The Night Bill Walton Smoked The Fools From Memphis For 44

In the wake of Anthony Davis' Championship Game dud - 1 for 10 albeit with 16 rebounds and 5 blocks - I thought I would conveniently post the MOST epic big man performance in NCAA Title Game history.

That would be Bill Walton's 21 for 22 scorching of Memphis in 1973.

Now, I take nothing away from the big redhead. He was awesome. Skilled, strong, smart, good shooting touch for a big man.

But at the same time, look at the style of play from almost 40 years ago.

Not only were opposing big men (and "medium men" for that matter) so ill-equipped to contest his shots, but the level of contact allowed by the officiating back in the day, makes it look like ballhandlers were dipped in a contagious disease.

Sure, Davis forced some shots last night. He was fouled alot too. At least by my eyes.

So who will Davis be? A slicker, faster, more shot-blocking Tim Duncan?

Or perhaps a more pedestrian pro, like Marcus Camby?

Time will tell.

One Shining Moment: 2012

Still sappy. Still one of my faves. Its virtually indentical from year to year, only the hairstyles and faces change.

Anthony Davis Is "Walking Through That Door..."

"Anthony Davis is just the No. 1 player in the draft," Pitino said of the 19-year-old freshman, who has won just about every player of the year award there is. "When you're playing against Bill Russell on the pro level, you realize why the Celtics won 11 world championships."

- Rick Pitino


Okay, two things here.

1. Pitino is correct. 

Davis is amazing, and the Russell comparison may make people cringe, but the comparison to his GAME (not Russell's accomplishments) is apt. Davis is a light footed, cat quick, nose-for-the-block one-man-wrecking-crew.

2. Pitino is a loser.

This was the almost EXACT same thing he said when he failed with the Celtics. It was the whole ".... isn't walking through that door" speech as a way to rationalize the Celtics (and HIS, more importantly) bad luck in the 1998 NBA Lottery.

(What, Chauncey Billups and Ron Mercer aren't adequate consolation prizes?)

I also didn't need his South Beach travel plans.

"I told the guys, 'Look, I'm going to Miami tomorrow and celebrating a season where we worked around the clock, around injuries and everything else. If you guys don't celebrate and have good, clean fun, you're fools,' " Pitino said.

What, is he going to sit poolside wearing that stupid white suit of his?

As for the desire for a supposedly hated rival to "bring home the trophy" so the entire Commonwealth can enjoy it, well, I'll leave that to the good folks of Kentucky. To me, sounds like pure bullshit.

"To tell you the truth, I haven't always liked some of the Kentucky teams. I'm not going to lie to you," said Louisville coach Rick Pitino, who counts as something of an expert after spending eight years in Lexington and the last 11 with the Cardinals. "But I really like this team a lot because of their attitude and the way they play.

"I'll certainly be rooting for them hard to bring the trophy back to Kentucky. ... They're a great group of guys, doing a tremendous job."