Bill Walton Helped Rick Carlisle Land A First Date With His Now Wife Thanks To The Grateful Dead And A Guy Named Ramrod

[The Athletic] - I pick up the phone, and it’s Rick Carlisle. And he says, “Bill, I need some help.” I say, “Sure, what do you got, Rick?” I was home in San Diego. I don’t know what I was doing. He says, “Bill, Bill, I’m here in Washington, and I met this girl, Donna, I’m gonna marry this girl, Bill. And Bill, this is our first date tonight, and I want to take her to the Grateful Dead show at Capitol Center in Washington, D.C.

So I said, “Just go to the show. Go to the show and go to the Capitol Center, where we all used to play.” The Dead always play in the same buildings we play as basketball players. So I said, “Go to the Capitol Center and go to the backdoor and knock on the backdoor and ask for Ramrod.” And he says, “Oh, that will never work.” And I said, “That’s your chance.” 

This really should be a few words in the blog. Pretty much what do you expect Bill Walton to do for you if you call him for help on a first date? Especially if you call and tell him you're interested in hitting up the Grateful Dead concert. He's going to have some sort of random hookup. Bill Walton doesn't just buy tickets for the Grateful Dead, he has a guy named Ramdrod. 

Obligatory video: 

 No one lives anything in the world more than Bill Walton loves the Grateful Dead. So on one hand, Carlisle might be the smartest person in the planet. You don't call Jerry Garcia for tickets to the show, you call Bill Walton. But that's the key here. If you go to a Dead show, you have to go like Walton. That's why I love this move by Carlisle. 

Imagine being Carlisle's date, now wife. Pretty sure you gotta be a little worried if you show up to a concert and ask for a guy named Ramrod - even in the 80s. That's how you know she's a ride or die chick. She's just going with the flow and obviously Walton and Ramrod come through with the best spots in the place. 

Long live Walton man. I can't wait to hear him ramble again.