Bill Walsh has passed away

[Edman]

Nothing but respect from this Steelers fan. Walsh is one of the more prestigious and innovative head coaches that left his mark on modern day NFL. Deserves nothing less than respect and praise.

The NFL has lost a great person today.

[stlrtruck]

Prays go out to his family and friends!!! He was a heckuva coach and set the standard for future coaches!!

[steelpride12]

R.I.P. coach and well always remember your greatness.

[steelersfanmx]

Sad news... A man dies, but his legacy will live forever... RIP

[Jman]

Sad indeed. This man reflected greatness in football.

[Galax Steeler]

He was a great coach have alot of memorys of his coaching days will be missed.

[revefsreleets]

Originally Posted by Atlanta Dan

In terms of combined on the field success and the coaching tree that branched out from him, perhaps the greatest pro coach of the last 60 years along with Paul Brown (who actually held Walsh back when he was Brown's assistant in Cincinnati by bad mouthing him for HC jobs). Lombardi and Noll won more championships but neither had an impact on the game through their strategy and proteges that endured decades after their on the field successes.

I saw a chart somewhere or other that traced 30 of the 32 current NFL head coaches right back to Walsh. Tomlin was on it.

[Preacher]

Originally Posted by Atlanta Dan

Sad news - when he stepped down after the 1988 season I thought it showed his foresight in getting out on top but then saw an interview within the last year where he said he just needed some time to recharge and regretted not coaching at the pro level (he had a brief gig at Stanford in the early 90s) for several more years.

In terms of combined on the field success and the coaching tree that branched out from him, perhaps the greatest pro coach of the last 60 years along with Paul Brown (who actually held Walsh back when he was Brown's assistant in Cincinnati by bad mouthing him for HC jobs). Lombardi and Noll won more championships but neither had an impact on the game through their strategy and proteges that endured decades after their on the field successes.

Thank goodness for the late 70s Steelers that the Bengals hired Tiger Johnson over Walsh as head coach when Brown retired in 1976.

Literally, thank God for small favors.

[lamberts-lost-tooth]

Any fan of the game has to be saddened by Walshes passing. I remember watchng Walsh coach in the 80's and even if you werent a fan of the team...you had to respect the Man.

[alittlejazzbird]

Thought you would enjoy this nice article from the Charleston, SC Post and Courier. A fitting tribute to a giant talent and a true class act. Note the author's Chuck Noll reference, in bold, below.
************************************************** *********
The last words of Bill Walsh
By Gene Sapakoff
The Post and Courier
Wednesday, August 1, 2007

Everybody remembers the San Francisco 49ers' breakthrough game for "The Catch," but the epic 28-27 victory over the Dallas Cowboys hardly was sealed when Dwight Clark soared above Everson Walls in the back inches of the red and gold Candlestick Park end zone.

To get to Super Bowl XVI on that January afternoon in 1982, the 49ers also required The Fumble Recovery.

Jim Stuckey, Clark's teammate at Clemson, pounced on the football after quarterback Danny White was fleeced with Dallas in 49ers territory and 30 seconds remaining.

Stuckey still remembers, and cherishes, the words he heard from head coach Bill Walsh upon his arrival to a jubilant sideline.

"Coach Walsh hugged me and said, 'We're going to the Super Bowl,' " the former defensive tackle recalled Tuesday.

Stuckey also cherishes the last words he heard from Walsh, a farewell that sank in Monday when Stuckey learned Walsh was dead at 75. The great former 49ers head coach died at his San Francisco area home after a long struggle with leukemia.

Anne Watson, Stuckey's executive assistant at Kiawah Island Real Estate, suggested he make the phone call as soon as Stuckey told her he had obtained Walsh's cell number from Clark.

"It was two weeks ago," Stuckey said. "Anne said, 'You know, sometimes we wait too long to tell someone we love them.' I just stopped what I was doing, walked outside and called Coach Walsh."

Walsh was on his way to Stanford's medical center, his home away from home.

"He answered right away," Stuckey said. "He said, 'Jim Stuckey! You are so nice to call me.' "

They talked about Walsh's "good days and bad days" and the old days, too. They talked about the day the 49ers used the 20th pick in the first round of the 1980 draft to select Stuckey, a Cayce native who in 1977 helped Clemson reach its first bowl game in 18 seasons.

"He thanked me for being a 49er," said Stuckey, who played in the NFL from 1980-1986 and won two Super Bowl rings playing for Walsh's 49ers. "I thanked him for having such a positive impact on my life.

"The last words he said to me were, 'I love you.' "

The utterly classy Walsh was probably the greatest coach in NFL history.

He didn't win as many games as Don Shula, but he went 3-0 in Super Bowls.

He didn't win as many Super Bowls as Chuck Noll, but he was significantly more innovative.

He didn't have a winning percentage as high as Vince Lombardi's but his coaching tree has much longer branches.

Football was just part of the legacy, Stuckey says. "He was a wonderful mentor and a wonderful example of how to live life on and off the field," Stuckey said.

Stuckey, 49, and his wife Beth have two children, Mary Frances (9) and James (3). He appreciates Walsh's life lessons more every year. "Whenever the 49ers played in Atlanta or Charlotte, Coach Walsh would make sure we had a room at the team hotel and tickets," Stuckey said.

Stuckey was on the ground floor as Walsh built the 49ers from laughingstock to a powerhouse that enjoyed success within a rugged NFC that also featured Tom Landry's Cowboys, Joe Gibbs' Washington Redskins and Bill Parcells' New York Giants.

Walsh advised Stuckey through post-NFL career personal issues and always asked about family matters.

"He made such an impact, not only on the 49ers and on pro football," Stuckey said, "but on so many young men, me included."

With memories mixed with misty eyes, Stuckey had a final response to Walsh's last words.

"I love you too, Coach."

http://www.charleston.net/news/2007/...sh11871/?print