Post by TheShadow on Jul 30, 2007 19:54:21 GMT -5
Walsh went on to greatness
By JOSH DUBOW AP Sports Writer
NAPA, Calif.—Long before Bill Walsh was given the "genius" label while leading the San Francisco 49ers to three Super Bowl titles and changing how offense was played in the NFL, he got his start in professional football as the offensive backs coach for the Oakland Raiders in 1966.
That one season Walsh spent in Oakland helped forge a friendship with Al Davis that has endured through decades of rivalry while Walsh coached with Cincinnati, San Diego and eventually San Francisco. The Raiders remembered Walsh fondly after he died Monday following a long battle with leukemia.
"The thing I remember most about him is he was very innovative," said Hall of Fame cornerback Willie Brown, who played and coached against Walsh-led offenses. "He had the passing game going and he wasn't afraid to attack you. Being a cornerback, I knew that was his style of play: attack, attack, attack."
The Raiders said Davis visited Walsh on Saturday for the final time. Just last month, the Oakland owner arranged for Walsh to visit the team's facility to watch practice and talk football with coach Lane Kiffin's staff.
Walsh's imprints can still be felt on the Raiders where his former fullback Tom Rathman is the running backs coach and former 49ers assistant Greg Knapp is the offensive coordinator.
"I thought he looked outstanding," Rathman said of his last encounter with his coach. "I think he got some kind of infection and took a turn for the worse. I think overall it's a big loss for the football world. Bill has meant a lot to football, not only as a head coach but developing a passing game. He was very influential as far as the game goes."
Rathman played three seasons for Walsh in San Francisco and was on the field for his final game as an NFL coach, when San Francisco beat Cincinnati 20-16 to win the Super Bowl in January 1989. Rathman credits Walsh for helping him become an NFL coach.
He still remembers his first encounter with Walsh after being selected with a third-round pick out of Nebraska in 1986.
"I was impressed, intimidated," Rathman said. "Here's the great Bill Walsh. He's already won two Super Bowls. He was already established as an icon in the league. Very intimidated."
Walsh stepped down from the 49ers shortly after winning his third Super Bowl in 1989, but his impact on the NFL stayed strong even as he spent time as a television analyst and at Stanford as head football coach and athletic director.
Knapp joined the 49ers as an assistant coach in 1995 and first encountered Walsh a year later when the coach returned to the team as a consultant. Knapp was also intimidated by Walsh initially but over the years leaned on him for support and advice.
While Walsh is best known for perfecting the West Coast offense, Knapp said his impact was much deeper than just schemes and plays.
"He didn't prepare for a game, he prepared for a season," Knapp said. "Quite often the West Coast term is thrown out there, but it's not just about the offense, it's how he prepared the offense and team from January to January. How to take care of an offseason, how to manage a team during the season.
"He really knew how to motivate different players in a different way," he added. "It was very impressive how he could see it from the whole picture, not just a specific picture."