Tony Dungy woudn't want to "deal with" Michael Sam

I know he's not coaching a team now, but isn't it funny how Dungy created such a "distraction" with his comments this week, when everyone is opening camp?

 

I understand what you're saying and actually agree.

That's why Dungy SHOULD'VE STATED IT if that's what he meant. That way, he could've avoided "all of it."

 

Tony Dungy's statement in response

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/07/22/tony-dungys-statement-regarding-his-michael-sam-comments/

 

I could kiss Ben Poquette.

 

"Just don't ask me for that opportunity. Because the media. And God. And DISTRACTION!"

 

Oh, the media distraction.

Thank god he clarified.
All better now.

 

Based on his statement, Dungy might actually have a very good point that is being misinterpreted. If indeed he was asked in the wake of the Oprah show and all that -- which, keep in mind, caused the Rams to flip their lid a little bit and I think the show is canceled now -- that is a big distraction. And not necessarily because of GAY!!!! but just because coaches don't like anything that isn't pure football -- check out how much difficulty they had finding a franchise for Hard Knocks.

It's pretty clear from this process that there are a whole lot of people besides Michael Sam who are invested in this, and those people do not see football as the #1 goal here. If they did, he wouldn't have been so pitifully unprepared for the combine and he probably would have been drafted higher.

 

Because he's the numinous black authority figure that ESPN and the NFL can call in to handle uncomfortable and ugly situations. Dungy meets with the problem player, seemly always African American, who is on the verge of creating a shit storm of controversy, social or legal. Dungy blesses the conversion of the player who has now found the light with Dungy's guidance. Dungy proclaims the transgression has been confessed and the transgressor has been altered and saved. Then St. Tony utters the greatest sports cliche of the last 25 years; "For the sake of the game we all need to put this behind us and let the saved sinner go forward, absolved of the distraction."

Fuck Tony Dungy, he couldn't evaluate Michael Sams without considering his sexuality.

 

I did not realize that the interview was a few weeks back. How come it's just
become a controversy now? What / who is driving it?

 

I'll give Dungy the benefit of the doubt. It's entirely possible as a football coach he wouldn't want to bring on a "distraction" he didn't have to, and at the same time - as a spiritual person - advocate for a player to get a first or second chance.

Hypocritical? Maybe. And his predictions about Tebow (Superstardom-really?) were probably in part based on their shared beliefs, but to be fair - I'm sure he's more comfortable dealing with players who either share his faith or get into trouble, because he's been in the game long enough to feel comfortable around them. The openly gay player is terra incognita for most coaches, like Dungy. And coaches are by nature control freaks.

 

For me, Dungy's hypocrisy centers around his son's death. He was a hard-charging coach who probably had not noticed his kid's troubles until the kid was gone. Then, he decides to turn and mentor to help others avoid the same fate he and his wife experienced....only after the kid is gone and with a group or two who center their existence around preserving "family values" comes calling.

That pretty much is fraud to me. He should have been doing the mentoring with his son all along, and we all know it.

 

Except later in his statement, he says that the media element "will be" a distraction, not "would have been."

I had given him close to the benefit of the doubt until that point, as well.