who's got a game? Who's in shape? We were at Red Rock yesterday. Come on. This ain't nothing. This is no problem at all. That was magical there. Triple-A really led us into a conversation about all things that we couldn't have fathomed. But thank you for taking us on that ride. You just took us on. Pac-Man has a question for you. Bill? Bill, like you said, a lot of things have changed. The cannabis. I'm a big believer that cannabis and sports have a big play in today. I've read up a little bit. What do you think about the cannabis and sports, the ayahuasca, the mushrooms? How do you feel that they help the players' treatment and all of that? I've read about some of that stuff, yeah. Seems really interesting. And as one who believes in experimentation and exploration, I'm always willing to learn more. Now, what was your name again, sir? I didn't catch the introduction quickly. Pac-Man Jones. Pac-Man. Oh, my goodness, yes. I think I know you. Bill, everybody knows Pac-Man, yeah. You've just been gobbling us all up. Yeah, there it is. I know Pac-Man, yeah. So two of my favorites, two of my favorite people in the history of sports, Al Davis and Red Auerbach, they were about winning. And they were about getting the job done. And Red and Al, they always just said, whatever it takes to get the job done. We live in an organized, rule-based, law-based society. And so laws are changing, as is everything else. The constant nature of change, which we must look forward to and not be holding on to something that once was. And so as we learn more, as we know more, as we try more, as science becomes better, and all the help that the additional medicine people bring to the table all the time, we have to keep our eyes wide open. And I remember one of the great quotes ever from Ted Hendricks from the NFL, playing for the Raiders, because he was involved in literally every play. But he never got hurt. And Ted ended up, after his career, living here in San Diego, and we'd see each other all the time and just share so many wonderful moments. And so I asked him, so how did you keep from getting injured in this most violent of all games, where the strategy is to hurt the other guy? Unlike basketball, which is to play a game, unless you're playing against artist Gilmore, who had no comprehension. That there were rules, right? But Ted said, I just kept a swivel neck. And the ability of all of us to keep that swivel neck, to look and see what's coming at you from all ways. Because the forces of evil, they're constantly swirling around us. And we have to find those sacred places, like Colorado, like the high in the Rockies, like where the Buffalo roam, and the launching pads to the universe. And the world is zeroing in right now on Colorado. Okay, hell yeah. Hell yeah. Everything seems to be coming right back a mile higher. Isn't it? Seems like the whole world is kind of looking at Denver right now. Even people that aren't into sports, it sounds like you were kind of alluding to. Well, the beautiful thing about these games being on ABC, which is part of Disney, which is part of ESPN, it's all the world there, is that nobody promotes like ESPN, which is basically the overarching term for all things Disney in the world of sports, and ABC as well. And so the ability to get the message out, because that is one of the key elements of success, is to be able to share, to be able to disseminate the message. Now, my message is one of hope. My message is one of optimism. Hell yeah. My message is one of inclusion and team and goals and success. It's not about exclusion. It's not about hate. It's not about denigrating others. It's about being as great as you can be in a team concept. And I was super lucky to grow up in that culture and the heroes and the role models and the influences and the coaches that I had who have made me who I am today, the luckiest guy in the world. Hell yeah. Which is a 30 for 30 documentary coming out June 6th. Here we go. And part two coming out. Congrats on getting to the stage of life for a 30 for 30. That is not something that happens to a lot of people. It is a huge honor. As a Hall of Famer, it is obviously going to be remarkable to kind of get a look inside your day-to-day, you know? Are they doing a lot of that? How much filming took place? It's been quite the journey, and I'm honored. Are you at that place? Do you go visit all these places, or are we at this? It's everywhere. It's everything. So one of the things that I love about my job. Everywhere. Everything. Love it. I can't wait. So just take one moment here, and let me explain why and how Pat and A.J. and AAA, sorry, and Pac-Man, why and how I'm the luckiest guy in the world. Take your time. We'd love to hear it. You inspire others to feel the same way. I was born. I was born 70 years ago into a world of hope, optimism, peace, love, books, and music. When I was five years old, I found my bicycle. When I was eight years old, I found basketball. When I was nine years old, I found Chick Hearn on the radio. When I was 15, I found the Grateful Dead, UCLA, and John Woodward. When I was 17, I found Ernie Bandewijk. When I was 28, I found Marty Glickman and learned how to speak. I'm a lifelong stutterer. Speaking is the hardest thing in the world for me. It's my greatest challenge. Learning how to speak is my greatest accomplishment. When I was 37, I found the woman of my dreams, Laurie, the greatest everything ever. We have six children and 14 grandchildren. When I was 55, I found Dr. Steve Garfin, Dr. Liz Stimson, and UC San Diego Health System. I have never been healthier in my life. When I was 56, I found Pat Kilkenny and Ted Raw. And now that I'm 70, I just found Jerry's middle finger. I have a chance right now, here and now, at a full and complete life. I am the luckiest guy in the world. Wow. How about that bike at five? You know what I mean? Like when you get that bike, you think that's going to be it. Then all of a sudden, a basketball comes around. Boom. Awesome. It just kept coming, Pat, and people have always been nicer to me than I deserve. And the kindness, the generosity, and the patience that people have always exhibited with me. Because, you know, I'm charging. I want it all. I want it to be the best. I want it to be great. But I learned very early on from my teachers, from my coaches, that I couldn't do it alone. And that I needed a team. I needed a coach. I needed a platform. And I needed the fans. And I'm the luckiest guy in the world. All that stuff. Six of my coaches are in the Basketball Hall of Fame. Many more would be had my legs held up. But, you know, I spent half my adult life in the hospital. I've had 39 orthopedic operations. What? But I'm doing absolutely fantastic. Yeah, you are, man. You're crushing it. It sounds like. Can't wait to watch the 30 for 30. We appreciate the hell out of your time. We hope you'll join us again as these NBA finals continue, if you find time in your lucky life, I guess, that you're living. Pat, you feel free to call on me anytime. Because I'm on your team. And the nicest thing that anybody ever said about me, the nicest thing anybody ever said about me as a basketball player, was that I helped my teammates play better. And that's one of the reasons why I love Nikola Jokic so much. I mean, he comes out there and he's, you know, he's like Bill Russell. He's like magic. He's like Steve Nash. He's coming out there and saying, okay, I can do all this stuff by myself. But we're going to have greater success if I'm getting Michael, if I'm getting Michael Porter Jr., if I'm getting Aaron Gordon, if I'm getting an old world Pope and Bruce Brown going, if I'm getting Jeff Green going and the helping nature. Please read Willie Nelson's book. It's a long story. Have Willie on your show. And one of the things. I'll just text him. Willie in this book. It's a long story. He tells, you know, it's about the journey. And we talk about, you know, Nikola Jokic. Everybody wasn't jumping up and down saying, okay, we're going to draft Nikola Jokic. And even then they didn't. They were not even sure about that. In Willie Nelson's journey and all the hurdles. Now we see Willie Nelson today and he is absolutely on top of the world. And everything is at his command. It was not always like that. And there are so many times which he relates perfectly. He's a great storyteller and a great performer and a great onstage presence. But all these times were some total stranger. He would be at the end, the end of his rope on the edge of the cliff. He had nothing. And some complete stranger would come up to him and say, hey, man, let me buy you lunch. Or here, take this 20 bucks. Or here's a bus ticket to wherever you want to go. And that element of kindness, when we have that in our world, in our lives, then we have a chance. And now I have a chance because of the kindness that other people have always extended to me. Hell yeah, man. We appreciate you. I assume you and Willie get along just fine. And if I was in that room, I think I'd be able to keep up. But I would love to just listen. I appreciate the hell out of you, sir. You're a legend and we thank you for your time. Triple A, Pac-Man, all the boys, myself. You're the man, Bill. I'm the luckiest guy in the world. And you should have been with us at Willie Nelson's 90th birthday at the Hollywood Bowl. Should have been. Oh, my gosh. Damn, I wasn't there in the 70s either. The Red Rocks was Grateful Dead. We had to go over to the old Bell Arena. I am so bummed about it. Ladies and gentlemen, Bill Walton. Thank you. Yeah, Bill. Thank you. Here we go. Shine on, heel on. Hell yeah. Play on. NBA finals. Hell yeah. Let's go. Hell yeah, Bill. Love you, Bill. You remember back in 1760s. You remember. 1762 when we was at the. I don't remember if you were there or not. That was awesome. Yeah. When I get old, I'm going to say that to younger people. COVID. Hey, I don't know if you were there or not, but there was a time where we were all locked in. We were all locked in. Couldn't go anywhere, actually. Nowhere. There was a couple of questions we asked that we did not get answers to, but we certainly got words for others. Yeah. Man, he's awesome. It was sweet. What a master. Tying it all together. It was amazing. When he took that thing back home, the entire room. All right. Okay. Hell yeah. Okay. Grateful Dead. Colorado. Spansion. Imagine being his kid. I listened to Luke Walton one time years ago on something. They're asking birthday gifts, Christmas gifts. He's like, there you go. What's the best thing you ever got? It was before a game, I think. And Luke, he had some awesome comments. He's like, I don't know. My dad, whatever team he was playing on, he would just give me the free stuff. They would get that. I never got any real presents. He would just get clothes and merch from his team. Made it to the NBA? He was asking about smoking dope or whatever. And, I mean, he said they're legalizing things and whatever. He told a story about how Davis in the middle of that. Yeah. And then he came back and was like, you know, everybody is following what Denver is doing. Yeah. He was pushing a lot of stuff going on. The world's coming to Denver. What he called it, the trajectory to the universe. No, the tarmac to the universe. Not the epicenter. Something, right? Something. He was acting as if. Gateway to the universe. Gateway, yeah. It was something along those lines. I'm like, okay, can you just. I literally gave you the opportunity. Can we just talk about what. What do you mean? You're alluding to everything right here. Why don't you do your own research pretty much. The alien stuff too, yeah. Dude, the smoking. The alien thing I thought he was going to. I thought he maybe had interacted with a few. Yeah. Probably has. I like it. I do. In a good way. Oh, okay. There's nothing wrong with that. Let's go to the phone. Thanks for joining us, Bill. Thank you, Bill. I mean, it's a basketball game. No way to predict what's going to happen. Yeah, exactly. You're right, though. He's 100% right. He is. Spot on. Just like Dan Orlovsky earlier gave us a couple breakdowns. What's the best way to beat Patrick Mahomes? You don't have him on the field. You tackle him. And you score more points. Yeah. Okay, it's football, Dan. It's football, Dan. But then he dove into it a little bit. Bill Walton's just breaking it down. Hey, this is what's going to happen here. He knows ball. Maybe. That's how it goes. This is a much more intriguing matchup than I could have previously experienced or thought after he cut, like, four promos for it. Yeah. I mean, he came in ready to cut a promo for that NBA final. Oh, yeah. Is he calling the game? No. No, no, no. Does he call college? You sure? Yeah, he does. Pac-12 games. Yeah, Dave Pash. What else? Does he do podcasts? Does he do daily? I don't see him on, like, is he? I don't think so. I don't think he would. I think he would if he was asked. I think he would do podcasts himself. I think so, too. Yeah, he'd crush. He likes to spread his positivity. I am worried about the series, though, if everything's coming to Denver. Why? Like, there is a real chance Denver just kind of. You think an alien's popping out there in the middle of the game like Chris Angel did down from Allegiant Stadium? Is that what you're talking about? That makes it possible. That's kind of what I thought he was saying, like, all eyes are on Denver now, you know, and then he started saying, like, ABC, ESPN, we really get the word out there. Yeah. Is an alien about to ******* pop up out of the ground in Denver during the finals here? That's a good question. I don't know what the **** he was talking about. Me neither. And now I don't know what to think of this series either. I'm way more confused now than I was before Bill Walton came on. But I'm excited to watch. Yeah. Absolutely. I'll say that. I'm excited to watch tonight. I love Bill. Yeah. Love him, dude. Yeah. Love the guy. There was one time, middle of the answer, he took a turn just completely not. We're not doing that anymore. Left.