Dungy Proud of Indianapolis' Successful Super Bowl
Bid
INDIANAPOLIS – Tony Dungy had a few tasks on Wednesday.
One was to discuss the opening of the Colts' summer school sessions, which began on Tuesday morning and which Dungy – now entering his seventh season as the Colts' head coach – joined after spending its first morning in Atlanta, Ga.
Another was to enjoy the aftermath of the day before.
As in, the aftermath of the city of Indianapolis' Super Bowl celebration.
"Very, very exciting," Dungy said Wednesday during a press conference following the Colts' second day of 2008 summer school.
"I thought our group did a great job and represented the city well."
Dungy, who last May helped Indianapolis' bid committee present its bid to host the 2011 Super Bowl, traveled to Atlanta on Monday to provide supfor this year's bid. The NFL's owners on Tuesday afternoon voted to award the 2012 Super Bowl to Indianapolis.
Dungy said he wasn't involved directly in the bid this year, joking that the city had given him his chance last year.
"I was part of the group that was presenting last year and I got to see firsthand all the work that went into it, and the work that that group did," Dungy said. "This year's committee built on that and to see it come to fruition for the city, for (Colts Owner and Chief Executive Officer) Jim Irsay, just for everyone involved, the people who are in the process of constructing the stadium now, the people who are doing the work on it – it just was a thrill to see it all come together."
Dungy spent Tuesday morning in Atlanta, returning to Indianapolis shortly after the city's presentation.
"I came back on the first plane and even by the time we landed, people knew," Dungy said. "You could kind of sense the buzz. I'm looking forward to going down to the middle school today (for a Super Bowl civic press conference), and being part of everybody kind of basking in the sunshine for a little bit."
Also on Wednesday, Dungy discussed the Colts' summer school sessions – 14 days of voluntary on-field work known around the NFL as organized team activities, or OTAs.
"We're really kind of breaking it down this year so that we have a week of fundamental work and next week will be team work," Dungy said. "We'll alternate for the next four weeks. We're trying to get the best of both worlds – get a week where we really concentrate on the rookies and the young guys, then a week of building that chemistry.
"We're going to alternate and I think it's going to work out well for us."
The Colts will have three practices this week and next week, followed by four practices each of the two weeks after that. The Colts historically have had high participation in the sessions, and Dungy considers the time important preparation for the season.
"Same way this year," Dungy said. "This week, we've had different groups going, veterans going at different times than the rookies, so the coaches can spend a little more time with the young guys individually, but we've had a lot of guys here. We're making good progress.
"Next week we'll have the whole group together at the same time. My sense is we'll have everybody here throughout the four weeks like we have had in the past."
The Colts are scheduled to end summer school on June 12, with 2008 Colts Training Camp at the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology scheduled to begin in late July.
