Between now and the 41st Super Bowl, there will be many stories and columns written, many broadcast opinions aired, and many blogs devoted to the significance of two black head coaches competing in America’s most prominent single-day sporting event.

When I see Tony Dungy and Lovie Smith, I see class, intelligence, grace and exemplary leadership. I don’t really see race, so after this column I’ll be happy to step aside and defer to others to put the achievement in the proper sociological and cultural context.

By pouncing on the symbolism of Dungy vs. Smith, observers are missing other, and truer, indications of progress by black NFL coaches.

There are three:

Black coaches are being recycled, just as the white coaches are.

White coaches bounced from job to job and grabbed the openings that could have gone to other, younger and more inexperienced candidates, including minorities who hoped for a shot. And that was a familiar complaint: The good ol’ boy system delivered the likes of hopelessly mediocre Wade Phillips into NFL head-coaching gigs and limited opportunities for others. But now black head coaches are gaining parity with, well, Wade Phillips. Losing jobs and receiving second chances.

Examples? Dennis Green, Art Shell, Ray Rhodes, Herman Edwards and Dungy have all been head coaches for multiple NFL teams. When the recycling bin features coaches of all colors, that’s progress. When older, second-chance black coaches land jobs that could have gone to younger, start-up coaches, that’s actually progress in a roundabout way.

The whiz kid

In the past, NFL teams didn’t hesitate to give head-coaching jobs to young, untried white coaches. There have been successes (including Chuck Noll, John Madden and Jon Gruden) and there have been failures (including David Shula). But in choosing a new head coach, the Steelers hired Mike Tomlin, 34, who is black. The last time Steelers owner Dan Rooney needed a coach, he gambled on a largely obscure 34-year-old white guy, Bill Cowher. For his next hire, Rooney put his faith in the largely obscure Tomlin.

The coaching tree

Top NFL coaches have developed other good coaches as assistants. Some quick examples include Bill Walsh, whose family coaching tree produced Mike Holmgren. Joe Gibbs came from the Don Coryell coaching tree. Bill Belichick was trained by Bill Parcells. And so on. Dungy has a strong tree growing. Dungy gave Lovie Smith a start in the NFL as linebackers coach for the Buccaneers. Herm Edwards was a Dungy assistant from 1996 to 2000. Tomlin got his NFL start in 2001 under Dungy as the Bucs’ defensive back coach. Lions head coach Rod Marinelli broke into the NFL in 1996 when Dungy hired him to coach the Bucs’ defensive line.

Smith could be growing his own tree. Assistant Perry Fewell was the Bills’ defensive coordinator this season and has head-coach potential. The message? Black head coaches not only are winning, but also they are influential.

Finally, here’s why this middle-aged Polish-American columnist is happy to see Dungy lead his Colts, and Smith lead his Bears, into the Super Bowl: They’re gentlemen. Maybe NFL owners will see they don’t have to hire uptight, mean-spirited, control-freak dictators to win games.

Dungy and Smith show it’s possible to win with class, to win without berating and intimidating and humiliating others. They epitomize positive, constructive leadership.

A Dungy vs. Smith Super Bowl represents an increasingly rare triumph for civility in professional sports.