August 12, 2007
Bill Walsh Field named
The San Francisco 49ers have announced the field at Monster Park would be named after the late Bill Walsh.
It's a fitting tribute in this corporate era that sees teams financially unwilling to rename the actual stadium after anything that doesn't have an immediate financial value to return.
So for now it'll be Monster Park at Bill Walsh Field. I wasn't around to post something about Walsh at the time of his death, but take this opportunity to review his career now.
Included in the impressive coaching tree that has sprouted under Walsh, 14 of the NFL's 32 current head coaches are either direct, 2nd or 3rd generation spawns of the "Walsh coaching empire."
Aside from all the wins and rings, Walsh started a pioneering program educating minority coaches in the "full scope of being an NFL coach" that "really changed the landscape," in the words of Ty Willingham. He was later called on by Commissioner Taglibue to help improve the league's programs to support minority coaches and executives.
Walsh was the one to stress the importance of a quarterback's footwork and tie it to the precision, timing based passing that is used widely throughout the game today. He was involved in helping players and former players with financial assistance and education, and Walsh also began the practice of scripting first series or two (25 plays) of offense.
He changed the game more than anyone else of his generation. His name belongs with the Lombardi's and Landry's and Halas' and Shula's. Always more than just a coach, he was an executive, father, and friend to countless people.
Walsh got his first professional head coaching job at the age of 45. That was at Stanford. Two years later he began his career with the 49ers, where he went 102-63. Walsh died on July 30th, at the age of 75.
It's a fitting tribute in this corporate era that sees teams financially unwilling to rename the actual stadium after anything that doesn't have an immediate financial value to return.
So for now it'll be Monster Park at Bill Walsh Field. I wasn't around to post something about Walsh at the time of his death, but take this opportunity to review his career now.
Included in the impressive coaching tree that has sprouted under Walsh, 14 of the NFL's 32 current head coaches are either direct, 2nd or 3rd generation spawns of the "Walsh coaching empire."
Aside from all the wins and rings, Walsh started a pioneering program educating minority coaches in the "full scope of being an NFL coach" that "really changed the landscape," in the words of Ty Willingham. He was later called on by Commissioner Taglibue to help improve the league's programs to support minority coaches and executives.
Walsh was the one to stress the importance of a quarterback's footwork and tie it to the precision, timing based passing that is used widely throughout the game today. He was involved in helping players and former players with financial assistance and education, and Walsh also began the practice of scripting first series or two (25 plays) of offense.
He changed the game more than anyone else of his generation. His name belongs with the Lombardi's and Landry's and Halas' and Shula's. Always more than just a coach, he was an executive, father, and friend to countless people.
Walsh got his first professional head coaching job at the age of 45. That was at Stanford. Two years later he began his career with the 49ers, where he went 102-63. Walsh died on July 30th, at the age of 75.
