[Sportsgirl]

Indianapolis Colts coach Tony Dungy to remain with team


INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Tony Dungy is sticking with the Colts.
The team said Monday that Dungy will remain with Indianapolis through at least the 2008 season before turning over the coaching to hand-picked successor Jim Caldwell.
Dungy, the first black coach to win a Super Bowl, spent a week meeting with his family, close friends and trusted colleagues while deciding whether to return for a seventh season with the Colts.
It's the third straight year Dungy seriously considered retiring.
"I wouldn't shortchange my family," Dungy said. "I wouldn't come back if my wife or my children were not for it."
The debate focused on Dungy's desire to balance family and football, especially after his family moved back to Tampa earlier this month. His 16-year-old son Eric now attends high school there, and team owner Jim Irsay's willingness to let Dungy spend more time in Florida was a factor in the decision.
Irsay has said Dungy could spend Friday nights there watching his son's football games, but insisted the Colts job would be more than a part-time gig for Dungy.
Dungy is the first coach in Colts history to make the playoffs and win at least 10 games six consecutive years. He has won five straight AFC South titles, taking the Colts to two AFC championship games, and winning last year's Super Bowl, the first with two black coaches, as Indy beat Chicago.
Dungy's 80 wins in Indianapolis, including the playoffs, are a franchise record, and he ranks fifth in victories among those who coached in 2007 with 136 career wins, which also include playoffs. He enters next season tied for 19th in career wins with Hank Stram.

[SBR Lou]

Prediction. They go 14-2 next year, rest starters after 1 series last week of season, have two weeks of rest then lose in divisional round again, and Dungy retires to go organize events with his church.

Maybe if he'd let them break a sweat they'd go in without all that rust, funny how the one Super Bowl they win after dominating year in and year out in the regular season is when they had to play on Wild Card Weekend, and didn't get two weeks of rest going in. Everyone talks like he's a sure hall of famer, but I don't think 9-9 lifetime in the playoffs with 1 SB is really that impressive. They've had championship caliber teams in Indy each year, but always choke in the playoffs.

Dungy lifetime : 9-9 playoffs 1 Super Bowl Win (1 AFC Championship)
Belichick lifetime: 15-3 playoffs 3 Super Bowl Wins, 4 AFC Championships, (potentially winning 4th SB in two weeks)

[RageWizard]

I'm kind of surprised that Dungy is staying. I thought he would stay with his family in Florida after the season. How is he gonna swing going to his son's football games next year? Head coach is like a 24/7 job isn't it.

[Louisvillekid1]

Great news, it wouldn't be the same without him

[McRich]

He is a great coach. I am glad he is coming back.

[TexansFan]

Dungy is a great regular season coach. He does have the one SB win but with the teams he's had he should have a better playoff record imo.

[Cabo]

Great news, good decision Tony!

[shady610]

not newsworthy if you ask me

[JJOdin]

Dungy is one of the classiest guys out there. Though I'm surprised he didn't decide to spend more time with his family, I'm glad he's going to continue on.

[slacker00]

This year's home playoff loss was pretty brutal. I think they put too much faith in Marvin Harrison being healthy, but still. If they hadn't won the Super Bowl last year, everyone would be calling for Dungy's head. I love the guy, but he definitely doesn't seem to get it done in the post season.

[SBR Lou]

This year's home playoff loss was pretty brutal. I think they put too much faith in Marvin Harrison being healthy, but still. If they hadn't won the Super Bowl last year, everyone would be calling for Dungy's head. I love the guy, but he definitely doesn't seem to get it done in the post season.

Agreed. He doesn't get ripped apart by the media because he's a likable figure, religious man, the tragedy with his son, he's very soft spoken and well respected etc.

However, someone needs to recognize that his playoffs philosophy is wrong. His defense looked like a group of guys that hadn't broke a sweat in game for two weeks, and that's because they hadn't. You can't play your starters two series and then give them two weeks off as a #2 seed. Look no further than how rusty Gruden's guys in Tampa Bay were this year, they had to play on Wild Card Weekend but had been resting in full for a couple weeks prior to that game. They also looked completely rusty.

Funny how when Dungy's team wins it all, they too had to play on Wild Card Weekend and didn't have the cushion of two weeks rest with no game time. He's a man that's so deeply entrenched into his faith and beliefs, that I know he'll never change, not even this year if the situation recurs. Maybe if he was more flexible in his coaching methods, he'd be able to catch up to a Bill Belichick. His teams have been talented enough to put up similar playoff numbers, but it's apparent that the two coaches are not cut from the same cloth.

[Poker_Beast]

No doubter, Colts are too good to give up!