Colts Coach Dungy a Worthy Role Model

Nice Guys Sometimes Win
Dungy Shows Atypical Style Can Succeed

If there's one thing that the Indianapolis Colts Super Bowl win shows is that nice guys don't always finish last.

Tony Dungy, but for all his referee-influencing ways, is simply a decent guy -- the Ned Flanders of professional football. That doesn't make him any better of a coach. He simply employs a different style.

But his style works, and he led his team to a Super Bowl win; and, in the end, that's what counts in the NFL.

But the Colts win is not completely precedent setting. Lots of nice guys have won before. Let's see if a few names come to mind: Tom Brady. Tedy Bruschi. Troy Brown. Wow, all their names start with T.

OK, how about someone whose name doesn't start with T? How about Dick Vermeil? He seemed like a pretty nice guy, breaking down into tears and saying stuff like "gosh darn it."

Dungy was ousted from previous employment (e.g. Tampa Bay) for being too much of a Pete Carroll softy kind of "players' coach." But clearly Dungy, much like Bill Belichick (whose coaching and personal style is obviously and purposely very different from Dungy's), built a team with a particular kind of "character" player. Like the Patriots, you never hear of Colts players getting into legal trouble -- like the Titans or Bengals or Bears (or Chargers).

Dungy is certainly as good a role model as you'll find the NFL. Coaching the blood enemy is a minor crime in the greater scheme of things.

So as fans of our team, we hate them. They're the media darlings, and we want to puke. Sure they play the refs and get rules changed to suit their playing style. But at least you don't have guys like Brian Billick and Ray Lewis winning again.