When Mike Carey officiates Super Bowl XLII on Sunday, he will become the first black referee to work the Super Bowl. It’s a minor milestone, but it has seemed that in the past few years, the NFL has moved beyond such milestones. I think the media presented last year’s Super Bowl, with the first black coach to win one, as more of a big deal than the league and its players did. It was an important milestone, but not really surprising, not at this level at least.

What’s cool about Carey refereeing — his distinct style in announcing penalties. You know how some baseball umpires have a unique way of calling strikes and out? Along those same lines, Carey’s arm comes across is body when he points at the side that committed the penalty. It’s tough to explain without actually seeing it, but the extra little flare is a step up from refs who just point nondescriptly to one side. So that should be more of a milestone Sunday — Carey won’t be dull when he’s calling pass interference against the Giants.