DUNGY WALKS AWAY FROM COLTS

There are those that are already measuring Tony Dungy's career in terms like "Is he a Hall of Fame coach?" or "Did he do enough (only one Super Bowl) with the Colts and the Buccaneers?"

In the first place, I'm not sure Tony Dungy measures his coaching career entirely by his W-L record. This is a coach, like John Wooden in college basketball, whose impact is going to be measured on his ability not only to make young men into better football players, but also his impact in making them into better people.

Their X's and O's transcend the playing field. You can hear it in the reverence with which their ex-players speak of the experience of playing for them and the lessons learned together, the battles fought together.

He's one of the rare coaches who seems to take the approach that strength of character somehow, someway translates into being a better, more reliable football player. He makes them better men and somehow they also become better players than they thought they could be.

Contrast to his successor in Tampa, Jon Gruden. A coach who, IMO, is wearing one of Dungys Super Bowl rings. Yes, yes, Gruden was the titular head of the team that won the title. But it was Dungy who built that franchise from an embarrassment of epic proportions--a creamsicle colored laughingstock--into a contender.


REMEMBER THESE BUCCANEERS? - IF YOU DON'T, THANK TONY DUNGY

It was Dungy who did all the heavy lifting. It was Dungy who laid the foundation for winning there. All Gruden had to do that year was not screw it up. Has Gruden built further onto the strong foundation that was there, courtesy of Dungy? No, I think not.

So much for the "only one Super Bowl" argument. As for the Hall of Fame argument, of course he is in. As if what he did on the field was not enough, being a great role model and ambassador for the league puts him over the top easily.

Further contrast the philosophical approach to player personnel. Gruden it seems would be in the camp that would have Charles Manson play for him if he could run a 4.3 forty. And he wouldn't give a hoot about his off the field activities. I know who I would rather play for.

Suffice to say that Dungy is one of my favorite all-time coaches.

And here's the final reason why. Of how many football or baseball coaches can it be said when they retire?

"We'll miss him, but he's cut out for better things"

Not too many. Not too many indeed.