2007-08-15

RIP: Sam Pollock, Phil Rizutto, Bill Walsh

Sam Pollock - As General Manager of the Montreal Canadiens he helped engineer 9 Stanley Cups in 14 years (1964-1978)and the legendary Habs of the 1960s and one of the clubs greatest dynasty in the 1970s. Pollock's death is a reminder of what was once one of North America's greatest and most succesful franchise. The heritage of excellence has given way to hard times in recent years for les habitants.

Phil Rizutto - Revered by the New York Yankees faithful, Phil "Scooter" Rizutto was an enormously popular shortstop in the 1940s and 1950s. Once told by Casey Stengel to go "grab his shoe-shine box," Rizzuto - a supreme "small-ball" player - eventually played 13 years in the big leagues playing an integral part on nine World Series teams. Scooter was inducted in the Hall of Fame in 1994. Following his retirement, Rizzuto went into broadcasting where Howard Cossell remarked to him that he wasn't going to make it as a broadcaster. Once again, Rizzuto proved a second legend wrong. He is credited with coining the terms, "Holy Cow!' and "Did you see that?"

Bill Walsh - In the 1980s, the football world was defined by the San Francisco 49ers led by Joe Montana, Jerry Rice and head coach Bill Walsh. Under his guidance, the 'Niners won three Super Bowl titles between 1981 and 1988 and quickly became one of the NFL's most succesful teams. Alas, just like the Montreal Canadiens, these are trying days for San Francisco's first professional sports team.

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