Longing for the day when this will not matter

Black Super Bowl coaches make history
POSTED: 11:52 a.m. EST, January 22, 2007

(AP) -- Two good friends who happen to be NFL coaches are already front-and-center in this Super Bowl, and kickoff is still two weeks away.

Lovie Smith became the first black head coach to make it all the way to the NFL's marquee game when his Chicago Bears won the NFC championship on Sunday.

About four hours later, his pal and mentor, Tony Dungy, joined him there when his Indianapolis Colts took the AFC title.

For the first time in the big game's 41-year history, not one but two black head coaches will be on the sidelines.

"It means a lot," Dungy said after a 38-34 victory over the New England Patriots. "I'm very proud to represent African-American coaches."

Las Vegas oddsmakers installed Indianapolis as a one-touchdown favorite in the Super Bowl on February 4 at Miami's Dolphin Stadium.

Smith earned his trip when the Bears (15-3) beat the New Orleans Saints 39-14.

"I'll feel even better to be the first black coach to hold up the world championship trophy," Smith said.

It won't be easy, though, especially the way Peyton Manning and the Colts (15-4) are playing.

Manning has been dogged for years by critics who said his greatness was diminished by the fact he couldn't win a big game. After leading his team back from an 18-point deficit, the Colts quarterback finally has the chance -- on football's biggest stage.

"It sounds good," a beaming Manning said. "It really does."

Smith and Dungy are breaking new ground for black coaches in the league, much like Washington's Doug Williams did for black quarterbacks in the 1988 Super Bowl.

"Being the first black coach to lead this team, of course our players knew about it, and they wanted to help us make history," Smith said. "So I feel blessed to be in that position."

Smith was one of Dungy's assistants when the two were with Tampa Bay from 1996-2000, and they established a friendship that has grown in the years since. Now, the two buddies will go to the Super Bowl -- with the chance to win a championship.

"We have to play someone, and, in my perfect world, I would like to see the Colts be that team," Smith said after the Bears won. "Tony Dungy has done an awful lot for our game. He hasn't had a chance to coach in the Super Bowl. I would love to see it."

Now everyone will get that chance.

When Dungy started in Tampa, there were just three black head coaches in the NFL.

This season, there were seven. Now, there will be two in the Super Bowl.

"Any time you're the first person to do anything, regardless of your race or anything like that, it's special," Bears running back Thomas Jones said.

Chicago will play for the NFL title for the first time since Mike Ditka's Bears shuffled through the regular season and playoffs and routed New England 21 years ago.

This year's Bears team put up one of the league's most impressive records during the regular season. Unlike those dominant '85 Bears, this year's squad was second-guessed nearly all season.

"We've overcome a lot of doubters, but we're here, we made it and it's definitely a great feeling," Jones said.

Whether it was the mediocre play of quarterback Rex Grossman or the sudden vulnerability of its traditionally tenacious defense, few believed the Bears had what it took to get to Miami.

None of that matters now. Not after the Bears made enough big plays on defense and used a steady running game in the sleet and snow of Chicago to beat the Saints.

"This is why we play the game, to get to the Super Bowl and win," All-Pro linebacker Brian Urlacher said. "This overshadows everything."

Manning and the Colts know the feeling. The All-Everything quarterback from one of football's most talented families had two league MVP titles and a handful of records but never even got a shot at a Super Bowl ring.

"It could still be, 'Can he win a Super Bowl?' and then if he does, everyone will shut up," Dungy said.

After beating three-time Super Bowl winner Tom Brady and the Patriots, Manning finally has that chance to silence his critics.

"I don't get into monkeys and vindication," he said. "I don't play that card. I know how hard I worked this season, I know how hard I worked this week. It's always nice when you can take the hard work, put it to use and come away with a win."

Smith and Dungy already have sealed a huge victory for minority coaches, regardless of who brings home a championship.

"I'm happy for both coaches," Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney said. "I hope we get to the point we don't have to hear about it."

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Drives me nuts that this is "news".

[glatt]

Just because it's printed in a newspaper doesn't mean it's newsworthy.

This is not news on so many levels.

[Griff]

When the percentage of black coaches approaches the percentage of black players (including college ball) then we will have the appearance of fairness and the story will go away. The reality is with the sheer number of blacks playing in the league race is a factor right now. Many of the owners are pretty conservative, hiring only guys they are familiar with, which keeps some proven incompetents of both races in their jobs. They need to do a better job of finding talented people.

It looks like the Steelers are going to hire another young coach, Mike Tomlin, the defensive coordinator for the Vikings. He's a black man so we're one hiring closer to race being a non-story. I believe he was hired because Rooney thinks he's the best man for the job and was open-minded enough to interview regardless of race. If you consider that his resume probably looks like Cowhers did when they hired him, it appears that they hired their kind of coach not a quota guy. Now if we hire Obama...

[yesman065]

Originally Posted by glatt

Just because it's printed in a newspaper doesn't mean it's newsworthy.
This is not news on so many levels.

Its only a factor because the media is making it one - that, in my opinion, perpetuates the problem. Oh they're black - well thanks for sharing, So what? like I didn't know that? Does it change the decisions they make on the field - NO - The planning for their games - No - How bout who the draft and who starts for their teams? - NO - They are coaches to me not "black" coaches. Its not a factor to me at all - the last thing of importance to me is their race.

Dude! Right!
They are both black... it is not like "Gee, I wonder if a black coach will win?"
This is not news... it was news in the 70's.
We give race power now by paying attention to it.
I don't care if Obama is a green woman... if he is for getting rid of the Anti-Patriot acts and other things I like, I will vote for em'... that is all that matters.
It is just not news.
Just like what actors do with their spare time or who the screw... all that matters with them is their craft, nothing else.
People need to get a damn life... this coming from a person who spends most of his time in bed, HA! Sad busybodies.

[Happy Monkey]

Whenever a "first" like this is in the news, it is not the real story. The real story is "this didn't happen until now". The day that it will not matter is the day that it has happened already.

And the fact that this "first" is something as watered down as "the first time there are two black coaches in the Superbowl" is a good sign.

Perhaps I'm an ass because I don't care.
I just don't think it is a big deal... so they are black?
Are they good coaches?
What does their being black have to do with that?
I have a good friend who thinks I'm a racist because I don't make an issue of race and am against lowered standards... I think he's a racist & has race-esteem issues. (yes he is black)

[MaggieL]

Originally Posted by rkzenrage

I don't care if Obama is a green woman... if he is for getting rid of the Anti-Patriot acts and other things I like, I will vote for em'... that is all that matters.

What he *is* is a Democrat.

If you vote for him you better hide your guns and report them stolen. The "first 100 hours" are already loaded with stealth gun-grabber bills trying to slam-dunk their way onto the books. If your concern about PATRIOT is privacy, check our what's on the way masquerading as an "improvement" in NICS.

[piercehawkeye45]

I think it is a bigger deal for the black community because they are being represented with two authority figures not just the workhorses that usually represent them. Sure, the white community could care less because it doesn't affect them but I'm sure the black community is very happy about this and this IS news to them.

[Griff]

It only matters in that young black kids will see a broader world of opportunity.We can tell kids all we want that they can do anything but when they can see it, it becomes real. It will be much healthier when these things occur and nobody comments on it, but we're not quite there yet. Like any industry, if the football owners fail to hire the best people regardless of race they will fall behind. That is a much more powerful agent of change than any political nonsense that folks try to use.

[Happy Monkey]

I don't think it's a huge story. But I do think that it's a good thing that it's not a huge story. I look forward to the time when the best "first" story they can find is "the first openly gay black atheist woman to run a yachting club." The more important "firsts" having already happened, of course.

[Elspode]

It is a story in that it has been 60 years since professional sports became integrated, and only now are there enough black head coaches that two could beat the odds and find themselves going head to head in the Super Bowl.

Tony Dungy is something of an icon to the black community, and he should be an icon to professional sports in general. He has long tenure in the NFL, a history of improving flagging teams, and he has mentored a lot of other black coaches who subsequently call him friend, and attribute part of their success to his tutelage. KC's Herm Edwards is one of them, so we hear a lot about Tony here in Chiefs land.

Two black NFL coaches meeting in the Superbowl shouldn't be newsworthy...but it is, if only because there's just no good damn reason why it should have taken this long for that circumstance to occur.

[ferret88]

Originally Posted by rkzenrage

Perhaps I'm an ass because I don't care.
I just don't think it is a big deal... so they are black?
Are they good coaches?
What does their being black have to do with that?

I agree. WHO CARES? Is it really an issue? No. The media is merely browbeating us with something that someone felt might be controversial. This is why I don't watch the "news" much.

[Spexxvet]

I think it's more newsworthy that one of the guys has the same name as Mrs. Howell from Gilligan's Island.

Would it be newsworthy if an NBA team fielded and all-white starting 5?

[yesman065]

Originally Posted by Spexxvet

Would it be newsworthy if an NBA team fielded and all-white starting 5?

The first station to mention it would be blown off the air. That would be (wrongly) considered racist.