Walsh offers insight on game to local fans

By Kyle Sakamoto
Advertiser Staff Writer

Bill Walsh is known in the football world as a genius, an architect and a master of the X's and O's.

The former San Francisco 49ers coach, at a seminar yesterday at Dave and Buster's, said he used to close his eyes and picture 22 players on a football field and where each would be on a given play.

He was that meticulous and obsessed with the game, and it led to Super Bowl titles in 1982, 1985 and 1989.

At yesterday's seminar, based on his book "Finding the Winning Edge," Walsh said one thing he didn't spend much time on during his coaching career from 1979-89 was perfecting motivational speeches.

"When you make an inspirational speech as a coach, you think, boy, that was pretty good," said Walsh, now a consultant with the 49ers. "But by the time the players leave the locker room and get under the goal posts, they forgot everything you said."

He added: "If you're a players' coach, you're a loser because the players are laughing at you."

When Walsh took over in San Francisco in 1979, the 49ers were coming off a 2-14 season. He introduced the West Coast Offense, which turned the fortunes of the organization.

Three seasons later, they won their first Super Bowl, but he said "11 of 48" players couldn't handle success and quickly self-destructed because of alcohol, drugs and physical abuse.

Walsh, 72, said the key to the 49ers' dynasty was countless repetitions during practice.

"In coaching you can hopefully motivate people to do the same thing over and over and over in practice until they can do it by instinct during the game," Walsh said.

A player who never needed motivation, according to Walsh, is former 49er and current Oakland Raiders receiver Jerry Rice.

"He's nearing 40 and he'll go out to Menlo College (in California) in the morning this time of year running pass patterns without having someone to throw him the ball," Walsh said.

Walsh also had praise for University of Hawai'i coach June Jones, who was a head coach with the Atlanta Falcons (1994-96) and San Diego Chargers (1998).

Jones said he "stole" ideas from Walsh and former Portland State coach Mouse Davis and implemented them into his run-and-shoot offense.

"June Jones is one of the great coaches in the game at any level," said Walsh, who added, " I think they'll beat USC (this season) by the way."

Said Jones: "Bill believes in offense and he knows we move the football. He knows we'll be big underdogs in the game, but we'll show up and play hard."

Jones, who played quarterback for the Falcons from 1977-81, recalled a game against the Walsh-led 49ers late in the 1979 season.

"I was mopping up, and he brought in a young quarterback to mop up named Joe Montana."