Blazer ex-team doctor: Bill Walton's book "should be on the fiction shelves"

Bill Walton is in Portland this week promoting his new book, "Back from the Dead."

In the book, Walton leveled criticism against the Trail Blazers and, specifically, former team physician, Dr. Robert Cook. And Cook isn't taking too kindly to Walton's writings, comparing his ex-friend's work to an old Randy Travis country song.

"It's like the song says," Cook said this week, "'I'm digging up bones, exhuming things that are better left alone.'

"I see he's doing a reading this weekend at Powell's. That book should be on the fiction shelves over there, at least the parts that deal with the Trail Blazers and his medical treatment."

The issue is the diagnosis and treatment of Walton's foot injuries, which eventually doomed his career as a Trail Blazer.

He says in the book that "The Blazers and the doctors told me that the pain in my foot was a mental thing -- it was all in my mind.

"They took me to a hypnotist, who had me lie on a table as he swung a watch in front of my eyes.

"... Then the Blazers and the doctors told me that my problems were in my soul. So they took me to a faith healer."

Cook says those things never happened.

Read the rest here - http://www.csnnw.com/blazers/blazer-ex-team-doctor-bill-waltons-book-should-be-fiction-shelves

 

Cook also includes details in his draft of the $5 million suit that Walton filed against Cook and the Trail Blazers over his medical treatment, details that were heretofore not revealed anywhere.

"Prior to the trial Walton and his attorneys retreated from the 5+ million figure to 1 million dollars, that was declined, next to 1/2 million again declined, next to 1/4 million again declined and finally $125,000 was proposed and at that point the insurers 'who have the last word' took over and the matter was settled with agreement that the actual number was confidential."

Cook and the Trail Blazers seemed to have additional leverage in getting the early settlement. In the draft of his book provided by Cook, the doctor reveals contents of a pre-trial deposition with Walton in which the player was asked about his use of "cocaine, mescaline, peyote and other drugs."

Cook said Walton was questioned about "several specific accounts of drug-related events." That line of questioning coming out in open court certainly would have been a bombshell in the late 1970s as Walton was looking for another team to play for in the NBA.

http://www.csnnw.com/blazers/blazer-ex-team-doctor-bill-waltons-book-should-be-fiction-shelves

 

"you tell that big son of a bitch"..HAHA

 

I'm trying to imagine the Blazers actually telling a player their foot pain is actually rooted in a problem with their soul....is that what they told Bowie about his knees...did Oden go see a spiritualist...was Roy's soul just too much for his knees...I'm pretty sure Matthews problem was in his achilles...ah this painful Blazers history must just be a problem in my soul...

 

I did not like him as a broadcaster and respected him as a player. However, when you are 7' tall anything can happen to your feet and knees. He should have sought second opinion. Becoming a plaintiff and hiring a litigator is what sore losers do. The hypnotist story is hilarious.

 

Somehow, based on Bills weird vibe of everything being connected/being a hippy, I bet it was Bill's idea to go to a hypnotist and a faith healer.

the Blazers were probably like "sure Bill, you do that. We're going to just have an actual doctor look at you again"

 

I'll eat the steak, and you might convince me to shut up, but I won't fuck Bill Walton.

Sorry.

barfo

 

Didn't Bill also go out of his way to (basically) apologize for how he accused the team of mistreatment?

Unless this is poor reporting and taken out of context, this seems to fly in the face of that.