Super Bowl notes: Flashy Austrian is highlight of relatively tame Super Bowl Media Night

HOUSTON - A man traipsing around Monday's Super Bowl opening night in a full-length gown declaring himself "The Empress of Austria, Elizabeth I" was the most outrageous guest at what was a rather tame media night compared to the circus this event has been in the past.

The Empress, otherwise known as Julian Kurzwernhart, who said he'd been covering the Super Bowl for a television station in Austria for the past six years, spent more time being interviewed in his crazy getup than actually conducting interviews with the players from the Atlanta Falcons and New England Patriots.

"We want to spread some Austrian flavor every year here and spread some Austrian charm, and you guys have something to love," he said. "It's a crazy event and you have to dress up."

The event, which is the first time during Super Bowl week that teams are available to the media, was held at Minute Maid Park, where the Houston Astros play.

There were a handful of other strange getups, such as a man from a television station who wore a long blonde wig and a jersey that was half that of Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan and half New England tight end Rob Gronkowski.

Gymnast Simone Biles, who won four gold medals at the Rio Olympics, worked as a correspondent for "Inside Edition." Houston Rockets power forward Kyle Wiltjer reported as what he called an unpaid intern for NFL Network. And Astros pitcher Lance McCullers asked questions recorded by the team's social media department.

Biles said she would not be asking any difficult questions about politics or President Donald Trump. "I'm all about the fun questions," she said.

Wiltjer, who is a huge NFL fan, had a little fun with some of his questions. He opened with a serious query to Falcons coach Dan Quinn about the importance of special teams, before asking:

"I'm 6-foot-10 with a 7-1 wingspan, you think I can I block some kicks for you?"

That drew a big smile from the coach. "There's no question you could," he said. "Let's talk afterward."

Actor Kel Mitchell entertained the players dressed as his character Ed from the 1997 movie "Good Burger."

He did an extended interview with Patriots tight end Martellus Bennett about why the black unicorn is his spirit animal.

Bennett replied by leaning into his microphone and neighing like a horse, which drew a huge laugh from Mitchell, who first gained fame from the Nickelodeon show "Kenan & Kel."

But the loquacious Bennett, who grew up in Houston, was far from done having fun in the return to his hometown.

He did interview after interview, took pictures with anyone who asked and by the time he was finally coaxed off the field he was the only player remaining, with his teammates long gone from the event.

Falcons wide receiver Mohamed Sanu wants no part of talking about his religious beliefs as he prepares for his first Super Bowl appearance.

Sanu, a practicing Muslim, said at Monday's opening night that though President Trump's executive order banning immigration for seven majority Muslim countries was "a very tough situation" and "hard for me to talk about right now," he prayed the country and world would "unite as one."