Congratulations to the New York Giants and New England Patriots for earning your way into the Super Bowl.

As a Viking fan one is used to finding a reason to pull for one team or the other playing on Super Sunday. A Viking fan has to decide how much loyalty he beholds for another team that might be from the same division, same conference, or one the fan hates to a lesser extent than the other team.

If the AFC was anyone besides New England, I would root for the Giants since I am an NFC kind of person. Even that goes only so far because I could never root for the Packers or Bears no matter who they were playing. The Lions don't affect me - I dislike the Tampa Bay Buccaneers more than I do the Lions. It is probably because Minnesota has owned Detroit for so many years that I didn't develope a dislike for them. In fact, I root for the Lions when they are playing the Packers or Bears. I confess, last year I rooted for the Colts to beat the Bears.

I should be grateful to the Giants for beating Green Bay in the NFC Championship game at Lambeau field in brutal, frigid conditions. Good on ya New York Giants. Imagine Bret Favre throwing an interception at a crucial moment near the end of a game. I've been waiting for the old Bret Favre to show up all season and he finally did on Sunday.

Thank the good lord for sparing us from two weeks of a Bret Favre love-fest by the media.

I used to listen to The Sporting News radio coverage and I remember in 2001 when the Patriots started the year 0-2 and one of the NFL reporters opined that New England might be the worst team in the NFL. Drew Bledsoe got injured on a vicious hit by the Jets' Vilma and this rookie QB named Tom Brady took over for him. The Patriots won the next four games. They were not pretty wins, but counted just the same.

The Sporting news interviewed Brady who was pleasant, humble, and said all the right things. He said the team was responsible for the four wins and he was merely holding the job until Bledsoe recovered. He said once Drew was healthy, the job of starting QB still belonged to Bledsoe.

Except the Patriots kept getting better and better and Bledsoe never got his job back.

I live in the Pacific Northwest and we don't see many Patriot games out here - at least we didn't in 2001. I didn't see Brady play until the play-off game against Oakland - the famous Tuck-rule game played in the snow. The Raiders were the better team and had more talent at most positions and they played okay for  being a California team performing in the snow.

As everyone knows, the Pats won thanks to a miracle 45-yard field goal by Adam Vinateri in snow so thick you couldn't see the ball. What an amazing game - thank goodness I recorded it just on a whim.

Next up the Pats travelled to Pittsburgh and despite being heavy underdogs, defeated the Steelers ( thanks in part to Drew Bledsoe). Then it was on to the Super Bowl against the "Greatest Show on Turf" - the St. Louis Rams and their powerful, unstopable offense.

But Bill Belichick somehow did hold them to 17 points - because the man is a certified genius. And Tom Brady wins Super Bowl MVP. It was all so perfect - after the terrorist attacks of 9/11, the winning Super Bowl team would be called the Patriots because America was a very patriotic place to be.

The Patriots fascinate me, on so many levels. I am not jumping on their bandwagon because the Minnesota Vikings are fixed in my soul and I believe it is physically impossible for a true fan to cut yourself free of the team you worship. The Vikings have owned my heart for 40 years and I wouldn't have it any other way.

But I can lust after the pretty red Ferrari on the other side of town as long as I am discreet about it. And now that the season is over and my team has missed the play-offs again, I am free to openly enjoy the best team in the history of the NFL.

Look for the Patriots to perform like a well-oiled machine on Super Bowl Sunday. The game will be a blowout much to the chagrin of the casual football fans. Life's a bitch then you get a one-sided Super Bowl. Try to enjoy the commercials.

I'll be okay. Like I said - the Patriots fascinate me.

At last count there were a record 64 different starting QBs around the league this season. Since several teams, i.e. New England, Dallas, Green Bay, Seattle, etc., had the same QB start every game, it meant that many teams had injuries or poor QB play. Not so coincidentally, those teams with just one starting QB were in the upper tier of the standings.

The Vikes had 3, of course, as everyone knows. Holcomb went 0-3 and Bollinger 0-1. Tarvaris gets credit for a record of 8-4 as a starter ( 8-6 lifetime ). In the Childress offensive system of the past two seasons, the QB is mainly a "caretaker" position - hand off the ball and don't throw interceptions or have fumbles. If the QB doesn't cause turnovers, the running game and special teams work well, and the defense makes some big plays, there's a pretty good chance of putting up a W.

Except for Adrian Peterson, the offense never seemed dangerous this year. You never had the sense the Vikings were going to impose their will upon a defense. As long as the Vikes got up early or kept the game close there was hope the offense could put together a drive.

However, being behind by more than 7 points was like facing an impossible task. In the only game of the season in which Minnesota did come from two scores down, T-Jack played poorly for 3 quarters then scored two TDs and two two-point conversions to tie Denver 19-19, only to fumble away victory in OT.

Tarvaris was not directly responsible for any of the 8 victories. He did not put the team on his back and carry them to victory. There were no heroics or amazing passes or brilliant audibles. He simply didn't give the game away by having turnovers.

Without Adrian Peterson we would likely be 4-12 with our victories being Atlanta (defense), N.Y. Giants (defense), San Francisco (C. Taylor & defense), and Oakland (poor opponent).

The draft is not a promising place to upgrade this position, which leaves free-agency or trade. Looking around the NFL, there is not much quality in the free-agent to be QBs. Cleveland will not allow Derek Anderson to escape. J.P.Losman has a poor attitude.

Ben Maller's rumors indicated Childress may be interested in trading for Donovan McNabb and Philadelphia's asking price is two #1 draft picks. I do not care much for McNabb, I dislike Philadelphia, and I hate the idea of giving up draft picks.

However if you can imagine McNabb as being our QB this year, four of those losses could have been wins - Detroit, Kansas City, Philadelphia, and Dallas. In the first Green Bay game Adrian Peterson had 108 yards rushing in the first half, 4 in the second with two touches. Its likely McNabb would have called some audibles during the second half to run Adrian. I think we could get 3 good years from McNabb. Remember the '98 team? We did pretty good with a former Eagle QB in '98 - Randal Cunningham, of course.

Here's a trade proposal for McNabb...the Vikes 1st round draft pick, 6th round draft pick, Tarvaris Jackson, and Visanthe Shiancoe. Plus a bag of doughnuts.

At this date (before the wildcard games) it is much too early to know who will be available via free agency or how the April draft will shape up. The Vikings are sending 7 players to the Pro Bowl and in my opinion, E. J. Henderson deserved to go. Our line-ups still have several positions that need an upgrade. My opinion of the biggest needs are:

1. A stud DE capable of 10 or more sacks per year.

2. A #1 WR capable of 75 or more receptions per year and good Yards-after-Catch.

3. An experienced QB via free-agency or trade.

Area's we need a roster upgrade:

4. Cornerback - someone to match Antoine WInfield.

5. Strong Safety - the vikes haven't had a good run stuffing strong safety since Dennis Griffith left. (#24 from the '98 team if I have messed up his last name.)

6. Outside Linebacker - Ben Leber's eventual replacement.

7. A better right tackle. - Ryan Cook seemed to be getting better through most of this season but took a step back the final two games, including causing a safety against Denver. Marcus Johnson is not the answer either.

8. A better right guard. - Anthony Herrara is okay, not great. Artis Hicks should hope to achieve okay.

9. A better TE. - Visanthe Shiancoe was a waste of cap money. Shockley's current backup with the Giants, Kevin Boss, looks like a better TE than Shiancoe. Fred Davis, USC, would be a good fit for Minnesota in the draft.

The Vikes will have the 17th selection of the first round. Between now and April players will rise and fall and some heralded juniors will declare themselves eligible. Assuming of course Minnesota retains this pick, if the draft were held today there are two players I like at this spot - 1.) Kansas CB Aquib Talib who looked pretty good in the Orange Bowl last night. He is 6-2, 205 and would really be a help against teams like Green Bay and Detroit who spread us out with multiple receiver sets.  2.) USC outside linebacker Keith Rivers, 6-3, 235. He may end up as a Dontarius Thomas linebacker - filling in at all 3 positions. We are thin at linebacker depth and Ben Leber is not getting any younger. Ben is a great run stuffer and spot blitzer and has a nose for the ball, but lacks the speed to get back in coverage.

We should stay away from drafting DEs with our track record of first-round under-achievers Kenechi Udezi, Erasmus James, Derrick Alexander, Dimitrius Underwood, etc. I think Brian Robison will be better next year, and even with the suspension I still like Ray Edwards. Kenechi is okay as long as he's left on the left side.

One free agent I know of is Jared Allen of KC. If the Chiefs don't slap a franchise player tag on him, Minnesota should do whatever it takes to sign him. Jared led the NFL in sacks with 15.5 and missed the first two games of the season due to a league suspension for DUI. Many people will shy away from his questionable character issues but he is  of the same mold as Keith Millard. He is a stud of pure, natural talent. In college he doubled as a long-snapper for the punting unit and was good enough he could be in the NFL as a long-snapper. KC used him as a TE in red zone situations this year and he caught two TD passes (one more than Shiancoe). In our loss to Kansas City, he was a one-man wrecking crew and made Bryant McKinnie look bad. Allen was in our backfield all game.

Last summer the great free-agent DE was Patrick Kerney who had 14.5 sacks for the Seabags. My opinion is Jared Allen would raise our pass defense to a top-15 level immediately and the Vikings should do whatever it takes to sign him. With him at right DE and Robison at left DE we would have a pass rush reminescent of Purple People Eater days. Allen's character is actually pretty good - he loves to play football.

One last note, I will miss Mewelde Moore - who has been my favorite player the past three years. I know he will find a better situation with another football team - I hope not with the Packers or Bears. It is a shame that Childress didn't recognize how good he is. I liked Mewelde ever since the Houston game in 2005. Onterrio Smith had been suspended for failing a drug test (the original Whizzinator?) and the experts wondered "what will the Vikings do without their number 1 running back?" As I recall Mewelde rushed for 119 yards that day and had 3 100-yard games that season. I hope he goes somewhere like Tampa Bay or Arizona - maybe even San Francisco. I want him to have a good career, but not against Minnesota.

According to Forbes the Vikings are the least valuable franchise in the NFL based on revenue and directly related to the Metrodome. The state legislature is not going to build a new stadium anytime soon with more important matters to address such as the I-35 bridge collapse. So, you're stuck with the Metrodome until the lease expires - the public is not going to bail you out, its no wonder that year-after-year you are reluctant to spend anywhere near the salary cap. To spend salary cap money is simply taking money from your bottom line and relying on accountants to figure out if you made any of it back.

If you commit to the fans of Minnesota, the long-term solution is to arrange for your own financing and own the new stadium - ala the Washington Redskins. A real-estate man should see lots of opportunities to make money in locating the stadium outside of Minneapolis at a location with good freeway access that is open and can be the centerpiece of a new business/shopping hub in which you've bought up the land.

As for your football team itself, winning creates value. The country is full of bandwagon-jumpers who like the hot team. Winning means you sell more merchandise. Winning means you make the play-offs and have extra revenue.

If you are not going to spend more in salary than you absolutely have to, approach each season like the Minnesota Twins - draft wisely and develop your players. You have to have people in your personnel office who's background is from smaller colleges who have to recruit from the same areas as the big colleges - i.e. Boise State, Appalaichian State, Central Florida. These people have learned how to find the diamond-in-the-rough, unearth that rare talent - compete with the big boys with the bigger budgets. One of their tasks would be signing undrafted free agents. An example of our past failure: Hank Baskett, a WR from New Mexico who we traded to Philadelphia for crap in return. Greg Blue was a hard-hitting safety released in pre-season and now with the Lions - he was far better than Dwight Smith. Jason Carter, a WR, released and now with Carolina, had a lot of upside potential and was already a better receiver than Robert Ferguson or Troy Williamson, or Aundrea Allison. Davonte Edwards was a promising CB whom we also let get away in the final pre-season cuts.

Your coaches also have to be teachers. Mike Tice was a great teacher of Offensive linemen and its no surprise Jacksonville has a great offensive line.

Brad Childress is not a teacher but comes off as more of a disciplinarian. Tarvaris Jackson is the best example of this. His footwork and mechanics are just as bad now as they were at the beginning of the season. Adrian Peterson still hasn't learned how to pass block?

During the Saturday night game with New England and the Giants, after the Giants had driven the field and scored, the TV showed Bill Belichick down on a knee with a chalkboard, telling his four linebackers what adjustments to make. No other assistants were in the picture.

Childress also lacks imagination. He insists that the players conform to his offensive scheme and cannot tweak his scheme to account for the talent on his roster. As the season wore on and defenses began loading the box with 8, sometimes 9 defenders, he and Bevell were unable to come up with any counter strategy. The Vikes could neither run nor pass against stacked, run-blitzing defenses until the defenses changed schemes in the second half with their team up my two-or-more scores. By then it was too late to be a balanced offense and run the ball.

If Childress has to remain the head coach, and I think he sucks, then he should become more of a game manager and paper pusher. I would fire Darryl Bevell and bring in a new offensive coordinator such as Wade Wilson, the former Viking QB who is the Cowboys QB coach and has done a fine job developing Tony Romo. Wade has no offensive coordinator experience but call it a hunch or wishful thinking, finding former Viking players who can coach will lead this team in the right direction.

Adrian and Brian Robison really had their production fall off at the end of the year. Was this the "rookie wall" where college players wear out in the extended NFL season? Does Childress run too vigorous of a preseaon camp? Are practices on Wednesdays and Thursdays too physical?

Next time, I'll give my thoughts about the roster.

The first quarter of the Denver game saw the Vikings take two drives inside the Bronco 5-yard-line but come away with just 3 points, thanks mainly to a Chester Taylor fumble out of the end zone. The Vikes had 90 yards rushing in the first quarter and this is always a bad omen to have lots of yards early but few points to show for it.

Defenses make adjustments, the Vikes were not on their way to a 360-yard day of rushing.

The offense was putrid in the second and third quarters and must have been watching the score of the Washington-Dallas game instead of focusing on the task at hand.

Another Chester Taylor fumble led to a Bronco TD. An anemic 3-and-out at the 2-minute warning of the first half and again at the start of the 3rd quarter are typical of this incompetently coached team. A Ryan Cook penalty in the end zone causes a safety and with 13 minutes left in the game, the Vikes trail 19-3.

Somehow, Tarvaris Jackson pulls a miracle out of his hat and brings the Vikings all the way back with 2 touchdowns and two 2-point conversions to tie the game and send in to over-time. Tarvaris is too much of a work in progress to seize the moment and grasp victory from the jaws of defeat in a place where John Elway became legend. Instead T-Jack fumbles on the first possession in OT, inside the Viking 20, and Denver quickly boots the winning field goal.  In the big scheme of things it didn't matter, Washington blew out Dallas 27-6. If the Vikes had won it would have lost them a few draft spots next April.

Since I am afraid the Vikes will trade that first round pick to Philadelphia for Donovan McNabb, I'd rather have had the win.

The T-Jack lovers are going to look at this game and claim it proves he is improving, 2 TDs and no interceptions. He is a horrible QB with Charles Barkley-esque mechanics. He is also the best QB on our roster which is nothing to brag about.

That is totally the fault of Brad Childress and his coaching staff. Childress should be embarrassed that by week 17, his prize QB still hasn't mastered fundamental footwork. A good coaching staff makes adjustments at halftime and the team plays better to begin the third quarter - even Mike Tice's teams came out better for the third quarter. Multiple times this year ( this and the Dallas game specifically), the offense begins the third quarter with a 3-and-out.

Childress sucks, Frazier sucks, Bevell sucks, T-Jack sucks, Troy Williamson sucks. Billy Wade sucks. Shiancoe sucks. By the way, the first two completions were to G. Mills and I wondered, who the hell is G. Mills? I clicked on his name and see he is the TE we signed off the patriot waiver list. Hell, where's he been all year? He's apparently better than the two douchebags we've been using: Shiancoe and Dugan.

Oh yeah, Holcomb sucks. Bollinger sucks. Dwight Smith blows and sucks. Tank Williams sucks. Erasmus James sucks. Darrien Scott sucks. Rick Spielmon sucks.

Next time, I'll write about what I'd do if I was president of this team. Of course, no one cares what I'd do but this is my way of getting some frustration off my chest.

Life is too short to accept mediocrity. Viking fans shouldn't be satisfied with 8-8.