The week preceding the actual gridiron matchup always has a lot to offer. From awesome player and coach interviews, to Commissioner Goodell’s “State of the League” address, to hi-jinks, Super Bowl LI had an awesome “media week.”
Let’s get down to some of the highlights! First up, the head coaches.
Dan Quinn – Falcons Head Coach
Dan Quinn has been here before. In fact, 3 out of the last 4 years. As Defensive Coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks, Quinn was the key to Seattle’s suffocating defensive win against Denver in Super Bowl XLVIII. Again, the Seahawks put up a fight against the Patriots in Super Bowl XLIX, only to fall inches short.
Quinn talked with reporters about his time in Seattle, but made it clear that his Falcons will have their own identity. “I never wanted to make Atlanta Seattle East or anything like that, I want to make our own Atlanta and that was really important to me,” Quinn said. “So our own philosophy, our own way, our own style of how we do it.”
That’s an important takeaway and the team actually is quite different. The two defenses don’t compare, but neither do the offenses. Atlanta’s air attack is best in the league and will present a uniquely tough challenge for the Patriots.
On what he’s learned from Pete Carroll, Quinn had this to say:
“Pete has given me great advice. Someone once asked me, what’s one thing you could take from there. I said I couldn’t take one thing, but it would be a real model of how you could do it,” … “At the end he said, ‘Hey man, Q, let it rip in your own way.’ And I always remember that topic from him, because I think that is true.”
Dan Quinn is definitely off to a good start with his Atlanta team.
Bill Belichick – Patriots Head Coach
He said nothing.
Just kidding, but kind of not really — what do you expect?
Earlier in the week, we were reminded of the story that Bill Belichick once told new Falcons GM (and former Patriots Director of College Scouting) Thomas Dimitroff that he shouldn’t trade up for Julio Jones because he could get a similar receiver, Jon Baldwin, much later in the draft. When asked about the story, Belichick smiled and replied nostalgically, “I don’t really see any point in going back over that conversation. It was a long time ago and it doesn’t really have any application to what’s going to happen Sunday.”
On Julio Jones, Belichick said, “I think I’ve said many times, Julio Jones is a tremendous player. He does everything well, plus he brings a toughness to that position that I would say is extremely high.”
Belichick spoke briefly about his job satisfaction. “I don’t really see it as work. It actually beats working,” Belichick said. “You get to do what you love to do dealing with a lot of great people. I have a great staff. Players work hard and are very cooperative and compliant. They have a great attitude about teamwork, playing unselfishly and working unselfishly. Really doesn’t feel like work.” Owner Robert Kraft said of Belichick’s remaining tenure in New England, “We have a pact that we don’t talk about that,” Kraft said, via Mark Maske of the Washington Post. “He knows and I know. But he won’t be done this year.”
Belichick predictably didn’t give much insight into how he thinks about his legacy either. “I really don’t think about any of that,” Belichick said. “I just try and think about how we can prepare, compete and perform our best Sunday night against the Falcons. That’s a thing for you to write about. I’m just trying to get ready to coach the game and our players are getting ready to coach it. We want to go out there and compete on Sunday night. All the rest of it is what it is.”
Belichick will have his team prepared on Sunday night. You can count on that.
The Funny & Awkward & Weird
In no particular order, here were some of the best awkward moments from Super Bowl LI’s Media Week.
Bill Belichick can’t get a hug.
Belichick wanted the bro hug and DQ was having none of it pic.twitter.com/z5JWN6rdQd
— Will Brinson (@WillBrinson) January 31, 2017
Turkey-legs make good microphones…I guess?
Guillermo asking Alex Mack questions with a turkey leg. #Falcons pic.twitter.com/lBXSg1ssuo
— Josina Anderson (@JosinaAnderson) January 31, 2017
Cooper Manning likes money…a lot
Need this @randymoss.. pic.twitter.com/ynJm5rRYTB
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) January 31, 2017
“Welcome to Good Burger, home of the Good Burger, may I take your order?”
Kel Mitchell is taking over Super Bowl Opening Night pic.twitter.com/6VJz6MkALm
— Nicholas O’Malley (@nickjomalley) January 31, 2017
Fake Brady showed up!
The guy in the Tom Brady mask at #SuperBowlLI Opening Night is making some of the @Patriots a little uncomfortable pic.twitter.com/Sv7kVYF8d4
— Jim Wyatt (@jwyattsports) January 31, 2017
Goodell’s “State of the League” Address
There always has to be a less enjoyable part of media week. It just works that way. This year, Roger Goodell filled that gap quite solidly. After his State of the League Address, Goodell was hammered by reporters about DeflateGate and why he refuses to go to Gillette Stadium.
“We have a disagreement about what occurred,” Goodell said. “We have been very transparent about what we think the violation was. We went through a lengthy process. We disagree about that. … I’m not afraid of disagreement. And I don’t think disagreement leads to distrust or hatred.”
Asked why he refuses to visit Foxborough (it’s been over 2 years) and if he was nervous about an awkward relationship with Patriots fans, Goodell said “I would tell you that it’s not awkward at all for me. We have a job to do. We do our job. As I said there was a violation. We applied a process, a discipline and we came to a conclusion that was supported by the facts and by the courts. So, from our standpoint, we understand what fans, who are loyal and passionate for a team, object and don’t like the outcome. I totally understand that. That’s not an issue for me. I was in Boston two seasons ago for two consecutive playoff games, the same way I was in Atlanta this year. That happens. From our standpoint, this is just about us taking care of business and do it the way that is right to uphold the integrity of our teams and our rules for all 32 teams.”
Ok, Roger.
Robert Kraft and his son Jonathan Kraft took were sitting in the front row.
The Hi-jinks & Best Interviews
Finally, the best part about media week: Hi-jinks & Interviews. The king of both hi-jinks and most entertaining interviews at media week HAS to go to Toucher & Rich of Boston’s Flagship, 98.5 The Sports Hub. T&R is known for some of the best media week shenanigans over the course of the years. From getting random New York Giants’ players to read embarrassing, tongue twisting liners in 2012, to asking Richard Sherman if he’s embarrassed by Macklemore, to even enticing Rob Gronkowski to read aloud A Gronking to Remember at Super Bowl XLIX’s media week, T&R has been flat out hysterical at media weeks. (Side note: yes, that’s a Gronk-themed erotic novel)
This year, they didn’t disappoint, either. Here are a few highlights:
- Sal Paolantonio Grilled On DeflateGate, Awkward Silence Ensues
- Michael Hurley on Roger Goodell (Beginning)
- Drew Brees Tells Hilarious Matt Light Story
- Fred and Rich talked to Falcons players at media day and tried to get them to read fake show liners. (Skip to Minute 28)
And then of course, Tom Brady asked co-host Rich Shertenlieb if he was on drugs after asking Brady why he “called” into Toucher & Rich under a fake name during his suspension.
Well done, Toucher & Rich, well done.
As fun as media week is, I think we’re all ready for the Sunday night showdown.
