'Historic day' most special for Smith

Bears coach Lovie Smith had a bit more pep in his step at Wednesday afternoon's news conference.

"Historic day like we have today, first black president, and I get a chance to hang out with you guys," Smith said. "It doesn't get much better than that."

Barack Obama's victory had a lot more to do with Smith's good mood than another session with the media.

"When you grow up, you always hear you can be anything you want to be, but you need a visual sometimes to see that," Smith said. "Now we have it. The most powerful man, period, is black.

"So young kids coming up today, now they really do know you can be anything you want to be. You think about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., his dream of some day seeing someone like Barack in this position.

Smith said he was moved when the outcome became evident.

"When you have a first like that, you don't know exactly how to act because you've never been in that situation," he said. "But to say that you have a black man that is the President of the United States - talk about the land of opportunity."

Smith said he appreciates Obama for more than his politics.

"One of them is that he's a big Chicago Bears fan," he said. "(There's a) standing invitation for him to come out here any time."