GLENDALE, Ariz. – Put this on your "Bucket List."
At least once in your life, you've got to find a way to get a credential to Super Bowl Media Day. Not to talk to the players, necessarily, but to see the type of people who get to talk to the players.
There certainly was plenty of serious chalk talk to be overheard. But for pure entertainment value, here's a sample of the more unorthodox sights from Giants-Patriots Media Day at University of Phoenix Stadium.
The Bride
Before the players arrived, this woman was getting everyone's attention. She was affiliated with TV Azteca in Mexico, and she arrived in a wedding veil, short white wedding gown, white lace stockings, and bright red high-heeled shoes.
She was also carrying a white t-shirt that read "The Real Miss Brady," claiming her mission was to propose to Patriots QB Tom Brady. She got her chance midway through the event.
From the very back of the pack of reporters crowded around Brady's podium, the woman caught Brady's eye and held up her t-shirt. Brady laughed and replied, "I've got a few Miss Bradys in my life already."
Then she popped the question. He politely declined.
The Fortune Teller
Backup RB Kyle Eckel was accosted (in good fun, of course) by a guy decked out in a black robe with gold stars all over it and a gold turban-like hat on his head.
In a thick foreign accent, he began asking Eckel all manner of astrological questions, questions about his height and jersey number. Based on Eckel's answers, the pseudo-soothsayer then made an incomprehensible prediction about Eckel's role in Sunday's game.
Whatever he said, he made Eckel laugh. He then offered to transfer his powers of prognostication to Eckel by jabbing him in the chest with his fingers and making a sound that can best be described as "shboom, shboom."
Sadly, the bizarre costumed fellow didn't disappear in a puff of smoke.
The Monkey Puppet
Another foreign TV crew came equipped with a guy wielding a monkey hand puppet. He did his best (or worst, depending on your point of view) attempt at ventriloquism, but apparently it didn't quite work with OL Billy Yates.
See, the crew's gag was for the monkey to ask the questions, but Yates couldn't keep from looking at the guy talking. The guy kept trying to position the puppet so Yates would look it in the eye, but it wasn't happening. Kind of awkward, but funny nonetheless.
Playing Dress-Up
Former "American Idol" contestant Kelly Pickler has become a correspondent for The Tonight Show. On Media Day, she went around trying to get players to wear a Tom Brady jersey that she had altered. The newly decorated jersey was adorned with silver frills and sequin stars. But none of the players would wear it.
None except practice squad TE Jason Rader, that is. He willingly obliged Ms. Pickler, who then asked him to don a Joe Dirt-style wig. He nearly had that thing on before she could finish the question.
ET's Red Carpet
Entertainment Tonight set up a miniature red carpet and asked as many players as possible to walk down it, stop and pose for paparazzi, then answer questions as if they were attending a movie premier. The most popular query: Who are you wearing (i.e., what designer)?
Out of the Woods
It's not all that unusual to see a player turn the tables on the media by grabbing a microphone or camera and conducting interviews of his own. But in backup LB Pierre Woods' case, he has legitimate experience.
During his days at the University of Michigan, Woods worked as a production assistant and camera operator on "The Lloyd Carr Show." So, when he took over some TV crews' camera equipment this morning and started shooting, he actually knew what he was doing.
Random Sightings
One of the "Deal or No Deal" Dancers, playing correspondent for one of the TV crews.
Former Patriots executive Patrick Sullivan, who had a FOX Sports credential dangling from his neck.
Giants DE Michael Strahan, trying to belt out a few lines of Alicia Keys' hit "No One," much to the dismay of several of his teammates within earshot, who let out groans of protest.
Various media outlets from England, Germany, and Japan, no doubt among several other foreign nations.
Miss Nevada USA, looking … well … glamorous, as you might expect. It's unclear what sort of media role she was serving, if any.