Super Bowl 2011 Media Day: Steelers, Packers Prepare For The Circus

Players and coaches from the Pittsburgh Steelers and Green Bay Packers will convene in Dallas on Tuesday for the extravaganza that is Super Bowl media day. The NFL’s popularity is reaching such a ridiculously high level that something as simple as Super Bowl media day calls for live TV coverage and thousands of reporters from around the world in one building.

In one big room, players from both teams (one team at a time) will be lined up in booths so that the media can ask them questions. This is a media contingent from all over the world, which means you can expect some wacky questions. Many of these reporters won’t ever see these players again so they’ll ask some ridiculous question, or come dressed up in a funky outfit.

Sort of like this guy at media day last year:

This picture sums up media day well. The wacky reporter turns into the story and there’s no explanation for why he’s doing what he’s doing. We’ll see if anyone can top, um, stick guy, this year.

The big time players -- Ben Roethlisberger, Aaron Rodgers, Clay Matthews etc. -- will have their own podium with dozens of reporters hanging around them. Other lesser-known players will walk around with few media types talking to them. If you’re a player, and you want to know your place in the NFL, how much attention you get at media day is a good test.