"Controversy arose in San Fran because Montana was injured quite a bit and Young would shine in his place."
This is how the controversy arose...the 49ers traded for Young from TB before the '87 season. The 49ers had a great season that year, going 13-2 in the strike year. In the playoffs, they hosted a red-hot Vikings team that was coming off having just utterly shellacked the Saints, in the Superdome. The Vikings creamed the 49ers. Joe had a horrible day. Toward the end, Walsh replaced Montana with Young, and Young actually put a little excitement into the team with his scrambling, though it was far too late to change the outcome of the lopsided game. This was the start of the rift between Walsh and Montana. However, Montana returned in '88 as the starter and led the 49ers to back to back Super Bowl wins over the Bengals and Broncos. By 1990, Walsh was retired and the 49ers hosted the NFC Championship game against the Giants. The Giants won a close game and knocked Montana out at the very end. Going into the 91 season, Montana had elbow problems and had to be shelved for what ended up being the better part of the 91 and 92 seasons, during which Young played extremely well and demonstrated that he was now the guy in SF. Montana then requested a trade because his elbow was healed and he felt he was not ready to hang 'em up. So the infamous deal was made that sent Joe to the Chiefs, wherein he had a couple of good years, leading the Chiefs to the playoffs both times (and producing two spectacular games...one against the Oilers in the 93 playoffs down in the Dome and one against the Broncos on MNF where Joe ran for a TD in the win).
Next time, class, why the West Coast Offense should really be called The Ohio River Offense.
Jim
