Wiser With Age --11/23/01
logo.jpg (11350 bytes)


-
The more I think about Bill Walsh and all he has done for football and the 49ers, the more amazed I am. Walsh is football - there really is no better way of putting it. He’s arguably the best coach, general manager, president, and scout to ever grace the NFL, not to mention that offense he made up.

Perhaps what amazes me most though, is that even now, at about 70-years of age, Walsh is not only ‘with it’ mentally, the guys is on the ball. I mean sure there was that scary moment when it looked like Jeff Garcia would prove the Genius wrong for the first time in eternity, but Garcia panned out, just like all the others. Nothing short of amazing, or could it have just been luck?

I for one believe it had nothing to do with luck, and I’ll argue that to the grave. We’re talking about a man - who even if your forget his history of three Super Bowl Champion teams, countless playoff wins, overall wins, the man who found Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, Steve Young, Ronnie Lott, Roger Craig (do I really need to go on), yes even if you forget his history, and concentrate on just his latest outing with the 49ers you’ll see this man just isn’t a fluke.

Jeff Garcia as I already mentioned is evidence of that, but so is Eric Johnson picked in the seventh round of this year’s draft. Walsh was adamant that the 49ers draft Johnson this year - and again he was right. Johnson has moved extremely well into the starting tight end role, catching touchdowns blocking defensive blitz, you name it. Should we be surprised? Of course not, because there is also Julian Peterson, Ahmed Plummer, Jason Webster, John Keith, Andre Carter, John Engelbeger - so much evidence that Walsh is simply the best that there is.

The 49ers are very fortunate to have had Walsh’s mind and body working with them. It will be a sad day when Walsh steps aside for the final time. Until then, the team should utilize him for all he’s worth. Let the players, coaches, everybody learn from him, see what he sees and then aspire to be that good. Walsh is a living legend, and we should never forget that. He has brought 49ers fans so much excitement over his lifetime I don’t even want to think about what the alternatives would have been. Walsh loves his job, and that’s perhaps what makes him so much better at it then everyone else. Bill Walsh is football.

Talk about it in the 49ers Paradise Forum

fball.jpg (6395 bytes)fball.jpg (6395 bytes)