I still say he stays…

There have been reports all over that Dungy is in fact leaving the team, but he’s denying that he’s made up his mind. I gotta be honest, nothing he’s said makes me think he’s leaving. I think he put his son in HS in Tampa for football reasons, and because he’s probably done after next year. His son would then have to transfer just for his Senior season, and that’s unfair to the kid. Tony has said little things that make me think he’s coming back. The smart money seems to be the other direction, but when have I ever taken the smart money?

I do buy reports that Caldwell will be the next head coach. He’s apparently very well thought of in the organization, and Colts will want someone that will promote stability. Bringing in some new guy who will feel the need to show everyone who’s boss doesn’t make sense. The stability in the coach staff seems to cry out for a guy who knows the system and how things work.

Demond Sanders: He’ll stay. When he sits down and thinks about how far the team came along this year it will get him excited again. This team was probably a year ahead of schedule. That knowledge doesn’t make the ridiculous playoff loss any easier to take, but it should be enough to keep Tony around for one more year.

DZ Updates: It seems that the source of the report may stem from the fact that Jim Caldwell withdrew his name from consideration from the Atlanta job. This doesn’t mean that Tony isn’t coming back. Jim may well have been promised the job next year. The smoothest transition would be to lock up Caldwell by promising him the job no later than the 09 season. My only fear about Caldwell is the horrible record at Wake Forrest. I have no idea what caused that, but I worry about for the same reasons I knew Cammy “Cam-Cam” Cameron would suck because he was a disaster at IU. I’m willing to suspend judgement, but that fear is there. Then again, Norv Turner (like Barry Switzer before him) has proven that if you stay out of the way of a talented team, you can still go far. So who knows?