History and Use of The Term
The term "West Coast Offense", as it is now commonly used, derives from a remark made by then-New York Giants coach Bill Parcells after the Giants defeated the San Francisco 49ers 17-3 in the 1985 playoffs. Parcells, a believer in tough defense over finesse-oriented offense, scornfully derided the 49ers' offense with the statement, "What do you think of that West Coast Offense now?" In 1993, a Bernie Kosar quotation used to describe the 1993 Dallas Cowboys' offense as 'West Coast offense' was publicized by Sports Illustrated writer Paul Zimmerman ("Dr. Z"). Originally Kosar had meant a comparison to the "Air Coryell" system used by west coast teams in the 1970s, the San Diego Chargers and Oakland Raiders. A reporter mistakenly applied Kosar's quotation about the Air Coryell system to the 1980s-era attack of Walsh's San Francisco 49ers. Initially, Walsh resisted having the term misapplied to his own distinct system (Zimmermann noted that an article so misapplying the term led to an upset Walsh phone call to Zimmermann – "He called me up....(saying) that wasn't his offense."), but the moniker stuck. Now the term is commonly used to refer to a range of pass-oriented offenses that may not be closely related to either the Air Coryell system or Walsh's pass-strategy.
Read more about this topic: West Coast Offense
Famous quotes containing the words history and/or term:
“Every member of the family of the future will be a producer of some kind and in some degree. The only one who will have the right of exemption will be the mother ...”
—Ruth C. D. Havens, U.S. suffragist. As quoted in History of Woman Suffrage, vol. 4, ch. 13, by Susan B. Anthony and Ida Husted Harper (1902)
“Nois a term very frequently employed by the fair, when they mean everything else but a negative. Their yes is always yes; but their no is not always no.”
—Anonymous, U.S. womens magazine contributor. M, Weekly Visitor or Ladies Miscellany, p. 203 (April 1803)