AMERICAN FOOTBALL:The Chicago Bears and Indianapolis Colts will meet tomorrow in Super Bowl XLI, the first final to feature two black coaches.

Lovie Smith became the first black coach to reach the Super Bowl when the Bears beat the New Orleans Saints, 39-14, in the NFC championship game on January 21st.

Hours later, Tony Dungy joined his close friend when the Colts rallied to beat the New England Patriots, 38-34, in the AFC championship game.

Now Smith or Dungy will become the first black coach to lift the Vince Lombardi Trophy in Miami this weekend.

"The ultimate respect you get is when you hold up the championship trophy," said Smith, who worked as a linebackers coach under Dungy with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1996 to 2000.

The landmark game in American sports will also feature Peyton Manning, the most prolific quarterback of the decade, and Brian Urlacher, a six-time Pro Bowl linebacker.

Not to mention Marvin Harrison, one of only four players in NFL history with more than 1,000 receptions, and Adam Vinatieri, who has two Super Bowl-winning field goals on his resume.

Dungy played on a Super Bowl-winning team with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1978, but had never been to one in 15 years as an assistant coach and 10 years as a coach.

He has been to the play-offs for eight straight seasons - three with Tampa Bay and five with Indianapolis. Dungy lost in the NFC title game in 1999 with Tampa Bay and in the AFC championship game in 2003.

And the game could be a career-defining one for Manning, who can once and for all shake the sniggers that he could never win the big game should the Colts notch their first title since 1971.

Manning (30) has amassed enough individual honours, including two NFL MVP awards and seven Pro Bowl selections, to ensure a spot in the Hall of Fame.

However, he needs a title to crown his career.

"This is not a personal mission or a personal goal for any of these players," said Manning. "It's a team goal. The way you do it is together and as a team."

The Colts defence stepped up in their first two play-off wins against rushing-minded Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens. Against the vaunted New England Patriots, Manning rallied them from a 21-3 deficit to a 38-34 AFC title triumph.

The classic clash of irresistible force and immovable object gets under way at 11.25pm Irish time. (Live on UTV and Sky Sports 1).