Walsh changed forever his sport, Bay Area’s image

San Jose Mercury News – Killion: Walsh changed forever his sport, Bay Area’s image:

The ties that bind us together are human products: memories, tradition, lore.

And, with Bill Walsh’s death, the Bay Area’s fabric just unraveled a bit. Because he created something that pulled us together.

Walsh was a thread running through our culture. Part of our collective glue. He changed forever not only his sport, but also the Bay Area’s image, our shared memories, our sense of who we are.

The 49ers as created by Walsh were a football phenomenon, but more important, they were a native force. In a fractured, diverse place, Walsh created a community, a local swagger. He forged a special time and place that won’t be forgotten.

These days we’re having a legend drought.

And so we say goodbye to a true legend, a quiet one who would reject being called that, but someone who affected Bay Area sports, and the sporting universe in general, as much as Willie Mays did in his time, or Wayne Gretzky did in hockey.

Rest in Peace, Bill. And thank you.

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