Comments

A terrific coach, an even better man.

Posted by Rob at July 31, 2007 3:56 PM

Tom - this is a sad day for me too.. Bill Walsh was a hero of mine... Bill was the coaches' coach... He was a deep thinker who continued to find new ways to succeed....

I remember seeing a live TV interview with Bill Walsh the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers. The interview was conducted at halftime at the Super Bowl. His team was well behind on the scoreboard.

In all honesty I do not remember the exact words used in the interview but here is the essence of what I remember hearing that day.

“I have Bill Walsh with me”. “So coach you are well behind in this game so what can the folks watching this game expect from the 49ers in the second-half?” “A lot more of the same stuff really!” says Bill Walsh in an almost matter of fact fashion. “We ran some patterns out there to see what will work on the day” he continues without much fuss. “Thanks coach!” says a stunned sports commentator. “You heard him we can expect more of the same from the 49ers”. “Coming up after the break will be….”

After the compulsory break for commercials the special comments analysts rip into Bill Walsh. His team has played a whole season to get here so when exactly will he know what patterns will work for them. They are in the Super Bowl and Bill Walsh still does not know what patterns they need to win? Well he had better come with something special cause if they continue to play this stuff they are going down.

San Francisco went on to win the game. Bill Walsh coached the 49ers to three Super Bowl victories. He became a legend. When I heard that interview I was filled with confidence about the 49ers. I was certain Bill Walsh had “a clear and present purpose” that day.

Bill Walsh wanted his team to play each and every moment of the game on its merits. He knew that if his team could do that then he, and they, would be more than happy with whatever results they produced at the end of the day.

Richard

Posted by Richard Lipscombe at July 31, 2007 4:15 PM

Tom,
I'm Italian, we started watching Football on TV when Bill Walsh and Joe Montana were wonderful.
I was a (volleyball) coach at that time, and Bill was an inspiration and a model to me.
PierG
http://pierg.wordpress.com

Posted by PierG at August 1, 2007 1:58 AM

Tom,
Being a South African/Brit, Bill Walsh did not feature in my life. Cathy's post however made me go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Walsh_(football_coach) and read about him. His life story and particularly his recent battle with cancer reminded me of Bill McKenna's quote...

"Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in one pretty and well preserved piece, but to skid across the line broadside, thoroughly used up, worn out, leaking oil, shouting ‘GERONIMO!’ ”

I rekon he had a blast coaching audacious talent to extraordinary results.

Thanks for the reminder Bill! It's easy to forget.

Posted by Chris Nel at August 1, 2007 6:09 AM

Published in 1998, Bill Walsh's book "Finding the Winning Edge" is one of the finest domain specific management books ever written-- and its lessons are applicable to general management too. This is not some hyped-up, cashing-in-on-success-by-the-winning-coach management book with large fonts and more pictures than words!

There are over 500 detail-filled pages ranging from organizational theory to communications to preparation. The section of the book allegedly on "The Game" is really a masterful 7-chapter discourse on planning, preparation, executing, overcoming mental barriers, and "staying on course." After reading this section in particular, you completely understand Richard Lipscombe's post above on Walsh's Super Bowl halftime analysis!

Bill Walsh was a great influence on me too (and I am a Redskins fan!) His passing is a tremendous loss.

Posted by Paul Wester at August 1, 2007 6:37 AM

1. Bill Walsh was a life coach - not just a football coach & executive - a life super well lived & remembered.

2. I recall the story about how he kept his players loose @ Super Bowls - once when his players arrived by bus @ the hotel from the airport - they were met by curbside bag attendant Bill Walsh in full hotel uniform - the players easily cruised to 1 of 3 Super Bowl wins.

Posted by Sean at August 1, 2007 8:17 AM

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Posted by rachel at August 1, 2007 11:43 AM

Chris, Thanks for the link. I couldn't link all the great stuff I found about Bill Walsh when I was posting. The San Francisco 49ers website has a good tribute, also:
http://www.sf49ers.com/

Posted by cathy mosca at August 1, 2007 12:12 PM

I was also a big fan of Bill Walsh. He was a principled leader and a great manager. I recall reading about how he empowered his players. Coach Walsh taught his linemen 5 or more techniques/strategies they could use in dealing with their opponent. During the game it was up to the each linemen to experiment, learn, adjust, and create ways to beat the guy opposite them.

Posted by Paul B. Thornton at August 1, 2007 6:57 PM

Paul - I was 'absolutely astounded' that day by the sheer audacity of Bill Walsh - I have tried to explain to friends and colleagues ever since just how I felt about what I heard from 'the coach' that day and it is just so great that you get it!

Imagine my 'sheer delight' to see Bill Walsh out there at a Super Bowl 'prototyping' how to win the game in the first half... Just pause if you will for a moment and get your head around that simple fact - Bill Walsh was doing everything that Tom Peters has been on about all his professional life and guess what he was doing it on the biggest stage possible... In the first half Bill Walsh was all about setting up the 49ers to "EXECUTE WITH EXCELLENCE" in the second half....

I get goose-bumps just thinking about it.....

Richard.

Posted by Richard Lipscombe at August 1, 2007 7:02 PM

The most impressive things about Walsh's coaching career to me are linked. Like Vince Lombardi, he took over an awful team (we called them the "Fourth and Niners") and turned them around in a couple of years. Unlike Lombardi, he left a legacy in the form of coaches who had learned from him. Those, for me, are the twin challenges of leadership: accomplish the mission and care for the people.

Posted by Wally Bock at August 2, 2007 10:06 AM