The Tony Dungy Story

Amazing story.

But this paragraph is very sad:

Perhaps Dungy's only real regret as a father is that he hasn't been there for his children as much as his late parents were for theirs. As well as Tony can remember, Wilbur and Cleomae Dungy, both teachers, attended every event, every game when he was growing up in Jackson, Mich., and were always home on weekends. Tony's career has kept him from doing the same. Still, he's always prioritized his role as a husband and father ahead of his job and encourages -- much the same way mentors Chuck Noll and Dennis Green did with their teams -- his players and staff to do the same.

The bolded line is not really true, though, and Tony - in his more personal moments - would probably acknowledge that. How can your kids and wife be your priority when you're gone for much of the year or holed up in your office studying game film for 15 hours a day. It's an easy trap for all of us to fall into, but we must avoid at all costs.

It always comes down to what's more important: your career success and the money and the ego stroking and the glory OR the daily, monotonous, hard, and wonderfully satisfying routine of the every day father and mother. The latter was good enough for Tony's parents and my parents...and it will have to be good enough for me.