Tony Dungy is a Hypocrite

[peplaw06]

Yes, I think he is being less than honest with himself and the media. I don't care that he went back into coaching but don't give us this p.c. religous nonsense about your family comes first when it obviously doesn't come first. I'm just sick of the dishonesty that people like him spew. He is being very santimonious and hypocritical.

And here I think we've come to the real reason why you take exception to Dungy. I had you figured out when I read your first post.

And this excuse about "Not knowing what was discussed between him and his family" is also weak. Do you really think his family would oppose him retiring and spending more time with them. No, so it had nothing to do with his "family's discussion" If Tony wanted to retire, he could have done so. He just didn't want to retire because he wants to coach another year. That's fine but then don't be fake and tell people you value family and ministering. Because if he cared about those things, he would have retired and become a minister. It's really that simple. Now if I wanted to be his PR person or lawyer, I would also contrive this excuse like" How dare you judge him. You don't know what was discussed between him and his family. You don't know how his family feels" PLEASE

The truth of the matter is you're still making all of this up. You've got no idea what the family is discussing. And it appears Tony is taking a couple of months off, and is going to be able to fly back and forth for a couple of days every week. Come to find out, he did that this season too.

What do you expect of the man? Do you expect him to completely sever ties with the NFL, when he's still relatively young? Do you expect him to sit around the house while his wife's doing her thing and his son is at school? How ridiculous.

What evidence do we need. This isn't a court trial. You are just using that angle to deny the obvious because you want defend Tony Dungy.

No it's not a court trial. But you have zero evidence that any of this occurred. You probably heard a 30 second soundbyte, and created this whole hypocrisy angle in your head.

If you want to play the court of public opinion, you probably better keep the opinion of the public in mind. There's NOBODY talking about this supposed hypocrisy... except you. I think the court of public opinion has spoken.

I'll break it down for you again...Dungy claims that family and ministering to others is his priority.

How do you know they're not? Can a man not have more than one priority? How do you know which one he places first? Answer... you don't. You have no idea how many hours he puts into his work.

His son died two years ago. He has another teenage son that needs him.

So he should quit his job?

He has enough money to raise his family without working.

You may not like your job, but believe it or not, some people in this world actually do like their jobs.

He could become a minister of a local church and preach the gospel while raising his son.

Who are you to judge how Dungy chooses to minister?

If a man is truly committed to his family and the gospel, I fail to see why he would coach football at a time like this especially after he has already achieved his goal of a Superbowl.

How about a ministry in the NFL? Is that not important? I figure the NFL needs him more than his local congregation.

Isn't his son his responsibility? What about ministering to your family?

Who's to say he's not taking care of his responsibilities there?

I know a lot of coaches put coaching ahead of their family. But a lot of coaches don't try to preach family obligations and the gospel as their priority either. Tony is a good guy but he is lying to himself and the public in regards to his priorities. He is just like any other coach whose priority is to coach football.

Again, we see the real reason behind your outrage.

There are tons of coaches who have moved to jobs in order to be closer to their family. But maybe they didn't address it the way Dungy did in his 30 second soundbyte you heard. I guess that's why you're not all up in arms about those guys.

Decent man! Look I'm no saint but if my son died and I had another one that needed a father, there is no way I would coach in the NFL especially if I had enough money and I won a Superbowl. Some of us know where to draw line in the sand. I'm sorry that you don't

Another ridiculous comment. So because one son died, you're supposed to stop living?

Why aren't you on here screaming about Andy Reid, who continued to coach while his sons were facing criminal charges and sentencing?

Maybe Dungy hasn't met the goals he set for himself. I'm sure that if he felt his family was in danger of falling apart, or of losing his second son, he'd be done.

Look at all of these questions that have been raised. How you can be so adamant that he's in fact lying and you know exactly how it went down from your little 30 second soundbyte is beyond me.

 

[Encore]

Struggling to understand Dungy's decision


I am uncomfortable because I simply can't talk myself out of writing the following words, words that will incur the near-universal wrath of a city that has come to revere Tony Dungy, not only as a coach but as a man:
I think that by returning to the Colts, and doing so after his entire family moved out of Indianapolis and back to Tampa, Fla., for reasons he prefers remain private, Dungy has revealed himself as something of a hypocrite.
As one of the chief spokesmen for All Pro Dad, an organization dedicated to strengthening the bonds of fathers with their children, he has spoken passionately about the importance of men putting their faith and family first, before football and all else.

So I don't understand:

What came first here?

If family is really first, doesn't Dungy decide to live in the same city with his wife and children? Remember, Dungy not only has one adult daughter and a high school-age son. He and his wife also have three little ones, a first-grader, a kindergartener and an infant.

Dungy said Monday he had the support of his family, but my guess is the three youngest ones didn't have much input.
Again, I'm uncomfortable. I'm uncomfortable about passing judgment on anybody or anything deeper than a decision to punt on fourth-and-2. I'm especially loath to pass judgment on the way another man handles his personal business.

But Dungy has used his pulpit as a head football coach to advise others in the art of fatherhood, and has left himself open to charges of hypocrisy.
It's understood that owner Jim Irsay, whose heart is bigger than even his wallet, has made arrangements that will allow the Dungys to spend additional time together. Tony will fly to Tampa, the family will fly to Indianapolis, all of that on Irsay's dime.

Understand, though, we're not talking about a man who, like Dungy's late father, had to teach in a school district 80 miles away from the Dungy home and was, at times, a weekend dad. Tony Dungy had the financial freedom to make a choice based solely on what he believed was best for his family.
Is it better for a father to be a phone call away, or merely a whisper?
I don't claim to know much about fatherhood, which should not come as a newsflash to my two, teenage daughters. (Both are remarkably well adjusted, thanks to my wife). What I do know is that being around is better than not being around. Even if the average conversation consists of "How was school? . . . Fine. . . . Done your homework? . . . Yep.''

Still, there are those moments, sitting on the couch late at night, when one of my daughters will wordlessly sidle over and rest her head on my shoulder for no good reason, and it's like the secret to parenthood has been unlocked forever.

Quality of time is deeply important. But there's a lot to be said about quantity of time.

Again, I'm not saying Dungy is in any way lacking as a father. That would be wrong-headed and cruel, especially in light of the family tragedy two years ago, a horror that showed us again how little control even the most loving and attentive parents have.

What I'm saying is, I see a troubling disconnect between word and deed here. I see someone who has used his pulpit to speak about family issues and specifically the importance of fatherhood, and someone who has made a decision that appears, at least on the surface, to be hypocritical.
(And for what it's worth, I specifically asked Dungy that question in the news conference, and later, we spoke informally and I shared these views. As always, he gracefully acknowledged how someone might have these questions and added, "Trust me when I say we've prayed and thought this through'').
At the news conference, I asked, "How do you square your philosophy about family and faith, especially family, with the fact you're going to be a long-distance dad for one year or maybe longer?''
Dungy responded evenly: "We have a lot of things going on in our family that won't be public, don't need to be public and don't need to be anybody else's business, but we have our kids' best interests in mind. We think we're going to be OK.''

In recent days, I've had several people wonder whether the Dungys were thumbing their nose at Indianapolis by moving the family south. I'll tell you what I told them: It's not our business. The family would have made the move whether Dungy stayed in Tampa or returned to Indy, and whatever those reasons were, those are private.
On the issue of the decision to return, and the reasons he made them, I believe that's fair game, especially given his very public views on parenting.
I wish I could join the mindless "Tony's Back!'' pep rally that has broken out in town, just blindly celebrate the return of the man who made the Colts a Super Bowl champion.

But I am uncomfortable.
Just uncomfortable.

Bob Kravitz is a columnist for The Indianapolis Star. Call him at (317) 444-6643 or e-mail bob.kravitz@indystar.com.

 

[adamknite]

What evidence do we need. This isn't a court trial. You are just using that angle to deny the obvious because you want defend Tony Dungy. I'll break it down for you again

Dungy claims that family and ministering to others is his priority. His son died two years ago. He has another teenage son that needs him. He has enough money to raise his family without working. He could become a minister of a local church and preach the gospel while raising his son. If a man is truly committed to his family and the gospel, I fail to see why he would coach football at a time like this especially after he has already achieved his goal of a Superbowl. Isn't his son his responsibility? What about ministering to your family?

I know a lot of coaches put coaching ahead of their family. But a lot of coaches don't try to preach family obligations and the gospel as their priority either. Tony is a good guy but he is lying to himself and the public in regards to his priorities. He is just like any other coach whose priority is to coach football.

So because he says he loves his family and is a Christian he has no right doing a job he loves? Are you trying to say because he's doing something he enjoys doing, that he doesn't care about his family as much as he says? What is your point in this thread? If you don't like the guy, fine, but don't come out spouting some useless garbage just because the guy is a Christian, because I think that's why you're ragging on him. And like you I can think that without any proof because I know everything everybody on the face of the planet is thinking.

Unless you know Mr. Dungy personally, I'd avoid spreading slander about him.

 

[Nors]

I was raised and was educated in Private Catholic schools and STRONGLY never if ever felt a need to try and make any judgements. Not my gig -

But when it comes to monetary ways and means and family values. I question if Dungy truly is living what many are preaching and believing for him.

 

[mr.jameswoods]

And here I think we've come to the real reason why you take exception to Dungy. I had you figured out when I read your first post.

I also like how you were pretending to be objective by asking questions when you had already decided to defend Dungy because you like him personally.

The truth of the matter is you're still making all of this up. You've got no idea what the family is discussing.

No, I'm just applying common sense. There isn't any other logical conclusion to him returning to coaching if he says his priority is his family.

What do you expect of the man? Do you expect him to completely sever ties with the NFL, when he's still relatively young?

Yes, isn't that obvious? Your son committed suicide 2 years ago. You have another son that is a teenager and living in Florida. You won a Superbowl. Don't you think your family needs if your in fact your family is your priority.

Do you expect him to sit around the house while his wife's doing her thing and his son is at school? How ridiculous.

Uh, how about raising his son? Did that ever cross your mind? Is that so ridiculous?

No it's not a court trial. But you have zero evidence that any of this occurred. You probably heard a 30 second soundbyte, and created this whole hypocrisy angle in your head.

No, I just used my brain, something you are unwilling to do because of your personal liking of Dungy. I like Dungy too but unlike you, I have the balls to courage to call him out on his hypocrisy.

If you want to play the court of public opinion, you probably better keep the opinion of the public in mind. There's NOBODY talking about this supposed hypocrisy... except you.

Wrong, there was an article written by a newspaper journalist in Indiana. This was discussed on Dan Patrick today.

How do you know they're not? Can a man not have more than one priority?

By definition, the term priority means you are deeming something as being more important than something else. You are referring to responsibility. That's a different definition.

How do you know which one he places first? Answer... you don't. You have no idea how many hours he puts into his work.

Because when he says my family is my priority, by definition, it means he is placing them first. Did you attend college?

So he should quit his job?You may not like your job, but believe it or not, some people in this world actually do like their jobs.

I'm a physician, I love my job. I went through 8 years of school and am currently doing my second year of residency. If I didn't love my job, I wouldn't have devoted so much time to it. During my 3rd year of medical school, I pondered going into surgery. In fact, I loved it but for me personally, my family did come first and I made that sacrafice. I have friends that chose their profession over their family and I respect that. However, none of these surgeons would be stupid enough to say they place their family above their career because they don't.

Who are you to judge how Dungy chooses to minister?How about a ministry in the NFL?

Sorry but that term isn't fooling anyone. He is a coach. He is not a minister. That's just his way of rationalizing remaining a coach. if you want to believe that line of bull so be it but some of us are not as easily fooled.

Again, we see the real reason behind your outrage.

No, we just see that you are a fan of Dungy and will ignore logic and say whatever it takes to defend him. That much is clear

 

[mr.jameswoods]

So because he says he loves his family and is a Christian he has no right doing a job he loves? Are you trying to say because he's doing something he enjoys doing, that he doesn't care about his family as much as he says? What is your point in this thread? If you don't like the guy, fine, but don't come out spouting some useless garbage just because the guy is a Christian, because I think that's why you're ragging on him. And like you I can think that without any proof because I know everything everybody on the face of the planet is thinking.

Unless you know Mr. Dungy personally, I'd avoid spreading slander about him.

The point is very simple. If you are going to profess that your family is your priority then you don't return to coaching especially when your son died 2 years ago and you have another son that needs you so his actions contradict his statements thereby making him a hypocrite. A lot of Christians are upset with Dungy so don't turn this into a religious war. Use your brain and quit trying to depict me as a "Christian basher"; you have no idea what my faith is. This has nothing to do with his status as a Christian but rather the fact that he is contradicting the very Christian principles he claims to stand by. And if you are a Christian, please explain to me how Dungy is justified in this situation from a Christain perspective? He doesn't need to earn money to support his family financially so isn't it his Christian duty to be a parent for his son and spend time with him and his wife? Please explain how his actions are justified from a Christian perspective?

 

[mr.jameswoods]

There are tons of coaches who have moved to jobs in order to be closer to their family. But maybe they didn't address it the way Dungy did in his 30 second soundbyte you heard. I guess that's why you're not all up in arms about those guys.

Oh so it's a 30 second soundbyte, did you measure it? No, it's just that other coaches are not delluding themselves by professing their priority is their family and the ministry and then acting otherwise.

Another ridiculous comment. So because one son died, you're supposed to stop living?

He died 2 years ago. You don't think your son might be affected by his older brother's death especially considering he is a teenager now and doesn't have his father around him? How would you feel in that situation? Were you raised by your father? Just curious

Why aren't you on here screaming about Andy Reid, who continued to coach while his sons were facing criminal charges and sentencing?

I think Andy should have taken some time away. I agree but his situation is also different than Dungy's.

Maybe Dungy hasn't met the goals he set for himself. I'm sure that if he felt his family was in danger of falling apart, or of losing his second son, he'd be done.

Does your family have to be in danger for you to spend time with them?

Look at all of these questions that have been raised. How you can be so adamant that he's in fact lying and you know exactly how it went down from your little 30 second soundbyte is beyond me.

I don't think he is lying. Lying means he is consciously choosing to deceive people. I don't think he is trying to deceive anyone. But I do think he is confused about his priorities and is not being honest with himself.

 

[mr.jameswoods]

Struggling to understand Dungy's decision


I am uncomfortable because I simply can't talk myself out of writing the following words, words that will incur the near-universal wrath of a city that has come to revere Tony Dungy, not only as a coach but as a man:
I think that by returning to the Colts, and doing so after his entire family moved out of Indianapolis and back to Tampa, Fla., for reasons he prefers remain private, Dungy has revealed himself as something of a hypocrite.
As one of the chief spokesmen for All Pro Dad, an organization dedicated to strengthening the bonds of fathers with their children, he has spoken passionately about the importance of men putting their faith and family first, before football and all else.

So I don't understand:

What came first here?

If family is really first, doesn't Dungy decide to live in the same city with his wife and children? Remember, Dungy not only has one adult daughter and a high school-age son. He and his wife also have three little ones, a first-grader, a kindergartener and an infant.

Dungy said Monday he had the support of his family, but my guess is the three youngest ones didn't have much input.
Again, I'm uncomfortable. I'm uncomfortable about passing judgment on anybody or anything deeper than a decision to punt on fourth-and-2. I'm especially loath to pass judgment on the way another man handles his personal business.

But Dungy has used his pulpit as a head football coach to advise others in the art of fatherhood, and has left himself open to charges of hypocrisy.
It's understood that owner Jim Irsay, whose heart is bigger than even his wallet, has made arrangements that will allow the Dungys to spend additional time together. Tony will fly to Tampa, the family will fly to Indianapolis, all of that on Irsay's dime.

Understand, though, we're not talking about a man who, like Dungy's late father, had to teach in a school district 80 miles away from the Dungy home and was, at times, a weekend dad. Tony Dungy had the financial freedom to make a choice based solely on what he believed was best for his family.
Is it better for a father to be a phone call away, or merely a whisper?
I don't claim to know much about fatherhood, which should not come as a newsflash to my two, teenage daughters. (Both are remarkably well adjusted, thanks to my wife). What I do know is that being around is better than not being around. Even if the average conversation consists of "How was school? . . . Fine. . . . Done your homework? . . . Yep.''

Still, there are those moments, sitting on the couch late at night, when one of my daughters will wordlessly sidle over and rest her head on my shoulder for no good reason, and it's like the secret to parenthood has been unlocked forever.

Quality of time is deeply important. But there's a lot to be said about quantity of time.

Again, I'm not saying Dungy is in any way lacking as a father. That would be wrong-headed and cruel, especially in light of the family tragedy two years ago, a horror that showed us again how little control even the most loving and attentive parents have.

What I'm saying is, I see a troubling disconnect between word and deed here. I see someone who has used his pulpit to speak about family issues and specifically the importance of fatherhood, and someone who has made a decision that appears, at least on the surface, to be hypocritical.
(And for what it's worth, I specifically asked Dungy that question in the news conference, and later, we spoke informally and I shared these views. As always, he gracefully acknowledged how someone might have these questions and added, "Trust me when I say we've prayed and thought this through'').
At the news conference, I asked, "How do you square your philosophy about family and faith, especially family, with the fact you're going to be a long-distance dad for one year or maybe longer?''
Dungy responded evenly: "We have a lot of things going on in our family that won't be public, don't need to be public and don't need to be anybody else's business, but we have our kids' best interests in mind. We think we're going to be OK.''

In recent days, I've had several people wonder whether the Dungys were thumbing their nose at Indianapolis by moving the family south. I'll tell you what I told them: It's not our business. The family would have made the move whether Dungy stayed in Tampa or returned to Indy, and whatever those reasons were, those are private.
On the issue of the decision to return, and the reasons he made them, I believe that's fair game, especially given his very public views on parenting.
I wish I could join the mindless "Tony's Back!'' pep rally that has broken out in town, just blindly celebrate the return of the man who made the Colts a Super Bowl champion.

But I am uncomfortable.
Just uncomfortable.

Bob Kravitz is a columnist for The Indianapolis Star. Call him at (317) 444-6643 or e-mail bob.kravitz@indystar.com.

Yup, this is the article!

 

[windward]

I was raised and was educated in Private Catholic schools and STRONGLY never if ever felt a need to try and make any judgements. Not my gig -

But when it comes to monetary ways and means and family values. I question if Dungy truly is living what many are preaching and believing for him.

Did you just contradict yourself within two paragraphs?

 

[windward]

Struggling to understand Dungy's decision


I am uncomfortable because I simply can't talk myself out of writing the following words, words that will incur the near-universal wrath of a city that has come to revere Tony Dungy, not only as a coach but as a man:
I think that by returning to the Colts, and doing so after his entire family moved out of Indianapolis and back to Tampa, Fla., for reasons he prefers remain private, Dungy has revealed himself as something of a hypocrite.
As one of the chief spokesmen for All Pro Dad, an organization dedicated to strengthening the bonds of fathers with their children, he has spoken passionately about the importance of men putting their faith and family first, before football and all else.

So I don't understand:

What came first here?

If family is really first, doesn't Dungy decide to live in the same city with his wife and children? Remember, Dungy not only has one adult daughter and a high school-age son. He and his wife also have three little ones, a first-grader, a kindergartener and an infant.

Dungy said Monday he had the support of his family, but my guess is the three youngest ones didn't have much input.
Again, I'm uncomfortable. I'm uncomfortable about passing judgment on anybody or anything deeper than a decision to punt on fourth-and-2. I'm especially loath to pass judgment on the way another man handles his personal business.

But Dungy has used his pulpit as a head football coach to advise others in the art of fatherhood, and has left himself open to charges of hypocrisy.
It's understood that owner Jim Irsay, whose heart is bigger than even his wallet, has made arrangements that will allow the Dungys to spend additional time together. Tony will fly to Tampa, the family will fly to Indianapolis, all of that on Irsay's dime.

Understand, though, we're not talking about a man who, like Dungy's late father, had to teach in a school district 80 miles away from the Dungy home and was, at times, a weekend dad. Tony Dungy had the financial freedom to make a choice based solely on what he believed was best for his family.
Is it better for a father to be a phone call away, or merely a whisper?
I don't claim to know much about fatherhood, which should not come as a newsflash to my two, teenage daughters. (Both are remarkably well adjusted, thanks to my wife). What I do know is that being around is better than not being around. Even if the average conversation consists of "How was school? . . . Fine. . . . Done your homework? . . . Yep.''

Still, there are those moments, sitting on the couch late at night, when one of my daughters will wordlessly sidle over and rest her head on my shoulder for no good reason, and it's like the secret to parenthood has been unlocked forever.

Quality of time is deeply important. But there's a lot to be said about quantity of time.

Again, I'm not saying Dungy is in any way lacking as a father. That would be wrong-headed and cruel, especially in light of the family tragedy two years ago, a horror that showed us again how little control even the most loving and attentive parents have.

What I'm saying is, I see a troubling disconnect between word and deed here. I see someone who has used his pulpit to speak about family issues and specifically the importance of fatherhood, and someone who has made a decision that appears, at least on the surface, to be hypocritical.
(And for what it's worth, I specifically asked Dungy that question in the news conference, and later, we spoke informally and I shared these views. As always, he gracefully acknowledged how someone might have these questions and added, "Trust me when I say we've prayed and thought this through'').
At the news conference, I asked, "How do you square your philosophy about family and faith, especially family, with the fact you're going to be a long-distance dad for one year or maybe longer?''
Dungy responded evenly: "We have a lot of things going on in our family that won't be public, don't need to be public and don't need to be anybody else's business, but we have our kids' best interests in mind. We think we're going to be OK.''

In recent days, I've had several people wonder whether the Dungys were thumbing their nose at Indianapolis by moving the family south. I'll tell you what I told them: It's not our business. The family would have made the move whether Dungy stayed in Tampa or returned to Indy, and whatever those reasons were, those are private.
On the issue of the decision to return, and the reasons he made them, I believe that's fair game, especially given his very public views on parenting.
I wish I could join the mindless "Tony's Back!'' pep rally that has broken out in town, just blindly celebrate the return of the man who made the Colts a Super Bowl champion.

But I am uncomfortable.
Just uncomfortable.

Bob Kravitz is a columnist for The Indianapolis Star. Call him at (317) 444-6643 or e-mail bob.kravitz@indystar.com.

I just love it when people say they are loath to judge a person then proceed to tear that person apart.

 

[FloridaRob]

James, where your argument fails miserably is your attempt to interject logic and common sense into a faith-based decision. Because YOU feel he is not being consistent to his beliefs because of YOUR LOGIC and YOUR common sense.

The Bible is full of people that made faith-based decisions that were not logical and had absolutlely no common sense. Was it logical and make good common sense for NOah to build a boat when he did?...Was it logical and make good common sense for David to go into the Valley of Elah and take on Goliath?----Was it logical and make good common sense for Moses to go to Egypt and take on Pharoah? No and the Bible is full of hundreds more examples where logic, common sense and Science can not be used to explain why those people did what they did. But I am sure at that time there thousands of people laughing at those people because like you, it didn't reflect common sense and logic to them.

When Tony Dungy makes a decision it is based on faith. It doesn't need to be based on logic, make common sense, or be grounded in Science. When he says he prayed about something and this is his decision, it only had to make sense to him. If anything, Tony Dungys decision shows what kind of faith he does have by going against what You or I might consider standard logic and common sense. Biblical History shows us how many went against those standards for one reason only, FAith.

 

[Royal Laegotti]

Man, it's impressive to me how on a day when Colin Cow...teh..teh..teh..hurd spends most of his show calling Tony Dungy a "hypocrite" someone logs on and tries to be a dittohead.

Now, the thing about Colin is he's God's gift to front runners. There isn't a leader in any sports whose hind parts he isn't anatomically attached to, but of course I do expect this crowd to be a little more perceptive.

Sometimes

Yeah yesterday when I heard Cowturd talk about this NON story and how this Indy newspaper writer called him a hypocrite because of this whole family situation, all I could think of is the writer was mad because the Colts got beat in the div. round and he needed to take it out on Dungy in some way. Also things are probably getting slow in the sports writing industry in Indy so he needed to make up some garbage like this to continue to validate his next to meaningless job.

I guess it never occured to Cowturd and this Indy sports writer (can't remember his name) that maybe Dungy's family doesn't want to be a topic of discussion in the public right now and perhaps that's why Dungy wouldn't talk about them in front of the "All Pro Fathers" organization, (can't remember name of that organization either).

 

[Royal Laegotti]

I like Tony Dungy but as an equal opportunity offender, I have to call him out on his hypocritical stance. I don't mind that he is returning to coaching. What I do take issue with is his stance that family means the most to him and he is using the football coaching position as a "form of ministry" That's a lot of b.s. if you ask me. He is returning to coach the Colts because

1. They have a shot at a title next year
2. He is being paid well
3. He still enjoys coaching

If he had just said that, i would have no problem with him returning to coach. What I don't respect is how he is lying to himself and the public. Don't pretend that family means the most to you. If it did, you would have retired at the end of last season. He could have retired and served as a minister in his community.

And this whole, "it was a family decision" is b.s. too. Like his family has any real say in the matter! And besides, his family like most families are loving enough to allow him to ultimately return to coaching but that doesn't mean the wanted him to return to coaching. They just gave in to Tony.

I like Tony but I lost a lot of respect for him. He is not a man of his word. Instead, he is hypocrite pretending to be different than the other head coaches in this league. It's not about your family, it's about you...just admit it

Well if you've lost respect for him then it's your own fault. All this stuff is just your opinion and you really don't know any of this stuff for sure, unless you're tapping into their phone conversations, which I doubt. Maybe you should give the man the benefit of the doubt.

 

[Chief]

James, where your argument fails miserably is your attempt to interject logic and common sense into a faith-based decision. Because YOU feel he is not being consistent to his beliefs because of YOUR LOGIC and YOUR common sense.

The Bible is full of people that made faith-based decisions that were not logical and had absolutlely no common sense. Was it logical and make good common sense for NOah to build a boat when he did?...Was it logical and make good common sense for David to go into the Valley of Elah and take on Goliath?----Was it logical and make good common sense for Moses to go to Egypt and take on Pharoah? No and the Bible is full of hundreds more examples where logic, common sense and Science can not be used to explain why those people did what they did. But I am sure at that time there thousands of people laughing at those people because like you, it didn't reflect common sense and logic to them.

When Tony Dungy makes a decision it is based on faith. It doesn't need to be based on logic, make common sense, or be grounded in Science. When he says he prayed about something and this is his decision, it only had to make sense to him. If anything, Tony Dungys decision shows what kind of faith he does have by going against what You or I might consider standard logic and common sense. Biblical History shows us how many went against those standards for one reason only, FAith.

Very well said.

 

[adamknite]

The point is very simple. If you are going to profess that your family is your priority then you don't return to coaching especially when your son died 2 years ago and you have another son that needs you so his actions contradict his statements thereby making him a hypocrite. A lot of Christians are upset with Dungy so don't turn this into a religious war. Use your brain and quit trying to depict me as a "Christian basher"; you have no idea what my faith is. This has nothing to do with his status as a Christian but rather the fact that he is contradicting the very Christian principles he claims to stand by. And if you are a Christian, please explain to me how Dungy is justified in this situation from a Christain perspective? He doesn't need to earn money to support his family financially so isn't it his Christian duty to be a parent for his son and spend time with him and his wife? Please explain how his actions are justified from a Christian perspective?

What? You can call Tony Dungy a hypocrite without any logical proof, but I can't say you're a Christian basher? Ok..... makes perfect sense. Every time you point a finger just remember several more can be pointed right back at you. You don't know Tony Dungy, and you have no idea what went on with his family, so practice what you preach bub.

If the man loves his job, and it brings him enjoyment, he doesn't owe me or any Christian for that matter, an explanation. Just because he loves coaching doesn't mean he loves his family any less. What part of this do you not understand? It's not some rule that just because the man is a Christian he can't have a job he likes.....

 

[Big Dakota]

I can think of a lot better things to rail on than Tony Dungy

 

[CoCo]

Good dialogue. Meaty stuff.

First let me say that I think the story written by Kravitz is pretty well done. I personally think he's addressed his concerns honestly and without an agenda to rip Tony and I think his story actually does a great public service because it is dreating thinking and maybe dialogue about just what does it look like to put family first. Bravo Bob Kravitz.

I also think JamesWoods is at least partially right. I suspect that Dungy does have some hypocrite in him. But then I believe we all have some hypocrite in us. Even those of tremendously refined character still have blinds spots, shortcomings and periodic failings.

Is Tony a hypocrite around putting family first? I do totally understand why Kravitz is questioning his decision. But I must say, we simply cannot know. And its really immaterial to us anyway. That is Tony's responsibility and his accountability. Not ours.

I know Tony, his family and his mission only from what I have seen casually across my TV (though I was given his book for xmas and just haven't started reading it yet). I don't know to what degree he walks his talk. If Tony clearly states that family first means a, b, c, and then he himself does d, e, f, then clearly that would be hypocrisy. But IMO, there is no absolute formula for "family first" that is definitive in all situations.

Either way, Tony has failings and shortcomings. I'm quite certain of it because he's human. But for me that doesn't mean that we should throw someone out completely once we become aware of their shortcomings. People are worth learning from, admiring, and emulating certain of their behaviors. But they should never be considered perfect. And discovery of their shortcomings shouldn't negate the message they promote if the message itself is truth.

I appreciate what I know of Tony's message. I assume he's sincere though frankly that is somewhat irrelevant because I believe the message is truth regardless. That Tony is staying the course in Indy despite having lost a son to suicide is a strong message because its easy to assume that it wouldn't have happened if Tony was at home more. Maybe Tony is blind to it all. Hard to believe, but certainly possible. If its blindness, I pity him. If he truly is on the right path for he and his family, I very much admire that. But I can tell you I don't begin to have enough info to assess which it is.

But it is great discussion across the nation either way for men to truly wrestle with what does it mean to put family first. Tony Dungy and Bob Kravitz have done us all a service promoting that debate. And Tony being an NFL head coach is a very unique angle from which to have that discussion.

 

[CoCo]

James, where your argument fails miserably is your attempt to interject logic and common sense into a faith-based decision. Because YOU feel he is not being consistent to his beliefs because of YOUR LOGIC and YOUR common sense.

The Bible is full of people that made faith-based decisions that were not logical and had absolutlely no common sense. Was it logical and make good common sense for NOah to build a boat when he did?...Was it logical and make good common sense for David to go into the Valley of Elah and take on Goliath?----Was it logical and make good common sense for Moses to go to Egypt and take on Pharoah? No and the Bible is full of hundreds more examples where logic, common sense and Science can not be used to explain why those people did what they did. But I am sure at that time there thousands of people laughing at those people because like you, it didn't reflect common sense and logic to them.

When Tony Dungy makes a decision it is based on faith. It doesn't need to be based on logic, make common sense, or be grounded in Science. When he says he prayed about something and this is his decision, it only had to make sense to him. If anything, Tony Dungys decision shows what kind of faith he does have by going against what You or I might consider standard logic and common sense. Biblical History shows us how many went against those standards for one reason only, FAith.

Yup, great post.

 

[mr.jameswoods]

I've read all the responses and none of you have addressed this issue. Please explain how a man who professes that fatherhood and family is his priority yet remains an NFL head coach is not being hypocritical? What is it that could be discussed among his family that would enable him to remain a head coach and not contradict his statements? Do we really need to hear what was discussed before we can reach a conclusion? I feel this is self-explanatory. He had choice to retire or remain a head coach and he chose to coach the Colts despite having a teenage son and wife who live in another state. Dungy's actions contradict his statements; that is hypocrisy. He is being a hypocrite. It doesn't mean he is a bad man. It doesn't mean I dislike him or that I still retain respect for him. But yes, he is going against his word and I do have less respect for him than I once did. And yes, if he claims that "God told him to coach the Colts", yes, I'm going to feel that is a copout. Isn't it possible for even good men like Dungy to contradict themselves or is that just out of the question?

 

[CoCo]

What reason could compel a man to remain as an NFL coach if he claims that his family and being a father is the most important thing to him particularly after he has already won a Superbowl? None of you have actually answered that issue and instead taken shots at me because of your personal fondness for Dungy. If some of you can be objective and can actually address that issue, please feel free.

I don't see where "having already won a Super Bowl" has anything at all to do with this discussion. Appropriately prioritizing family has nothing to do with winning or losing games, or what profession you are in.

You want to reduce the objective of successful fatherhood to a definitive formula. That is the sole problem I have with your discussion. Neither you nor I knows how much time, or quality time, or in what way Tony Dungy carries out his father reposnsibilities with his children. Nor do we know how successfully Tony's fathering strategy is working with his children, even the one who took his own life.

I think its a sobering question to ponder and act on for all of us fathers but I very much disagree with your definitive position that Tony is failing to adequately prioritize his family. I certainly cannot know nor prove otherwise from afar. Neither can you.

I know you think logic and common sense prove you correct. I understand that perspective. I just don't think its definitive.