NEWARK — Here’s the thing about Super Bowl Media Day: it’s less about the Super Bowl and more about the media. Over the years, the Tuesday before the Big Game has become an enormous circus. If you’re a member of the media who expects to get really good insights into the game, good luck to you. During Tuesday’s Super Bowl 48 Media Day at the Prudential Center — which had its fair share of sideshows and exhibitionists with credentials — we talked to members of the media about their Media Day experiences. Here are their stories and observations.

Rich Eisen, NFL Network host

“That one time when some guy came up and asked me what my favorite Media Day memory was. That was the greatest thing. … Honestly, it’s just fun. It’s a day where all you need is a thumbprint and a clean driving record and you’re in and you get to talk football with some of the stars.”

Rick Reilly, ESPN (28th Super Bowl)

“Today. An amazing thing happened because I never thought I’d seen anyone shorter than Gabby Douglas, the gymnast, who was interviewing Peyton Manning. And then I met Regis Philbin. Gabby Douglas could post him up. I’d never met either of those two people. They’re very small.”

Bruce Beck, News 4 NY (WNBC Sports Anchor; 4th Super Bowl)

“I’ve run into Mozart. I saw a guy being interviewed through a picture window. The questions have nothing to do with sports. They have everything to do with everything else… it truly is a potpourri of insanity and it has less to do with football and more to do with the human spirit, politics, business, everything else but sports and the Super Bowl.”

Chris Berman, ESPN (32nd Super Bowl)

“In 1992 the Cowboys and the Bills were at Dodger Stadium. We stood on a pitcher’s mound where Sandy Koufax was, and I said, OK, let’s see if these quarterbacks can throw the ball as fast as him. That was good, but one moment? Hard to say. I prefer the uniform on the field, but maybe Martin Brodeur will be here any minute now.”

Jane McManus, ESPN New York/espnW (2nd Super Bowl)

“I was just surprised that so many people who dressed up and by that I don’t mean a blazer or nice slacks but a cape and a mask. Maybe I should reconsider my wardrobe.”

Will Brinson, NFL Writer, CBSSports.com Eye on NFL (5th Super Bowl)

“I think I just saw it. It was Mozart being interviewed by Telemundo. Mozart is here to interview players and yet he was the one talking, being interviewed. I think that’s what Media Day’s evolved into — guys interviewing guys. What we need somebody to interview somebody about interviewing somebody else. Then we will have gone full meta. That’s Media Day in a nutshell.”

Jay Glazer — Senior Writer, FoxSports.com, NFL Insider, FOX Sports (20th Super Bowl)

“The dumb questions. People asking the players, ‘Hey how big of a game is this for you?’ Oh no not really big. Somebody asked today, ‘Is this a must-win?’ No no no no, next week’s game is a lot bigger. It’s hilarious. You have people — fat dudes dressed as women look like Russ Grimm in a dress and just the freak shows that walk around. I used to get excited for the freak shows, now they just annoy the heck out of me.”

About Brad Gagnon

Brad Gagnon has been passionate about both sports and mass media since he was in diapers -- a passion that won't die until he's in them again. Based in Toronto, he's worked as a national NFL blog editor at theScore.com, a producer and writer at theScore Television Network and a host, reporter and play-by-play voice at Rogers TV. His work has also appeared at CBSSports.com, Deadspin, FoxSports.com, The Guardian, The Hockey News and elsewhere at Comeback Media, but his day gig has him covering the NFL nationally for Bleacher Report.

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