BY MICHEL GONZALEZ – FAN FUEL BLOGGER

Every year at the Super Bowl, the NFL organizes an event known as Media Day.

Media Day is a complete zoo, a circus and pure genius. It’s a marketing concept so shrewd, so utterly unashamed, it has become the essence of Super Bowl week. The whole thing may be bigger than the game itself. We’ve made up a list of some of the oddest questions ever asked during media day.

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The “What were you thinking?” category

– A Japanese reporter once asked of San Francisco 49ers quarterback Joe Montana, “Tell me, why do they call you Boomer?” The ever gracious and affable Montana replied “Well, they don’t actually. That would be Boomer Esiason, the Cincinnati quarterback.”

– Someone asked Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Joe Salave’a, “What’s your relationship with the football?” To which Salave’a said, “I’d say it’s strictly platonic.”

– Media day is where a Jay Williams, a St. Louis defensive end, found himself pondering the grammatical conundrum contained within the question, “Is Ram a noun or a verb?”

– Rams’ quarterback Kurt Warner, a known devout Christian, was asked, “Do you believe in voodoo and can I have a lock of your hair?”

– Asked how he got psyched to play in big games, Buffalo’s great running back Thurman Thomas sniffed, “I read the newspapers and look at all the stupid questions you all ask.”

The “Clothing, Grooming and Fashion” category

– Denver running back Detron Smith was asked, “What size panties do you think you’d wear?”

– At Super Bowl XLIII, an Access Hollywood reporter asked Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, “Who has the better hair, you or Steelers safety Tony (sic) Polamalu?”

– Super Bowl XXV, someone asked Bills C Kent Hull: “Can I have your pants?”

– For Rams OT Orlando Pace at Super Bowl XXXIV: “After the game, in the shower, what’s your favourite bar of soap?”

– To long-haired Steelers LB Kevin Greene: “How long does it take you to wash your hair?”

– Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was asked: “What is your purpose in life?”

– The Super Bowl XXVII Media Day was held at Dodger Stadium. Cowboy QB Troy Aikman was asked “Does it seem a little strange answering football questions in a baseball stadium?”

– At Super Bowl XXXIV, someone asked Rams RB Marshall Faulk: “How come you have a podium while all your teammates are forced to stand out here?”

The “I can’t believe he said that” category

At Super Bowl XV, Oakland quarterback Jim Plunkett had just answered a question about his parents. He spoke in low, respectful tones about growing up in a special needs household, that his mother was blind and that his father, also blind, had passed away.

Five more topics came and went after Plunkett mentioned his parents. A Philadelphia reporter jumped in. The guy apparently didn’t care much about the blitz. Plunkett’s family situation was much more interesting.

He tried to ask a follow-up. But he kept losing the floor to reporters who timed their questions better or who were close enough to make eye contact with Plunkett, or who simply spoke up louder. Finally, he forced his way back into the interview.

“Jimmy, Jimmy, I want to make sure I have this right. Was it dead mother, blind father or blind mother, dead father?”

I wonder what we’ll be able to add after this year’s media day?

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