Welcome to the Circus
02/04/2025By: Jeff Yoder
Good Morning!
Last night kicked off Super Bowl Media Week. We’ll have some sights and sounds from the biggest press conference in sports down in NOLA. Plus, two other NFL stars got the offseason trade winds blowing — Rams WR Cooper Kupp and Browns DE Myles Garrett. Some new college basketball polls came out before a Big 12 clash, and the NBA took a chill pill before Thursday’s trade deadline.
We’ll churn out some Super Bowl specials Thursday and Friday to end the week. For now, enjoy the circus.
Letter Rip!
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NFL
SBLIX: Welcome to the Circus
America’s Biggest Game Enters its Week-Long Media Free-For-All… For Better or Worse
The Eagles and Chiefs touched down in New Orleans on Sunday (ha, touchdown). Players and coaches have nestled into their comfy five-star hotels for the next seven days with max-level accommodations. It’s a far cry from the dorm rooms they shared back in training camp. On Day 1, it was “lights” and “cameras.” Six days later comes “action.” The athletes’ Super Bowl experience is a luxury trip unlike any other in sports, but it’s met with one giant requirement — participate in the media circus.
It’s Super Bowl Media Week! In sports journo terms, that means a week-long hype-fest designed for fluffy content generation, silly questions, interview clips, sound bites and tons of rabble. Players did their time in the spotlight last night for interrogations. The high volume of credentialed media members (6,000+) means access and microphones for some loose cannons. Yay! (brace for some off-the-wall reporter questions)
Jalen Hurts was asked why he’s so handsome. Patrick Mahomes was asked about his voice. “How many Krabby Patties do you think you could eat?” I tapped out after that one. Is that a Spongebob reference? I’m old, team.
Alas, the NFL has this down to a science. They won’t waste an ounce of opportunity when it comes to maximizing publicity for the most-watched television event in America, even if it means opening the door to writers who don’t really know football.
The Super Bowl is, after all, a marriage between sport and pop culture. You’ll see a lot of football-adjacent nonsense this week. I call it what it is — a circus.
Here’s some stupid silly clickbait that was written yesterday:
- Andy Reid Boycotting Favorite New Orleans Restaurant Before Super Bowl (Athlon Sports)
- Roger Goodell Responds to ‘Ridiculous Theory’ About Officials Helping Chiefs Win Games (Yahoo! Sports)
- Travis Kelce Reiterates How Much He Loves Taylor Swift’s Homemade Pop-Tarts (SI)
- Saquon Barkley Trolls Giants, Tells Jameis Winston ‘NY Needs a QB Right Now’ (B/R)
- Nick Sirianni Gets Surprise Kiss From Ochocinco at Super Bowl Presser (NBC Sports)
- Eagles Player Can’t Name a Single Taylor Swift Song: ‘She’s an Incredible Artist, But She Ain’t on My Playlist’ (CBS Sports)
- Patrick Mahomes Explains His Shocked Reaction to Mavericks Trading Luka Doncic (USA Today)
Luckily, “Opening Night” interviews are over and we can move one day closer to real football.
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SBLIX Media Schedule & Fun Facts
The Super Bowl Week Schedule
Monday: Opening Night Interviews
Tuesday-Friday: Practices & Media Availability
Wednesday-Saturday: SBLIX Fan Experience
Thursday: NFL Honors (Awards)
Saturday: Celebrity Flag Football
Sunday: Pregame Tailgate Concert (4 pm ET)
Performer: Post Malone
Sunday: Kickoff (6:30 pm ET, FOX)
Sunday: Halftime Show (~8:30 pm ET, FOX)
Performer: Kendrick Lamar
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Did You Know?
Super Bowl Media Fun Facts
Did you know that Super Bowls account for nine of the 10 most-watched television broadcasts in American history? The Apollo 11 moon landing is No. 1 (150 million). Last year’s SBLVIII (Chiefs-49ers) was No. 2 and the most-watched Super Bowl ever with 123 million viewers. Super Bowls also make up 18 of the top 25. Nixon’s resignation speech (#11), the M*A*S*H series finale (#14) and O.J. Simpson’s police chase (#23) are also on the list.
Did you know that the Super Bowl pales in comparison to soccer and cricket? The FIFA World Cup Final draws more than 1 billion viewers worldwide — consistently the most-watched event on the planet. The most recent Cricket World Cup between Australia and India claimed over 300 million viewers. The Olympics also draws more than the Super Bowl over the course of 2-3 weeks.
Did you know a 30-second ad in Super Bowl 59 costs $8 million? It’s the most expensive advertising placement in American television, but it didn’t use to be. NBC’s initial cost-per-minute in the first Super Bowl (1967) was just $37,000. That price point didn’t breach $1 million until 1995.
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SBLIX
Super Bowl LIX Storylines
Go beyond the box scores in this analytical deep dive into every important matchup in the Super Bowl. (The Ringer)
The rosters are eerily similar from two years ago, but a few skill players and defenders are new. Who has the better roster? (FOX Sports)
From Dan Marino to Lamar Jackson, a ring is the only thing missing from these legendary NFL careers. (CBS Sports)
The Gatorade bath color and the coin toss are the two most popular prop bets at every Super Bowl. What else can be wagered? (Yahoo! Sports)
Super Bowl Facts, Stats & Records
Super Bowl records from most all-time wins and losses to longest rushes and catches to most sacks and longest pick-six. (ESPN Research)
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NCAA
New College Basketball Polls
1. Auburn (20-1) | —
2. Duke (19-2) | —
3. Alabama (19-3) | ↑1
4. Tennessee (18-4) | ↑4
5. Houston (17-4) | ↑1
6. Florida (18-3) | ↓1
7. Purdue (17-5) | ↑3
8. Iowa State (17-4) | ↓5
9. Michigan State (18-3) | ↓2
10. Texas A&M (17-5) | ↑3
1. UCLA (21-0) | —
2. South Carolina (21-1) | —
3. Notre Dame (19-2) | —
4. Texas (22-2) | ↑1
5. UConn (21-2) | ↑1
6. LSU (23-1) | ↑1
7. USC (19-2) | ↓3
8. Ohio State (20-1) | —
9. TCU (21-2) | —
10. Duke (17-4) | —
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HIGHLIGHTS
NBA
Jalen Brunson (42 pts, 10 ast)
SGA Drops 34, Puts Defender on Skates
Nuggets def. Pelicans (125-113)
Nikola Jokic (27-14-10) 152nd Trip-Double
NCAA Men’s Basketball
#16 Kansas def. #8 Iowa State (69-52)
Cyclones Lose 3rd Straight Game
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OTHER NEWS
Reigning NFL DPOY Myles Garrett Requests Trade From Browns (ESPN)
Rams Inform All-Pro WR Cooper Kupp They Intend to Trade Him (CBS Sports)
Former Mavericks Owner Mark Cuban ‘Confused’ by Luka Doncic Trade (SI)
Warriors Desperately Calling Around for All-Star Addition Before Trade Deadline (B/R)
MLB Fires Umpire Pat Hoberg for Shared Betting Accounts (ESPN)
Tottenham Reportedly Seal Loan Move for Bayern Munich’s Mathys Tel (NBC Sports)
Minnesota Wild’s Ryan Hartman Gets 10-Game Suspension for Slamming Opponent’s Head Into Ice (AP)
Luka Doncic’s Dad, Sasa, Slams ‘Hypocrisy’ of Mavericks After Trade (Yahoo! Sports)
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SCHEDULE
Tonight’s Must-Watch List
NHL
Panthers at Capitals (7:00 pm ET, ESPN+)
Hurricanes at Jets (8:00 pm ET, ESPN+)
Avalanche at Canucks (10:00 pm ET, ESPN+)
Full NHL Schedule (14 Games)
NBA
Celtics at Cavaliers (7:30 pm ET, TNT)
Lakers at Clippers (10:00 pm ET, TNT)
Full NBA Schedule (7 Games)
NCAA Men’s Basketball
#11 Marquette at #12 St. John’s (6:30 pm ET, FS1)
#7 Purdue at Iowa (7:00 pm ET, Peacock)
#14 Kentucky at #25 Ole Miss (7:00 pm ET, ESPN)
#9 Michigan State at UCLA (10:00 pm ET, Peacock)
TGL
Boston CG vs. LA Golf Club (9:00 pm ET, ESPN)