A day in the life of Lovie
MIAMI -- Lovie Smith wanted to treat every day leading up to the Super Bowl as if it were just another day during the regular season, but when Smith woke up Sunday, it wasn't just another day.
It was a day that would be remembered in NFL history as the one that featured an African-American coach winning the Super Bowl for the first time as Smith's Bears battled Tony Dungy's Indianapolis Colts.
In Big Sandy, Texas, it would be remembered as the day the city's favorite son would put the small town on the map.
(Tom Cruze/Sun-Times)
7:30-11 a.m. -- Smith, his staff and the players meet downstairs in the team hotel -- the Airport Hilton -- for breakfast. There's tight security at the hotel and at all sites associated with the Super Bowl.
Noon -- The team gathers for lunch at the hotel.
1:30 p.m. -- Smith, a deeply religious man, and the team head to chapel. Smith and Dungy share their religious beliefs at every opportunity.
''My relationship, first, is with Jesus Christ, and he is the center of my life,'' Smith said recently. ''I try to live a Christian life. I would like for [players] to know my faith is based on what they see on a day-to-day basis.''
3 p.m. -- The team bus leaves the hotel and heads to Dolphin Stadium with a police escort.
3:45 -- The bus arrives at the stadium. Traffic was intense around the stadium; media buses were delayed up to an hour.
5 p.m. -- Smith does his one pregame interview with CBS.
''We tried to stay with our same routine,'' he said. ''There's not a lot that goes on right before the game.
''We've gone over the final details and things like that. Now we're just anxious to let the guys play.''
Smith was asked last week if he planned to have a guest motivational speaker address the team before the game.
''I'll cut you off right there,'' Smith told the reporter. ''We're winners, we go through the same routine. I don't really bring in a lot of outside people. We have coaches, we have players, and that's the way we do things. So we won't be doing that.''
6:10 p.m. -- As Billy Joel sings the national anthem, Smith's face is displayed on the huge scoreboard video screen. The huge pro-Bears crowd lets out a roar, causing Smith to sneak a peek at the screen. His expression doesn't change when he realizes the crowd is clapping for him.
7:15 p.m. -- The first quarter ends with the Bears leading 14-6.
7:45 p.m. -- The Colts lead 16-14 and are driving when the two-minute warning stops play. Smith walks out on the field, clapping and trying to make sure his defenders don't get discouraged.
8 p.m. -- It's halftime, and Smith is escorted off the field by CBS reporter Solomon Wilcots.
9:45 p.m. -- Fans are leaving. Indy leads 29-17 with 5:10 left in the fourth quarter. Bears go for it on fourth down and are stopped. Smith must know now his dream will fall short.
10 p.m. -- The Colts win 29-17. Smith embraces Dungy and walks off the field.
''I just told Lovie how proud I was of this whole moment,'' Dungy said. ''They're going to get their championship soon. It was our day, but they're a great organization, and he's done a tremendous job.''
10:20 p.m. -- Smith is in the Bears' dressing room, doing a radio interview and trying to put a positive spin on the evening.
''There are bright things coming up for us,'' he said. ''We have to acknowledge the amount of progress we've made.''
Smith's already looking ahead.