The Super Bowl is so much more than the game. And if you are lucky enough (or unlucky enough, depending on your viewpoint) to cover one as a reporter, you inevitably emerge with unique tales from the most quintessential of American sports experiences.
Some have fond memories of the game itself. Others recall something that happened at one of Super Bowl week's famed overindulgent parties. We approached several sports media A-listers—and Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre, just for the hell of it—and asked one simple question: What is your favorite Super Bowl story? Of course, we were looking for sensational, ripped-from-the-headlines-of-the-gossip-pages kind of stories—the more ratchet the better. The craziest Super Bowl adventures may remain completely off-the-record, but we still managed to get a bunch of good ones you probably haven't heard before.
That Time Someone Pissed on Matt Cassel's Shoes
Jemele Hill is the co-host of SC6 with Michael and Jemele, launching Feb. 6 at 6 pm on ESPN. She hasn’t been to a Super Bowl in a few years, but used to serve as ESPN.com’s party reporter for the Big Game and saw more than a few things while she did her best Page Six impression.
“I did it for at least four or five years in a row. And I had just a stupid schedule where I would literally pull all-nighters on Thursday, Friday, Saturday. Over the years, I would file individual party reports and just report on observations, things I overheard—almost like I was a Page Six gossip columnist.
“There were a few parties you knew you could count on that were going to be good, like the ESPN party. My favorite ESPN party was when it was in Tampa (Super Bowl XLIII) and if I’m not mistaken that was the one where Matt Cassel got his shoes peed on. He was in line waiting to use the bathroom and I think some drunk dude completely pissed on his shoes. I did not witness this myself, but word kind of got around pretty fast that somebody pissed on Matt Cassel’s shoes. He had complete license to go off and be a jerk, but he kept partying. I mess with him because of that. If somebody urinates on your shoes and you’re like, ‘You know what, keep the party going,’ that just proves your commitment.”
Do Not Impersonate the Punter
Cousin Sal, aka Salvatore "Sal" Iacono, is a writer and performer for “Jimmy Kimmel Live” and a noted NFL handicapper. He’s been to a bunch of Super Bowls but is proud of getting kicked out of Media Day at Super Bowl XXXVIII and subsequently banned by the league from the event.
“I think it was our second year with the show and they sent me to Media Day. And I dressed as John Casey, the kicker for the Panthers when the Panthers played the Patriots. And I convinced a good portion of the media that I was John Kasay. I was being ridiculous with the interview, especially with the foreign press—they had no idea since I was almost his size. They fell for it. I was talking about hitting strip clubs before the game and everything else and they were delighted. One of the French news printed a couple of my lines. Then the real John Kasay came out and I jumped in and tried to convince the reporters that I was the real John Kasay, and [it got] ridiculous at that point. He had tolerance for this for about 10 seconds and then he called for security. I think he was very, very much into God so he wasn’t feeling the shenanigans that I mentioned. So I was kicked out of Media Day and wasn’t allowed back in until three years ago.
“My other story is I was at the Super Bowl with [Bill] Simmons, the [2013] one with the Ravens and 49ers, when the power went out in the third quarter. There’s not much of a story to it, but I remember that everyone was worried it was a terrorist attack and they were concerned about calling their family and catching up with them. The only thing I was worried about, and I’m ashamed to admit this, but I thought my phone would run out of power and I wouldn’t be able to bet the live line through my phone—legally, of course. I had to get my bets in!”
Can't Forget Prince Performing in the Rain
Cris Carter is a Fox Sports analyst and NFL Hall of Famer who never played in the Big Game during his career. But he’s been to his fair share and if you ask him for his Super Bowl memories, he’s probably going to tell you about a few of his favorite halftime performances.
“The popularly of the game is what sticks out to me. The depth and the resources cities spend to build these facilities sticks out to me. Not having played in the game, the overall exposure of the game is what’s truly amazing. This game makes people into a household name. In a good way and also in a bad way.
“The first one I went to was the Buffalo Bills vs Dallas Cowboys Super Bowl in California. And Michael Jackson was the halftime performer and I remember he was up on the one of the pillars and they flashed a puff of smoke and then he appeared on the field, like he went through some trap door. It was amazing to see. I also remember Tony Dungy and Lovie Smith facing off against each other in the Super Bowl and Tony Dungy being the first African-American coach to win a Super Bowl. But the thing I remember most from that game was it was raining and it looked like the rain was purple. And Prince was the halftime performer and he was one of my favorite artists being that he’s from Minnesota. So Prince singing Purple Rain in the rain in Miami was amazing.”
"I DID NOT WITNESS THIS MYSELF, BUT WORD KIND OF GOT AROUND PRETTY FAST THAT SOMEBODY PISSED ON MATT CASSEL’S SHOES."
Favre Couldn't Hear His Coach Speak, But It Didn't Matter
Brett Favre doesn’t really need an introduction. He’s in the Hall of Fame. He’s won a Super Bowl, played in another. So he’s got a story.
“Probably the one that I’ve told the most kind of gives people an insight into what the Super Bowl is like. [The Green Bay Paclers] played in New Orleans in our first Super Bowl against the Patriots. And I remember at halftime, we go in, and the game is somewhat close, and [Packers coach] Mike Holmgren comes in and is ready to address the team and then the offense. His cheeks were red and he was getting ready to chew some butt. Right about the time he goes to start chewing butt, ZZ Top was the halftime entertainment, and they just kick in with the loudest rendition of 'Legs' that you’ve ever heard. And as Mike starts talking, all you see is his mouth moving. You could not hear anything. Walls were shaking. I was looking and nodding like I knew what was going on. I had no idea what he was saying. Thankfully we won, so it didn’t matter.”
When You Think You're About to Throwdown on Radio Row
Jim Rome is the host of the Jim Rome Show on CBS Sports Radio and a veteran of the Super Bowl’s venerable Radio Row. In Miami for Super Bowl XLVI between the Saints and Colts, Rome spotted retired linebacker Bill Romanowski, who was one of the craziest, most dangerous defenders during his 16-year career in the NFL.
“Back at the Super Bowl in 2010, I spot Bill Romanowski along Radio Row and he’s glaring at me. This guy was maniacal and intimidating and I didn’t know what to expect. He was looking right through me. I thought he was coming to knock me out. This guy is inherently violent, dangerous, and most of all he’s unpredictable. And at some point, because I’m on the air, my producer finally goes over to the guy to find out what this dude’s deal is. And he comes to find out that he knows the show, likes the show, and wants to be on the air. The only background I have on this guy is I interviewed him once my whole career. I had him on TV and I asked him if he was a dirty player. I literally thought the guy was going to crawl through the satellite and choke me out on the set. It was so awkward. Five minutes felt like five hours.
“So this guy walks over and I say to him before we go on the air, ‘Hey, Bill, what’s it going to be, man? Are we going to get into a fight or are you going to sit down and do an interview?’ And he laughs. He says to me, ‘Jimmy, I loooove you. We’re not going to fight.’ And the guy sits down and does the most amazing interview ever. He’s talking smack, he’s coming with straight fire, he’s got hot takes, he’s got incredible anecdotes. So whenever I hit the road the very first person my listeners ask for is ‘Where is Romo?’ I never thought that would have happened. I literally thought we were going to get into a fistfight, in which he would have broken my face. But now he’s one of my favorite guys ever.”
An Historic Quarter For a QB, An Important Game For the NFL
James Brown is the Emmy Award-winning host of Showtime’s Inside the NFL. During his 30-plus year career, he’s been to a ton of Super Bowls, but it’s the one he watched from home that starred his Washington squad and QB Doug Williams that he remembers the most.
“Being a native of Washington, D.C., and of course being a hometown fan, even though I try to be objective on the air, I think back to Doug Williams who was quarterbacking Washington. He was the first African-American to quarterback a Super Bowl team and I remember the inane questions—that seem to come at every Super Bowl—that were directed at him like, ‘How long have you been black quarterback?’ Obviously, the writer didn’t think that one through.
“In the game, Doug wrenched his knee badly—that sight is still indelibly ensconced in my mind. He was writhing in pain and (backup) Jay Schroeder started getting ready. They didn’t have the best relationship—it was not mutually encouraging. As Jay Schroeder was putting his helmet on to come on the field, Doug gets up and says ‘I’m staying in the game.’ And he had one of the greatest second quarters in Super Bowl history and Washington went on to win big. I was a local reporter in Washington then. I did not attend the game, but I watched and paid rapt attention to it on the air and not realizing not long after I would actually be a member of the national press with a network to do it. But that’s the one that sticks most in my mind.”
"I convinced a good portion of the media that I was John Casey. I was talking about hitting strip clubs before the game and everything else."
The Last Innocent Super Bowl Party
Will Leitch is a senior writer for Sports on Earth and a contributing editor for New York. He’s also the founder of Deadspin, and still kicks himself for not doing what you’d expect from someone working at Deadpsin when he witnessed internet history at Super Bowl XLVI.
“The Super Bowl is literally the opposite of everything I like about sports. I feel like the Super Bowl is a sporting event for people that don’t like sports. I’ve been to six but now any media person that goes to any sort of party is on their absolute best behavior. No one gets too drunk, and no one gets too crazy. Because everyone is aware that some asshole from Deadspin will end up putting up their drunk picture on social media. I remember I was at one in Houston and I was with one of the editor’s of my books and he was older so he was in party mode. You could tell he was older because it was very important for him to go to the Playboy party. So I went with him and this was one of my favorite experiences of all-time when Darren Rovell was waiting in line to get in to the party and was having trouble and famously tweeted:
“I remember at that party—and this was really before I was into Twitter—I saw people in the NFL sports media, who I won't say their names, were acting like cretins, drunken morons, and kind of pathetic. They had this idea like, ‘Let’s go to a Super Bowl party and pick up girls. That’s what’s going to happen.’ In this day and age, it’s more like I’m going to go to a Super Bowl party, drink from the open bar, and then go back to my hotel and cry. But back then there was still this idea that Super Bowl parties were this crazy, wild thing. So at that particular party, I saw pathetic, sad behavior from respected members of the media. It didn’t even occur to me then, and I worked for Deadspin, to take their picture and post it on Deadspin. That is the party that I always remember because that was the last Super Bowl party people went without their guard up.”
What Do You Say to Two Devastated Defenders?
Josina Anderson is an ESPN NFL insider and reporter who has covered a handful of Super Bowls. Her most vivid memory from working the Big Game was the sight of Earl Thomas and Richard Sherman frozen in the Seahawks locker room after their heartbreaking Super Bowl XLIX loss to the New England Patriots.
“The game was nearly over and we were coming downstairs and the Seahawks were surging, getting ready to put away the game. I remember standing in the bowels of the stadium with all my colleagues. It was just a matter of time before Seattle was going to punch the ball in by some play from Marshawn Lynch. To see the play that [Patriots cornerback] Malcolm Butler came up with and the surprised gasps that everyone let out was really something. Everyone had to immediately change plans—what we were doing, where we were going, how we were attacking post-game? One of the things that will always stand out to me from that game was after all of the interviews, I got to talk to the Patriots’ owner Bob Kraft. He was so elated. Confetti coming down on his sneakers. He was a little bit surprised because I grabbed him for an interview and he looked at Pats PR like, ‘Can I talk to her?’ He was just a little out of sorts.
“But when we went to the [Seahawks] locker room, I’ll never forget seeing Earl Thomas and Richard Sherman completely frozen. The locker room had almost been cleared out, but the two of them were sitting there still not fully clothed; they weren’t done getting dressed. It was the saddest scene. It was almost like you were expecting their mothers to come and lift them up out of the locker room because they could not get out of the shell of themselves. They always talk about sports being the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. That truly was the opposite side of it. We cover the Xs and Os of the game, but we also cover the emotion of the game. My heart felt for them because to have it in your hands and have it drip out of your grasp, it was so stunning in person. I remember when Earl came out of the locker room, he had on his sunglasses and he was walking past me, almost like a ghost.”
