I've been a fan of Tony Dungy since he coached my beloved Tampa Bay Buccaneers (it's hard to say "beloved" after the season they just had). He is a man of great integrity and character. And he never hesitates to share his strong faith with the community. I admire that. For those of you who don't know about Dungy (or anything about him) and the Buccaneers, let me share a little bit. He was the head coach there for many years. He built the team into something Tampa could be very proud of. This was no small accomplishment since we spent so many years being the "losers". Now, I know there were other coaches that impacted that team...but it was Dungy who helped build the strongest defensive line that the Bucs have ever had. And it was Dungy who ushered in the "Glory Days".
He took the team to playoff after playoff. They just couldn't make the "final" game. It eluded him. And, as is true in the NFL, if you don't go all the way, you don't always get to stay. Dungy was fired and Gruden was hired. It was Gruden who got the glory for taking the Bucs all the way to the Super Bowl only one short year after Dungy left the team. There are MANY fans in Florida who think that Gruden just ushered Tony's team to the Super Bowl. And, there are those that think that Gruden was the "magic" the team needed to get there. (I would argue, though, that the magic hasn't been there since that beautiful season!)
Anyway, when Tony left to go to the Colts, I started watching them. Again it seemed that history was repeating itself as the Colts made it to play offs and just couldn't quite clinch the division title that would lead them to the Super Bowl.
Yesterday, though, Dungy and the Colts saw sweet victory!! It was a story of beauty rising out of ashes. I mean who would have thought that they could pull back and win from a 21-3 score so early in the game and WIN?
And to be able to play his friend and colleague Chicago Bears Coach, Lovie Smith--who worked with him at Tampa Bay---I LOVE IT!!
At the post-game celebration, I was reminded, again, why I am a fan of this man and his team. He didn't take glory for himself. Nope. He gave glory to God and to the team and to the fans. And so did Jim Irsay, the Colts' owner. And all I can say to that is, "WOW!"
So, there's one word left that describes the way I feel after yesterday's win....
FINALLY!!
Now let's go on that "Mission in Miami"!!
4 comments:
I will be much maligned in my National Guard unit for these sentiments but... GO COLTS!!!!
(I drill with a unit just outside of Baltimore and they still have not gotten over the "midnight run" ;-) )
I will hold back on my "anti" Dungy ( even though it's not about the man himself and more about A LOT of "fans" in Tampa ), but it is a testimate to see two fromer Buc coaches in the Super Bowl, not to mention there was another in the playoffs ( Herm Edwards ) and two others as head coachs ( Mirinelli in Detroit and Tomlin in Minnesota ).
You Know Who!
I would wish your team luck but I can't bring myself to say it, you see, my mother is a Bears fan. For that reason only I must root for them. Hey, I can say: May the best team win!
I so knew that I liked you! You'll have to read my Colts post I wrote tonight.
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