Comments on: NORTHWESTERN COACH RANDY WALKER DEAD AT 52

By: J.J.

J.J. — Fri, 30 Jun 2006 21:55:09 +0000

Shocking…
I always loved seeing great academic institutions like Northwestern compete against (and many times upset) the big dogs in the B10. Condolences and best regards to the Walker family and the Northwestern community.

By: CriticalFanatic

CriticalFanatic — Fri, 30 Jun 2006 20:16:10 +0000

You can tell a lot about a man, just by shaking his hand. Walker was a prime example of this for me.

I have very fond memories of Walker as a student at Miami, and Big Ten Football Fan.

Coach Walker, you’ll be missed.
http://www.criticalfanatic.com/2006/06/30/coach-walker-youll-be-missed/

By: Robb

Robb — Fri, 30 Jun 2006 19:17:13 +0000

Coach Walker was the only man I’ve ever met with calves bigger than my dad’s. I took Football Theory from Coach Walker and his staff at Miami, and the class was not at all easy, especially since Coach Walker graded on a strict bell curve. It was about a lot more than X’s and O’s; what it was really about was coaching theory and how to relate to athletes, especially high school and college kids. The thing that sticks out most in my mind is that Coach Walker taught us that the measure of a coach is not wins and losses, but whether s/he leaves the program better than s/he found it.

By that measure, Randy Walker was an overwhelming success. Good thoughts to his family, and Godspeed to Coach Walker.

By: Beergut

Beergut — Fri, 30 Jun 2006 18:51:40 +0000

Just sad news all around. I always enjoyed watching his team play, b/c you knew no matter what the score, Northwestern would never, ever quit, and there was always a chance they would come back.
He coached the game the right way, and all who knew him are better for coming in contact with him.
He will be missed.

By: Tim Mc

Tim Mc — Fri, 30 Jun 2006 16:29:49 +0000

A very sad day. Teachers, coaches and adults that survive him now have the duty and responsibility to carry on his legacy in leading students and children everywhere in playing and living “the right way”. God be with Randy and his family.

By: Phil K.

Phil K. — Fri, 30 Jun 2006 16:24:02 +0000

Ditto Chris on NU being the only Big 10 football I can root for (my brother is a current student there). Condolences to his family and friends.

By: Lazer

Lazer — Fri, 30 Jun 2006 15:46:16 +0000

Definitely a day for the college football world to grieve. The impetus is on a new coach to try and fill the void – as sad as losing a leader is, it does force people to recognize the good that leader left behind, and to be inspired by it.

And now, because I am always an innapropriate comment maker…
“ts always sad to lose someone when they have yet to live out their lives.” – (comment # 10). But, isn’t that what happens every time somone dies? Or, can’t we say that when a person dies, they have in fact lived out their life?
–some are just short and bright, and others are longer, but it’s the quality that really matters, and coach was certainly a quality man.

By: PeteJayhawk

PeteJayhawk — Fri, 30 Jun 2006 15:46:14 +0000

Whoa. Shocking. Condolences.

By: BamaHamr

BamaHamr — Fri, 30 Jun 2006 15:20:28 +0000

So sorry to hear this…. NW is a team I always find myself rooting for. I believe Bama great Johnny Musso’s son played there in the late 90’s

On a lighter note… before Musso came to Tuscaloosa his name was pronounced like the word “mussel” without the “l” Coach Bryant pronounced it “Mewwso”, it stuck and subsequently all his relatives in Bham have since pronounced their names the same way..

By: djl

djl — Fri, 30 Jun 2006 15:03:25 +0000

A class guy, never resorted to recruiting thugs, ran his program the right way. In many ways, Walker was the polar opposite of the guy he replaced at Northwestern.

Walker gave my alma mater (BGSU) fits when he was at Miami. I couldn’t have been happier when he got the Northwestern job.

Today, I couldn’t be sadder for him, his family, his friends, and everyone involved with Miami and Northwestern football.

By: Redskin97

Redskin97 — Fri, 30 Jun 2006 14:55:00 +0000

Walker was an excellent coach, and an even better guy. May he rest in peace.

By: Bob Gomez for Presidint

Bob Gomez for Presidint — Fri, 30 Jun 2006 14:17:02 +0000

Truly a sad, sad day.

By: Russ

Russ — Fri, 30 Jun 2006 14:13:30 +0000

Awful news. I loved what Walker did with the NW program, making it a consistant threat in the Big 10, without any of the smugness that Barnett had when he was winning in Evanston. RIP.

By: PSUgirl

PSUgirl — Fri, 30 Jun 2006 14:05:13 +0000

Such a disciplined and intelligent coach. He and his players could always be proud of the way they played the game.

It’s very sad. My dad, the epicenter of my love for PSU and sports, passed away a few years ago from an unexpected heart attack – on June 29th as well.

By: Rome

Rome — Fri, 30 Jun 2006 14:00:03 +0000

Too damn young to die. I wish his family and all of the Northwestern family the best.