PRINTER'S NO. 368
No. 69 Session of 2007
INTRODUCED BY WILLIAMS, BELFANTI, BISHOP, CALTAGIRONE, CLYMER, CONKLIN, COSTA, CREIGHTON, DePASQUALE, DERMODY, DONATUCCI, EACHUS, FABRIZIO, FREEMAN, GEORGE, GERBER, GIBBONS, GRUCELA, HARHAI, HERSHEY, JAMES, KIRKLAND, MANDERINO, MANN, MANTZ, McILHATTAN, MELIO, MUNDY, MYERS, O'NEILL, PALLONE, PARKER, PETRI, PETRONE, PHILLIPS, RAMALEY, READSHAW, REICHLEY, ROEBUCK, SAINATO, SANTONI, SAYLOR, SCAVELLO, SIPTROTH, STABACK, STURLA, THOMAS, WANSACZ, WATERS, YOUNGBLOOD, SONNEY AND BENNINGHOFF, FEBRUARY 9, 2007
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35, FEBRUARY 9, 2007
A RESOLUTION 1 Extending heartfelt congratulations to Head Coach Tony Dungy and 2 Head Coach Lovie Smith for being the first African-American 3 head coaches to compete in the Super Bowl. 4 WHEREAS, There were only 14 African-American assistant 5 coaches in the National Football League (NFL) in 1980; and 6 WHEREAS, Art Shell became the NFL's first African-American 7 head coach in 1989 as the coach of the Los Angeles Raiders; and 8 WHEREAS, In 2006 the NFL had a record seven African-American 9 head coaches as well as seven assistant coaches; and 10 WHEREAS, Tony Dungy of the Indianapolis Colts (American 11 Football Conference) and Lovie Smith of the Chicago Bears 12 (National Football Conference) have become the first two 13 African-American head coaches to lead their respective teams to 14 conference title championships in the same season; and
1 WHEREAS, People of all races and cultures are celebrating 2 this breaking of barriers in February 2007 during Super Bowl 3 XLI; and 4 WHEREAS, Super Bowl XLI is recognized not just as a contest 5 of athletic ability, but as a unique opportunity for this 6 historic milestone; and 7 WHEREAS, Super Bowl XLI reflected the progress and history of 8 our country and our Commonwealth as we witnessed the first two 9 African-American head coaches participate in the nation's 10 largest single sporting event; and 11 WHEREAS, Head Coach Tony Dungy and Head Coach Lovie Smith 12 have paved the way for minorities everywhere through their 13 leadership during Super Bowl XLI, which forever honors the 14 organizations of the Indianapolis Colts and the Chicago Bears; 15 therefore be it 16 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 17 Commonwealth of Pennsylvania extend heartfelt congratulations to 18 Head Coaches Tony Dungy and Lovie Smith for being the first 19 African-American head coaches to compete in the Super Bowl. B7L82JKL/20070H0069R0368 - 2 -