'70s Throwback: Sixkiller, Walton Share TV Moment with Battle

Sonny Sixkiller and Bill Walton crossed paths this week nearly a half century after becoming iconic college athletes, sharing fist bumps and a few laughs at Alaska Airlines Arena.

They came together on Thursday night for an impromptu FOX-TV spot with Washington Huskies freshman guard RaeQuan Battle that was shown during the Huskies-Arizona basketball game.

Sixkiller and Walton.

One was a swashbuckling Washington football quarterback; the other an overly dominant UCLA basketball center.

They overlapped as celebrities, headliners and the persona of cool. They played so long ago the league was known as the Pac-8 Conference.

Sixkiller had the great name and arm, throwing the football almost nonstop for the previously old-school and run-minded Huskies. He brought Seattle to life with his arrival as a sophomore in 1970.

Walton made the Bruins multiple NCAA champions and practically unbeatable in extending the school dynasty, beginning with his sophomore season in 1971-72. No one could stop the big redhead.

Each had longer hair and a lot more swagger back then. They attended anti-war rallies. They were known to party a little.

These two were good at what they did on their respective athletic platforms and they knew it. They dared you to beat them.

They both appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated. Yet each preferred to shy away from the media spotlight.

Sixkiller works for the IMG broadcast network that airs Huskies games. Walton is all over the map as a broadcaster calling basketball games for any network that will have him.

As they spent a few moments together, with Walton bringing everyone together to highlight the others' Native-American backgrounds, the older men were an unmistakable reminder of college greatness.

Battle could be excused if he didn't know the back story of these two people, but he'd be better served if he did.