Monday, January 12, 2009

Tony Dungy's Retirement

Tony Dungy, my favorite football coach, retired today (www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/colts/2009-01-12-dungy-decision_N.htm). I'm going to miss him. He personified dignity on the football field in my eyes.

In honor of Coach Dungy's retirement, here are a couple of my favorite quotes from his book Quiet Strength:

"The lesson (that his father taught him)...was that you shouldn't allow external issues to be a hindrance, whether those issues are based on race or any other factor. Things will go wrong at times. You can't always control circumstances. However, you can control your attitude, approach, and response. Your options are to complain or to look ahead and figure out how to make the situation better" (p. 16).

"That's what this is all about. Touching lives. Building a legacy--not necessarily on the field but in those places that most people will never see. Trying to be faithful in the position God has given me. I love coaching football, and winning a Super Bowl was a goal I've had for a long time. But it has never been my purpose in life.

"My purpose in life is simply to glorify God. We have to be careful that we don't let the pursuit of our life's goals, no matter how important they seem, cause us to lose sight of our purpose.

"I coach football. But the good I can do to glorify God along the way is my real purpose. I want to help people see the path to eternal life through Christ, to enjoy an abundant life now, and to fulfill their God-given purposes here.

"We are all role models to someone in this world, and we can all have an impact--for good" (p. 301).

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow - now that's good stuff!

Terry Laudett said...

Thanks, Wes. I can recommend his book "Quiet Strength." Also, if you are interested in a good radio interview with Tony Dungy, check out www.familylife.com and search the archives for the interview from 2 or 3 years ago. It was outstanding.