Yes, it matters that the Super Bowl will feature two African-American head coaches for the first time.
It matters because Tony Dungy of Indianapolis and Chicago's Lovie Smith are helping to create even more long overdue opportunities for minorities. Winning has a way of catching the attention of NFL owners. It's no coincidence that Pittsburgh is about to name Mike Tomlin as its new head coach. Tomlin also comes from the sprouting Dungy coaching tree and he's an African-American candidate who beat out a "Pittsburgh guy" in Russ Grimm for the Steelers job.
There are some Wisconsin story angles to the progress of minority coaches. The NFL's African-American coaching pioneer Fritz Pollard coached the Milwaukee Badgers in 1922. Lovie Smith was a Badgers assistant coach in 1987. And Mike Holmgren helped the move the ball downfield by naming Sherm Lewis and Ray Rhodes as Packers coordinators in 1992. Rhodes eventually became a head coach with the Eagles and Packers. While his Green Bay head coaching tenure was ill-fated, Rhodes was an NFL Coach of the Year in Philadelphia.
It's been a bittersweet month for two guys who helped Dungy and Smith get where they are. Art Shell and Dennis Green were fired from their coaching jobs with Oakland and Arizona, respectively. But their earlier successes were important in leading to opportunities for others. Dungy was a Green assistant in Minnesota before getting the Tampa Bay job. Dungy later hired Smith as a Bucs assistant.
There will be some who will say that the African-American coaching angle will be overplayed for the next two weeks. Not Dungy and Smith, however. They realize the significance and have every right to be proud. It's about having a fair chance for an opportunity and then taking advantage. Yes, it's a story that they're the first. It's also about using the platform to make sure they're not the last.
Other Notes: This will be only the third All-Midwest Super Bowl. Green Bay defeated Kansas City in Super Bowl I and the Chiefs beat Minnesota in Super Bowl IV ... The last time the Bears were in the Super Bowl, their radio announcer was current Packers voice Wayne Larrivee. The last time the Colts were in the Super Bowl, their announcer was former Packers play-by-play man Ted Moore.
Dennis Krause joined OnMilwaukee.com as a contributor on June 16, 2006. He is a two-time Wisconsin Sportscaster of the Year and a regional Emmy-award winner. Dennis has been the color analyst on home games for the Milwaukee Bucks Radio Network for the last 10 years. He has also been involved with the Green Bay Packers Radio Network for 16 years and is currently the host of the "Packers Game Day" pre-game show.
Dennis started his broadcasting career as a radio air personality in the Fox Valley and Milwaukee.
He spent three years as a sportscaster at WMBD radio and television in Peoria, Illinois before joining WTMJ-TV in Milwaukee in 1987 as a weekend sports anchor. Dennis spent 16 years at Channel 4, serving as its Sports Director and 5 and 6 pm sports anchor from 1994-2003.
Dennis grew up in Hartford, Wisconsin and attended UW-Oshkosh. He lives in Thiensville with his wife and two children. He serves as the Community Resource Director for the Mequon-Thiensville School District.
