espn-double standard much??

[Lennys Tap]

Exactly.  His career is a testament to the courage of others to stand up to the status quo and to change the system.  It is very likely that Dungy would not have been an NFL coach had he been born a generation earlier.

But when it comes to integrating open homosexuals into professional sports?  That's someone else's problem I guess.

I will be very surprised if Tony Dungy doesn't issue a retraction/clarification in the near future.

[mu-rara]

Integrating black men into baseball in 1947 was a MUCH bigger deal than integrating homosexual men into football in 2014.

In 1947 you had media, coaches, owners, players and fans all against Jackie Robinson.

In 2014 you have a small minority of coaches and players against Michael Sam.  You have fans about 50/50, and the 50% for is growing.  Media is 90/10 for Sam, but agitating to get a story.

If he has a good camp, he will be on the team.  What more do you want?

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

Not only that, but "distractions" are what prevented some people from integrating sports in the first place.

Good thing Branch Rickey had the balls to deal with the "distractions."  Too bad Dungy doesn't seem to have that courage.

This.

I understand that Sam could be a "distraction", but if teams ran away from "distractions" forever rosters would look a whole lot different in every sport. We could write off anybody different because they would be a "distraction". (women in the work place, integrated sports, integrated military, etc.)

Tony is welcome to share his opinion, but he also better be prepared for the fallout when he says something so stupid.

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

Integrating black men into baseball in 1947 was a MUCH bigger deal than integrating homosexual men into football in 2014.

In 1947 you had media, coaches, owners, players and fans all against Jackie Robinson.

In 2014 you have a small minority of coaches and players against Michael Sam.  You have fans about 50/50, and the 50% for is growing.  Media is 90/10 for Sam, but agitating to get a story.

If he has a good camp, he will be on the team.  What more do you want?

I don't want coaches (or former coaches) admitting that they wouldn't take a player because of his sexual orientation.

I agree with you that Sam is light years ahead of Robinson, but there is still a ways to go.

[GGGG]

As as for the PR and the "flak," I certainly am not going to protest NBC in hopes that he gets fired.  But I am not going to weep and break out the "PC Strawman" if he does.

[reinko]

So Tony Dungy thinks Tony Dungy is a hypocrite.



http://deadspin.com/keith-olbermann-blasts-tony-dungy-1608868014?utm_campaign=socialflow_deadspin_twitter&utm_source=deadspin_twitter&utm_medium=socialflow

[mu-rara]

I don't want coaches (or former coaches) admitting that they wouldn't take a player because of his sexual orientation.

I agree with you that Sam is light years ahead of Robinson, but there is still a ways to go.

You guys are acting as if Tony Dungy kept him from being drafted.

Michael Sam DID get drafted.  He WILL have a chance to for a spot on an NFL roster.  It is up to his ability now.  I hope he makes it and has a successful career so we can stop all this metal masturbation.

In the end, Tony Dungy is expressing an opinion.  This is America.  We all have a right to an opinion.

[GGGG]

You guys are acting as if Tony Dungy kept him from being drafted.

Michael Sam DID get drafted.  He WILL have a chance to for a spot on an NFL roster.  It is up to his ability now.  I hope he makes it and has a successful career so we can stop all this metal masturbation.

In the end, Tony Dungy is expressing an opinion.  This is America.  We all have a right to an opinion.

Right.  And we have a right to say his opinion is dumb.

[reinko]

You guys are acting as if Tony Dungy kept him from being drafted.

Michael Sam DID get drafted.  He WILL have a chance to for a spot on an NFL roster.  It is up to his ability now.  I hope he makes it and has a successful career so we can stop all this metal masturbation.

In the end, Tony Dungy is expressing an opinion.  This is America.  We all have a right to an opinion.

Ah, yes.   When in doubt,  fly the flag of freedom of speech and oppression.  Do you you even know what the first amendment means?

[mu-rara]

I don't want coaches (or former coaches) admitting that they wouldn't take a player because of his sexual orientation.

I agree with you that Sam is light years ahead of Robinson, but there is still a ways to go.

C'mon man.  You're better than that.  It was an opinion.  He expressed it. 

This is why we can't solve these problems.  We can't even express opinions about them.

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

You guys are acting as if Tony Dungy kept him from being drafted.

Michael Sam DID get drafted.  He WILL have a chance to for a spot on an NFL roster.  It is up to his ability now.  I hope he makes it and has a successful career so we can stop all this metal masturbation.

In the end, Tony Dungy is expressing an opinion.  This is America.  We all have a right to an opinion.

Nobody said Tony can't have that opinion. He's just wrong, that's the problem.

"I wouldn't put a woman on my staff because it would distract the men. She can go back and be a housewife."

"I wouldn't hire a (insert specific group here) because it would distract my staff. They can go work someplace else."

It's unacceptable.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Let's give Tony Dungy the benefit of the doubt - let's assume he's not a bigot. Given that, the BEST we can say about him is that he's a bit of a coward. He knows what's right but wants someone else to be Branch Rickey. He wants someone else's kids to go to integrated schools, someone else to live in the integrated community. His career is testimony to his own ability AND to people with courage who were willing to deal with the "distractions" that come with employment based on merit without regard to color, sexual orientation, etc. You want to applaud his hypocrisy as honesty and lack of PC? Fine, but it just makes you as hypocritical and wrongheaded as Dungy.

He's not a bigot in my opinion.  I've had the pleasure of working with him on many occasions and find him to be an upstanding individual. 

I don't find him hypocritical at all, in fact I think you missed the entire point.  I find the hypocrisy in those that decide who gets wrist slapped, who gets fired, who should be outraged.   Put another way, someone other than Tony Dungy says that, and hell breaks lose.  Put another way, some on the right says a certain someone is light skinned without a dialect and he is destroyed while the person that did use those words is given a butterfly kiss wrist slap.

[ttheisen]

Nobody said Tony can't have that opinion. He's just wrong, that's the problem.

"I wouldn't put a woman on my staff because it would distract the men. She can go back and be a housewife."

"I wouldn't hire a (insert specific group here) because it would distract my staff. They can go work someplace else."

It's unacceptable.

And sad, Tony dealt with so many barriers in his life with a high degree of class - unfortunate he spoke these words and diminish what he has achieved.

[jesmu84]

C'mon man.  You're better than that.  It was an opinion.  He expressed it. 

This is why we can't solve these problems.  We can't even express opinions about them.

But his opinion in this situation is a divergence from the precedent he set on his opinions previously. He hasn't come out and said Sam would be a distraction because he's gay. If Dungy said that, it'd be different valid because he'd be isolating why Sam is a distraction. Vick was a distraction, Keyshawn too, but Dungy was in favor of them.

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

C'mon man.  You're better than that.  It was an opinion.  He expressed it. 

This is why we can't solve these problems.  We can't even express opinions about them.

People can SAY whatever they want, but it doesn't mean I have to agree with it.

[GGGG]

C'mon man.  You're better than that.  It was an opinion.  He expressed it.  

This is why we can't solve these problems.  We can't even express opinions about them.

What are you talking about?  How claim that he can he not express his opinion...when he certainly did just that.

What you want is for him to be able to express his opinions without criticism, which is the antithesis of free speech.

[GGGG]

He's not a bigot in my opinion.  I've had the pleasure of working with him on many occasions and find him to be an upstanding individual. 

I don't find him hypocritical at all, in fact I think you missed the entire point.  I find the hypocrisy in those that decide who gets wrist slapped, who gets fired, who should be outraged.   Put another way, someone other than Tony Dungy says that, and hell breaks lose.  Put another way, some on the right says a certain someone is light skinned without a dialect and he is destroyed while the person that did use those words is given a butterfly kiss wrist slap.

It is really hard to have reasonable discussions with people like you who have to live life bearing the cross of a persecution complex. 

[ChicosBailBonds]

C'mon man.  You're better than that.  It was an opinion.  He expressed it. 

This is why we can't solve these problems.  We can't even express opinions about them.

Actually, CERTAIN people can express opinions.  Others cannot, without fear of retribution.  That's how our society works today.  You'll be labled a bigot, racist, misogynist, homophobe, etc, usually depending on what ideological stripes you wear.  If, however, you wear different stripes, well you might get a gentle finger wagging and that's it.

Reminds me of a time when someone said Macaca vs someone else saying Hymie.   Crazy different outcomes.....of course different people said them and thus, different outcomes. 

That's how our society works.

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

C'mon man.  You're better than that.  It was an opinion.  He expressed it. 

This is why we can't solve these problems.  We can't even express opinions about them.

For the record, I'm not saying Tony or any coach can't express his/her opinion.

I AM saying that I wish they didn't have that belief because I think it's wrong.

People shouldn't be prevented from working someplace because they are (male/female/black/yellow/green/blue/gay/bi/straight/etc).

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

Actually, CERTAIN people can express opinions.  Others cannot, without fear of retribution.  That's how our society works today.  You'll be labled a bigot, racist, misogynist, homophobe, etc, usually depending on what ideological stripes you wear.  If, however, you wear different stripes, well you might get a gentle finger wagging and that's it.

Reminds me of a time when someone said Macaca vs someone else saying Hymie.   Crazy different outcomes.....of course different people said them and thus, different outcomes. 

That's how our society works.

Easy dude.

We don't need to jump up on the soap box. Keep it simple.

Tony expressed an opinion. Now he's getting ripped (by some).

The punishment/hypocrisy/media/etc. isn't the issue (yet). When that happens, then you can start down this path.

[ChicosBailBonds]

People can SAY whatever they want, but it doesn't mean I have to agree with it.

Nor does it give you the authority to say they are wrong.  They might be wrong in your opinion, doesn't make him wrong, however.

What if someone had a choice to hire a candidate among a man and a woman, one was incredibly flirtatious and had a bad reputation for hooking up with the men in her office, causing all kinds of issues.  The male candidate was not quite as accomplished, but didn't carry any baggage.  As a hiring manager you decided on the latter, not the former and told HR why due to those concerns.  Some in this society would say you are discriminating, in fact this situation was one shared with me by a colleague. 

Maybe Dungy was merely talking about what he, in his opinion as a football man, thought would happen to his team and whether it was worth it.  Is he wrong?  Maybe.  Is he right, maybe. 

[ChicosBailBonds]

The issuance of apologies in these situations is also pretty awesome.

Some people are allowed to give the apology and all is forgiven.  Others, it doesn't matter.  Again, often correlated to the ideological stripes one has.   

[GGGG]

What if someone had a choice to hire a candidate among a man and a woman, one was incredibly flirtatious and had a bad reputation for hooking up with the men in her office, causing all kinds of issues.  The male candidate was not quite as accomplished, but didn't carry any baggage.  As a hiring manager you decided on the latter, not the former and told HR why due to those concerns.  Some in this society would say you are discriminating, in fact this situation was one shared with me by a colleague. 

Keep building that strawman Chicos....

[GGGG]

The issuance of apologies in these situations is also pretty awesome.

Some people are allowed to give the apology and all is forgiven.  Others, it doesn't matter.  Again, often correlated to the ideological stripes one has. 

You mean like that noted leftist Riley Cooper?

[mu-rara]

For the record, I'm not saying Tony or any coach can't express his/her opinion.

I AM saying that I wish they didn't have that belief because I think it's wrong.

People shouldn't be prevented from working someplace because they are (male/female/black/yellow/green/blue/gay/bi/straight/etc).

Michael Sam was drafted and will have a chance to make an NFL roster.  Anything else?