European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 30, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 32 the stars and stripes sports Bill Walsh reacts to questions from reporters during a news conference monday at Stanford University. Walsh stepping Down Stanford Calif. A Bill Walsh decided that even with his knowledge and experience he s gotten too old for the Rigours of College coaching. I just Felt that this was an appropriate time to move to another stage of my life Walsh said monday in announcing his resignation As Stanford s coach. Anyone who looks at my chronological age can understand that. I love football and have thrived on it. But the Job of head coach is an exhausting Job and Attis stage in my life it s time for somebody else to Dot -. " " -.-.Walsh, who turns 63 wednesday returned to Stan Ford in 1992 after coaching the san Francisco 49ers to three super bowl titles. He left after two straight losing seasons with the Cardinal. The White haired coach had two years remaining Ona 5-year contract. He will become a special assistant to Stanford athletic director Ted Leland. Leland said Walsh now will focus on fund raising Aswell As creation of a coaching development program and a sports research Institute at Stanford. But Walsh said hell also be available to advise his successor. Walsh said his age was becoming More of an Issue Ashe tried to recruit around the country. I was being asked the question How Long Are you going to coach that started As soon As i came Back to Stanford and has become More critical this year he said. Could i logically and legitimately recruit while feeling that i was soon going to leave the Job but his players who Learned of the decision in a team meeting shortly before Walsh announced his retirement at a news conference said the coach s age was not important to them. I think he s a Genius. I feel fortunate to be Here said Jeff Buckey 20, a Junior offensive tackle. I did t get any feeling he was too old. Knowledge never  ,. Walsh s departure was rumoured in recent weeks. He said he spoke with Leland about his future during the past four to five weeks. Leland an assistant coach under Walsh at Stanford in the late 1970s, said a nationwide search for a new coach already has begun. Terry Shea the. Current Offen Sive coordinator is expected to be among the Candi dates. Leland said Walsh s return to Stanford three years ago helped build the National reputation of the Cardi Nal football program and said Walsh was directly responsible for the $26 million in donations to Stanford athletics last year. Walsh returned to Stanford after compiling a 102-63-1 record in 10 years As coach of the 49ers, including super bowl crowns in 1981, 1984 and 1988. He was elected to the pro football Hall of Fame in 1993. He spent three years As a pro football analyst for Abc through the end of the 1991 season before deciding to return to coaching. Walsh whose first head coaching Job was at Stanford in 19.77-78, when he led the team to consecutive bowl victories led the Cardinal to a 10-3 record and a win Over Penn state in the blockbuster bowl in his firs year Back at Stanford in 1992. Wednesday november 30,1994 sonics spurs i the 23rd player Aba Jbf the associated press the Seattle supersonics let Michael Cage last sea son s starting Center go during the of season because they believed in Ervin Johnson. A second year player who averaged Only 6.2 minutes in 45 games last season Johnson rewarded coach George Karl for his Faith monday night at Tacoma Wash,.,/. -.  / starting in place of the injured Bill Cartwright John son had a career High 14 rebounds and blocked two shots in a 118-99 Victory Over the Indiana pacers. Erviti s a player Karl said. I know not everybody believes that but he s going to be Fine. He just needs More games like  in the Only other Aba game played monday night the san Antonio spurs beat the Minnesota Tim be wolves 92-88. The 6-foot-l 1 Johnson was picked in the first round of the 1993 Aba draft. On offence he won t remind anyone of Shaquille o Neal or David Robinson but the sonics believe he can make a major contribution As a rebounded and shot Blocker in their bid to win a championship. At the right time everything will fall into place Johnson said. So far my time has t come  matched against Indiana s 7-4 Rik Smits Johnson played 26 minutes. Smits averaging 15.7 Points coming into the game had 12 Points and six rebounds in 24 minutes. -. A. Ervin played Well teammate Shawn Kemp said. He s worked hard and he s finally getting a  in Seattle s first dozen games this season Johnson played sparingly averaging 7.6 minutes in eight games. But he was watching and listening. My dad told me not to be afraid to get better in any Way you can Johnson said. Karl the Man who will decide Johnson s playing time was watching this time and he liked what he saw. Fourteen rebounds any night will help our Basket Ball team Karl said. After a 3-4 Start that included a 27-Point loss at the Boston Garden on nov. 16, the sonics Are playing Well now winning five of six and three straight. The sonics returned to the Tacoma dome their Home this season after weekend victories in san Anto Nio and Houston. Gary Payton scored a season High 28 Points and Sam Perkins came off the Bench to get 20. The sonics had 13 steals against the pacers four by Payton and blocked a season High nine shots. Spurs 92, Timber wolves 88 David Robinson became the second leading scorer in san Antonio history with a free throw with 6 37 left in the third Quarter. That was his 10,291th Point moving him past James Silas on the spurs scoring list. N he s still far behind George Gervin who s no. 1 with 23,602 Points. Robinson finished with 24 Points and 10 rebounds. Vinny Del negro finished with 19 Points after making his first seven shots As the spurs snapped a two game losing Streak. Colorado hires Neuheisel Boulder Colo. A Rick Neu Heisel figures he is eligible to run for president in two years so he should be Able to handle his new position As head coach at the University of Colorado. There s lots of Young people across our nation that Are doing fantastic things in All sorts of endeavours Neuheisel 33, said after he was hired monday. I was just thankful that they did t hold that against me. Besides my mom said it was  the University s Board of regents held two executive sessi9ns monday and then unanimously accepted athletic director Bill March s recommendation to hire Neuheisel As Bill Mccartney s successor. It was an extremely difficult decision to make Marolt said. But the thing really like about Rick Neuheisel is he s energetic he s full of enthusiasm and the youth of our country need to look to leaders who Are full of life and have that spark to make the  _ one of the youngest coaches in Divi Sion i Neuheisel inherits a successful program built from scratch by Mccartney 13 years ago. Mccartney brought Neu Heisel to Colorado to coach receivers and quarterbacks. Now he s the Man who will replace Mccartney after the fiesta Bowlon Jan. 2. I m thrilled for Colorado said Mccartney who announced his . 19. This is a very exciting chapter. Rick Neuheisel is a very gifted Young Man equipped to do what s  jackets pick o Leviy Atlanta a George o Leary says he s getting the Chance of a lifetime by taking Over Georgia tech s floundering football program. I be waited 25 years for this moment to be a head football coach at a school like Georgia tech o Leary said monday. I can Only Hope i can be Here to end my coaching  o Leary who had been the team s defensive coordinator replaced Bill Lewis three weeks ago As interim coach after tech s record fell to 1-7 with six straight losses. Under o Leary s leadership tech lost to Clemson Wake Forest and Georgia winding up 1-10, including 0-8 in the Atlantic coast conference. Lewis who replaced Bobby Ross after the 1991 season was 5-6 each of his first two seasons and was 11-19. O Leary said he would meet with coaches and players this week. My message is i m the new head coach and Here s How we re going to win football  o Leary was defensive coordinator for the Georgia tech team that went11-0-1 in. 1990, finishing second to Colorado in the a poll and being named National Champion in the coaches poll