Coach Tony Dungy on Football

With the Super Bowl just around the corner and the daily reminders of all the hype that comes with this particular game I am reminded of a passage from a book that I read a couple of years ago. The book’s title is “Quiet Strength” by Tony Dungy with Nathan Whitaker. I read it for a couple of reasons: 1) it was a birthday present from one of my daughters; 2) I really like Tony Dungy as a football coach; and 3) I know Nathan Whitaker. Nathan and Amy (they married just after I left the church) were college students and members of First Church Gainesville when I was the pastor – though I only got to see Nathan when he wasn’t attending school at Duke and then Harvard. I was close to both families while serving that historical downtown church and they gave valuable leadership at some challenging times. I came to discover that Nathan and Amy were/are outstanding Christians and simply a joy to be around.

And now the passage that appears in the opening chapter. Mr. Dungy and Nathan wrote the following paragraphs that have caused me to stop and reflect upon my life and its purpose:

“But football is just a game. It’s not family. It’s not a way of life. It doesn’t provide any sort of intrinsic meaning. It’s just football. It lasts for three hours, and when the game is over, it’s over.

And frankly, as you’ll see throughout this book, that fact – that when it’s over, it’s over – is part of football’s biggest appeal to me. When a game ends, win or lose, it’s time to prepare for the next one. The coaches and players really don’t have time to celebrate or to stay down, because Sunday’s gone and Monday’s here. And no matter what happened yesterday, you have to be ready to play next Sunday.

“That’s how it works – just like life.

“It’s the journey that matters. Learning is more important than the test. Practice well, and the games will take care of themselves. Whether you’ve been kicked in the teeth or life just couldn’t get any sweeter, it keeps rolling on … and then there’s another game.”

Wise words from a great coach … those are words to live by!

Quote for today: “Second is so good, Daddy.” Amanda Mickelson, 7 year-old daughter of Phil Mickelson