Super Bowl media night offers fun questions but no drama
“The atmosphere here is electric,” retired running back LaDainian Tomlinson said into an NFL Network camera, minutes before he interviewed two men: one in a red and white getup resembling a Disney prince, another in a dress.
“It’s quite stunning,” Tomlinson said of the dress, while the crowd, which sat in the bottom two levels of the stadium, seemed indifferent.
[...] with the exception of the dramatic player introductions — complete with a smoke machine, a grand stage and electro music — all of the worthwhile action from Monday’s Super Bowl LI kickoff event happened away from fans’ attention.
Athletes rarely offer anything other than canned quotes in a setting like this one, with hundreds of journalists forming scrums around players.
“Next name,” Freeney said, laughing and opting to avoid any comments about quarterback Tom Brady’s supermodel wife.
Elsewhere, Atlanta wide receiver Taylor Gabriel read tweets from this season that doubted the Falcons, whom few predicted to play in this game.
Shanahan, the next head coach of the 49ers, was coordinator for an Atlanta offense that led the NFL in points with 540.
[...] not before Atlanta’s captains and head coach met the Patriots’ captains and head coach at center stage.
The Super Bowl’s two quarterbacks, Brady and Matt Ryan, faced each other, and a reporter asked Brady to give Ryan, a Super Bowl rookie, some advice.