Colts—Winning Stephanie Smith, OP Sports Editor A rainy Super Bowl Sunday brought Tony Dungy, Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts to the top of the NFL with a 29-17 victory of the Chicago Bears on Sunday night. It was confirmation of Manning’s brilliance. The son of a quarterback who never got to the playoffs, Manning has been a star throughout his nine pro seasons with the Colts. It also was a validation of Dungy’s leadership. He helped build Tampa Bay, one of the NFL’s worst franchises, into a contender before being fired after the 2001 season. The next year the Buccaneers won the Super Bowl under Jon Gruden. On Sunday however, it was finally Dungy’s turn at the wheel. As his players hoisted their coach on their shoulders, he switched out his blue Colts cap for a white one that read “NFL champions.” Dungy was carried from the sideline and then lowered so he could share a long embrace and a handshake with Chicago bears head coach, Lovie Smith. Dungy became the first black coach to win the championship, beating Smith in a game that featured the first two black coaches in the Super Bowl. “It feels great. I thought about that as I was on the podium,” Dungy said. “Being the first African American coach to win it I have to dedicate to some guys before me—great coaches I know could have done this if they had got- ten the opportunity. Lovie and I were able to take advantage of it. We certainly weren’t the most qualified.” Dungy’s ring wasn’t the only first. It also was the first really rainy Super Bowl and the first time an opening kickoff was run back for a touchdown, when Bears rookie Devin Hester sped downfield for 92 yards. Hester’s impressive return provided an deapeessive beginning—and a severe shock to the Colts. The local product and only rookie All-Pro this season pumped his arms to excite the crowd before the kickoff, then lifted the fans from their seats with an electrifying run on which he was never touched. After Hester’s opening dagger, Manning tried to force a pass to Marvin Harrison in double coverage and was picked off by Chris Harris to spoil the Colt’s first possession, but the Colts struck back on their next series, converting three third-downs. The final one was the most important as Manning got everything on a long pass to an uncovered Reggie Wayne even though Tank Johnson had his hands on the quarterback. Wayne trotted into the end-zone for a 47 yard score. Leading 16-14 at halftime, the Colts spent half the third quarter with a march to Vinatiert’s 24-yard field goal. Twice on the drive, Manning fell to the ground while throwing, but he completed them. Grossman had it even worse on Chicago’s initial possession of the second half, slipping twice in a row and getting sacked. Thomas Jones, forced to carry the Bears’ entire rushing load when Cedric Benson was hurt in the first half, was Chicago’s best player. But with Grossman ineffective, even inept, all the Bears managed in the second half was Robbie Gould’s 44-yard field goal late in the third. Then the rain ruined three straight plays. Holder Hunter Smith dropped the snap on the extra point and Vinatieri couldn’t make a kick. Then Vinatieri, well aware of who was lurking deep, squibbed the kickoff to tight end Gabe Reid, who fumbled at his 35-yard line, with Tyjuan Hagler recovering for the Colts. But Manning and Addai botched the handoff on the next snap and Chicago’s Mark Anderson recovered the third turnover in the first eight and a half minutes. A fourth giveaway in the opening quarter, by Benson on his first carry before injuring his in the Rain Calendar f Upcoming Games plex gba in Ricca Saturday and Sunday 17 and 18. Feo pore Lice in Gaaninicis place Sn bese Westeninis Bday Sb: 16 — 8:00pm. _ Home game vs. Kwantlen Eagles. Game takes place in New Westminster Saturday Feb. 17 — 8:00pm. knee, didn’t damage Chicago. Vinatieri, who made two Super Bowl-winning kicks for New — England, nailed a 29-yard field goal early in the second. And not since the Buffalo Bills self-destructed with nine turnovers in losing to Dallas 14 years ago had there been so much messiness. The first half was marred by six turnovers, threq for each team. Even football’s most clutch kicker, Adam Vinatieri, missed a chip shot field goz for the Colts, who botched an extra point attempt too. When Bears quarterback Rex Grossman’s wobbly pass was picked off and returned 56 yards for a touchdown by Kelvin Hayden with 11:44 remaining in the fourth quarter it was over. “A frustrating loss,” Grossmai said. “There were definitely opportunities for us to take that game, and we didn’t do it.” “Tt’s hard to put into words,” said Manning, who hit 25-of-38 passes for 247 yards with o touchdown and one interception. “I’m proud to be a part of the team. We stuck together, and won this game for our leader, Tony Dungy.” “Peyton is a tremendous player, a great leader,” Dungy said. “He prepares, he works, does verything you can do to win games and lead your team. If people think he needed to win a Super Bowl, that is just wrong. This guy is a Hall of Fame player and one of the greatest to ever play.” “Tm so proud of our guys,” Dungy said. “We took the hit early with Devin Hester. “We talked about it; it’s going to be a storm. Sometimes you have to work for it. Our guys played s hard and I can’t tell you how proud I am of our group, our organization and our city.” 1 6 THE OTHER PRESS FEBRUARY 15 2007