Dungy's book hits stores Tuesday

Tony Dungy Book stores Tuesday will have the former Bucs coach's highly anticipated memoir, Quiet Strength: The Principles, Practices, & Priorities of a Winning Life.

You can catch the Super Bowl winner on Good Morning America on Tuesday and the Tonight Show with Jay Leno on Wednesday. His book tour doesn't hit Tampa until July 17 at Borders.

Comments

[William Peña]

Tony is a great model for men to see and learn more about true Love. Love is the greatest power. That's the way to stand tall, to love yourself and others. Thanks Tony!!!

[Rob]

He's a great model for bigots -- just because he conducts himself with class on the football field doesn't mean we all have to revere a man who is so full of hate for anyone who behaves differently from the way he thinks people should live their lives.

[Doug]

Hey Rob,
Could you provide some quotes, or news stories, or any verifiable info to support your statement that Tony Dungy is "so full of hate for anyone who behaves differently from the way he thinks people should live their lives"? I find this interesting as I've never seen any indication whatsoever of hateful or bigotted behavior on Tony's part. I'd like to know what he's done or said that has prompted this statement from you.

[Rob]

"On March 20, 2007, Dungy aligned himself with the right-wing religious group, the Indiana Family Institute, and openly denounced gay marriage in the name of family values, hoping to sway an Indiana constitutional amendment banning gay marriage and denying domestic partnership rights to non-married couples."

No matter if it's done under the guide of "God's love," such actions have incredibly negative impacts on the lives of other human beings. He supported a group that doesn't just not want them to get married, they want no rights whatsoever. There are over 1000 rights married couples have, including access to a spouse's medical/life insurance, medical decision-making privileges, survivor benefits, retirement plans and so forth. Oppressing a group of people and denying their rights is hate -- no matter how much one may try to wrap it up in religion.

[Karen]

Oh no, God forbid he be against that sort of thing. God forbid he have conservative views.

Conservative views does not equal bigot.

You'll have to do better than that, Rob.

[Sean]

I'm a pretty liberal guy, but come on Rob! The world should have more people like Dungy even if he does disagree with me on certain things!

[jeff]

This is a common double standard for liberals. They preach tolerance...yet if someone disagrees with them they are suddenly a bigot. How about practicing what you preach....geeesh

[egriffin]

Boy, am I glad we in Indianapolis have Tony now... Apparently there are people in my former hometown who would rather trash a person than congratulate them... Tony Dungy, while he may have different views than I do, has made tremendous strides for his race and his team(s). I'll bet you can't find ONE former player of his that has a bad word to say about him. Indy may be ashamed of our Pacers, but our Colts shine, and part of that is because Dungy doesn't keep players if they don't sustain the high standards of a winner. Too bad Tampa Bay shoved Tony out before their big win. Tony did all the work!

[Darren]

Kudos for Doug in asking Rob to justify his hateful comment. Rob’s pathetic attempt to justify that comment only highlighted his bigotry. Plus, it sold another copy of coach Dungy’s book - I just decided to buy it.

[yvette]

I hate the statement 'strides for his race'. I am African-American, and while I am very proud of Tony;I believe he has made 'a stride' for the HUMAN race!
If you say that Tony has made 'a stride for his race-that means Elijah Duke hasn't. The 'race' doesn't need stride makers or breakers. We're human like everyone else and should be judged individually, not by the race as a whole.

[egriffin]

Although I am in complete agreement with you, yvette, Tony IS the first African-American coach to win the Super Bowl. And, despite my wish for all humanity to shine equally without regard for color, some people just shine brighter than others. Dungy himself didn't want to call attention to the "stride" made for his race; but it sure as heck makes a difference when you attempt to balance the focus of positive and negative in news stories featuring African-Americans. I don't agree with it either, but I'm not going to deny its existence.

[Jeremy]

Yvette, I'd give you a kiss and buy you an ice cream cone if you were here with me right now. You are exactly right, and when people like Rob and Egriffin figure it out, the world might get close to tolerable. Rob, no one's perfect, as you've proven with your comment. Egriffin, if you don't stop dwelling on the fact that some people are black and some are white then we'll never get anywhere. Coach Dungy should be happy to be alive and a Super Bowl Champion...PERIOD. I guarantee you he wasn't thinking, "DANG, I can't wait to be the first african american coach to win a super bowl, then I'll have proven something"! People are people and should all respect each other, but until we stop attaching labels like first this or first that we're just spinning our wheels. Tony Dungy is the upteenth coach to win a super bowl, end of discussion. I'm sure his book has a lot of insight that many of US could benefit from.

[Geo]

Enough of this unfounded bigotry talk, celebrate the man, Tony Dungy.

Men of his level of integrity & class do not come around often enough, even if their religous and moral views differ from yours.

I'm not a religous person at all, but I respect Tony's faith as much as I respect another persons sexuality. If we displayed half the class and integrity that Tony does this world would be a better place for all of us regardless of our own personal beliefs regarding politics, religion or sexual orientation.

So let us celebrate the man, Tony Dungy.

May he find a way to influence the rest of us in some small way.

[Fran]

Light is shed upon the righteous and joy on the upright in heart.
Psalm 97:11 (NIV)

Blessings, Coach Dungy.

[Derrick]

What did you expect? Rob's probably some ultra-Lib or some gay who flies off the handle if someone doesn't agree with that little lifestyle that he probably participates in.

Gays are such easily offended creatures.

[Wayne]

Tony Dungy is not Politically Correct? Tony Dungy doesn't support Gay Marriage? I'm definitely going to buy a copy of his new book!
Tell it like it is Tony!

[Rob]

"Rob's probably some ultra-Lib or some gay who flies off the handle if someone doesn't agree with that little lifestyle that he probably participates in.

Gays are such easily offended creatures."

LOL. Classy.

It's not about disagreeing with an opinion -- people are having their civil rights restricted. If it were just an opinion, and he wasn't trying to get laws changed, I'd be extremely tolerant of his opinion. However when one tries to enact laws that have huge impacts on lives then it isn't about tolerating another opinion it's about fighting prejudice. When women or African Americans fought for their rights should they have been more tolerant of those who hated them? Were civil rights leaders bigoted toward their oppressors?

[Rob]

P.S. It doesn't offend me if people say they are going to buy his book. Go ahead. Buy two copies. I have no problem with free speech -- it's trying to change laws which restrict freedom with which I take issue. But go ahead and buy as many books as you like I couldn't care less.

[Rob]

Just finished breakfast and realized I really don't want to talk about this anymore so I'll let you guys have the last word. Perhaps with that last word you could explain to me why in a country in which the separation of church and state is mandated and "freedom for all" is guaranteed that we should have laws forced on people who don't believe in that religion. Hate gays all you like but if you believe in the founding principles of the United States of America you shouldn't support faith-based laws.

Enjoy the book my friends.

[JEFF]

HAVING NOT READ THE BOOK IT IS UNFAIR TO BE A CRITIC ABOUT HIS DEFINITION OF A WINNING LIFE. SADLY, HOWEVER HE LIVES HIS LIFE AND THE TIME IT TOOK TO ACHEIVE IT CONTRIBUTED TO THE GREATEST LOSS OF ALL. GOOD LUCK TONY.

I think this issue is even more interesting in Dungy's case.

Dungy is lauded for his accomplishments in breaking the racial glass ceiling of NFL coaches, while at the same time perpetuating the last socially acceptable form of discrimination in this country.

Many people are still racist, xenophobic, sexist, etc, but at this point they generally realize that their bigoted viewpoints are outside of acceptable social norms. Homophobes (mostly evangelicals, but also just ignorant people), on the other hand, still have free reign in this country. Gay rights is truly the last frontier in the civil rights movement.

It's also interesting at how acutely discriminatory large portions of black society are to homosexuals, especially given their own struggle for equality.

How is it "conservative" to deny a person basic legal rights? Unless you think civil rights is a liberal issue (and God help you if you do), this isn't a partisan debate, just common human decency.

There's a big difference between "conservatism" and the theocracy that evangelicals like Dungy lobby to create in this country.

This all comes from a die-hard Bucs fan who loves what Tony did for our team and this city.

[Joanne]

I'm the mother of 8 (4 males, 4 females). One of my sons is gay and has shown those tendencies since about the age of 3. I am Christian and diapprove of homosexuality and do not believe such unions should be sanctioned by marriage. My son is an absolutely wonderful person, a deep-thinking, thoughtful person. I've never had any significant interest in the sex lives of people at large, and try not to focus on my son's private life. I focus on maintaining my role as a parent, supporting his growth and enjoying the experience of life. However, I think gays, in general should seek contracts, other than through the sanctity of marriage, to seal their commitments and joint economic responsibilities to one another. I don't think protecting their civil rights entitles them to infringe upon all areas of lif. They could easily draw up a business contract that details their obligations and intent to one another, that offers the protections that a marriage contract allows. I don't like the in-your-face lobbying they are active in. Why is always the Christian who must compromise their sensibilities and convictions? I maintain that homosexuality is unnatural, but am very willing to show enough tolerance for all people to enjoy basic civil liberaties and protections.

[Jason]

Wow, what a debate.
From Dungy's book to gay rights.
I am a life long Buc fan, I think tony did some great things for tampa bay, but I was and still am glad he left.
Sorry, but he's just not aggressive enough on offense. If he had stayed in Tampa, neither one of us would have won a super bowl...
Tony is just a man, he's not a saint. I support everyones right to freedom of speech. Most importantly I believe in the seperation of Church and State. If Tony wants preach about what Jesus would do that's fine. Just stay out of politics. The religious right has done enough damage to our country. The sad part is they've been used by big buisness and the war mongers in Washington. Who tell us be afraid, get morals, don't be gay!
So Tony wrote a book, good for him.

[TC]

Is this the Daily Kos?

If you can be pro-Gay without taking crap for it, then I should be able to anti-Gay without taking crap for it. We live in a free thinking society. . .at least until that hag Hillary "Rotten" Clinton slithers her way into the White House.

There's that thing called "Tolerance" you liberals/pro-Gays keep preaching, yet. . .you only tolerate people who think your way.

This has already been addressed but people don't seem to understand the difference between OPINION and ACTION. "Liberals" (only in America are the civil rights of human beings a liberal issue) will tolerate OPINION. Nobody is complaining about his opinions; the problem is his actions.

OPINION: Alcohol causes a lot of problems in this country. I don't think anyone should drink.

ACTION: Members of Congress I stand before you to implore you to vote yes on the bill to reinstate prohibition.

You may disagree with the above opinion but someone would be entitled to that. However if there were a bill which was attempting to turn that opinion into law (an action), I'm guessing most people would be a lot less "tolerant" of that viewpoint.

That's the difference. He can hate gay people all he wants; it's when a person actively attempts to restrict the civil rights of another people by helping put in place a law enforcing their own religious beliefs that people will have problems.

I repeat, I absolutely tolerate your OPINIONS about gay people. I do not tolerate ACTIONS which enforce one set of religious beliefs upon an entire nation, many of whom do not share those beliefs.

I think people are being hypocritical if they claim not to be able to discern the difference between an *opinion* about gay people and the *action* of supporting groups who actively lobby to get laws passed which are based on religion.

I don't see how people can support restricting people's civil rights -- which directly contradicts the founding principles of the separation of church and state -- without feeling hypocritical. Just because you like the idea of gays not being able to marry shouldn't be enough for you to turn your back on the founding principles of the United States.

Not everyone believes in the same religion as you do and it's morally corrupt to try to enforce your opinion/faith into law. Opinions? Fine. Actions? Not so fine. I think deep down you all know it too -- that's why you keep complaining about people not tolerating your "opinions" when you know very well it's the actions and attempts to pass laws that people are addressing.

[Alan]

There is no spot in the preamble or Bill of Rights which states there is a "right" to be gay,therefore I dont see how anyones civil rights are being trampled.States still have the means to enact laws to recognize gay marriages & allow the benefits that come with them & apparently there arent enough people who feel so strongly as to push these "so called civil rights" into law.Tony's freedom of speech is a guaranteed right in the constitution there is no "right to be gay" just as there is no right to privacy at best you could make an inferred argument for it.Also I consider myself a conservative democrat who would love to see that "hag" Hillary Clinton slither her way in the white house because hell no one can screw things up anymore then any Bush has in the White house.

[Piet H. Johannes]

The only reason Tony Dungy was fired was because he didn't win the Philadelphia playoff game during his last year here in Tampa. If he had won then quite possibly he would have gone all the way and won the Super Bowl as well. Unfortunately, the Glazers gave thier word to Dungy that he would not be fired if he did not win the game. But on the plane to the game the Glazers did not fly with the team to Philadelphia. SO...What does this say about the Glazers? And what message did this send to the entire team on that plane heading towards the playoffs? And the same can be said about Jon Gruden and Al Davis when he didn't win the Patriots game that was decided by the tuck rule. Also, Burt Emmanuel caught that pass thrown to him by Shaun King in St. Louis in the NFC Championship game. Tongy Dungy was much closer than what the Glazers and most people gave him credit for. And the same for Gruden when he was with the Raiders. I think both coaches are where they need to be. ANd don't forget it took Dungy five years to win it with the Colts and had he not won it last year would he have been on the "Hot Seat" like Gruden is? I think Gruden has learned through his mistakes since he's been here and has grown as a coach and with the salary cap being in the surplus for the first time since Gruden has been here I think there will be a lot of people jumping back on the bandwagon when Jon won his first Super Bowl here and the expense of mortgaging several years of the future. But, the Bucs are where they need to be and from here on out all Buc fans will be witnessing the ideals and vision of the Glazer's who don't forget turned us into winners!