Walsh, ESPN #2 Coach

[threelittleturds]

I think they also consider the fact he made an expansion team relevant right out the gate. Going 11-5 with a bunch of players other teams didnt want, is impressive IMO. I think he is very good but great is debatable.

I'm not impressed by the results in Jacksonville. Remember that in the 1995 expansion, the NFL went out of their way to give both Jacksonville and Carolina a competitive advantage. They didn't want a repeat of Tampa Bay and Seattle, teams that were just flat out bad for the first 2 decades. So, the NFL gave them both 2 picks in the 1st and 2nd round. I believe it was the first two, and last two picks in both rounds. Giving them each 9 picks in the first 3 rounds. Which both Jacksonville and Carolina used pretty well.

On top of that there was an expansion draft, and then on top of that the expansion teams did not have a salary cap for 1995 and 1996, which allowed them to do really well in Free Agency. It worked really well, both teams went to the Conference Championship in their 2nd year.

I'm not saying he sucks, but I think the only reason he is so high on that list is because of that east coast bias turning him into a superstar in their eyes because he beat the Patriots twice.

 

[NinerSickness]

As terrible and meaningless as ESPN's lists usually are, I'm fine with Walsh as #2 and Lombardi #1. I don't know or care who they put as 3 or 4, etc. Coaching is extremely subjective anyway. We actually see & hear less than 1% of what a head coach actually does & says. We see the results.

 

[threelittleturds]

This is all awful. Way to make it sound like Lombardi didn't do anything in or for the NFL.

Ha, is that what you read? A criticism of Lombardi? By me saying that Walsh did more to change the game? Interesting.

Strange how people see things that just aren't there... imagined slights.

These coaching trees are subjective and haters/trolls will always find some way to pick them apart. They also change from author to author. How do you judge a HC? Wins and his influence on the game, right? The coaching tree is one of the best images to show just how big of an influence a HC has on the NFL in my opinion. You must have done something right if so many people who learned from you went on to be HCs, and those men passed on those lessons to more guys who became HCs, and so on until you get to today's HCs who have been influenced by Walsh.

 

[JDM]

I don't think being dominant is less impressive than a long coaching tree. Some coach's coaching style is such that they play things close to the vest, and I don't think there's anything wrong with that.

 

[NinerSickness]

The biggest changes to the NFL in since Walsh have been the West Coast Offense and the cover 2 defense, which was a response to the WCO. The read option could be the next big thing to change the game, but I don't think it will as much.

 

[JDM]

It works in college because you don't need people to have long careers. When people figure out you can have the RG3s of the game have careers two to three times as long running a real offense they'll drift far far away.

 

[NinerSickness]

It works in college because you don't need people to have long careers. When people figure out you can have the RG3s of the game have careers two to three times as long running a real offense they'll drift far far away.

You're probably right. That was actually something I considered when I predicted RGII would be a below average QB (wrong so far). Running QBs tend to be very streaky like Michael Vick, who has looked like the toughest QB on planet earth to defend at times but has been below average over the course of his career. The NFL might just chew up QBs & spit 'em out & replace them more frequently. That might make for shorter stretches of great teams.

For the record, I don't think the read option will revolutionize anything. It'll be a fad like the wildcat was. QBs like Kaepernick will fail if they rely heavily on it.

 

[JDM]

I think RG3 can be dominant, but it will be as a pocket passer. If he ran a 6.0 I would be excited about his potential.

 

[erckm510]

Ha, is that what you read? A criticism of Lombardi? By me saying that Walsh did more to change the game? Interesting.

Strange how people see things that just aren't there... imagined slights.

These coaching trees are subjective and haters/trolls will always find some way to pick them apart. They also change from author to author. How do you judge a HC? Wins and his influence on the game, right? The coaching tree is one of the best images to show just how big of an influence a HC has on the NFL in my opinion. You must have done something right if so many people who learned from you went on to be HCs, and those men passed on those lessons to more guys who became HCs, and so on until you get to today's HCs who have been influenced by Walsh.

Yeah I'm sure this "legend created by an early death." or "elevate celebrities to a Legendary status if they die "young" and unexpectedly while on top of the world like Lombardi did" isn't a criticism of Lombardi. Funny how you just go to the coaching tree when I was talking about the rest of what you said. You marginalized Lombardi's accomplishments and influence to the game by saying the only reason he's a legend is because he's died early. It's ludicrous. Interesting that you are defending Walsh to a guy who's avatar is Joe and Jerry.

I obviously think Walsh is #1 for all the reasons most people state(legacy, offensive genius, his book that all coaches read). But I also respect Lombardi for the legend he was.

 

[NinerSickness]

I think RG3 can be dominant, but it will be as a pocket passer. If he ran a 6.0 I would be excited about his potential.

He definitely has rare accuracy & instincts. He was putting up some amazing numbers without a whole lot of offensive talent. I just wonder if his body will be able to take the pounding the NFL has to deliver.

 

[Flyingiguana]

He definitely has rare accuracy & instincts. He was putting up some amazing numbers without a whole lot of offensive talent. I just wonder if his body will be able to take the pounding the NFL has to deliver.

steve young took a pounding and learned to turn more into a pocket passer. rg3 is gonna need to do the same thing. but the redskins need to give him some help in the passing game.