When you gather to say farewell to a trusted friend you expect tears and deep emotion. But I didn’t expect it in the hardnosed, supposedly unemotional world of the National Football League.
But Monday, at Tony Dungy’s retirement, there were tears and deep emotion as I saw first hand the respect, admiration and love the Indianapolis Colts organization has for their now legendary head coach.
Colts employees and players packed the Party Pavilion, some with visible tears, as after 31 years in professional football, including seven years here, Tony Dungy walked away from the sport he loved and shaped.
Colts owner Jim Irsay and President Bill Polian didn’t just speak to Dungy’s football gifts, but to his human gifts.
An emotional Irsay said, “You dream about having the kind of relationship with a head coach that I’ve had with Tony. I can’t thank him enough. I know he has pushed me as a man and made me a better person.”
From their first conversation seven years ago, when Irsay hired Dungy from Tampa Bay, Dungy’s faith and Irsay’s spirituality was their bond.
“We really talked about what we wanted to achieve both on and off the field,” Irsay said. “In life, I always believe we’re not human beings having a spiritual experience, but we’re spiritual beings having a human experience.”
Dungy said Irsay’s goals for him were simple, “Here in Indianapolis, we don’t have the tradition (of) three or four generations of Colts fans. We have to connect with our community. That’s what I want to do by winning and winning the right way.”
Doing things the right way became Tony Dungy’s trademark, backed up by Irsay and Bill Polian.
Polian’s image is the gruff, no-nonsense football man. But Monday he was visibly moved talking about Dungy.
“This is a time for those of us who worked with Tony,” Polian said, “To say, not goodbye, but farewell, to a mentor, a role model and a cherished friend.”
“What an incredible privilege it has been to work with this extraordinary man,” Polian continued, “His teaching ability, his example and most importantly his unshakeable faith and optimism inspired us all.”
Polian added, “We’ll miss his faith, his optimism. We’ll miss his patience — and that’s something he taught me in abundance.”
“What a privilege it was to work with a man who talked the talk — albeit softly — but walked the walk emphatically. What an honor it was to reach the ultimate goal with a man who did it the right way,” Polian said.
Many in our community wonder whether Dungy’s leaving the Colts means our community will lose his physical presence and visibility. Especially when a role model and mentor of his stature is needed more than ever in Indianapolis.
I directly asked Dungy about that. He answered in that calm, reassuring Dungy way, “I plan on being in Indianapolis a lot. Indianapolis has been special to me and I plan to keep those ties.”
The tug of spending more time with his family drove Dungy’s decision to retire at the top of his craft and profession; as one of the greatest NFL coaches — ever.
Dungy leaves with the best record of any Colts coach (Baltimore or Indianapolis) or any NFL coach; having won over two-thirds (66.8 percent) of his games. Only legendary coaches John Madden, Vince Lombardi, George Allen, George Halas, Blanton Collier, and Don Shula had higher winning percentages than Tony Dungy.
He’s top among NFL coaches in consecutive playoff appearances and most seasons in the playoffs.
Dungy leaves a coterie of current head coaches, including the Bears’ Lovie Smith and the Steelers’ Mike Tomlin, who’s one victory away from being the third Black head coach in a Super Bowl.
They and thousands of others were taught, mentored and led by Tony Dungy.
It’s ironic that within this week, the soft spoken, strong Black man (Dungy) leaves the national stage as another soft spoken, strong Black man (Obama) enters.
It’s ironic and fitting we celebrate the successes of two men who were judged not by the color their skin but by the content of their character, on this weekend when we celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Matthew 23:21 sums up Tony Dungy’s football work and God’s work in Indianapolis, “Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.”
Thanks, Tony — well done!
What I’m hearing in the streets
In the aftermath of Macy’s leaving Lafayette Square, state and local legislators representing the Lafayette Square area rallied last Friday with retailers to tell the area’s positive story.
The soon-to-close Macy’s actually had sales gains in December, unlike most Macy’s nationwide. Xscape, a new family oriented event center is doing great business. Centre West, the retail center at 46th and Lafayette Road anchored by Wal-Mart and Shoe Carnival is doing well, with Best Buy soon to join them.
Despite the Dungy-like attitude of retailers and community leaders, it’s disappointing and telling that neither Mayor Greg Ballard nor a senior member of his administration attended that upbeat Lafayette Square rally. Mayor Ballard’s position and vision on neighborhood retail redevelopment is unknown, as is his vision of most things.
But the mayor did reveal a vision last week — to make Indianapolis the most inhospitable city in the world for homeless, poor folks who dare panhandle. He wants legislation making it illegal to beg for money downtown and in Broad Ripple within 40 feet of where money’s changing hands. New York’s Rudy Giuliani never proposed the constitutionally dubious law Mayor Ballard’s proposing.
There’s been begging on street corners since biblical days. So, why is Mayor Ballard trying to outlaw it; instead of finding money for services to help panhandlers with their addictions and problems?
This callousness on the Ballard administration’s part is another reason our African-American community must oppose the radical, dangerous Daniels/Kernan/Shepard plan of the mayor controlling emergency poor relief in Indianapolis.
I’m hearing buzz that some of Indy’s new Democratic state legislators might support Daniels/Kernan/Shepard. I’m most concerned that a state representative who got thousands of Black votes might turn against our community by supporting this scheme that directly harms Black people.
I hope what I’m hearing is wrong.
See ‘ya next week.
Amos Brown’s opinions are not necessarily those of the Indianapolis Recorder Newspaper. You can contact him at (317) 221-0915 or by e-mail at ACBROWN@AOL.COM.
