Super Bowl media sessions came to an end Friday with the head coaches providing reporters with plenty of laughs and laid-back moments.
Patriots coach Bill Belichick provided the first noteworthy moment of the day by merely walking onto the stage wearing a suit and a smile, a far cry from his usual sleeveless hoodie and grimace.
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Seahawks coach Pete Carroll opened the session with typical coach-speak and praise for the Patriots and the Super Bowl experience, calling the past couple weeks "fun" before Belichick took over.
"I don’t know if fun is the word I would use," Belichick said. "It’s been a big challenge."
The session then took a turn from football to more family-oriented issues when Carroll was asked about the impending birth of Richard Sherman’s son, which could force Sherman into a tough spot if his girlfriend goes into labor this weekend.
"That’s up to Richard. He know he has the opportunity to face a big decision," Carroll said. "However he goes with that, we’ll support him. We wish him luck and I can’t wait to see little Petey."
While we aren’t sure if Sherman will name his newborn after Carroll, we know Belichick’s entire family will be in Arizona for Sunday’s game ... except for his mother.
"My 94-year-old mom won’t be here," Belichick said in a rare emotional moment. "She’s in Annapolis. I know she’ll be yelling at the TV set all game. I do miss that she won’t be here."
Belichick and Carroll had plenty to share when Patriots owner Robert Kraft was mentioned, considering Carroll was the coach in New England for three seasons before being fired and replaced by Belichick in 2000.
"I got pounded a couple times and got fired a couple times in the league. I know everyone likes to have fun with that, but my therapist tells me I should always talk about it," Carroll joked. "I did spend three really good years in New England … (the fans) will let you know when you do well and when you don’t. Bill hasn’t had to feel much of that because they’ve done so well."
Carroll, however, did alright for himself at his next destination, USC, where he won 83 games and two national titles before coming to Seattle.
"The best thing that ever happened was when (Kraft) sent me to USC," Carroll said. "(The Kraft family) supported me in a tremendous way until they couldn’t any longer, then they made one of the great moves in the history of the NFL by hiring Bill Belichick."
Kraft had to trade a first-round pick to the Jets in order to hire him away from the team.
"They gave up first-rounder for you? I was merely a free agent," Carroll said to Belichick in disbelief. "Maybe that’s why Bob (Kraft) threw me out of there after three years."
And just when the talk turned back to Sunday’s game when the coaches were asked what they would like to establish early in the game, Belichick threw out his best one-liner of the day
"What I’d like to establish is the lead," he said.
The next time a player or coach will speak to the media will be under a shower of confetti Sunday night.