Posing for photos Friday alongside the Lombardi Trophy, Tony Dungy wore a blue suit and slight smile. His friend and Super Bowl foe Lovie Smith wore a grey suit and his game face.

Kickoff was only 57 hours away.

A new wrinkle in the Super Bowl week routine, added months ago, briefly brought the coaches together during their morning news conferences. It's believed to be the first time coaches have posed with the championship trophy before the game.

As it turns out, the pictures will commemorate the Super Bowl's first black head coaches _ who also happen to be close friends. Dungy coaches the Indianapolis Colts, while his protege coaches the Chicago Bears.

When the photo session ended, they shook hands and hugged, and Smith departed.

``It's a proud moment for me, an awesome moment,'' Dungy said, ``not only because of what that symbolized for African-American people and African-American coaches, but more than that because of who I was standing with.''

Their relationship dates to 1996, when Dungy hired Smith to coach linebackers for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They have been the lead story all week, discussing daily the laid-back demeanor and Christian faith they share, as well as their groundbreaking achievement.

Like Dungy, Smith was pleased to pose with his friend _ a genial moment before the biggest game of their careers.

``This is a different week,'' Smith said. ``We have two black head coaches leading our teams. We're doing things a little bit differently. You can respect an opponent and have a relationship with them before and after the game. That's how we're doing it.''

They've crossed paths at several functions this week, but may not see each other again until Sunday. Indianapolis is playing in its first Super Bowl, while the Bears seek their first NFL title since the last time they reached the game 21 years ago.

During their final pre-game media session, the coaches answered questions posed by reporters from such exotic locales as France, Germany, Hungary and Tyler, Texas. Smith recalled growing up in Big Sandy, Texas, where he led the Wildcats to three consecutive state championships _ and envisioned taking part in the Super Bowl.

``At Big Sandy, we won just about every game,'' Smith said. ``It helps you to picture winning wherever you are. You wanted to end up here. This is where the true champion is crowned.''

The coaches face contrasting challenges Sunday. Dungy goes into the game with the sport's most prolific passer, Peyton Manning, seeking at age 30 to fill out his remarkable resume with a ring.

Amid the Super Bowl hoopla, Manning has managed to prepare with his characteristic diligence, Dungy said.

``I don't think he looks at it as a do-or-die moment,'' Dungy said. ``He's pretty much the same guy I've seen for the last five years.''

Smith must try to coax a steady performance out of his erratic young quarterback, Rex Grossman.

``On a personal level, I'm pulling for him,'' Smith said. ``Rex has to play a certain way to win. He has answered quite a few questions as far as criticism. We've kind of hit that two million times this week.''

Both teams have tried to stick with their standard routine as much as possible. Dungy parted from the norm by inviting a guest speaker to address the team, something he has done only a couple of times previously with the Colts.

Two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves was to talk to the Colts on Friday night.

``Helio and I have become good friends,'' Dungy said. ``He let me in his pit when they were getting ready for the 500. That's a big stage, the Super Bowl of their sport. I want him to address the team a little bit about what it means to win the biggest game in your sport. He's also a big Colts fan, so it'll be a win-win situation for us.''

Smith decided against a guest speaker. He anticipates his own pre-game talk will be enough.

``I waited a long time for this day,'' he said. ``Normally almost a year in advance you start going over speeches you would give in situations like this.

``I know what I'm going to say. I can't wait to say it. Of course I'm not going to tell you what I'm going to say, but we do have something in mind.''