Been there, done that kinda history
God bless Lovie Smith and Tony Dungy for being the first two black head coaches to make it to a Super Bowl. One of them will end up as the first to actually win the big game.
And they can say they're the second to actually win a pro football championship.
Back in 2002, Darren Arbet (pictured) coached the Arena Football League's San Jose SaberCats to the largest victory in league history, 52-14, over Arizona in ArenaBowl XVI. That made Arbet the first black to win a pro football title in this country. Two seasons later, Arbet's 'Cats beat Arizona again, 69-62, in ArenaBowl XVIII.
What does Arbet think of the accomplishments of Smith and Dungy?
"They are two quality men and excellent football coaches," Arbet said through an AFL spokesman. "They both deserve what they earned this season. They are both motivators and teachers and enjoy the game.
"Minority coaches are more prevalent in all sports today, so this was going to happen eventually. I think the media is making a bigger issue out of this than the coaches themselves. Lovie and Tony are just quality football coaches who happen to be African-American."
We second that.