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  • Bill Walsh is rooting for the Eagles, Garcia

    Garcia, Eagles get Walsh’s approval

    By Bob Brookover
    Inquirer Staff Writer

    The Eagles picked up a high-profile fan in late November, which was long before their bandwagon started to overflow.

    Bill Walsh decided when Donovan McNabb was injured and Jeff Garcia became the Eagles' quarterback that he'd take a special interest in the East Coast team that runs the West Coast offense he made so famous when he coached the San Francisco 49ers.

    "Oh, yes," Walsh said from his Stanford University office earlier this week. "That's my team."

    And Garcia is Walsh's quarterback.

    "He's sort of a blue-collar Joe Montana or Steve Young," Walsh said. "He plays that offense just as well as they did. He hasn't won a Super Bowl and, of course, those other guys won a number of them."

    The Hall of Fame coach honestly believes that this Eagles team with Garcia at quarterback has a chance to win the Super Bowl.

    "I believe Philadelphia has as good a chance as anybody of going to the Super Bowl," Walsh said. "Jeff is definitely a part of that. He's playing lights out."

    Walsh, 76, should know a Super Bowl contender when he sees one. He coached three Super Bowl champions with the 49ers. He has loved a lot of things about Garcia for a long time, but there are other things he likes about the Eagles, too.

    "It's really been exciting watching that team," Walsh said. "All of my colleagues around here have been watching Jeff because they knew him from playing with the 49ers and in college. He was such an exciting player here, and I knew if he ever surfaced again with a good football team, he'd do a good job. And, boy, Philadelphia has a great offensive line and a great cast of football players."

    Walsh, who is battling leukemia, said during a recent television interview that he has to spend three or four days a week in the hospital to avoid infection. But Walsh said he hasn't missed any of the Eagles' last four games when Garcia led them to victory, and he plans to be watching again Sunday afternoon when his new favorite team takes on the New York Giants in an NFC wild-card playoff game.

    The fact that Walsh is still showing interest in him touches Garcia.

    "I know he's been there every Sunday and Monday watching me play," Garcia said. "I know it has been uplifting to him being able to watch us, and it has been motivating for me knowing that it's an important thing in his life and it's keeping his battle alive. I just have so much thanks to him for where I am today."

    The Walsh-Garcia relationship started in 1993 during the quarterback's senior year at San Jose State University, when Walsh was in his second stint as a head coach at Stanford.

    "San Jose had no talent at all," Walsh said. "That year, they were just awful except for one guy - Jeff Garcia. I figured we'd be too much for him, but he proceeded to pick us apart. He had that team driving for the winning touchdown, and we were fortunate to get an interception. He reminded me so much of Joe Montana that day."

    Told of the references to Montana, Garcia smiled yesterday.

    "Any time my name is used in the same sentence as Joe Montana, who I idolized, that's definitely an awesome thing," Garcia said.

    Reminded of his first encounter with Walsh, Garcia smiled again.

    "It was an offensive shoot-out," Garcia said. "We played well, almost well enough to win, but we weren't able to pull it out. Bill had some really nice things to say about me after the game in the papers, and I remember those things, and I thanked him for having those words of praise. It was very flattering at the time."

    Walsh did more than praise Garcia. He lobbied for him to have a spot in the East-West Shrine All-Star Game after the season.

    "He didn't get in that game until the fourth quarter," Walsh said. "And then he went in and threw three touchdowns and was the MVP. I tried to get professional teams to sign him and nobody would. I thought because I knew so many head coaches that somebody would sign him, and nobody would.


    "Somebody with every organization would always ding him because they'd get caught up in the measurables. What Jeff has is the instincts that are outstanding in all great athletes. He has natural instincts, and I was always looking for those. Some people in coaching don't realize they have to be there for a quarterback to be great. They look at size and strength, and instincts should be No. 1.

    Garcia spent four seasons with the Calgary Stampeders in the Canadian Football League, backed up Doug Flutie his first year, then started for three years, winning a Grey Cup in his final season of 1998.

    Finally, an NFL general manager was willing to give him a shot. The GM was Bill Walsh, who had returned to the 49ers.

    "I had the access to do it, and I just signed him," Walsh said. "It happened when Steve Young had concussion problems, and Jeff stepped in. Before you know it, he was right at the top of the league."

    Now, Garcia is the Eagles' quarterback about to start a playoff run that a Hall of Fame coach with three Super Bowl rings believes could go on for a while.

    "I think they have the best team, along with San Diego," Walsh said. "I'm telling you, I just love that offensive line, and I think Andy Reid is a great coach, and Marty Mornhinweg is a tremendous offensive mind."

    And, of course, Walsh really likes the quarterback, too.
    "Philly fans are great....It's the only place where you pull up on the bus and you've got the grandfather, the grandmother, the kids and the grandkids - everybody flicking you off. At other stadiums, they give you the thumbs-down. Here, they give you the middle finger.”
    — Michael Strahan

    "No one likes us, no one likes us, no one likes us, we don’t care, we’re from Philly, F—-ing Philly, No one likes us, we don’t care!”
    - Jason Kelce with the best championship speech ever

  • #2
    Wow, great piece. Props to you, Billy boy!
    http://shop.cafepress.com/content/global/img/spacer.gifOK, let's try this again...

    Comment


    • #3
      I LOVE IT!!!

      Comment


      • #4
        I'm also rooting for the Eagles, Garcia.

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by nyc_eagle
          I'm also rooting for the Eagles, Garcia.
          Me Too!

          Comment


          • #6
            I'm root for lots of injuries and a car fire.
            http://shop.cafepress.com/content/global/img/spacer.gifOK, let's try this again...

            Comment


            • #7
              "Coach, are you following the Eagles and hoping for a can of whoop-ass on the Giants this weekend?"

              "I'm looking forward to it."

              "Coach, if you were Reid who would you rather have quarterbacking the Eagles next year, McNabb or Garcia"?

              "I don't think I can discriminate between the two..."

              "Coach, it was a trick question"

              *glare*

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              • #8
                Shit everyone is picking the Birds, that can't be good for karma.
                Whatcha Gonna Do Brother, When the Eagles run wild on you?

                Comment


                • #9
                  Yea, I'm not so big on the karma with everyone picking the birds, esp that knucklehead Hoge (who put an Eagles hat on).
                  But I do like one of the thoughts that comes out in the article. Measureables aren't the tell tale sign when looking for a winner. Some players just have it--they are winnners. And if you can pick them out you will do well but it is hard to pick them out at the right time.
                  Wait until next year is a terrible philosophy
                  Hope is not a strategy
                  RIP

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