Former 49ers coach Bill Walsh has passed away.

[SactownSunsFan]

Chuck Knoll perhaps??

I couldn't argue that. When there are only four spots, there's going to be a few who equally deserve to be there. Knoll is definitely one of them.

 

[Mitch]

Have known Steve and competed against he and his brother Mike since 9th grade...
Steve is 2 years my senior. But as a 10th grader (Steve was a 12th grader), I faced him in baseball in our Sr. Babe Ruth league. He threw GAS!
In high school, I got "invited" to move up from JV to varsity in 10th grade, along with 3 other kids, for the final 3 games of the season... I played WR and CB (was 170 pounds soaking wet back then....). Steve of course was our QB. All we did was run the wishbone back then and of course, Steve was the fastest kid on the planet, so he would keep the ball on all option plays, sprint around the end and run for a TD on just about every possession...
He was in the Valley about 9 mos. ago speaking at the Biltmore. I caught up with him there... Turns out he's actually in the Valley quite often as he married a girl from Scottsdale, and he's a partner in a private investment firm that has offices here in the valley...

What an amazingly small world 82CardsGrad!

I knew Mike Young and played baseball against him...and met his younger brother Steve at a party at Mike's house in Greenwich, CT. Do you remember what team you played on in Senior Babe Ruth? I played for a team called Avco...we had both the GHS Captain, Jeff Fox, and the St. Mary's captain, Jimmy (a shortstop with a Polish last name beginning with J) on the team.

I also played with Timmy Teufel, who went on to Clemson and then to the Twins and Mets (won the 87 World Series as the starting 2nd baseman with the Mets). Did you know Timmy?

Talk about CARDINALS man...yeah, the Greenwich Cardinals!

 

[RugbyMuffin]

That sucks.

In my opinion, he was the best coach that has every been in the NFL.

By far my personal favorite coach. One and maybe the only person I have ever idolized.

 

[82CardsGrad]

What an amazingly small world 82CardsGrad!

I knew Mike Young and played baseball against him...and met his younger brother Steve at a party at Mike's house in Greenwich, CT. Do you remember what team you played on in Senior Babe Ruth? I played for a team called Avco...we had both the GHS Captain, Jeff Fox, and the St. Mary's captain, Jimmy (a shortstop with a Polish last name beginning with J) on the team.

I also played with Timmy Teufel, who went on to Clemson and then to the Twins and Mets (won the 87 World Series as the starting 2nd baseman with the Mets). Did you know Timmy?

Talk about CARDINALS man...yeah, the Greenwich Cardinals!

OMG!! Amazing Mitch...

I played for the Byram Vets. If you played with Teufel, you may know my uncle - Joe Vizzo. He also played with Teufel and played in the Blue Jay farm system for a few years! Teufel was way before my time Mitch - I graduated from high school in '82!!
Also, "Jimmy" is Jimmy Jagodzinksy!!!!!! I was best friends with his younger brother Mark, who also was an immensely talented ballplayer and threw HEAT as a pitcher!!!!

 

[SuperSpck]

RIP Walsh

 

[Twist18]

Chuck Knoll perhaps??

Shula??? Sad to hear about Walsh. He was truly class.

 

[Mitch]

OMG!! Amazing Mitch...

I played for the Byram Vets. If you played with Teufel, you may know my uncle - Joe Vizzo. He also played with Teufel and played in the Blue Jay farm system for a few years! Teufel was way before my time Mitch - I graduated from high school in '82!!
Also, "Jimmy" is Jimmy Jagodzinksy!!!!!! I was best friends with his younger brother Mark, who also was an immensely talented ballplayer and threw HEAT as a pitcher!!!!

Yeah, dawg! The Byram Vets! Those guys were always good! Thanks for remembering Jimmy Jagodinski...he's not the kid I was thinking of, but I played against Jimmy Jags, he was one helluva pitcher...big kid with a rocket arm. I guess younger bro Mark came from the same stock.

Did you ever play in the Stamford Twilight League? Timmy Teufel's dad coached us...we were the first Greenwich team to play in the Stamford Twilight League and we finished in 2nd place that (it was in the late 70's).

Did you know Michael Dunster (St. Mary's)? I was good friends with his older brother, Jimmy, who starred in football at Jacksonville State and was the last player cut from the Dolphins in 1978...The same summer I played for the Greenwich team in the Stamford Twilight League, I worked for Jimmy at the Greenwich Field Club (man that's a wild story in itself) and that summer we helped Michael work out because he was heading to the University of Arkansas on a full ride...and I will never forget Jimmy and all our friends going wild when Michael was on the Razorback opening kickoff team as a mere freshman and made the first tackle of the season!

Not bad for two St. Mary's boys.

 

[JeffGollin]

If you want to know how to build a winning football franchise, read his book. It's all written down - all the way to speeches you give to the office staff.

Not that Bill was a youngster, but age notwithstanding, we're losing too many good men too early. Sad day.

 

[82CardsGrad]

Yeah, dawg! The Byram Vets! Those guys were always good! Thanks for remembering Jimmy Jagodinski...he's not the kid I was thinking of, but I played against Jimmy Jags, he was one helluva pitcher...big kid with a rocket arm. I guess younger bro Mark came from the same stock.

Did you ever play in the Stamford Twilight League? Timmy Teufel's dad coached us...we were the first Greenwich team to play in the Stamford Twilight League and we finished in 2nd place that (it was in the late 70's).

Did you know Michael Dunster (St. Mary's)? I was good friends with his older brother, Jimmy, who starred in football at Jacksonville State and was the last player cut from the Dolphins in 1978...The same summer I played for the Greenwich team in the Stamford Twilight League, I worked for Jimmy at the Greenwich Field Club (man that's a wild story in itself) and that summer we helped Michael work out because he was heading to the University of Arkansas on a full ride...and I will never forget Jimmy and all our friends going wild when Michael was on the Razorback opening kickoff team as a mere freshman and made the first tackle of the season!

Not bad for two St. Mary's boys.

Ok... this is way too freaky!!!!

Of course I know the Dunsters!!! Growing up, Mike was a god to us young'ens... I played with his younger brother Willie who of course, was also one of the most amazing athletes Greenwich ever produced.
And YES - I played in the Stamford Twilight League and the Bridgeport Housatonic League from about '87 to '90... I played for M&B Auto. Actually played with a number of guys who worked their way into various farm systems (Kenny Wright - Yankees, Wayne Ragowski - Yankees, Danny Meyers - Phillies). I loved that experience!!

So I need to ask - what is your connection to Greenwich, CT???

 

[LoyaltyisaCurse]

I've always hated the 49ers, but Walsh was a class act and a great, great coach...

 

[Mitch]

Ok... this is way too freaky!!!!

Of course I know the Dunsters!!! Growing up, Mike was a god to us young'ens... I played with his younger brother Willie who of course, was also one of the most amazing athletes Greenwich ever produced.
And YES - I played in the Stamford Twilight League and the Bridgeport Housatonic League from about '87 to '90... I played for M&B Auto. Actually played with a number of guys who worked their way into various farm systems (Kenny Wright - Yankees, Wayne Ragowski - Yankees, Danny Meyers - Phillies). I loved that experience!!

So I need to ask - what is your connection to Greenwich, CT???

First of all, I knew your Uncle Joe Vizzo...real good player, super nice guy too. I grew up in Old Greenwich...I went to Eastern Jr. High and then went to Canterbury School (private boarding school), but came back home each summer and played Greenwich Babe Ruth and Sr. Babe Ruth and the Stamford Twilight League.

I remember our starting pitching rotation for the Stamford Twilight League team...it was Junior Carino, Dee Dee Pasquerelli, and Dougie D'Andrea and myself..I just wonder if any of those names ring a bell...Timmy Teufel played shortstop for us...

Those wishbone GHS teams were amazingly good...Steve Young was unstopable...to think you played with an NFL Hall of Famer! Yeah, man!

 

[82CardsGrad]

First of all, I knew your Uncle Joe Vizzo...real good player, super nice guy too. I grew up in Old Greenwich...I went to Eastern Jr. High and then went to Canterbury School (private boarding school), but came back home each summer and played Greenwich Babe Ruth and Sr. Babe Ruth and the Stamford Twilight League.

I remember our starting pitching rotation for the Stamford Twilight League team...it was Junior Carino, Dee Dee Pasquerelli, and Dougie D'Andrea and myself..I just wonder if any of those names ring a bell...Timmy Teufel played shortstop for us...

Those wishbone GHS teams were amazingly good...Steve Young was unstopable...to think you played with an NFL Hall of Famer! Yeah, man!

I'm speechless... I went to Central Jr. High... The greatest baseball game I have ever played in was against our biggest rival - EASTERN when I was in 9th grade (1979). During my entire career at Central, Eastern was our target. You guys were always a step ahead. However, in 9th grade we finally caught Eastern. We got off to a fast start (I think we won our first 8 or 9 games that year), and then just as quick lost a bunch in a row... It set up the classic, end of year "for all ther marbles" matchup! The game more than lived up to the billing. It was played at Eastern in front of a HUGE and very emotional crowd! Of course, the game went into extras. AND, in the top of the 11th, with 2 outs and a runner at 3rd, our catcher hit a playable grounder to the firstbaseman who, 9 times out of 10 would have made the play for the last out of the inning. However, he pulled a Buckner and the ball kicked off his mitt and into right field. Our guy scored from 3rd and we took the lead heading into the bottom of the 11th. Eastern got their first two batters on with a walk and an error by our pitcher on a bunt. With runners on 1st and 2nd and no outs, we switched pitchers and brought in our stud who had pitched 6 innings just 2 days prior... He struck out the first two batters he faced, and then got the last batter to hit a towering fly ball behind 3rd base that was caught by our SS - yours truly! By the way, the firstbaseman for Eastern who made the error and allowed us to win the game was Mike Young, Steve's younger brother!!!! Yes, it was a very, very SWEET victory!!!!

My last name is Cardini and so, I know the Carino's, the Pasquerelli's and the D'Andrea's very, very well.... My uncle was very close to Peter Carino in fact. That's cool that you knew Joe Vizzo... He was also tight with Donnie Ward (amazing RB for GHS) - did you ever know Donnie? How 'bout Patsy Piro?

And yes, I am very fortunate to have known Steve and played against him in all sports. As great as he was back then, none of us ever expected he would go on to do the things he did. He is the classic example of dedication and commitment!


EDIT: Mitch, Steve was not the only NFL player that I played with! Not sure if you ever knew or heard of Kenny Bell? He was actually in my class and was All County and All State his junior and senior years. We won the county and state championships our junior year, and won the county but lost the states to Trumbull our senior season. Kenny went on to play behind Troy Stradford at BC, and was later signed as an UDFA by the Broncos in '86, where he played 4 seasons was on the '86 and '87 Super Bowl Championship teams!!

 

[PACardsFan]

I'm surprised to hear how many 49er haters there are on this board. As a Cardinal fan (including the St. Louis era), the Cowboys are & should be our most hated team. Because of my hatred for the Cowpukes, I found myself rooting for the Niners quite often over the years. I loved watching Montana & had immense respect for Bill Walsh. My dislike for them now has only to do with them being in our division. Even so, I don't HATE them.

 

[RedStorm]

May he rest in Peace. Heart felt condolences to the Walsh family.

 

[red desert]

A sad day indeed. R.I.P. Coach Walsh.

 

[Covert Rain]

R.I.P. Bill Walsh was one of my all time favorite coaches. Just a freaking NFL genius IMO. He is as iconic as they come when it comes to coaches.

My thoughts and prayers are out to his family and friends.