Super Week!

Ahhhh..... For every NFL beat writer, blogger, and slack jaw reporter that can snag a 'press' pass... there is one special day circled on their Calendar... A day of anticipation... A day more exciting than tiny tots dreaming of a 'toy jackpot' on Christmas morning! Super Bowl Media day IS every sports writer's backyard fantasy to hit the lottery for sound bites, inside angles, and brewing headlines for the horizon.

So far, the Super Bowl Week has been quiet, and I've seen in passing, the media world expressing sentiments and longing for a Rex Ryan press conference right about now (a wet dream for anyone enjoying sensational journalism.) Luckily, Radio Row, Defensive player of the year with locks women pay insane money to have, and a beard Vikings 'dream' of, have kept us in tune and entertained. 

I have to thank Lee Hammer and KNBR 680 radio out of San Francisco, for programming a morning ensemble of witty, quirky, and informative broadcasters... Murph and Mac with their team of producers never disappoint in delivering a story. While everyone who flew to Dallas for Super Week were scurrying through sleet and snow over to the Colossus of a Dome (in the shape of a football no less) for Media Day, our San Francisco station brought two note worthy stories I'd like to share. 

Joe Gibbs was up early on Media Tuesday and was gracious to share his success and failure when he brought the Washington Redskins to the Super Bowl on four occasions. He won 3, and was trounced by Tom Flores and the "Los Angeles" Raiders in Superbowl XVIII 38-9, even though the Redskins were heavily favored.  Murph pointedly asked the Legend of Gridiron (and Nascar) what he felt produced a successful winning outcome versus the loss. Joe was humble and frank in his reply, summing it up as follows: 

During the week riddled with distractions of families and photo ops- 

• keep your team disciplined, focused, and ENFORCE the curfew! 
• Have players appoint a person to oversee activities and manage each entourage for less interruption and stress 

On the three successful Superbowl bids, Coach Gibbs separated his team from family, friends, and DISTRACTIONS the day before the game, having them stay in a separate hotel. The one time Gibbs gave his team a little 'freedom' and did not stick to routine, a quarterback named Plunkett (who ever saw that coming!) and MVP running back, Marcus Allen, ran over them!

Speaking of Los Angeles, Sam Farmer, reporting for the L.A. Times, brought high hopes to the forefront of football fans residing in La-La land. AEG has placed an appealing bid for a 700 million dollar 64,000 seat stadium to be built in Downtown Los Angeles, quaintly named 'Farmers Field'. The city planning committee is excited and beaming at the idea! Question remains, if NFL would relocate a team or.... create a new one? Hmmm... good inquiry, indeed! Slack jaw reporters are quick to suggest potential moves, with a team residing just South off  I-5, San Diego Chargers, a franchise originating from L.A.  Here is a couple articles to wet your whistle: http://articles.latimes.com/2011/jan/31/sports/la-sp-0201-la-nfl-20110201 and http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-aeg-20110202,0,7964050.story

Just down the way from Radio Row, Super Week's chaotic circus frenzy Media Day commenced! Most popular 'Schtick'? The Polomalu Hair piece! Even Green Bay Packers displayed the envious locks!  Yet... I feel a teammate of Polamalu stole the show. We've heard of play-off beards in hockey, 'Rally' beards in baseball (hence Brian Wilson of the World Champion San Francisco Giants and the 'Fear the Beard' campaign), but we haven't appreciated a true fearsome barb (and possibly housing critters of some sort) as the one displayed on the mug of Steelers Defense Lineman Brett Kiesel. He has been an integral part of the Steelers success of shutting down opponents' running game on their rebirth and rise to represent the AFC in Super Bowl XLV! Enjoy this article from the Salt Lake Tribune on a potential wager Brett has with his Alma Matter, BYU, in allowing a little (or alot!) 5 O'clock shadow to roam on Campus ( who would've ever guessed NY Yankees and BYU have something in common... no facial hair allowed) : http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/sports/51168679-75/keisel-beard-bowl-steelers.html.csp 

Finally, a heartwarming piece about our beloved Californian, Aaron Rodgers. Aaron, quite honestly, a refreshing change from the troublesome or 'loud' personalities we've come to know all too well from breaking news stories throughout the years. He's as unassuming as his hometown. Aaron was born in the simple college community of Chico, CA (made famous as being the number one party school by Playboy Magazine in 1986-ummm... don't ask me why I know that.) Aaron is the son of a chiropractor whose understated office decor would never give you any inkling that his son is about to play in the most watched sporting event in 2011. The Principal at his High School, Pleasant Valley, even contemplated taking down a sign displayed on the front lawn congratulating their football hero on his success, "Not wanting to flaunt, or draw any special attention" to their area. Aaron is excited and proud, Chico is excited and proud, Mr. Rodgers (that would be Aaron's dad, not the friendly neighbor on PBS with a caboose named Charlie) is excited and proud! By example, if more could just walk-the-walk.... versus talk-talk-talk! Aaron has made it quite easy for Green Bay fans to have 'short term' memory regarding that 'Other' quarterback... what's his name again??? Oh yeah... that's right! Favre.

San Francisco will never forget the 2005 NFL Draft where 49ers passed on the Golden Bear for (Gulp!) Alex Smith. Aaron may have faced the same fate as Alex, versus the allotted time spent being groomed by one the greatest (and now "Most Hated") quarterbacks, Brett Favre. We will never know.

Finally... One brief request from one woman to EVERYONE! Can we maybe turn the statistics around regarding domestic violence on Super Bowl Sunday??? More cases are reported on this day versus any other time in the year. So... everyone have fun, be safe, and happy!