Super coaches

Watching a lot of the Super Bowl coverage lately as a lifelong sports fan, I’ve been thinking…what are the odds? Yes, of the great Bears and Peyton Manning finally winding up there in the championship match. But I’m also wondering what the likelihood is of two men of such great character as Lovie Smith and Tony Dungy winding up coaching the two top teams.

In competitive sports, they are inspiring role models. Congress even agrees with that.

We honor the achievements of these coaches that were earned through hard work, dedication, bravery and the sacrifice of their families to attain the perch of the Super Bowl.  We thank the individual team owners who were smart and brave enough to look at the intelligence, character, and talent of these two gentlemen and other individuals, not just the color of their skin. For the first time, African American children can look up and not only see African American players, but also African American coaches, thinking about strategy, implementing innovative offenses, and analyzing schemes while working the sidelines at what is arguably America’s biggest sporting event.

Sounds like it was worded by somebody in Congress, true, and someone who wanted to point out this achievement of two black coaches. But I want to repeat that it’s the content of their characters that stand out most to me, and that’s what inspires a lot of Americans.

And by the way, it’s time to lay off Rex Grossman and show him the support Lovie Smith has shown him all along. In the circus atmosphere surrounding the big event all week, the media frenzy got ridiculous and so did some of the questions. Grossman is good-natured, but he showed he’s got limits, too. Especially with a media that have dogged him all season. At one point, the Bears’ QB finally shook his head and said he expected them to do their research better. Or something like that…