Media Day under the Microscope

Super Bowl Media Day: the one day out of the year where every kook, clown, and crazy person gets 60 minutes to ask anything they want to whomever they want at the Super Bowl.  Media Day over the years has transcended the game itself into an event less focused on the players, coaches, and game, and more on the people asking the questions themselves.  Questions asked of players range from X's and O's, to hot first dates, to the players' opinions on male supermodels, Justin Bieber or Lady Gaga, and even the occasional marriage proposal.  There was also, of course, the infamous "Doug (Williams), it's obvious you've been a black quarterback your whole life" disaster before Super Bowl XXII (often incorrectly quoted as Butch John asking "how long have you been a black quarterback?").  Correspondents have included Tom Arnold, Gilbert Gottfried, some woman from El Azteca TV in a wedding dress, and often the players themselves.  How do these people get credentials?  What are the standards of getting credentials?  There do not appear to be any, actually.  So why am I covering media day from a computer?  For your entertainment...that's why.  That's all Media Day is, folks: pure, uncensored entertainment.  So let's entertain ourselves!  Here's a cool Youtube from TSN (in Canada) of some of the more...shall we say...bizarre moments of Super Bowl Media Day over the years.

Here is a link to some of the more precious "gems" in the storied lore of media day.

Let's take a look at some of the high (low?) lights from this year's Media Day extravaganza at JerryWorld. 

-James Harrison was peppered with questions regarding his reputation as a hard hitter, having been charged $125,000 in fines this season.  For some time he briefly considered retirement, feeling he was "singled out" by the NFL due to his aggressive tackling style.  At his media session today, he unveiled his...uh...plan for making sure he avoids fines during the Super Bowl

-She's baaaaaaaaaaaack.  Remember Ines Sainz, the TV Azteca reporter (them again?) who accused players in the Jets' locker room of giving her...ummmm...suggestive looks while attempting to interview Mark Sanchez?  Well, evidently her less than professional locker room reports did not stop her from stealing the show at Media Day, where she was the one answering the questions instead of giving them.  Gotta love "futbol americano."

-A lot of the talk leading up to Media Day this year was about whether or not Ben Roethlisberger would be peppered with questions about his escapades this past summer in Georgia where he was charged (and then had the charges dropped) with rape.  Ray Lewis fielded a similar line of questioning following his stint in a courtroom where he avoided a murder charge by pleading down to a misdemeanor weapons count (see the video above, it's #2 on the countdown).  For the most part, it seems as if the throng essentially let Big Ben off the hook, although he did duck a few questions about his past transgressions.  Not everyone gave him a free pass.  Although it is sure easier to do that when you don't have to avoid talking about the past to Congress.

-In the battle of who's got the better barber shop, we all know Troy Polamalu's signature doo.  He was kind enough to let some of his teammates give it a wear for good luck.  Take a look.   

Troy would like to thank his sponsors at Head and Shoulders, but I digress.  Not to be outdone, Clay Matthews allowed one reporter (female of course) to get a little up close and personal with his golden locks.  Who's got the better hair...or shampoo?  I'll let you be the judge. 

-Oh, Deion Sanders, it had to be you, didn't it?  Aaron Rodgers was probably prepared for the Brett Favre comparison questions, but probably from the likes of Peter King, Florio, or Dr. Z.  Of course, "Prime Time" wouldn't be "Prime Time" if he didn't get the initial dig in.

-Players were mixed in their handling of the CBA negotiations when that subject was broached.  Some players like Hines Ward and Ryan Clark were not at all afraid to bring it up, Ward going so far as to say that it is the most important thing that should be getting discussed.  It seemed like the Steelers were much more willing to broach the subject than the Packers were.  Union reps Aaron Rodgers and Charles Woodson refused to field questions about the going labor strife.  Meanwhile, behind the scenes (but not really because is anything really behind the scenes anymore when it comes to the CBA talks?), a "Special Master" (whatever that is) ruled that the owners do not have to escrow the $4 billion they would receive from TV contracts for the 2011 season.  The players were awarded $7 million in damages because the owners did not negotiate them in good faith.  Let's see 4 billion minus 7 million is still 3.993 billion left for the owners.  How the players can claim a "victory" in that is beyond me, but hey, whatever gets good press right?  It is media day after all. 

-In a related note, the league and the union will hold their first formal bargaining session in Dallas on Saturday, their first since November.  Stranger things have happened.......

-In another related story, the Packers did show up to media day (honest!), although it definitely seemed like they just tried to keep their focus on the game.  You could tell that this was not the Steelers' first trip to this rodeo (their 3rd in 6 years).  The Packers I think were just content enough to take it all in, counting the seconds untl their 1 hour in the frying pan was up.  This is all I could find from ESPN about their Media Day session.   

There you have it folks, one hour of sports quasi-journalism all neatly summarized into one farsical blog post.  'Till next year.............