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"Oh ye of little faith" was the text message I received from my grandson, when the Colts were behind the Patriots. No way did I believe that the Colts would be a comeback team after being down at halftime 21-3. But the Colts did. I can only imagine what Coach Anthony Kevin Dungy said to his players to motivate them to stay the course. Tony Dungy this man of extraordinary faith. Dungy coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1996 to 2001 fired. This was after Dungy built the Buccaneers and steered them toward four playoff appearances. The team went on to win Superbowl XXXVII, but without Dungy. Dungy instead ended up in Indiana, not far from his birthplace, Jackson, Michigan, with a new defense team to build.
Dungy in almost the same amount of years has coached the Indiana's team toward the Superbowl twice. This time the Colts made it. But some fans who are not loyal to Dungy but to the quarterback, were calling for the firing of this man of faith. No matter,to the fans ,that this Indianapolis Colts head football coach led two teams to the Super Bowl playoffs.
Dungy lost at St. Louis in the 1999 NFC championship game and the Colts lost at New England in the 2003 AFC title game. Tampa Bay at St. Louis in 1999, and with the Colts at New England in 2003. According to Ben Carson Scholars Fund website,
He is the NFL’s winning-ness head coach from 1999-2004 and he joins Ted Marchibroda as the only coaches in club history to produce 10-plus victories and playoff berths in the first three seasons with the team. Dungy has earned widespread respect both on and off the field because of his high personal standards of ethics and behavior. He is very active in many community service organizations in Indianapolis as well as other cities in which he has coached
My grandson remained loyal to "his" Colts, and I am sure he has picked up some great attributes from Peyton Manning and Manning's overcoming obstacles. But even more important is the message from Coach Dungy what it means to believe in something beyond the game.
The last text message, "Granny the Colts going to make you a believer." No grandson, It's Dungy. Thank God for his faith, because this coach has achieved another lifetime goal in his professional career by getting a team to the Superbowl. What a fate. Not only will Dungy arrive at the Superbowl in the Dolphin arena in Miami, so will a friend, a former coach under Dungy, Lovie Lee Smith of the Chicago Bears.
Dungy quietly continues his legacy as another coach a Michael Tomlin, former Viking defensive coordinator takes on a new position as head coach with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
