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Rounding up the latest buzz surrounding Super Bowl 50

Cam Newton
Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

The week leading up to the Super Bowl provides fans and media the opportunity to watch and listen to the players as they share their excitement about upcoming big game.

Super Bowl 50 week kicked off in grand fashion on Monday with a first-ever “Opening Media Night,” which provided an abundance of newsworthy topics.

From Peyton Manning’s rodeo jokes to Cam Newton’s head-turning leggings, here is some of the latest pre-Super Bowl buzz.

Cam Newton explains wild Versace skin-tight pants

Stealing much attention from Sunday’s Pro Bowl broadcast from Hawaii was Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton’s wildly-pattered Versace pants.

Not leaving much to the imagination, Newton’s tight zebra-striped, gold tiger pants made headlines when the quarterback was spotted wearing them boarding a plane to California.

Newton explained why he wore those pants on Monday night:

Thankfully, Deion Sanders addressed the big elephant, make that zebra, in the room when he presented Newton with a colorful pair of pants and questioned the purpose of wearing the Versace “drawers.”

Unfortunately for anyone out there wanting to copy Cam’s Super Bowl-themed business-on-the-top, party-on-the-bottom look, the fabulous $849 Versace pants are reportedly sold out.

While Newton spun heads with his crazy bottoms and sock-less loafers, Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning arrived to California dressed in a conservative blue patterned suit.

Fashion is only one of the many things that keep Newton and Manning on completely opposite sides of the spectrum as far as their differences go.

Von Miller and Josh Norman film “Clueless Gamer” with Conan O’Brien

Dressed in fur hats, Broncos linebacker Von Miller and Panthers cornerback Josh Norman met up with talk show host Conan O’Brien to film the second annual “Clueless Gamer” segment.

Marshawn Lynch is also hanging with the guys for the segment, though it’s unclear what his role will be. Lynch and New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski debuted in O’Brien’s first “Clueless Gamer” video last year, which was hilarious.

Miller’s and Norman’s spot is scheduled to air on O’Brien’s late night show later this week.

Peyton Manning’s last rodeo?

Ever since Manning reportedly told Patriots coach Bill Belichick that this might be his “last rodeo,” the quarterback has been hounded with questions about retirement.

Keeping mum to the general public, Manning reportedly told some close friends he plans to retire after the Super Bowl.

However, on Monday night, Manning steered clear of discussing his future. He even remained vague and tight-lipped to this adorable young reporter who had a few moments to interview Manning.

https://twitter.com/ChuckModi1/status/694341460750114816?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Later, answering another question, Manning proceeded to clarify what he meant by “last rodeo” by saying he might go to a rodeo. At that point Manning was just babbling about trying to cover for what he did or did not say to Belichick.

If this is Manning’s last hurrah, nothing would be sweeter than to top it off with a second championship ring.

“Madden” simulates Panthers will win Super Bowl 50

According to EA Sports, a simulated Madden 16 game saw Carolina Panthers rise to the top in Super Bowl 50.

The game reportedly will come down to a final rushing play by Cam Newton, who will dive in for the game-winning score, beating the Broncos 24-20.

With Madden scarily predicting the outcome of Super Bowl XLIX between the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks, 28-24, it is not wrong to assume that the simulated game could once again be correct.

Madden has predicted the winner of the Super Bowl in nine of the last 12 years.

Kelvin Benjamin, “biggest cheerleader” of the game

Some doubted the Panthers would have much success without second-year wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin in uniform this past season.

Proving the naysayers wrong, Newton and Co. got the job done nearly perfectly, despite Benjamin being sidelined since last August with an ACL injury. Though, from behind the scenes, Benjamin hasn’t missed play and is looking forward to his team competing in the Super Bowl.

Courtesy of USA Today Images, via Katherine Peralta of The Charlotte Observer.”

Benjamin has since returned to running and says that he is feeling good, per the report. He should be a major part of Carolina’s offensive attack next year, which is scary considering how good the Panthers have been without him in 2015.

Vernon Davis receives warm welcome from fans in California

In what has proven to be one of the most fortuitous trades for any player during the 2015 NFL season, former San Francisco 49ers tight end Vernon Davis went from a struggling team to a Super Bowl team in 2015.

This ultimately boiled down to a trip back home for the 10-year veteran and a sweet greeting from fans who had a “Welcome Home Vernon!” sign waiting for him. Whether we’ll see any action out of Davis in the actual game remains to be seen.

With only one other Super Bowl appearance in his career, a victory on Sunday would ensure Davis eventually retires a champion.

The Super Bowl is not being played in San Francisco

San Francisco is inheriting the crowds, signs and increased traffic as if it was the hosting city of Super Bowl 50.

Therefore locals in the Bay Area are voicing their frustrations to social media about the logistics of where Levi’s Stadium is actually located.

Santa Clara and San Francisco are situated 50 miles apart, and it is an easy one hour-plus drive between the cities, depending on traffic.

With the Broncos staying at the Santa Clara Marriott and Panthers at the San Jose Marriott, folks looking for an NFL sighting in San Francisco are barking up the wrong tree.

Super Bowl Opening Night kicks off with Broncos, Panthers staged on a “Golden Gate Bridge”

When Super Bowl Opening Night kicked off, the Denver Broncos took the stage on a makeshift Golden Gate Bridge to assemble prior to addressing the media. The Panthers then lined up on the bridge for what kicked off the second half of the media extravaganza.

As the camera panned the line of players on the bridge, there was definitely no shortage of personal cameras, GoPros, selfie sticks and cellphones being used to capture the procession.

Once down from the Golden Gate, Manning admitted to a reporter that he didn’t realize he was on a bridge. As for Newton, he exited the bridge wearing a Super Bowl towel wrapped around his head in lieu of the typical ball cap some of his other teammates sported.

Both quarterbacks fielded questions from the press. As expected, Manning skirted around the retirement question while directly claiming the HGH accusations are completely false. Newton, who looked a bit star-struck, talked faith, fashion, success and about his one-month old son who is supposedly already walking.

Josh Norman and Deion Sanders have awkward conversation about Odell Beckham Jr.

Josh Norman

When Norman and Odell Beckham Jr. faced off in Week 15, the two clashed several times when their mouths and egos got the best of them. OBJ received a one-game suspension and Norman received a fine resulting from their on-field behavior.

In discussing that game with Sanders, Norman took issue because he thought Sanders supported Beckham’s side.

“I really didn’t agree with what you had going on with Odell and that whole situation,” Norman said per James Parziale of Fox Sports. “I feel like you took his back on some stuff. Like if he was your son you would have gave him props.”

Sanders attempted to explain himself saying he would be proud if Norman or Beckham were his sons. Though in reading Norman’s facial expressions we’re not sure he bought into Sanders’ load of double-talk.

Don’t ask Demaryius Thomas to play “Name that Tune”

This is at least in the case of the band Coldplay who will be part of Super Bowl 50’s halftime show.

When a reporter asked Thomas what his favorite Coldplay song was, he answered with “who?” And when the reporter explained who the band was and asked again about a favorite song, he replied “no.”

And why should Thomas know about the British boy band? He was only nine years old when Coldplay was formed. Perhaps Thomas is more of a Beyonce type of guy.

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