Z’Blog

As if serving more to blot out the memory of the Colt’s crushing loss to San Diego, this past week all of Indianapolis and most of the NFL sports press held their collective breath as Coach Tony Dungy went into familial introspection to decide his return or not to coach the team with whom he has two years remaining on his $5million a year contract.

 Hypocrite or not? Saint with a higher calling or leader of finely tuned physical athletes designed to win football games? Regardless of his intent, I take umbrage with Coach Dungy seeming to ignore his contractual obligations with the Colts. The man signed on through the 2009 season. He agreed to a contract. He should not be allowed second thoughts.

That being said I wonder if any and all coaches of major sports teams don’t all have some sort of introspective, why am I doing this days after the end of any season. Even those championship winning coaches must sit back after the hooplah ends and wonder, “Why not quit when I’m at the top?”

The ongoing spotlight on any sport via networks, blogs, web sites and you tube clips leaves little room for personal times. Any sports athlete, coach or owner is fair game for the sports press, who nowadays come with their own versions of Perez Hilton, Entertainment Tonight type reporting.

In economic crunch times like these with a war going on with a faceless enemy, sports idolatry ramps up as escapism flourishes. Every nuance, every police report, every injury and every false assault/rape charge is trumpeted before a teeming audience ripe for any tidbit true or false.

 Is Coach Dungy the right man to lead the Colts next year? You betcha. Because after questioning his yearly sabbatical of self reaffirmation, you inevitably come to the undeniable conclusion that every season with Tony Dungy at the helm of our NFL team is a season assured of class, dignity, hard work, focus and vision. What else could a fan, a team or a franchise want from their player’s leader and inspiration.

 Welcome back again, Coach Dungy. Enjoy your stay and thank you for being here in Indianapolis, regardless of how long being here will turn out to be.

First off, know that I like the Indianapolis Colts. I like their players, their coaches, their owners and all that they’ve done to put Indy on the big sports map.

 That being said, I also believe the Colts have become the Atlanta Braves of the NFL. Always a winning season, most always a surprisingly tank performance in the playoffs. The Colts loss to San Diego pretty much says it all when you consider the injuries to the Charger’s main players - their QB and All Pro RB - during the game.

The will to win comes from somewhere deep inside every player. And the Colts may not have this deep reserve.

Why? I’m wondering if the Mr. Nice Guy routine of Coach Tony Dungy doesn’t somehow permeate the team fiber and make them a bunch of “nice guys”, solid citizens who show up as pussies when the smash-mouth violence of NFL playoff games comes a calling.

Sure, Tony’s a saint, a great person, a spiritually inclined man with a higher purpose ahead. All great traits for living your life but not necessarily what it takes to win in the NFL. While Tony didn’t drop passes, fumble the ball or not get to Billy Voleck fer Chrissakes on the rush, his calm and unruffled demeanor did nothing to kick start the Colts into realizing they were playing passive the entire game.

Now we read that Tony’s once-again pondering retirement and not returning to the Colts for the 2008 season. I say, if you’re not 1000% committed - and he’s not - then hang it up now and let the team find another coach who can light the fire under the collective butts of the Colts nice guy roster.

Bill HoodieCheck is a smug, arrogant, non-communicative, manipulative weasel of a person. He’s also the best coach in the NFL. I’m not interested in having dinner with Belichek or reading a book of his spiritual journey. Instead, I admire the steely professionalism he’s instilled in every Patriot player. The Pats play ALL 60 minutes of every game this year. They play like seasoned pros; humble yet confident in action, committed and focused, smart and calm.

On the other hand, the Colts tend to run around and short circuit when the going gets tough. When they don’t go out and score bunches of points right away, it’s as if they cannot believe it. They’ve been beaten up front and in the red zone whenever they choke their way out of the playoffs.

In the off season, I hope Coach Dungy will take a hike back to Tampa and follow his next path. I hope the Colts hire a new coach with a different personality, one with a rumbling volcano inside who won’t accept losing and will lambast his players for not giving their all - every time in any game.

I never liked the Atlanta Braves and always laugh when they fade in the playoffs. I can’t help but wonder if NFL fans feel the same about the Colts.

The only constant in life is change. Change would be a good thing for the Colts head coach. Gimme some fire!!!