About Damn Time!!

Well black folk only had to wait 41 years to see not one, but two black head coaches in the super bowl, but now the wait is over for a black referee to ref the super bowl.

According to Yahoo! sports referee Mike Carey will be the first black american referee...

Story:

Mike Carey to referee Super Bowl, first black to do it

By DAVE GOLDBERG, AP Football Writer
January 18, 2008

AP - Jan 18, 6:10 pm EST
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FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) -- Mike Carey will become the first black referee in Super Bowl history.

Carey, in his 18th year as an official, was notified by the NFL office this week he had the assignment for the Feb. 3 game in Glendale, Ariz. The NFL will not officially announce the assignments until the week of the Super Bowl.

Super Bowl officials are chosen on merit, with the highest ranked at each position getting the assignment. Carey, who runs a skiing accessories company, has been among the NFL's top crew chiefs for a decade and has been a Super Bowl alternate, but has never been the referee.

Black officials have been increasing in number over the years. This season there were 26 on the 17 crews, a single-season high.

They also have been well-represented in the Super Bowl at other officiating spots. Among them was Burl Toler, a former player who worked several early games.