Tony Dungy: Moral Leader of Men

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 "Things will happen."
 
He's back, and he's ridiculous.
 
http://tbo.com/sports/bucs/nfl-holding-players-to-higher-standard-20140720/
 
“I wouldn’t have taken him,’’ said former Bucs and Colts coach Tony Dungy, now an analyst for NBC. “Not because I don’t believe Michael Sam should have a chance to play, but I wouldn’t want to deal with all of it.
 
“It’s not going to be totally smooth … things will happen.’’
 
 
 

Steve Dillard

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I would have loved to have been a store owner in the south when Dungy walked in in 1960.  "You have to leave, not because I don't like blacks, but because I don't want to have to deal with all of this if I let you eat here.  You understand, right?"
 
edit:  being a coward is one thing, but then don't present yourself as a man of conviction unafraid to take a difficult stance.  Glad the Marvin Harrison gun show didn't cause any headaches for him.
As to Sam's celebrity causing distractions, we know how Dungy feels about athletes who have publicity that one has to deal with:
2014
Johnny Manzel -- 
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap2000000330073/article/tony-dungy-if-im-committed-to-winning-id-take-johnny-manziel
 
"He is productive, he's a winner," Dungy said. "He's a guy that excites his teammates. He gets the most out of everybody around him. That's what you're looking for in a quarterback. But is he talented enough? Can you win with him? Is he going to make plays in the NFL? Absolutely. Should he be a top-five pick? We'll see how that goes. If I'm committed to winning, I'd take him."
 
 
2010
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2009/10/30/tony-dungy-tim-tebow-will-be-a-great-nfl-quarterback/
Count Tony Dungy as emphatically believing that Tebow will be an NFL superstar.
Appearing Friday morning on The Dan Patrick Show, Dungy said he believes the combination of leadership and athletic ability that Tebow has will make him an elite NFL quarterback — and more than make up for any questions about his throwing motion.
“As a coach, I always like winners,” Dungy said. “Tim Tebow doesn’t have the classic throwing motion, he doesn’t have the accuracy, maybe, right now that some people are looking for, but I think when he gets into a pro system that really stresses throwing the ball accurately, the big thing is he makes the people around him better. And he’s won. … I think he’s going to be a great player in the NFL.”
Dungy said that if he were running a team with a Top 10 pick, he’d take Tebow. Patrick then asked Dungy who he’d pick for his team if he could have any of the top college quarterbacks, including Washington’s Jake Locker, Notre Dame’s Jimmy Clausen, Oklahoma’s Sam Bradford and Texas’s Colt McCoy. Dungy didn’t hesitate and said, “I’m taking Tebow.”
 
2013
"I know Tim Tebow must be frustrated that he hasn't found the right team yet and is still searching. Here's the advice I would give to Tim as he waits for his new team," wrote Tony Dungy, retired NFL coach and national spokesman for All Pro Dad, in his blog.
Dungy's words come as an introduction to his short video clip on the All Pro Dad website in which he says, "Tim Tebow, I know, is really disappointed that he hasn't got it going and on a team, in a direction, knowing what locker room he is going to be in right now, but the advice I'd have for Tim is just to be patient, be faithful, the Lord has a good spot for you, He's going to give you the right situation.
"Tim's a winner. He's a guy that lifts his teammates. He lifts the spirits of any team that he's with. So he's going to find a place to go to work and he'll find the right spot and give those guys some encouragement and be a chance to be a winner. So my advice would be to just be patient, wait for the Lord to show you that right team and be ready to go," concludes Dungy.
 
 

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“I wouldn’t have taken him,’’ said former Bucs and Colts coach Tony Dungy, now an analyst for NBC. “Not because I don’t believe Michael Sam should have a chance to play, but I wouldn’t want to deal with all of it.
 
“It’s not going to be totally smooth … things will happen.’’
 
 
Branch Rickey spins
 

cornwalls@6

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How soon before on his own, or due to pressure from NBC, he starts walking this back?  Or his exalted status such that when he says something which would get most others in his position in at least some degree of hot water, it's just more evidence evidence of his principled, deeply held faith.
 
 
 
Edit:  Only one "evidence" needed there obviously.   
 

mauidano

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Dungy is entitled to his opinion and I'm entitled to mine.  Tony Dungy is an embarrassment to the NFL, NBC Sports and human decency in general. Eat a bag of dicks Tony and then go away you caveman.
 

NortheasternPJ

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mauidano said:
Dungy is entitled to his opinion and I'm entitled to mine.  Tony Dungy is an embarrassment to the NFL, NBC Sports and human decency in general. Eat a bag of dicks Tony and then go away you caveman.
 
It'd be better if Dungy said Michael Sam will end up in hell with his son James.
 

GBrushTWood

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Imagine if Belichick said the same thing? We'd already have online protestors frothing at the mouth, and probably demanding for Bill's job. Somehow, when an avuncular looking guy with a neighborly smile says douchey words, it's OK. 
 
Personally, I don't give a shit what Dungy says and I wouldn't fire/fine/suspend/punish him. The inconsistent application of sanctimony and outrage is the confusing part.
 

NortheasternPJ

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joe dokes said:
thanks for the link. great piece.
 
The Peter King waffle machine is probably in hyper-drive trying to figure out what to put in tomorrow's MMQB.
It was a perfect piece. Short and to the point.

dungy is a fraud. He's lucky Manning bailed his coaching career out.
 

Leather

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joe dokes said:
 
 
The Peter King waffle machine is probably in hyper-drive trying to figure out what to put in tomorrow's MMQB.
 
"I think people are being too hard on Tony Dungy.  Look at what he said, he said that he wouldn't have taken Sam "Not because I don’t believe Michael Sam should have a chance to play". See that?  Dungy isn't anti-gay any more than the 31 other NFL executives that passed on Sam for 6+ rounds are anti-gay.  Dungy, as well as anybody, knows what it takes for a team to gel and to succeed.  He knows that it can be a fickle alignment.  He knows how to do the job of a head coach, and knows better than anyone on earth how little things can have big consequences.  If Tony Dungy doesn't think that Michael Sam, as wonderful a guy as he is, won't help the team win, who are we to judge?"
 
[in Tuesday's Mailbag]:
 
"P.S., if you still don't think that there won't be some flareup or issue regarding Sam being in the NFL, even one that we on the outside don't become aware of until much later (if at all), you're much more optimistic than I am.  Naive, even. I'm not saying that's good, just that it will happen.  Dungy knows, too."
 

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seageral said:
fuck you dungy.  
 
http://www.si.com/2014/07/21/why-tony-dungy-wouldnt-have-drafted-michael-sam
 
saying a lot of what's being said here.
 
Apparently this story is the epitome of the old expression, "It writes itself."
 
I'm half considering getting a Rams Jersey with FRONTOFFICE written across the back and a #1.
 

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I've hated Dungy a lot since he piled on Belichick at the outbreadk of SpyGate and thereafter.  I always thought it was particularly uncool for a member of the coaching fraternity to throw another one under the bus at such a time.
 
"Really, a sad day for the NFL," Indianapolis Colts coach Tony Dungy said after practice Friday. "It's another case of the 99 percent good things that are happening being overshadowed by 1 percent bad. Again, people aren't talking about our product, they're talking about a negative incident."
 
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3019280

 
Tony Dungy: [laughs] I don’t know about any cheat codes. They say that’s really a big secret around here, it’s like Spygate. I don’t know if they put that in there or not or what the penalty would be if you entered any cheat codes, but we’ll probably only let New England have cheat codes.
 
 
 
http://larrybrownsports.com/football/tony-dungy-cracks-patriots-belichick/1347
 
So I admit it, anything that makes Dungy look like an idiot is good with me. 
 
And I'd say it's a sad day for the NFL when an otherwise respected former Head Coach and current prime time TV commentator would disqualify a player just because his presence will cause things not to be "smooth."
 

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As you guys can mostly guess I'm not the type to avoid programs because of my disagreement with the host's opinions on matters unrelated to the show, but this is goddamned awful.

Its awful of the NFL to maintain association with him.
 

jose melendez

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The NFL is probably more tolerant of awful people than any other sport.  I have no reason to back that up, but I just feel like it's the case.  Maybe it's just the Ray Lewis love.
 

rodderick

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AlNipper49 said:
As you guys can mostly guess I'm not the type to avoid programs because of my disagreement with the host's opinions on matters unrelated to the show, but this is goddamned awful.

Its awful of the NFL to maintain association with him.
 
Perfect. This may sound awfully british, but Tony Dungy is a proper cunt.
 

AlNipper49

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Well, I guess by letting black people voice their opinions we can really cause lots of distractions as I'm sure the NFL is discovering right now.

/DungyLogic
 

8slim

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That Wetzel piece is pitch perfect.

I wouldn't expect any repercussions though. The narrative on Dungy has already been decided, his cowardly, bigoted comments will just be explained-away or ignored.
 

mauidano

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Not surprised that neither NBCSports.com or ESPN is even giving this story a whisper.  Trending LARGE on almost all other sports sites.  Disgusting.
 

JayMags71

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Dungy sucks, and he's wrong. That said, let's not pretend he was alone in his opinion. Look in the thread started here when Sam came out. Some people here made similar remarks. Between the negative backlash Sam is encountering (even if it's a minority), the manner in which Jonathan Martin's story was covered, and what we now know about concussions, I'm rapidly losing interest in NFL Football.
 

dcmissle

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mauidano said:
Not surprised that neither NBCSports.com or ESPN is even giving this story a whisper.  Trending LARGE on almost all other sports sites.  Disgusting.
Drove by Around The Horn tonight, and the panelists roughed Dungy up pretty good.

Have no desire to censor the guy, or fire him.

But for God's sake, stop conferring sainthood on him.
 

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I'm sure that Goodell isn't happy with this.
He also is unhappy with Peter King refusing to use the name Redskins and CBS' decision to defer to its broadcasters on whether to use that name or not.

Goodell does not control everything. Yet.
 

AlNipper49

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JayMags71 said:
Dungy sucks, and he's wrong. That said, let's not pretend he was alone in his opinion. Look in the thread started here when Sam came out. Some people here made similar remarks. Between the negative backlash Sam is encountering (even if it's a minority), the manner in which Jonathan Martin's story was covered, and what we now know about concussions, I'm rapidly losing interest in NFL Football.
I thought about that too. I'm not afraid to admit that I felt a consideration (albeit miniscule) with drafting Sam could me the media onslaught that followed. We live in the real world.

However at this point he's drafted and the point has ceased to be relevant. To bring it up at this point, even casually, is completely ignorant at best.

Even of you think gay guys are all rapists and evil you just don't say shit like this. In the off chance he just said something insanely dumb, which we've all done, he had better come out with the mea-ist culpa of all time quickly and without bullshit.
 

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Lot of bigots lamenting their inability to say bigoted things without being called bigots.
 
I have no problem with Dungy saying having Michael Sam would be a distraction--that might be true--I have huge problems with him saying that's a good enough reason not to draft him.
 
It would be one thing (though still bullshit) to say that he would discriminate for any reason to have a more pacific clubhouse and avoid media attention, but he doesn't--he focuses on this reason.  He had no problem with Vick getting a second chance.
 

Myt1

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It's extra disappointing because of how much hatred and prejudice Dungy's own people have had to overcome.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Ed Hillel

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The comment section is something to behold.
I was just coming to say the same thing. It's not just a bunch of trolls, either. I find them entertaining, at least. Sad.

"That gay didn't need to tell everyone he was gay like Dungy has to show everyone he's black!!!"
 

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AlNipper49 said:
I thought about that too. I'm not afraid to admit that I felt a consideration (albeit miniscule) with drafting Sam could me the media onslaught that followed. We live in the real world.

However at this point he's drafted and the point has ceased to be relevant. To bring it up at this point, even casually, is completely ignorant at best.

Even of you think gay guys are all rapists and evil you just don't say shit like this. In the off chance he just said something insanely dumb, which we've all done, he had better come out with the mea-ist culpa of all time quickly and without bullshit.
 
 
jose melendez said:
Lot of bigots lamenting their inability to say bigoted things without being called bigots.
 
I have no problem with Dungy saying having Michael Sam would be a distraction--that might be true--I have huge problems with him saying that's a good enough reason not to draft him.
 
It would be one thing (though still bullshit) to say that he would discriminate for any reason to have a more pacific clubhouse and avoid media attention, but he doesn't--he focuses on this reason.  He had no problem with Vick getting a second chance.
 
Did you guys read the Farrar piece at SI? The Rams are going all Sun Tzu on this and transforming a weakness into a strength by framing this in terms of taking leadership in this area.
 

Better to listen to Rams general manager Les Snead, who said of the Sam pick that "all of us in the draft room were aware of the magnitude of the decision, how it would be a pivot in history. Michael is the first, but somewhere in the future, guess what? He’s just going to be a name that a kid in middle school has got to memorize. We won’t think it’s anything special because it will be normal."
 
Or Rams CEO Kevin Demoff, who said that "if you’re going to take a leadership position by drafting Michael, you have to expect the good and the bad. We’re prepared for it, and I think we’ll shine through it."
 
 

Hardcore.
 

Kliq

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The guys on Around the Horn and PTI got him good. The perfect contradiction is that Dungy was such a big supporter of Vick, even visiting him in prison and openly pining to get him back into the NFL.
 
 
Dungy had addressed plans for the visit when he was interviewed last week on "The Dan Patrick Show." Dungy said he had met Vick in 2005 when the Colts played the Atlanta Falcons -- the team that holds Vick's rights -- in Japan.
 
"I am going out there to really talk about life. To talk about the Lord," Dungy said on the show. "I know he has made a profession that he has accepted the Lord into his life. Talk to him about what he's going to face. Most people are going to be against him. He's got to understand that."
 
 
Another strike against Dungy is that this isn't the first time he has aligned himself against the gay community. Was he honest in saying that he wouldn't draft Sam because of the distraction and only that? I don't know, but back in 2007, Dungy received an award from a religious organization and announced his support for a proposed gay marriage ban:  http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/wire?id=2808705

 
Tony Dungy is a deeply religious man who puts his faith first in his life, even above family and football. So his support of a proposed gay-marriage ban likely surprised few.
What was surprising is the Indianapolis Colts' quiet coach shared his position publicly, sparking discussion about the impact of the Super Bowl winner's comments.
Dungy caused a stir Tuesday when he accepted the "Friend of Family" award from the conservative Indiana Family Institute.
The coach told the audience he supported the group's efforts to amend the Indiana constitution to define marriage as between one man and one woman.
"I appreciate the stance they're taking, and I embrace that stance," Dungy told the crowd of about 700 people.
Dungy said his comments should not be considered gay bashing.
"We're not trying to downgrade anyone else. But we're trying to promote the family -- family values the Lord's way," Dungy said.
Colts president Bill Polian was at NFL meetings in Phoenix on Thursday and was unavailable for comment.
"Coach Dungy's feelings on the importance of marriage and family are well known to the overwhelming majority of American sports fans," said Myra Borshoff Cook, a spokeswoman for Colts owner Jim Irsay. "He, of course, is free to speak to any group he wishes. The club does not take positions in political issues in which it is not directly involved."
Supporters of the proposed ban hailed the endorsement.
"That was sort of a double for us," said Curt Smith, president of the institute, which is associated with but independent of James Dobson's "Focus on the Family" group.
Smith said he was unaware Dungy, who received the award because of his pro-family ethic, not for his views on public policy, would address the issue.
 
 
I don't really care what Dungy thinks, but I do hate it how he has this amazing image of this thoughtful and kind leader when he always struck me as kind of a phony. His ego is huge, this is a guy that has written three self-help books entitled Quiet Strength: The Principles, Practices, and Priorities of a Winning Life, Uncommon: Finding Your Path to Significance and  The Mentor Leader.
 
Oh, and he is an incredibly overrated coach. I'm pretty sure a loaf of bread could have won in Indy with Peyton and Tom Moore in charge.
 

AlNipper49

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I'd interview him and be like 'what would you say if your son was g... OH THAT'S RIGHT YOUR SON IS DEAD'
 

grimshaw

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Count me as one of the few who just kind of shrugged when I read his comments.  The man is entitled to his religious beliefs.  And he's entitled to be a terrible analyst, like he is.  I don't understand all the outrage.  Especially since most people realize his stance and it's not something he shies away from.
 
Michael Sam is probably a marginal talent.  He may or may not end up on a practice squad and get some snaps at some point during his NFL career.  If you can find an undrafted free agent with roughly the same set of skills and be guaranteed to not have a circus following you around, why couldn't you make that choice?
 
It's not any NFL team's responsibility to be a moral hero.  Play to win.  If you feel like Michael Sam will create too much of a distraction and possibly affect clubhouse chemistry, then that's on the coach and the team.
 
Anything beyond that is ownership stepping in.
 

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What you're seeing isn't outrage, it's joyful hatin' on a guy we perceive to be a sanctimonious tool.

Note that this thread didn't start today.
 

Judge Mental13

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grimshaw said:
Michael Sam is probably a marginal talent.  He may or may not end up on a practice squad and get some snaps at some point during his NFL career.  If you can find an undrafted free agent with roughly the same set of skills and be guaranteed to not have a circus following you around, why couldn't you make that choice?
 
That's not what Dungy said, though.  He said he wouldn't have drafted him because "things will happen", because of the circus, as you put it (despite openly endorsing Tim Tebow and Johnny Manziel) and even if Dungy is saying something that a lot of NFL people also believed, you're right, he was considered a fringe draft pick but since no GMs came out and said "we're not drafting him because he's gay and that's a distraction" you can make the story about football, Dungy made it about "distractions".  
 

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jose melendez said:
Is it confirmed that his son was gay?
I dont think he was gay.

I believe he was an asshole drug addict who also happened to have a father who apparently cared more about feeding his own ego then being a decent father.

Id like for Dungy to follow in his sons footsteps. Seriously. He propogates hate and covers it with religious freedom. These people need to die in fires.
 

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Judge Mental13 said:
 
That's not what Dungy said, though.  He said he wouldn't have drafted him because "things will happen", because of the circus, as you put it (despite openly endorsing Tim Tebow and Johnny Manziel) and even if Dungy is saying something that a lot of NFL people also believed, you're right, he was considered a fringe draft pick but since no GMs came out and said "we're not drafting him because he's gay and that's a distraction" you can make the story about football, Dungy made it about "distractions".  
Ya and that's a flaw in his logic, if you are looking at the man as totally logical.  To me he isn't and somehow won a bunch of football games anyhow and then got a sweet gig being portrayed as a kindly old sage.  I think his ideology is so deeply entrenched that there is no reason for him to think he said anything wrong and will not retract his statements unless somehow forces him to.
 
As you were though.  He annoys me, but not nearly on the same level as other "analysts."
 

mauidano

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Well, well, well. FWIW Keith Olbermann toyed with Dungy tonight on his show by naming him the Worst Person in The Sports World today.  Keith has a way with words.  Wonder what Keith's old partner Dan Patrick who ironically is Tony Dungy's current partner had or has to say on the matter.
 

soxfan121

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Reverend said:
What you're seeing isn't outrage, it's joyful hatin' on a guy we perceive to be a sanctimonious tool.

Note that this thread didn't start today.
 
Well, this thread started today. Because SKRUB must have new threads and a previous thread on Dungy was more than six months old.