Dungy's son found dead

Bart

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[url]http://customwire.ap.org/dynamic/stories/F/FBN_DUNGY_SON?SIT E=CAANR&SECTION=SPORTS&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=20 05-12-22-11-17-28[/url]


TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -- James Dungy, the 18-year-old son of Indianapolis Colts coach Tony Dungy, was found dead in a Tampa-area apartment, police said Thursday.


No foul play is suspected, but a cause of death won't announced pending an autopsy, said Vida Morgan, a secretary in the Hillsborough County sheriff's office.
 

Don Wassall

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That's a real tragedy for Tony Dungy and his family. One thing I can't help noticing though is that all the stories about it portray Dungy asthe NFL's residentsaint. Unlike white coaches, this is apparently a man without any flaws.
 

Spooge

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Except leaving his son to fend for himself for yet another fall winter
season while daddy coaches a team. I wonder how much drugs had to
do with Dungy's death? Think I remember Dungy doing a public
anouncment on the radio telling fans to " Be a dad" Well his
kid's death is nothing I would wish on anyone.
 

Bear-Arms

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Local news reported that it was an apparent suicide.
 

Colonel_Reb

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This is a sad thing, for the kid, Tony Dungy, and his family. I hope something good comes out of this for his family.
 

backrow

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Tony Dungy is a good guy, moreso than plenty of other coaches in NFL... i can't even begin to imagine what would losing a son feel like...
 

Freedom

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Suicide is an all too common problem. When a
kid has no family around to talk about his problems to, he caves
in. This kid probably had to put up with tons of media
buzz. If you're a public figure's kid, you're gonna have a
strange family atmosphere
smiley18.gif
.



I don't even think this stuff should be
reported. I don't need to hear about the guy's family
crisis. I feel for the guy, but I don't think it should qualify
as news. Tony Dungy's family life is different from his professional life.
smiley7.gif
They should just say that the Colts coach is not with the team for personal reasons.


Edited by: Freedom
 

backrow

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well death of Brett Favre's father was all over the media, so was death of Joe Jurevicius' newborn back in Bucs' 2002 Superbowl run... i think it's very personal but media always have that sick interest in tragedies, and the more personal and intimate it should be, the more coverage we get...
 

Bear-Arms

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I'm gonna delete those threads because some of their comments went downhill and I don't think it followed this sites guidelines. Anyway, I found a story from their comments.



What parents can learn from James Dungy's website

an ABC Action News report 12/23/05

TAMPA - Just hours after Tony Dungy's son was found dead, Action News learned of a website that James Dungy supposedly designed as his personal profile.

Due to its controversial content, we wrestled with whether to publicize the site out of respect to the family. But after talking to a clinical psychologist, we learned there are benefits to discussing the site, such as getting a closer look at signs of trouble that you can watch for in your children.

The first thing that popped up on James' site was a menacing picture of the 18-year-old with a bandana over his face. That photo -- along with the rap song, praise for the D.C. snipers, and images of weapons and drugs -- do not represent the image many saw as Tony Dungy's son.

"This is a very troubled, very troubled young man. A young man who has a potential for some form of destructiveness," clinical psychologist Dr. Sidney Merrin observed after looking at the website.

Analyzing the site, Dr. Merrin said there were a number of signs of violence and deep-rooted anger.



The site was filled with images of football, weapons, and drugs.
"It could be anger because his family disagrees with him or they challenge him or they criticize him, and he has developed a defense mechanism over the years in direct opposition to what he views as being their values," Merrin offered.

The site, created on MySpace.com, prominently featured guns; even the user's cursor turned into a weapon.

"The guns represent a form of power. Its a way to tell the world, 'I am not a weak individual, look how powerful I am,' " Merrin explained.

James apparently spent Wednesday morning posting messages on his friends' sites. One of those final messages read, "Can't talk to nobody n e more," a clear message despite being written in online teen shorthand. Was that a final cry for help?

"It, too, depicts a very sad phase in his young life. When he says 'I can't talk with anyone anymore,' he's reached the end of the line," Merrin added.

There's no way to tell for sure whether any of the problems Dr. Merrin discussed were factors in James Dungy's death. But as his family tries to make sense of this tragic loss, his website might begin to give them some clues while also offering other parents a reminder to be watchful over their kids' activities online. What they're writing about themselves may offer early clues of problems.

In fact, James' father may have said it best himself in an interview back in 2001.

"Even that family that you look at that seems like everything is great, it's not always that way. It's hard work, it's trial and error, it's ups and downs. So don't think that you're any different," Tony Dungy said.

After word of James' death spread, friends logged onto his site to share their sorrow. A visitor named Melissa wrote, "I can't believe your gone (sic) ... you'll always be in my heart."

By Thursday evening, meanwhile, the site appeared to have been taken down by MySpace.



The site was filled with images of football, weapons, and drugs

http://www.abcactionnews.com/stories/2005/...bsite.shtmlWhatEdited by: Bear-Arms
 

White Shogun

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MySpace is down for maintenance. The later posts in the threads you gave mention his homepage has already been taken down.

From what those who've viewed it had to say about it, it looks like Dungy junior was a gangsta thug.
 

Spooge

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Dungy's son suffered from no less a similar phenomenon that many
Pastors kids live through. A societal parent who is held in high
regard by all. Only to be all too human at home with all the
associative foiables and failures. One of which being an absentee
dad. I'm sure coach Dungy missed quite a few of Dungy Jr.'s life
whie he (dad) was travelling with the team, preparing for football
season and generally being a leader for the young men his is entrusted
to coach. Ultimately, the choices in life are up to the
individual and Dungy's son made his. However, I wonder how much
chasing a trophy is worth now that his son is dead.
 

White Shogun

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All I have to say is that, no matter how hard they try, no matter what lessons they teach or the examples they provide, parents cannot determine what kind of men and women their children will become.

I hesitate very strongly to lay the death of Dungy's son at his feet. His son was a man, apparently involved in the gangsta lifestyle, I'm sure probably quite contrary to what Dungy wanted for his son and in spite of the example that Tony Dungy himself set.

There are plenty of families wherein one child of four or five becomes a criminal, drug addict, or social reprobate, while the remaining children become upstanding members of society. Likewise, some single mothers can raise their children to be good citizens, while holding down two (or more) jobs.

I think it disingenuous for us to admire athletes who are dedicated, driven to win,and yet blame them for having those same attributes the moment a tragedy strikes, that somehow that same drive and determination we respected yesterday, is today to blame for human failing, from which no man is exempt, rich or poor.
 

madmax

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White Shogun said:
All I have to say is that, no matter how hard they
try, no matter what lessons they teach or the examples they provide,
parents cannot determine what kind of men and women their children will become.



I hesitate very strongly to lay the death of Dungy's son at his
feet. His son was a man, apparently involved in the gangsta lifestyle,
I'm sure probably quite contrary to what Dungy wanted for his son and
in spite of the example that Tony Dungy himself set.



There are plenty of families wherein one child of four or five
becomes a criminal, drug addict, or social reprobate, while the
remaining children become upstanding members of society. Likewise, some
single mothers can raise their children to be good citizens, while
holding down two (or more) jobs.


I think it disingenuous for us to admire athletes who are
dedicated, driven to win,and yet blame them for having those same
attributes the moment a tragedy strikes, that somehow that same drive
and determination we respected yesterday, is today to blame for human
failing, from which no man is exempt, rich or poor.



well said.
 

Spooge

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It's the age old question of " Nature or Nurture" we will not solve the cunumdrum on this site to be sure.
 

Bear-Arms

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I edited my post, so everyone joining this thread is confused now.
 

Bart

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Judging from his apparent writings, he was into the -gangsta- lifestyle and headed for big trouble. If he had a fascination with the DC killers and guns, who knows what he was capable of doing.It's been said his death was of natural causes. Hmmm. Unless he had a medical problem of sorts, I would be suspicious. I guess it's possible he committed suicide, but it seems unlikely to my way of thinking.
 

Bart

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Dungy's page.


http://www.frycookonvenus.com/misc/dungy/



<TABLE id=Table2 borderColor=#000000 cellSpacing=3 cellPadding=3 width=300 align=center bgColor=#ffffff>
<T>
<TR id=HeroesRow>
<TD vAlign=top align=left width=100 bgColor=#b1d0f0>Heroes</TD>
<TD id=ProHeroes width=175 bgColor=#d5e8fb>the D.C. Snipers, cause they let ya'll crackas kno tha ya'll aren't carzy race in the world, plus nobody would ever guess tha they were black (i thought they were white). Malcolm X, and the Black Panthers. oh yea say werd my black Pac, and in case ya'll didn't kno he is alive and i've seen visual footage
</TD></TR></T></TABLE>
 

jaxvid

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Imagine if a white kid had written that way about blacks. All we would hear is what a racist he was and there would be little sympathy for his death. Plus his father would have to apologize and explain why his son was so racist. The double standard is sickening!!!!
 

White Shogun

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Its almost like it is expected of black youth to say such things, as though it should be overlooked. What else is expected? They're obviously not held to the same standards as we are, and one has to wonder about those in the PC-elite who determine such things, what they must actually think of blacks that they cannot control or maintain any degree of civility towards whites, women, and law and order.

Most people who look at that kind of thing will shrug their shoulders, say "Typical," and go on to something else.
 

Kaptain

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Knowing now that his son was admittedly anti-white, it changes my opinion of Tony Dungy as a white-freindly coach. Actually I never did trust him. Why should I? Because he had a white slot reciever and white tight end? Look at the sudden change in their roles this year. Dungy's assistant coach and now acting head coach is - surprise! black! Black people are incredibly loyal to their race and Dungy is no different. After the revelations about his son maybe he should make a public service announcement about the evils of anti-white racism.
smiley2.gif
 

Colonel_Reb

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That info makes me think less of the kid, but not necessarily his dad. I guess you really have to know some people's secret lives before you really know them. Some people have two masks they wear in life.
 

Lance Alworth

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Isnt Tony Dungy part white anyway? What kind of baffles me is that why would his son hate white people if he had white blood in him himself? I know of the one drop rule in regards to blacks, but it still doesnt make any sense to me to hate one side of your family, even if it is just a quarter
 

Bart

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jaxvid said:
Imagine if a white kid had written that way about blacks. All we would hear is what a racist he was and there would be little sympathy for his death. Plus his father would have to apologize and explain why his son was so racist. The double standard is sickening!!!!


Jaxvid, you are absolutely 100% correct!! If Dungy was white and his kid was found to be a pro-white radical who advocated killing blacks and worshipped anti black heroes there would be no media love fest, that's for sure.


You can bet your bottom dollar the team wouldn't have the kid's initials embroidered on the jerseys, as the Colts are doing as a tribute to him.We will now be treated to endless stories of how great the gangsta, hip-hop loving, anti white, cop hating puke was. What a tragic loss to society. I for one can hardly keep from crying.
 

Spooge

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I don't think I can take loosing three pillars of the community in one
week: Tookie, Pryor and now poor Dungy. A trifecta! I'm
beside myself with grief, now time for another beer and I wonder whats
for dinner, oh well.
 

whiteCB

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Wow this kid really hates white people. Thank god it wasn't the other way around or else Tony Dungy would get fired from his job for "raising" a racist.
 
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