When your team hasn't made it to the Super Bowl in a long time frustration begins to set in.  As a youngster I became accustomed to the 49ers being in the Super Bowl every other year and I got used to putting my 1978 foam finger on and waving it around.  If somehow they didn't make it that year  then I grabbed a VHS tape and watched Joe hit John streaking between defenders about 75 straight times.  Or maybe went with long TD passes from Joe to Jerry over outstretched Bronco defenders.  Heck I'd even go with Ricky Watters and Deion Sanders in those sweet #### (like a sweet #### Bonneville) throwbacks.

Now I have about 12 years experience coming up with a reason to root for a team that I could care less about: I think I've perfected the thought process.  I've tried betting on the game.  I've tried coming up with a reason to root for a coach because he used to help Bill Walsh.  I've tried hating Brett Favre.  I've tried rooting for Chris Chandler.  I've tried wishing John Elway would screw it up again.  All these are pretty shallow reasons.  So this year I'm trying to be a little more thorough in my ultimate decision on who to root for.  Time is running out.

Since teams were set for this years game I've been saying Tony Dungy with one side of my mouth and the Bears with the other.  Wrestling with it.  Who to pull for.  Who to scream at.  But, the more I ponder this subject, the more I realize my disdain of Peyton is ever growing.  It supercedes my respect for Tony Dungy even though knowing he deserves a Super Bowl for putting up with that self gratifying, self edifying Manning offspring.

As of Friday, February 2, 2007 I'm closing in on a decision.  A leaderless Bears team, an underdog Bears quarterback.  Or a team with the ultimate leader, a man who lost a son just a year ago, a man of faith.  I hope I can decide so my conscience will be clear when my head lays down on the pillow Sunday night.  Maybe I'll say a prayer, maybe I'll flip a coin, maybe I'll just pull for a square, hope I draw 0 and 7.