Customer Reviews

Quiet Strength: The Principles, Practices, & Priorities of a Winning Life

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This book proved to be much more than I'd expected. I've read the books of many famous personalities (in and out of sports), and I can honestly say that Coach Dungy breaks all the stereotypes. When he's at the top of his game, he gives the glory to God, his family and his team. When he's in the worst places of life, he praises God for His goodness. When he's searching for answers, he chooses to lean on God for direction. He consistently lives a life of integrity, sacrifice and service.....and allows the glory to go to the One who deserves it, not to himself. Wouldn't it be great if all of our professional sports figures conducted themselves in a similar way? Though I've never been a Colts fan, this book and the various interviews I've recetnly seen with Coach Dungy have won me over. I'd HIGHLY suggest this book for your summer reading list.

Super Bowl championship coach Tony Dungy writes a tell-all book that the entire family can read. In fact, Dungy would not start his own bio with "super bowl championship coach." Instead, he would begin it with "Christian," then "husband," "parent," and "friend." Even when talking about coaching, Dungy's philosophy is on coaching the entire person--mentoring.

"Quiet Strength" is one part autobiography, one part thrilling sports biography, one part coaching technique, one part dealing with suffering, one part family life narrative, one part social commentary, and one part Christian living teaching. Woven together seamlessly, the subtitle accurately provides the beautiful tapestry that results: "The Principles, Practices, and Priorities of a Winning Life."

Reviewer: Bob Kellemen is the author of Beyond the Suffering: Embracing the Legacy of African American Soul Care and Spiritual Direction , Soul Physicians, and Spiritual Friends.

I received my copy of Quiet Strength from the hands of Coach Dungy himself on the day the book was released in Atlanta, GA. The humble man from Jackson, MI was wearing the Super Bowl ring as he handed me the autographed book.

This is an extremely well written book! I was a big fan of Coach Dungy from his Tampa Bay Buc days (I am a Buc and Jaguar fan) and because like him I ended up in Indiana about the same time that he moved up here, I've followed his career up here--but this book unveals so much about the man and how his faith helps him to interpret the events of his life--both the good and the bad.

What many people would consider insignificant events, Coach Dungy helps the reader to reevaluate and to see in their correct light. I think anyone who reads this book will come away a better person than they were before they read the book--truly a mark of a great book, but also a mark of the quiet strength that motivate Tony Dungy!

The head coach of the Indianapolis Colts, Tony Dungy has written an incredibly touching biography. For years Lovie Smith (coach of the Chicago Bears) and Dungy were considered "too soft' to be effective leaders in the NFL. They were also regarded to be two of the finest individuals associated with professional sports: both have genuine character, are humble, give thanks to God instead of themselves, and have a strong sense of family. The players on the Colts feel that kind of closeness to Dungy: a family spirit. Imagine the difficulty of uniting and motivating 44 of the toughest men on the planet into a common goal without resorting to strong-arm tactics that they are used to.

Tony's book is a testament to making life a `family moment.' Achievement shouldn't be made at the sacrifice of the achiever's soul. There are many real life lessons in Tony's biography, but this book is much more than that. They detail how to deal with issues with maturity, humility and thoughts of others first. Does it work? Well, he just won the Super Bowl with that philosophy, and believe me, 100's of sportswriters woke up the next day with stale egg on their face.

Dungy agonized whether to put the heartbreaking story of his son in the book, but finally relinquished to help others who have to somehow come to terms with family tragedies. I've grown so weary of endless sport exposes' that emphasizes the negative. That is one of the delights I had when reading this book- the absence of sports self-glorification in the Dungy story. This is far from being your average sports tell-all. In August of 2007, this book was number 1 in the country in sales, proving that you don't have to write a gossip book for a novel to be successful about sports.

Despite the disrespect by the Tampa Bay Bucs, despite losing his son, despite taking criticism for being too easy on his players and despite being misunderstood by the sports media, Tony Dungy has emerged positively. Lessons in life are not just learned: they are earned. 10 years from now his players will glowingly talk about the influence of Coach on their lives. Until then, when the final vindication comes for his selfless efforts, this book: "Quiet Strength" will serve as a monument to old-school values and the wonderful results they can bring.

Jeff Feezle of Macafeez

Two words sum up my review of Tony Dungy's book: Deeply inspirational. It doesn't matter what your background and interests are, everyone should read this book. You don't have to be a Colts fan. You don't have to even be a sports fan. You don't have to be a Christian, although Dungy's Christ-centric lifestyle is quite an inspiring model, especially when compared to the lifestyles of others in the game.

This isn't a football book. If you're looking for the X's and O's of how the Colts won the Super Bowl you'll need to look elsewhere. This is a remarkable story about a remarkable man and his journey up to now. Although it's easy for all of us to look at the positives in Dungy's life, especially since it's only been about 5 months since the Colts won the Lombardi trophy, this book outlines the many, many challenges and setbacks he's had along the way; but it's how he's responded to each and every one of those situations that make him an excellent role model.

I had often wondered why a search of "Tony Dungy" on Amazon yielded nothing until this book came out. The reason behind that is explained in the Introduction: as a very quiet, private man, Dungy didn't see the need to hype is career/life in a book. Or he didn't until he realized it could be used to help others, and that's precisely his goal with Quiet Strength. Much has been written about his outreach to teens in trouble after his own son committed suicide in 2005. Seeing this man in action and hearing him speak recently, I have no doubt these reports only scratch the surface. Dungy is a remarkable person who impacts everyone around him.

Dungy isn't one to operate with a bunch of smoke and mirrors. Even his advice on building a solid team would be considered pretty dull by today's standards. It's mostly "do what we do, whatever it takes", etc. No fire and brimstone, which is one of the reasons he probably looked like less of a winner after Jon Gruden was able to replace him in Tampa and win it all in his first year. Fortunately for good guys everywhere, Dungy proved once and for all that Leo Durocher was wrong and they can finish first! Further, the Colts success in 2006/2007 can be directly attributed to Dungy's stick-to-it attitude and approach.

This book caused me to look at Colts owner Jim Irsay differently. I've always assumed he was a cold mercenary, just like his dad. You remember Bob Irsay...he's the guy who moved the Colts from Baltimore to Indianapolis without telling anyone. Not that Jim wouldn't consider pulling up stakes as well, but it was interesting to read Dungy's story of how Jim first contacted him. It was immediately after Tampa let Dungy go and Irsay presented a vision for the team that reminded me of the old Art Rooney days in Pittsburgh. Irsay even went on to tell Dungy that money wouldn't be an issue and to make sure "your agent doesn't screw up the deal"!

Read this book and you too will discover that football is just one small but important piece of Tony Dungy's life. It's how he's dealt with all the other aspects of his life though that truly make this a outstanding book. Just when I thought there were no players/coaches in professional sports worthy of having your child look up to, Tony Dungy proved me wrong.

Many will assume this is a book just for men or at least for lovers of football. And it is. But its also a GREAT book for anyone who wants to see a walk the talk example of a person who literally puts the Lord and their faith first, then family, job etc. And an excellent example of a man with personal discipline which doesn't allow for using vulgarities to get his team to do as he wants.

The book is a great way to learn from a great man, about how to be the best without compromising ones values. That the saying good guys finish last isn't true. I personally would love to see EVERY sports coach, church leader, father/mother, husband/wife, teacher/student read this book, and learn from it.

That walking the talk and having the bar held high and not lowered makes for a great spouse, parent, friend, coach, teacher. And not in a holier than thou, preachy manner. I so loved reading how he gives praise and glory to God when he has successes and how he praises God and continues to ask Gods wisdom for his life and where he must go and must do.

I'm a football fan but more of the college game than the professional game. Since Tony Dungy's prominence has been built within the NFL, I knew very little about him. I knew that he won a Super Bowl with the Indianapolis Colts a few years ago. I knew that he is a public (but not obnoxious) Christian. And I knew that he is very well-respected in the football world and also within the Christian world. This book, his first, filled in many of the gaps and helped me to understand Tony Dungyt.

I'll begin by stating that I don't think that "Quiet Strength" is a great book. But it is very clear to me that Tony Dungy is a truly great man. And this impression comes from this book, not because he boasted and bragged about his many triumphs, but because his genuine humility oozes out of every chapter. He was honest about his personal struggles and disappointments, like the death of his son or the hurtful irony that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers won the Super Bowl the year after he was fired. He was open about his mistakes, like some personnel decisions that he made which didn't work well and some off-hand controversial comments that he made which created a public stir. But while maintaining transparency, his critiques were generally pointed inward, whereas he was extremely gracious to the countless coaches and players who popped up in the stories of his life. Unlike most sports autobiographies, this one was not utilized as an opportunity to lambast those who hurt him. In fact, one gets the sense that Tony Dungy managed to navigate several decades in the NFL without making any genuine enemies. What a testament to his impeccable character and winsome personality!

And providing the backdrop and reason for his integrity and warmth, Dungy was clear to explain throughout the book that his deep Christian faith informs every aspect of his life, professionally and personally. And he is unapologetic about his faith commitments, without being overbearing or obnoxious. The tone and spirit with which he speaks about his relationship with Jesus reflects Dungy's gracious spirit.

Having appreciated Dungy's humility and spiritual authenticity, the final primary asset of "Quiet Strength" is the smattering of leadership nuggets throughout his many stories. Through the example of other coaches like Chuck Noll and informed by his Christian worldview, Dungy has developed a particular philosophy to coaching and leadership that he explained at some length throughout the book. This philosophy boiled down to a handful of pithy statements and ideas, such as "Do what we do, without explanation or excuse," that were repeated frequently. He was dogmatically committed to the notion that success did not have to come at the expense of a meaningful family life. And it did not have to come from a bombastic style of yelling and intimidation. To Dungy, winning was not everything, and it was not the only thing. In fact, football was clearly a secondary priority in his life, and he led his teams and his staffs accordingly. Amazingly (and much to the encouragement to those of us who share Dungy's philosophies and ideals), he succeeded nonetheless.

So, why do I think that "Quiet Strength" is not a great book? First and foremost, I just don't think that Dungy is a very good story-teller. Frankly, many of his reflections about seasons and games throughout his career were rather dry, even boring. And I'm a sports fan, so I'm inclined to be interested by sports stories. But his story-telling just didn't have much life to it, a glaring weakness in an autobiography. I also found some of his spiritual reflections and leadership lessons to be overly simplistic. I realize that he's not writing for an intellectual audience, and I do not question the authenticity and legitimacy of his spiritual commitments and leadership wisdom. But I felt as if he sometimes offered insight that was simply too generic to actually connect with the complex realities of my life. Finally, having listened to the audiobook, read by Tony Dungy himself, it quickly became clear that Dungy does not have a future in audiobook reading. His voice was so gentle and relaxed that it made me a dangerous (sleepy) driver. Again, his gracious spirit would surely make for a wonderful father and an amazing mentor, but it doesn't work well for audiobook reading.

Ultimately, I'm glad to have read "Quiet Strength" as an affirmation that integrity, healthy priorities, and spiritual commitments are not mutually exclusive with success. It was peppered with anecdotes and tidbits that may reemerge for me at some point in the future. And I finished the book with the highest esteem for Tony Dungy. However, I'm not sure that I walked away with any significant takeaways or new ideas that I can leverage in my future leadership.

This book is a testament to a great man who lives outside of ego, and who lives a life of integrity. It is always wonderful to see a person shine in God's light, and in the case of Tony Dungy, that's what is happening. And that's what this book is about.

In a world in which many believe in "dog eat dog", it's a blessing to know that sports leaders of this caliber exist and succeed on their own terms. Beyond that, Tony Dungy is a testament to the power of living your life well, and by that I mean, living it as if all life matters, not just your own and not just your most immediate goal.

This inspirational book is a blueprint for living a life of integrity, beyond the limited bounds of ego. Whether you are a sports fan or not, this book is an uplifting look at how good life can be, when winning become secondary to the WAY that you win. Imagine how wonderful it would be if everyone followed the author's principles.

You probably wont ever read this review, but I just want to thank you so much for first writing this book, this book was an absolute inspiration to me and I gained so much through these pages on everything from how to be a leader of men to how to have integrity in good and bad times, how to handle disapointments both big and small and how to prioritize ones life. I know you didn't want to write a book about yourself and I am glad that in some ways you didn't. Although this book was about you, in a lot of ways it was about God working through you and how you step aside and allow that to happen. This is a rare trait among men today, so many times we seem to get in the way and mess up God's plans for our lives. So thanks for writing this book.
More importantly I want to thank you for being a man of God in such a public platform and for not straying from God's plan for your life no matter what the circumstances. You have been an inspiration to many young men who have watched you through the ups and downs of your life and they have watched a celebrity who lives what they profess and this also is extremly rare in todays culture. Young Men (and women) are seeing what true Christianity and faith and belief in God looks like through a man who never wavered in his faith , both through extreme lows and the highest highs. I appluad your faith and your life and aspire to be a man of God that lives his faith the way that you do.

God Bless
Todd Sullivan

Start spreading the news. I loved "Quiet Strength"! Initially I purchased it thinking I would get my weekly dose of football ... only to discover an excellent source on life, liberty, and God. I am reticent about discussing my feelings about religion as I know there are many lost-souls who think belief in a higher power is not rational, scientific, or cool.

With that caveat, it was refreshing to read the memoir of Coach Tony Dungy. Due to outside influences many in our culture think it is a badge of honor to be rude, crude, and tattooed. "Quiet Strength" is a fascinating counterbalance for all who believe the relevance of being religiously grounded, socially conscious, family oriented ... and intellectually prepared for the journey through life.

It is difficult to watch television nowadays without being exposed to a plethora of four- letter words and anything with "Pimp" in the title. Because of positive role models, I remember (fondly) "The Huxtables" television series. Like-minded individuals can now be exposed to the real thing by reading "Quiet Strength" and exploring the lives of Coach Dungy's extraordinary family. The book is eloquently written and loaded with amusing anecdotes from celebrities past and present.

Let me remind all who might cast aspersions on Coach Dungy and the principles to which he espouses ... to read the sobering statistics (page 272) on retired football players. Mr. Dungy is correct when he says: "This book is not all about football. It is about the journey... mine and yours ... and the lives we can touch, the legacy we can leave, and the world we can change for the better". Reading "Quiet Strength" is a marvelous way to start.
Reggie Johnson, Success-Tapes.Com