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In Dungy, Bucs have friend in need
© St. Petersburg Times, TAMPA -- It was Monday, which means the Buccaneers were defending Tony Dungy. This is what they do after burying him on Sunday. More and more, you hear suggestions that Dungy's time is growing short. And with it comes less and less examination of the cause. If it comes to pass that Dungy is dismissed after this season, it will be the fault of the very same players who profess their devotion to him. Who among them can claim innocence? Who can look Dungy in the eye and declare that he made a play Sunday that saved a season and, in extension, the blanket of job security that is slipping from their coach's grasp? There is no Trent Dilfer here to take the blame. No single player in an obviously precarious position. This is a team supposedly overflowing with talent, from little No. 1 to big No. 99. Which means the responsibility falls to Dungy, even if much of the malaise is beyond his control. Complain, if you must, about the play-calling. Look at Dungy and wonder why the veins in his neck do not stick out in anger like yours seem to do each Sunday. Say he is too rigid, say he is too tranquil. Assign him all the qualities that in different circumstances might pass as praise. But remember this: The roster has not changed appreciably. Dungy's philosophies remain essentially the same. So why were the Bucs five minutes away from the Super Bowl two years ago and now on a par with Cincinnati? Before going any further, try to remember what football looked like in Tampa Bay before Dungy. Try to picture the half-empty stadium, the talent-stunted roster and the comical collection of coaches that ranged from clueless (Leeman Bennett and Richard Williamson) to heartless (Ray Perkins) with a dose of pointless (Sam Wyche) near the very end of a decade of losing. Dungy brought with him qualities that do not fluctuate from season to season. Sincerity, patience, loyalty. Dungy brought a plan and the players immediately bought into it. They trusted him and they followed him. So what has changed? Dungy's personality has not. His plans have not. Yes, he is probably too conservative, but that did not keep the Bucs from reaching the playoffs in three of the past four years. The difference is the players. The ones who have been given huge contract extensions. The ones who rush from practice to their radio shows. The ones who look in the mirror and fail to see the players they used to be. These are the players who are not catching passes. Who are not run-blocking. Who have a fraction of their previous sack totals. Dungy declines to lay the blame at the feet of his players. They work hard, he says. They remain hungry, he insists. And his words seem to carry the hope that one day they will show up and substantiate his faith in them. "The best way we can approach it as a team is to win games and then you won't hear that talk and it won't be the reality," safety John Lynch said. "We like the situation we're in with Tony and we want to keep it that way. We respect the heck out of him. But if we want him around, we have to start winning games." Players throughout the locker room, which has shown signs of fractious tendencies, are united in praise of Dungy. They also leave the impression of teenagers who dearly love, yet have tuned out the lessons of, their father. This is not to say that Dungy is blameless in this matter. His weaknesses remain the same as always. He can be loyal to a fault, particularly where it concerns his assistant coaches. He can be inflexible when it comes to tweaking his plans. And, since Herman Edwards left for New York, Dungy has not balanced his own low-key personality with a no-nonsense assistant who has the respect and the presence to kick tail when needed. The result is that the team is in cruise control. Dungy is the same as always, but he is not getting the same response. The Buccaneers clearly are underachieving. They might not be a Super Bowl quality team, but they are far better than 4-5. And when a team underachieves, the blame inevitably is pointed in the coach's direction. All that remains is the reaction of ownership. Do the Glazers recognize the coach who brought respect and stability to Tampa Bay, or do they see a coach who could not push his players far enough after six seasons? If push, indeed, comes to shove, the hands that nudge Dungy out the door will feel familiar. They are the same hands that have been slapping his back in celebration for the past five seasons. They will be the hands of his players.
 © 2006 • All Rights Reserved • Tampa Bay Times
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Times columns today Jan Glidewell John Romano |
