You can check it out below, and download it by clicking on the downward arrow on the right. And one of these days soon, we just might have our podcasts up on iTunes, finally. Hope you enjoy this one.

–Gene Bosling

But if you live outside of Wisconsin, the Packers’ status as Super Bowl champions can be fun for another reason: Gloating. This is particularly true for the Minneapolis chapter of Ol’ Bag of Donuts (Adam and Chris).

As most of you know, all three of us lived in Minnesota when we started this blog, which of course meant dealing with Vikings fans. We’ve made no secret on this site about how we feel about them — how laughable and obnoxious we find it they try to equate their legacy with ours one minute, only to grumble about how we care too much and we’re living in the past the next minute. They seem to love to point out Minneapolis’ vibrant arts scene as some kind of evidence of their sophistication, forgetting that outside of the Twin Cities, most of Minnesota is exactly like most of Wisconsin. And guys, if you can show us your last ticket stub from the Guthrie Theater or the Walker Arts Center, we’ll back off.

Most of those arguments were baseless in the first place, and now, they ring completely hollow. “Stop living in the past” is useless, because the Packers are the present champions of the world. Shots at Packers fans for caring too much just come off as phony, because the classier half of the Vikings fanbase will readily admit how much they long for what we have. The Metrodome collapsed, Brad Childress tossed a third-round pick to the Patriots on his way out of town, the Randy Moss trade was a joke, the StarCaps case may finally bring down the Williams Wall, Adrian Peterson is a free agent after next season and Brett Favre is gone. Oh, and the team might move to Los Angeles. Other than the Vikings’ infancy in the early 1960s, there may be no point in the history of these two franchises where the disparity has been as great as it is right now.

And because so many Packers fans live in Minnesota, either dating to before the Vikings arrived or owing something to the massive influx of Wisconsinites who cross the border for college, there are plenty of opportunities for trash-talk between the two fanbases. The Minneapolis Star Tribune published a story today called “Title etiquette: Packer backers need to behave.” It was written with tongue firmly in cheek, and it was good entertainment. And in the spirit of good entertainment, we’d like to respond with a few points of our own. Consider this the OBOD Super Bowl Celebration Manifesto:

–The article states that Packers fans in Minnesota are only allowed to discuss the Super Bowl if it’s brought up to them first. While we agree it’s not good to excessively rub Vikings fans’ noses in it, we can’t help but think this is all some sort of cosmic course correction for 2009, when Vikings fans, who had spent 16 years spewing bile at Brett Favre, were only too happy to remind us that they had our beloved hero. They told us at every turn how jealous we must be, even when we’d assert we were perfectly happy with our young quarterback and we’d caution them about how the playoffs would inevitably turn out. And we’re sorry, but to talk endless smack at one point and cry foul when it turns on you is just, well, so Vikings. We’ll behave (mostly), but after the Favre soap opera, know that you’ve earned yourselves a few jabs.

–We’ve been asked to refrain from mentioning the 13-championship disparity between these two franchises. Again, we at OBOD will use some discretion, but haven’t Vikings fans earned a little of that with all of their “Stop living in the past!” rhetoric? Championships, after all, are what you play for, and the Packers have more of them than any other team. And it’s easy not to remember the past when yours is so forgettable (no Super Bowls since 1976, and four losses in four tries).

–Under no circumstances will we cease to mention the massive disparity in quarterbacking between these two franchises, especially after the Vikings begged, pandered (and possibly tampered) to get Favre, and tried telling us how much we still loved him over the last two years. One team had a quarterbacking plan while the other gambled and lost. That fact is pertinent, it’s timely and even in intelligent football discussions, it’s central to the difference between these two teams. Though Favre himself does not need to be the topic of discussion, the effects of backing Favre, or not backing him, will reverberate far into the future for these two teams.

–Finally, please, please, please stop with the tired old lines like, “All cheeseheads sniff paint thinner!” and “Packers fans are just drunk all the time!” We’ve all lived in Minnesota. We’ve gone to college there. It doesn’t look much different than Wisconsin. Secondly, if Super Bowl XLV proved anything, it’s that the Packers are truly a national franchise with support too broad to confine to Wisconsin. And finally, to those who would trumpet Minnesota’s sophistication edge, we have two words for you: St. Cloud.

Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, here’s how we at OBOD plan to celebrate:

–We will joyfully wear our Packers championship gear throughout the offseason, even into the summer, but we will not utter the words “Vikings” unless we are asked about football first. If we are provoked, we are equipped with all manner of weapons of mass debunking to set the record straight. But we will keep our celebration on the right side of the “We’re the champs”/”We’re the champs and you suck” border.

–We will revel in the irony of Aaron Rodgers’ ascension and Ted Thompson’s vindication in the wake of Brett Favre’s departure, but we will keep most of the Favre rhetoric confined to what he said when he was forcing his way out of Green Bay, not when he played with the Vikings. There will be more attention on Favre’s relationship with the Packers going forward than his relationship with the Vikings anyway, and frankly, we don’t care enough about him to bother. He’s got his own problems these days, anyway.

–We will concentrate more energy on our newly renewed rivalry with the Chicago Bears, which frankly should have more spice than the Packers/Vikings feud anyway. We greatly enjoy the respectful, historical tenor of the Packers-Bears rivalry, and the run-up to the NFC Championship Game put that in a new light. The one problem between the Packers and Bears is that both teams are so rarely good at the same time, and there’s a chance that both will remain competitive for a few years to come (though we have our doubts about Jay Cutler). Still, we are hopeful that the playoffs put Packers-Bears back in its rightful place as the pre-eminent NFC North rivalry, ahead of the big-brother/little-brother dynamic that has always marked Packers-Vikings.

–Lastly, we will root for the Vikings to get a new stadium and remain in Minneapolis. Though we are frequently annoyed with Vikings fans, we recognize the strength of the NFC North lies in the fact it has four teams who have all been in the league for more than 50 years, and butting heads just as long. The NFC East is the only other division in football that has such a rich tradition of rivalries, and if the Vikings were to leave, something would be lost. We’ve always said we don’t hate the Vikings as much as we love to hate them, which means in the end, it’s all in good fun.

We feel these are reasonable terms under which to celebrate the Packers’ most recent Lombardi Trophy, and we plan to adhere to them throughout the offseason.

Finally, a note going forward: All we’ve ever wanted from Vikings fans is that they know their place. They’ve had plenty of successful seasons in the last 50 years, dominating the division through the 1970s and remaining competitive throughout the 1980s and 1990s. They haven’t anywhere near the dry spell between winning seasons that the Packers had between Lombardi and Holmgren, though their playoff failures speak for themselves. We’re not suggesting the Vikings are the Detroit Lions, but we’re also not going to suffer the logic they’re the Packers, Bears, Steelers, Cowboys or even the Giants. Championships do matter, and when there’s no football being played (which could be the case for a while), they’re what keep the banter lively between fanbases. The Vikings, historically, have been a good franchise that has struggled to achieve greatness, often falling short in memorable fashion. The Packers have some goofy traditions, but they’re also the most decorated team in the history of the league. Respect the economy of scale.

We hope these terms are agreeable to all, and we’ll be rooting for the Vikings to get a new home this winter. And, we hope, we’ll be butting heads with the Vikings as we chase title No. 14 next fall.

–The Ol’ Bag of Donuts staff

So Steelers Superfan #1, David McCoy is joined us this week for our weekly Q&A – Super Bowl edition. (Man, that does have a nice ring to it!)

1) Is the Pouncey injury the last straw for the Steelers’ offensive line? Do you believe they have enough to handle the front of Jenkins/Raji/Pickett, coupled with whatever exotic blitz schemes Capers draws up?

The Steelers’ offensive line has been making my stomach turn for years. Last season, remember, it gave up the second-most sacks in the league (50), only Green Bay had more (51). This year, only seven teams allowed more sacks, and only one of those seven made the playoffs (Chicago, with the most). Over the past few seasons, the O-line play has been one of the biggest (if not THE biggest) liabilities on the team. And the Pouncey injury definitely hurts, especially against a Green Bay front that will really bring the heat. I’ll be honest – it makes me really nervous. But I take comfort in a couple of things. One, despite the unit’s pass-protect struggles, they’ve been a very good in the running game – top 1/3 in the league. And if they can effectively run the ball (like they usually do), there aren’t as many pass blocking situations where things can go wrong. And Two, Ben Roethlisberger. If it were any other quarterback in that pocket, pass protection would be a much bigger issue. But he is a big, tough guy to bring down… and quite often, he’s at his BEST after the pocket breaks down. If Jay Cutler or Peyton Manning or Aaron Rodgers was this line’s QB, it would be a bigger problem. But Roethlisberger makes a huge difference. Doug Legursky has some big shoes to fill. But by all accounts, aside from the fumbled snap that allowed a safety, he played pretty well against the Jets. He’s no Pro Bowler Pouncey, but he’ll be alright.

2) Outside of Ben Roethlisberger, who is the most important offensive player for the Steelers on Sunday and why?

No question, it’s Rashard Mendenhall. I do not want to get into a game where it’s Roethlisberger v. GB’s secondary, up against Rodgers v. Pitt’s secondary. The Packers win that game. Green Bay’s secondary is deeper, and a little better. So Pittsburgh HAS to be able to run the ball. An effective running game will do two things – allow Green Bay’s front seven fewer opportunities to make a big play against suspect pass-blockers, and minimize the amount of times Roethlisberger has to throw into that secondary. All that aside… when Rashard is on, he can take over a game himself. So that would be big too.

3) Put yourself in Dick LeBeau’s shoes for a minute. What kind of game plan would you roll out against Aaron Rodgers?

I bring pressure. I make Bryan Bulaga earn his paycheck. I bring Polamalu up for a play… in coverage for two… up for one, back for two….. over and over. Woodley and Harrison are coming on nearly every play. I do not allow Rodgers time,  and I put him on his back as many times as possible. That’s easier said than done… but One, I like my chances against Green Bay’s O-line, and Two, I don’t like my chances if Rodgers has time to make reads. And this is not a defense designed to drop into coverage, anyway. This is a defense designed to blitz, with players who can make big plays.

4) Some analysts say the Packers have more talent, but the Steelers have more experience. Some also say they would take talent over experience any day. When the ball is kicked off, how much do you think that experience will matter?

I don’t put a whole lot of stock in the whole experience thing. I think it absolutely helps to a certain degree, but not nearly enough to decide the game. Impact on the game, yes… Big impact, no. And I’m not so sure the Packers have more talent, either. I think, position by position, the talent is pretty equal, aside from an advantage at RB for Pitt, and a (slight) advantage for Green Bay at DB. All things being equal, I think you throw those kind of things out the window. These are two very evenly matched teams, and one or two plays are going to decide this one. It might be a fumble on special teams, an interception by a No. 5 cornerback in a nickel package, or a touchdown by a third-down running back. And in that case, experience and talent don’t apply.

5) Where do you see the biggest advantage and disadvantage between these two teams and who is more likely to exploit them?

Here’s what I think: (Just my opinion)
QB – Slight advantage Pit
RB – Advantage Pit
TE – Advantage Pit
O-line – Advantage GB
WR – Slight advantage GB
D-line – Push
LB – Push
DB – Slight Advantage GB
ST – Advantage GB

To answer your question, there’s no blaring mismatch that stands out. That’s one thing that makes this game so intriguing and so tough to call. But the biggest difference I see is that the Steelers run the ball better than Green Bay, and the Steelers stop the run better than Green Bay. Both of these teams can throw it, both of these teams can defend/attack the throw. But there’s not the disparity between the two that there is in the running game. As I think I said on the podcast, I see this game being won or lost on the matchup between the Steelers run game vs. the Green Bay D-line. The team that wins that matchup wins the game.

Final Prediction:

I think we’re in store for one hell of a game. One where you don’t want to turn away for a single play. It’s probably a good thing that the Black Eyed Peas are playing the halftime show, because that’s the only chance I’ll get to pee. And at least I won’t be missing anything.
Steelers 24, Packers 23

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Thanks to David McCoy from South Bend joining us this week. I really don’t have anything nice to say to him, so as always feel free to rip his takes below.

-Adam Somers

You can check it out below, and download a copy of the show by clicking on the downward-pointing arrow on the right. Enjoy!

–Gene Bosling