NFLDB EXCLUSIVE: PFN

WELCOME TO THE PRO FOOTBALL NEWSLETTER
“THE INSIDE SLANT”
By Dr. Bill Chachkes- Sr. Advisor and Contributor

We mean that when we say it too! We want you the fan to have the best, most up to date information we can provide you with. To us here and the NFL Draft Bible you are the reason we do this. But let me tell you a bit more about me for a moment. My name is Bill Chachkes, and I’ve dedicated a major portion of my life to the sport of football. Some who know me would say that if there were a “Football-acholics anonymous” that I would be its founder and president. I have spent over a decade as a coach at various levels of the sport, and over 20 years as a football writer and independent scout specializing in preparing people for the NFL draft. In 2006 I finished work on my doctorate of professional studies (Dp.s) in Education Technology, where my dissertation was on technologies in use that aid football coaches. I guess that makes me a “Sports-Tech-Geek.” I have attended all but three NFL drafts since 1974, and the last 21 with a press credential.

Besides NFLDB, I also have a website with two other fellow football writers called the Fieldposition (www.fieldposition.com), where we discuss the NFL and it’s impact on fantasy play. My partners Walter Anaruk and Mark Cuebas also contribute here at NFLDB as well, and I would dare say that there are few people who know more about Fantasy Football then they do (although our CEO might put up a good fight on that one!) My other football writing association comes through my close friend Zennie Abraham, the CEO of Sports Business Simulations, Inc, where I contribute to two of his Blogs on football, the NFL business Blog, the NFL draft Magazine Blog, (nflbiz.blogspot.com & nfldraftmag.blogspot.com).

In future weeks, we will have all the up to date news for you, and more inside info then you can snap a locker room towel at. For now, here is some news in brief. Several weeks ago we had various reports of a rift between Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and new head coach Wade Phillips. The gap between them might be even wider, as reports have surfaced that Jones wants to pay quarterback Tony Romo an extension and bonus package that would keep him comfortable. Phillips wants to wait and see how he does this year in Jason Garrett’s new scheme (even though it isn’t much different then the old scheme).

Every summer players hold out for one reason or another, but this summer there are more unsigned or holdout players then usual. Elsewhere on our site you will find an article on this, but I couldn’t pass on the chance to mention one player who reported to camp anyway, NY Jets offensive lineman Pete Kendall, who is asking for a raise from 1.7 million to 2.7 million. Kendall expects to be traded or released before the season.

I can’t let this first installment close without some words about the passing earlier this week of the brilliant former coach Bill Walsh.

It’s been well documented that Coach Walsh had been sick for quite some time, and that he was losing his fight to Leukemia. Everyone focuses on the “Walsh” tree or the “Parcells” tree of coaching. Walsh came from a tree as well. He was a student of the late Paul Brown, who led the Cleveland Browns to numerous Titles during the “Golden Age” of pro football. One of Brown’s assistants for a short time at the end of Brown’s career, another assistant on the staff had an impact on Walsh. He was Blanton Collier. Never heard of him you say? Well, you have football highlights and game study footage because of Blanton Collier. Walsh took much of Collier’s development of film study and molded it into his own planning. Walsh was a master of planning going back to his days as head coach of the Stanford Cardinal. Walsh served as an assistant with Brown in Cincinnati before resigning to become an assistant to Tommy Prothro in San Diego. Then it was on to Stanford for Walsh, where he made wine out of water, until the NFL came calling again.

Walsh would say years later that he never wanted to come back to the NFL, but he loved a challenge, and the 49ers were just that. He was 47 when he took over in the bay area, and in just a decade the Niners went from the bottom to the top, winning 3 Super Bowls, including two over one of his pupils, Sam Wyche in Cincinnati. His Quarterback in San Francisco was Joe Montana, who would say, “Outside of my own dad he was the closest person to me, the most influential person in my life. I am going to miss him.”

The most prolific quote however comes from Seattle head coach Mike Holmgren who says, “He was an Artist, the rest of us were Blacksmiths.”

Some had said that Walsh was falling behind the times when the 49ers lost to the Giants 49-3 in a 1986 playoff game. Walsh Just shrugged it off and reloaded the Niners again. Many will miss him, but all loved him.

Thanks for reading……….. Bill

Email: bill@nfldraftbible.com