Reporter's marriage proposal for Tom Brady tops zany list
PHOENIX (AP) - Tom Brady already had a child with actress Bridget Moynahan and was dating supermodel Gisele Bundchen when a Mexican television personality created one of the wildest moments in Media Day history here in Arizona before the 2008 Super Bowl.
Ines Gomez Mont, a reporter for TV Azteca, showed up wearing a white wedding dress and veil and proposed to Brady, who was trying to lead the New England Patriots to the first 19-0 season in NFL history.
"Tom, I'm in love with you! Will you marry me please?" the immodest brunette shouted from the crowd. "I'm the real Miss Brady."
Brady politely declined her proposal, saying: "I've got a few Miss Bradys in my life. I'm a one-woman man. But you're beautiful. Anybody who would have the opportunity to marry you would be a lucky man."
Maybe Gomez Mont put a hex on Brady. The Patriots lost to the New York Giants to ruin their perfect season. They lost again to the Giants in the Super Bowl four years later.
Outrageous scenes like this have become the norm at the Media Day extravaganza. The event is a circus. More than 5,500 journalists, pseudo-journalists and other credentialed "media" are expected to gather for Tuesday's celebration at the US Airways Center.
Last year in New York, an Austrian man dressed as Mozart, another guy wore a Waldo costume, Nickelodeon's Pick Boy was in the house and Michelle Williams, former Destiny's Child singer, asked players to sing.
At least both teams are quite familiar with the silliness.
The Seahawks played along nicely with the odd requests last year. A man asked Seahawks center Max Unger if he could touch his long, scruffy beard. He said yes. A woman asked Seahawks defensive lineman Brandon Mebane for a kiss. He politely declined.
Richard Sherman drew the largest crowd and he spoke for an hour. Marshawn Lynch predictably walked out and spoke only to NFL Network's Deion Sanders.
All eyes will be on both players Tuesday, but it's usually a non-player who steals the spotlight.
Here's a list of the wildest moments in Super Bowl Media Day history:
VOODOO: St. Louis Rams quarterback Kurt Warner was outspoken about his Christian faith, but that didn't stop someone from making an unusual request in Atlanta in 2000.
"Do you believe in voodoo, and can I have a lock of your hair?" Warner was asked. His response was a simple, polite "No."
The Rams beat the Tennessee Titans 23-16 and Warner was MVP of the game.
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NO KISS FOR YOU: MTV star "Downtown" Julie Brown had a memorable exchange with Dallas Cowboys coach Jimmy Johnson in Los Angeles in 1993. Brown started with questions about fashion and Johnson's game-day attire. Then she told Johnson she was rooting for the Cowboys because they have young players who know her.
When Brown asked Johnson if he had any special rules for his players, he replied: "Yeah, don't kiss Julie Brown."
The Cowboys beat the Buffalo Bills 52-17.
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BOOMER MONTANA: A Japanese reporter confused Joe Montana with Boomer Esiason before the San Francisco 49ers played the Cincinnati Bengals in Miami in 1989.
Montana was asked: "Why do they call you Boomer?"
Everyone knew Montana's name and he led the 49ers to a 20-16 win for the third of his four Super Bowl titles.
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O-CNN: That stands for Ochocinco News Network. Former Bengals wide receiver Chad Johnson tried his reporting skills in Miami in 2010. The attention-seeking Johnson asked the Saints and the Colts about strategies and nagging injuries.
New Orleans won the game, 31-17. Johnson hasn't found a reporting gig since his career ended.
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MYTH OR FACT: Perhaps the most popular story retold from Media Day involves former Washington Redskins quarterback Doug Williams in San Diego in 1988
Legend says that Williams was asked: "How long have you been a black quarterback?"
It turned out that was wasn't the exact question. A reporter was trying to determine the point that others were making too big of a deal about Williams' skin color and its relation to a quarterback playing well.
Williams was MVP of the game, leading the Redskins to a 42-10 win over Denver.
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AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org
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