Two black coaches in the Super Bowl...

A big deal was made of this especially when I saw the conclusion of the AFC championship game last night. I just must say that was a game that was worth watching unlike many of the Super Bowls I have watched over time. And I have no doubt that Dungy deserves to be in this year's Super Bowl.

And Lovie Smith. When the Bears fired Dick Jauron I just assumed that they can get a proven winner then they settled on Smith. I imagine he was the Bears' first black coach, but it doesn't matter much to me. It matters more that he was a good coach.

Hasn't it been a long time since the Bears managed to get two consecutive playoff appearances. I can count that many before the 2005 season. One in the Dave Wanstaedt era and the other during the Jauron era (and many called that season a fluke, the season they played in Champaign-Urbana because of the work at Soldier Field). Looking at Lovie Smith's record he has certainly made it to the top this time.

And Tom Dungy. Well the Colts wasn't his first head coaching assignment. It was actually the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He was fired from them in 2001 because the Bucs' management had determined that in conservative offense was to inconsisten against NFL teams. But as coach of the Bucs' they made more playoff appearances and even made it to the NFC championship game in 1999.

So I just want to say one thing. Two black coaches in the Super Bowl to me are minor accomplishments. I'm not going to look at Smith and Dungy as black coaches but as coaches who led their teams to the Super Bowl. Of course only one will be carry home the Vince Lombardi Trophy. And I can always look at it this way, black coaches have come a long way since being led the way by Art Shell of the Oakland (Los Angeles) Raiders.

Right now it matters less to me that both coaches are black. It matters that one of these teams are going to win and that I sincerely hope that this will be a great contest along the lines of, for instance, Colts & Patriots. I wish Dungy and Smith will and I hope Chicago goes all the way.

BTW, I was going to do a post about the Bears championship history and eventually I intend to post a history of the Super Bowl. I'm still working on the Bears championship history but the Super Bowl post is for the most part ready to go, but I'm going to wait a little while. It could be close to Super Bowl weekend or maybe tomorrow or perhaps a week before the Super Bowl. Either way it will be posted.

And check out my Bears post over at My Mind's Eye. Enjoy the Bears fight song, the lyrics, audio, and the Super Bowl Shuffle.

AFC Championship Game
NFC Championship Game