Farewell, Bill Walsh
Bill Walsh, a legendary football coach of both the NFL and Collegiate ranks, has passed away.
I don’t really know a ton about the man, but I do feel I have a great deal of appreciation for the innovation he brought to the game of football. And if I had to guess, I’d guess he was a pretty darn good guy too.
As most of you probably know, Walsh invented the “West Coast Offense,” that just about the entire football world tried to copy and/or adapt to their own needs starting in the 80s and right up through today. When you watch Charlie Weis’ use of timing routes and clever screens involving an unusually athletic fullback as the primary receiver, you’re seeing some of Walsh’s legacy come to life.
Some of you may also recall that Walsh provided commentary for some of NBC’s early coverage of Notre Dame home games.
Goodbye, Bill. Thanks for everything.
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2 Comments
Well, Joe Montana liked him, that’s good enough for me.
I heard a funny story about him today. Before a Super Bowl, at the team hotel, a bellman was gathering players bags and taking them to rooms. Joe Montana had one bellman try to take a briefcase out of his hands and take it with him. After a short struggle, the bellman revealed himself to be Walsh dressed up to get a laugh. Now, being the die-hard Cowboys fan I am, I had no love for Walsh or his teams, but that story shows he’s a fun loving good guy on top of the great offensive genius he was.
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