Tony Dungy should stop talking about Michael Sam

As a self-proclaimed man of virtue, you'd think Tony Dungy would remember the most important of all earthly virtues: knowing when to shut one's pie hole. Alas, when you're paid to offer opinions, there's really no incentive to turn off the old vomit valve.

A day after his Michael Sam "distraction" comments underscored just what a hypocrite he was, Dungy issued a statement.

First, there's a timing issue with the "distraction" quote and Dungy's subsequent statement:

"I was asked whether I would have drafted Michael Sam and I answered that I would not have drafted him. I gave my honest answer, which is that I felt drafting him would bring much distraction to the team. At the time of my interview, the Oprah Winfrey reality show that was going to chronicle Michael's first season had been announced."

Dungy surely is aware, being a national NFL talking head, that Michael Sam's reality show was nixed on May 16, less than a week after he was drafted by the Rams. Dungy said in the opening graph of his statement that he gave the interview "a few weeks ago." Hmmm ...

Fortunately, the coach clarified:

"What I was asked about was my philosophy of drafting, a philosophy that was developed over the years, which was to minimize distractions for my teams."

OK, but ...

"I do not believe Michael's sexual orientation will be a distraction to his teammates or his organization."

So, does he or does he not think Sam will be a distraction? Remember, this is the same guy who said that the NFL should give Michael Vick a chance (and he was right about that), but does he not remember what kind of media circus that turned into when Vick came back to the NFL after his prison stint?

This is the NFL. The media that covers professional football makes a big deal out of EVERYTHING, no matter how meaningless or small it seems. Even Tim Tebow's name has been in the news over the last 12 hours. EVERYTHING is a potential distraction in the NFL.

But here's the best part of Dungy's statement:

"I do, however, believe that the media attention that comes with it will be a distraction. Unfortunately we are all seeing this play out now, and I feel badly that my remarks played a role in the distraction."

And who made it a distraction in the media? Oh, that's right TONY DUNGY DID.

In short, Tony Dungy is sorry that he made Michael Sam a distraction with his comments, especially since it proves his point that Michael Sam is a distraction because doddering old fools in the media keep making him a distraction.

Doesn't Dungy have tape to grind? Something else to do? Anything?