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Media day madness par for course at Super Bowl

 
Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski takes a selfie during media day for Super Bowl XLIX — and also tried his hand at karaoke.
Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski takes a selfie during media day for Super Bowl XLIX — and also tried his hand at karaoke.
Published Jan. 28, 2015

PHOENIX — More than 5,500 credentialed "reporters'' from 27 countries participated in the Super Bowl XLIX media day, and it wasn't without its mix of unusual questions and creepy moments.

Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski disclosed that his childhood crush was Pamela Anderson then participated in some Katy Perry karaoke to win an XBOX One.

A flip-flop-wearing Bill Belichick, when asked by Jerod Mayo's young daughter, revealed his favorite stuffed animal.

"I like a little puppet that you can put your fingers in. A little monkey," Belichick said.

Ew.

Also, Seahawks DE Michael Bennett, who led Tampa Bay with nine sacks in 2012, declared "I'm thankful not to be a Buc."

There was a man dressed as a superhero and another wearing only a rain barrel.

But NBC's broadcast tandem of Johnny Weir and Tara Lipkinski flashed the most bling. Well, Weir did, anyway.

ISLAND HOPPING: The Seahawks' Legion of Doom is posed on the cover of Sports Illustrated. But the Patriots' secondary is no slouch, especially with bookend corners such as Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner.

"I'm excited about it," Seahawks WR Doug Baldwin said. "Anytime you get to go up against guys that have done well in this league, who have dominated in this league, you have got to rise to the challenge.

"Browner being one of the most physical cornerbacks, Revis being one of the most cerebral cornerbacks, I'm excited about the opportunity we have presented to us."

And what has Baldwin done to prepare for his visit to Revis Island?

"I'm going to bring my sunblock, my shades and a hat and I'm going to go to Revis Island and see what I can do," Baldwin said. "And I'll let you know after the game."

WAITING FOR SECOND CHANCE: Josh McDaniels' stint as Broncos coach ended after two seasons. After a 6-0 start in 2009, the Broncos finished 8-8 and were 3-9 the next season when he was fired.

After a failed stint as the Rams' offensive coordinator, he rejoined the Patriots nearly four years ago as an offensive consultant until taking over the play-calling. Their success has led to interviews with the Falcons and 49ers this year, but McDaniels is going to remain in New England for 2015.

"I would love to do it again," McDaniels said Tuesday. "I think the most important thing to me is to just be in the right situation and just be in a place where I feel good about being.

"I think one of the things I really learned in Denver is the value of being a good listener. When you do something like that for the first time, you feel like you have to run through everything and be in charge of too many things. And sometimes that's a significant negative."