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Bill Walsh, dead at the age of 75
Posted: Mon Jul 30, 2007 4:25 pm
by Irn-Bru
Bill Walsh, the imaginative and charismatic coach who took over a downtrodden 49ers team and built one of the greatest franchises in NFL history, died Monday morning at his home in Woodside at the age of 75, after a long struggle with leukemia.
A master of using short, precisely timed passes to control the ball in what became known as the West Coast offense, he guided the team to three Super Bowl championships and six NFC West division titles in his 10 years as head coach.
The 49ers had been wrecked by mismanagement and unwise personnel decisions under former general manager Joe Thomas when owner Ed DeBartolo Jr. cleaned house in 1979. Walsh, who had led Stanford to two bowl victories in two seasons as head coach, took a 49ers team that had finished 2-14 in 1978 and built a Super Bowl champion in just three years. It was one of the most remarkable turnarounds in professional sports history.
Rest of the story. . .
Posted: Mon Jul 30, 2007 4:26 pm
by andyjens89
RIP Coach
Posted: Mon Jul 30, 2007 4:52 pm
by BernieSki
He was one of the best. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family.
Posted: Mon Jul 30, 2007 8:33 pm
by BearSkins
Ditto. RIP.
Posted: Mon Jul 30, 2007 8:40 pm
by jeremyroyce
My heart goes out to him and the family. I knew that he was sick but I thought that he was getting better. Mr Walsh RIP
Posted: Mon Jul 30, 2007 9:10 pm
by redskindave
R.I.P. Coach
Posted: Mon Jul 30, 2007 10:19 pm
by Jake
RIP to one of the greatest football minds to ever exist.
Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 7:27 am
by JansenFan
Gibbs vs Walsh in the '83 championship game is, to this day, one of my favorite football games to watch.
RIP Bill.
Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 11:57 am
by gibbsfan
truly one of if not the best the nfl had..
rip bill walsh.
Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 2:40 pm
by UK Skins Fan
RIP Bill Walsh.
In the "old days", he was the man I loved to hate, along with Landry and Parcells. No logic to that, just the fact that they were the enemy at the time. But he was a great coach, no question.