European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - January 15, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse Sunday january 15, 1989 the stars and stripes Page 23 which team will Wyche coach next by Ralph Leef Santa Rosa press Democrat Santa Clara Calif. Consider this scenario As food for thought As the 49ers and bengals begin serious practice for next sunday s super bowl the 49ers win their third super bowl of the decade and coach Bill Walsh tired of the Long hours and stress of the last 10 years decides not to Honor the final year of his contract. He becomes the 49ers director of football operations answerable Only to owner Edward Debartolo. Cincinnati coach Sam Wyche a Stu Dent of Walsh s As a bengals quarterback and later an assistant under Walsh when the 49ers beat the bengals in the 1982 super bowl gets an offer he can t refuse from Debartolo to coach the team. Wyche whose contract expires this month accepts Debartolo s handsome offer. Sound far fetched it in t when one considers All the factors Wyche said monday that he might quit As coach of the bengals after the super bowl. Wyche turned Down an offer by Paul Brown the bengals vice president and general manager to negotiate a new contract earlier this season. Walsh said tuesday he is still think ing of leaving coaching after the superbowl. Debartolo said tuesday that if Walsh decides to step Down As coach he would rely heavily on Walsh s recommendation for a new coach. Walsh on sunday called Wyche the most creative coach in the nil. Wyche and his wife Jane remain bitter about the treatment he received from the Cincinnati Media the fans and the club during last year s 4-11 season. The 49ers Job is the most attractive football Job in the nil. Wyche was asked by Charles Bricker of the san Jose Mercury news on Mon Day if he could flatly state that he would not return with Cincinnati in 1989. No i can t say that Wyche replied because i might choose to step Awa from the he also was asked if he would take a head coaching Job with another team. I Don t know that anyone would con Sider me he said. Personally i Haven t gotten any indication of that. But i somebody it May be that a businessman As smart As Wyche is using the possibility of a coaching vacancy in san Francisco and other nil locales As leverage for improving his own net Worth when he sits Down with Brown to discuss the future. Walsh refused on tuesday to be pinned Down about his own plans after the season except to say that he still thinks it would be Nice to win a third super bowl and step away. But like some of those old boxers who say they re retiring then come Back about two weeks later i might be in that category too Walsh said. I m Walsh did say he expects to make a decision within a few Days after the super bowl. Debartolo acted surprised when in formed of Walsh s comments about pos Sibly stepping Down. We Haven t talked Debartolo said from his Home in Youngstown Ohio. I still Don t have any idea what Bill s going to do. Honest to god i Don t. We talked twice today and it was Only about there have been rumours that Debartolo May have some interest in Marty sch Ottenheimer who stepped Down As coach of the Cleveland Browns three weeks ago. But it would make More sense if the 49ers went after someone Lik Wyche if Walsh Steps Down. One reason is that the 49ers new when Sam Wyche comes Down from bowl he might follow Bill Walsh in san Francisco. Coach is not Only going to be replacing a living legend but hell also have that leg end looking Over his shoulder. Wyche has been in that position twice before and could probably handle it again if he being paid a million dollars. More important sch Ottenheimer left Cleveland in a dispute with owner Art Modell who did t think his coach handled the offence Well. Wyche s knowledge of the passing game is unsurpassed if you listen to Walsh. In fact the bengals were the top ranked offensive team in the nil in1988. Debartolo said he was taken Aback by Walsh s comments which were read to him Over the Telephone. All i can say is i Haven t Given it coaching change much thought lately Debartolo said. This is too big a time of the year. But if Bill does opt not to come Back i be told him he d be an integral part in helping me with the selection Ofa new coach it does t take a Genius to figure out who would be at the top of Walsh s list. Wyche 43, has continued a close relationship with Walsh that started in the late 1960s, when he was a student of Walsh a who was an assistant coach under Brown at the time. The two often talk by Telephone. Their phone Bill must have been sky High last year when Wyche went through the 4-11 season and nearly got fired. Walsh was asked if he offered his Friend advice last year. I Don t know if it was advice " he said. We re too close of one of Walsh s toughest Calls was the night after the 49ers Defeated the bengals 27-26 at the final gun after a coaching Gaffe by Wyche. The bengals were unable to run out the clock at the end of the game giving the 49ers the Ball with two seconds left and a shot at the memorable touchdown pass to Jerry Rice. He handled it the loss very Well Walsh said. Probably a lot better than i could have. He had a lot of heat fro that Point so much heat that he almost lost his Job but was Given one last Chance by Brown to turn things around this year. 49ers aim to continue pfc s domination by Dave Goldberg a football writer Miami i Don t look at All the things that have happened in the past Mike Ditka said before the san Francis co 49ers trounced his Chicago bears in the pfc title game last week. I Only worry about what happens on the Fiel this Sage advice for the Cincinnati bengals when they meet the san Francisco 49ers in the super bowl next sunday. For if the bengals look at the past Tnyre liable to metamorphosis be into pussycats and go scampering from Joe Robbie stadium with their striped Tail Between their striped legs. The numbers broken Down to the most Basic elements Are 41-14. That s the average score of the past Jour super bowls All won by pfc teams. To could be worse if not for meaningless last minute touchdowns by the new eng land patriots against Ditka s bears in 1986 and by the Denver Broncos against the new York giants in 1987. There s an anomaly in All this. Since the current conference configuration took effect in 1970, acc teams have won the season against pfc teams 12 times. The pfc won in 1970, 1971 and 1981 and there have been four ties in 1973, 1983, 1984 and 1986. But while the acc won eight super bowls during the 70s to two for the pfc the situation has been reversed in the 80s. Only the raiders after the 1980 and 1983 seasons won the league title. And even while the acc won this year s season series 30-22, san Francisco has been installed As a touchdown favor Ite based at least in part on the pfc s past four super bowl Routs. Why if the pfc is Strong at the top it Sweek at the Bottom accounting for the acc s continual regular season margins. This year for example the five Wea Kest teams in the pfc Dallas Green Bay Detroit Tampa Bay and Atlanta were 4-14 against the acc. The five pfc teams with 10-6 records or better were 16-9 against the other conference. But pfc dominance also has to do with an old adage defense wins foot Ball games. So while the acc this decade has been the conference of the quarterbacks Dan Marino John Elway Bernie Kosar Boomer Esiason the pfc has been known for its physical dominating defense. It s no co incidence that the last four defensive play ers of the year Mike Singletary in 1985 Lawrence Taylor in 1986, Reggie White in 1987 and Singletary again this year have come from the pfc. The bears of 1985 and the giants of 1986 were dominating teams because of overpowering front sevens and the Situa Tion has t changed this year. Minnesota Chicago and san Francisco pfc teams All ranked 1-2-3 in the league in defense and the 49ers were also second in offence. Cincinnati on the other hand led the league in offence and was 15th in de sense similar to Denver which entered the super bowl last year second in of sense and ninth in defense and lost 42-10to Washington. Television College basketball Louisville a Georgia tech 7 . Sunday. Radio College basketball Oklahoma a Pittsburgh 6 06 . Sunday. College football East West shrine game 8 36 . Sunday
