Miami – The Super Bowl hype has started, and the Indianapolis Colts are a day behind.
The Bears are in town and couldn’t be happier to be the center of the Super Bowl world – even if it’s only for a day. As far as Chicago coach Lovie Smith is concerned, the Bears are right on time.
“We got here as early as possible,” Smith said Sunday in the first of countless media opportunities this week. “It was cold and snowy when we left Chicago, and we are happy to be here. Our guys were rushing to get off the plane. They can’t wait to practice (today).”
While Smith and his Bears were eager to end their 21-year Super Bowl drought by getting to South Florida as quickly as possible, the Colts are on the other side of the preparation spectrum.
Tony Dungy isn’t bringing the Colts, making their first Super Bowl trip since moving to Indianapolis in 1984, into the Super Bowl fish bowl until tonight – after a 90-minute workout at their home facility. In a week in which controversies are made out of innocent comments and minor coaching decisions, Dungy’s decision to break Super Bowl tradition is the first of what are sure to be many minor firestorms.
Get used to it, perhaps. If Peyton Manning brings the hammer to Chicago, coaches of future Super Bowl might follow Dungy’s lead.
But while the late arrival works for his mentor in Tampa Bay, Smith is an early-arrival man.
“We just want to set up everything and get used to it,” Smith said. “We want to make this as normal as possible.”
Smith and Dungy are similar in one approach, though. They are locking their players down. While NFL players from around the county are swarming to South Beach for one Super Bowl soirée after another, the Bears and Colts are going to have to wait to have their fun.
Smith said he allowed his players the night off Sunday, but there will be a curfew every night of the week starting today. Dungy has indicated the Colts will be on curfew starting Tuesday night. Bears rookie Devin Hester – from the University of Miami and a South Florida native – said he has told his teammates not to even worry about trying to hit South Beach because of Smith’s midnight curfew.
“Nothing opens until 1 a.m. anyway,” Hester said with a laugh.
Smith said when the Bears’ plane landed the focus was on a single goal.
“We are not going to be happy until we hoist (the Lombardi Trophy) over our head,” Smith said. “That’s why we came here.”
Still, Smith knows talk of his team rejoicing under the shine of Lombardi’s legacy is difficult for some to comprehend. Manning and the high-flying Colts are favored by seven points – partly because they are housed in the powerful AFC, partly because they have Manning, partly because they have Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne, partly because the Bears’ quarterback is the maligned Rex Grossman, partly because stars Mike Brown and Tommie Harris are injured and missing from the Chicago defense.
Adorned on the halls of the team’s hotel near the Miami airport are signs that implore the Bears to “finish.” Smith said it carries over from last season when the team blew a home playoff game to Carolina. The Bears are here for business. And they don’t mind carrying the underdog card.
“It gives us a chip on our shoulder,” Hester said.
Indeed, the Bears were getting chippy after being part of the Super Bowl for just a few hours. “I’m not into all of this,” Chicago Pro Bowl center Olin Kreutz said. “I’m just here to play football.”
That’s what you get for coming to town first.
Lynch up for award
Broncos safety John Lynch will arrive Friday to attend a variety of events, most notably the presentation of the Bart Starr Award that will be announced Saturday. Lynch, Manning and Atlanta running back Warrick Dunn are the three finalists for the honor that is given annually to the player who exemplifies outstanding character and leadership in the home, field and community.
SUPER BOWL XLI
Chicago vs. Indy: 4:25 p.m. Sunday
Staff writer Mike Klis contributed to this report.
