getting nostalgic with Bill Walsh...

**xmenehune** · 02-22-2013, 05:23 PM

thought I'd share a few links

The 1st goes on about "In this era of the salary cap, free agency and only seven rounds of picks, there is no room for taking chances. No gambles. No projects."
http://www.sportsxchange.com/DS97/walsh/WALSH1.HTM

The 2nd has links for each position and a very prophetic Walsh predicts TE Gonzalez as a great one
http://www.sportsxchange.com/DS97/walsh/WALSH2.HTM

guess I'd rather watch film, than the combine, lol...

**wxwax** · 02-22-2013, 05:49 PM

Originally Posted by xmenehune

thought I'd share a few links

The 1st goes on about "In this era of the salary cap, free agency and only seven rounds of picks, there is no room for taking chances. No gambles. No projects."
http://www.sportsxchange.com/DS97/walsh/WALSH1.HTM

I wonder if what he writes here has turned out to be true? For example, are black college less represented in the pros than they were in the 70's and 80's? I think he's at least partially wrong about linemen being stashed. I guess the taxis squad offsets some of what he mentions. But also, lineman are still given time to develop in the NFL. Also, the rush to sign college free agents after the draft sort of belies what he says.

On the topic of Walsh, recently there was an excellent article about how his book is still a bible for top coaches. Might have been on SI.com, not sure.

**wxwax** · 02-22-2013, 05:52 PM

Originally Posted by xmenehune

The 2nd has links for each position and a very prophetic Walsh predicts TE Gonzalez as a great one
http://www.sportsxchange.com/DS97/walsh/WALSH2.HTM

This is so true, and why the combine is but an interesting sideshow.

The single trait that separates great quarterbacks from good quarterbacks is the ability to make the great, spontaneous decision, especially at a crucial time. The clock is running down and your team is five points behind. The play that was called has broken down and 22 players are moving in almost unpredictable directions all over the field.

This is where the great quarterback uses his experience, vision, mobility and what we will call spontaneous genius. He makes something good happen. This, of course, is what we saw in Joe Montana when he pulled out those dramatic victories for Notre Dame.

**GGEden** · 02-22-2013, 05:57 PM

Thanks for sharing those links. *thumbs up*

**wxwax** · 02-22-2013, 06:01 PM

Here's the excellent article on Walsh's book. Well worth the read.

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/88...-espn-magazine

**GGEden** · 02-22-2013, 06:06 PM

Another thumbs up to you, sir.

**KabaModernFan** · 02-22-2013, 06:32 PM

Originally Posted by wxwax

I wonder if what he writes here has turned out to be true? For example, are black college less represented in the pros than they were in the 70's and 80's? I think he's at least partially wrong about linemen being stashed. I guess the taxis squad offsets some of what he mentions. But also, lineman are still given time to develop in the NFL. Also, the rush to sign college free agents after the draft sort of belies what he says.

On the topic of Walsh, recently there was an excellent article about how his book is still a bible for top coaches. Might have been on SI.com, not sure.

The point he makes about players from HBCU schools intrigued me as well. Doing a little bit of rudimentary research with PFR's Draft Finder tool, I managed to find out that from 2000 onward there have been 56 players drafted out of HCBU schools. Of those 56, twenty players were active in the NFL last season. Clearly, twenty represents a very small fraction (approx. 1.2%) of the total number of players comprising NFL teams. I'll try to look later to see how much of a difference in HBCU representation between now and the 70's and 80's there is as Walsh implies - if there is any difference at all.