Bill Walsh, legendary NFL coach dead aged 75.

stew · July 30, 2007, 09:10:08 PM

Bill Walsh, the legendary San Francisco coach died Today aged 75. Walsh was the man that brought the NFL the west coast offense and it considered one of the top three coaches of all time alongside the Cowboys Tom Landry and Vince Lombardi of the green bay Packers.

Walsh groomed superstars such as Joe Montana and Steve Young and has an impressive number of top coaches that have went on to become head coaches in the league including Mike Holmgren who himself went on to win a superbowl with the Green Bay Packers.
Bill walsh won i believe 6 western conference titles and 3 superbowls in ten yeras, that takes some doing!

Bill you were a class act, I had the privilege of hearing him speak at a work function 5 years ago and he was a powerful speaker and motivator. RIP Bill.

Windmill abu · July 30, 2007, 11:49:09 PM

He made Joe Montana & Jerry Rice the sporting double act of the 1990's.

He also helped to make channel 4 watchable on sunday nights

May he rest in peace.

lurganblue · July 31, 2007, 02:17:17 AM

i was sitting down to watch "america's game" on the NFL channel there and noticed that it had been cancelled to do a show about the 49ers and bill walsh.
now i know why...

a bit before my interest started in NFL but he must have been some coach. i think they said there that the team he built won 5 superbowls... some going.

DrinkingHarp · July 31, 2007, 04:09:44 AM

Bill Walsh was a true genlteman and football genius. If his team lost a game he never blamed a player, ref or something else. He always said I didnt get my team the win and took it to heart. He designed the west coast offense that almost every team in the NFL and college uses in some part today.

The best thing any person can say about another person is how much of a kind and gentle person one is/was and Bill Walsh is the perfect example of that both on and off the field.

And this coming from a Chicago Bears fan.

RIP

Great Leap Forward · July 31, 2007, 08:41:27 AM

As a Bengals fan I have bad memories of that great San Fran team particularly Super Bowl XXIII. I think that was my first ever broken heart!

Walsh was an excellent coach and many coaches who worked under him went on to win Super Bowls including Mike Holmgren and George Seifert.

In fact during Super Bowl XXIII he defeated another on of his proteges, and one of his closest friends Bill Wyche.

His legacy will last forever.

Yer Ma · July 31, 2007, 03:35:07 PM

A great coach indeed, however as a Giants fan my best memory was when we beat the 49ers in 1991 at Candlestick in the NFC game.

The 49er's were for me at the time the equivalent of Liverpool in football - just too good and therefore had to be hated.

SammyG · July 31, 2007, 07:00:37 PM

A genuine legend and by all accounts a decent bloke as well. He had an unbelieveble record as a coach but his record of bringing through young coaches was even more astonishing. 29 of his coaches went on to be head coaches in the NFL with a total of 17 superbowl appearances and (I think) 9 wins between them. I can't think of anybody else, in any sport, who has a record like that. RIP.

Gabriel_Hurl · August 01, 2007, 06:27:01 PM

Awesome picture

magickingdom · August 01, 2007, 08:17:15 PM

sad to hear that and what a class act he was. i had the 'privilege' of living in san francisco during that great teams era. joe montana, jerry rice et al really were the yardstick for perfection. he brought great joy to many people in the bay area with a team that ozzed class. may he rest in peace after a life well lived...