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

When we started doing this weekly Q&A, we hoped it would be fun and also develop some lasting relationships in the blogosphere along the way. Well, that definitely has happened with Bears Headquarters and as much as we hate each other’s teams, we respect the hell out of each other. Quite frankly, that is same way we both feel about the teams in general. There truly is no better way to decide the NFC Championship.

Here is what Jonathon had to say about the Packers and Sunday’s game.

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The Green Bay Packers are in the championship game because of two things.  The best quarterback in the NFC and a well-coached aggressive defense. Despite injuries, the Packers find themselves 60 minutes away from a trip to the Super Bowl. With New England out of the mix, it officially becomes a wide open race.

Being a blogger for the Chicago Bears, I have seen the Packers play several times this year. While not as often as the most avid fans, certainly enough to give an opinion on how the strengths and weaknesses of the squad.

Aaron Rodgers is better than Brett Favre as far as I’m concerned. He has a lot of poise and doesn’t make the mistakes Favre used to make. He makes everyone on his offense better. I do not believe that the Packers wide receivers are that strong, but thanks to Rodgers, they play at a higher level. When Rodgers doesn’t make throws, he is able to create things with his feet. This really creates match-up problems for opposing teams.

From what I’ve seen, the best way to beat Rodgers is to minimize the damage. Do not give up big plays and keep things in front of you. This is easier said than done of course. Because just when you think you’ve got him figured out, he does something to shock the hell out of you.

Defensively, the Green Bay Packers are an aggressive bunch with a strong coordinator. Dom Capers has been around a long time creating problems for opposing offenses. Clay Matthews, Jr. is probably the most recognizable name/face on the defense, but Charles Woodson and B.J Raji also are guys to watch. Cullen Jenkins has shown an ability to get after the quarterback as well. Nick Collins is one of the leagues top safeties. So obviously, this is a group that is talented as well as coached up pretty well.

I believe the Packers show a weakness against the run. You should be able to run the ball into the secondary against this team and force plays down their throats. If you get into a shoot-out with this team, it can create problems because the Packers are able to create turnovers.

-Jonathon Carroll

Let’s get down to business.

Here are three things the Green Bay Packers must, must, must do if they are to advance to the Su…wait…I don’t even want to say that phrase yet…defeat the Chicago Bears in Sunday’s NFC Championship Game (still get chills writing that).

• Win the special teams battle. Or, at the very least, draw to a push.

If you’re like me, you believe the rest of this paragraph to be truth. The Packers are an eight offensively; the Bears are about a six. The Packers are an eight defensively; the Bears are a nine. That tilts the scales Green Bay’s way – until you factor in the special teams, where the Packers sit at five (and a generous five at that) and the Bears at nine.

In other words, if Chicago is to win the game, that will be where it does so. The Bears are absolutely lethal in all things special teams. They cover returns well, their specialists are elite (particularly at home) and then there’s that Hester guy, perhaps the best returner the game has ever seen.

Go ahead and talk about the Packers’ record-setting penalty numbers from the first Soldier Field game all you want. The real reason they lost is simple: Twice – twice! – Green Bay decided to kick the ball to Hester. He set up a score the first time; he plain ol’ scored the second time. Yep, that was about it.

That can not – repeat: CAN NOT – happen Sunday. The Packers figured it out the second time around, thanks to some great directional punting from America’s favorite ginger, Tim Masthay. They need to do it again. Hester’s big returns are as crucial mentally as they are in terms of field position. He breaks those returns and the entire team, the entire stadium, gets rocking.

And, oh yeah, if Green Bay could break a big return or two, that’d sure help things a lot against that defense. But, really, the Packers don’t necessarily have to excel on special teams Sunday. It’s more important to neutralize the Bears in that area. I’ll take a tie in that department, because a win would come out of that.

• Get an early lead

This is absolutely essential, for a couple different reasons.

The first is a mental one. The Bears thrive on their tough-guy mindset. They want to knock you down early and then loom over you for four quarters, making you fearful to get up and attack them back. A bully mindset? Perhaps, but it’s served them more than well throughout the season. And we all know the best way to beat a bully is to deliver that first punch.

The second is tactical. Chicago, as always under Lovie Smith, will aim to shorten the game as much as possible. Get an early lead and grind it out with its defense and running back Matt Forte. If Forte can get into the 20-plus carry range, the Packers could very well be in trouble. A physical, tough runner with above-average speed, Forte could present some major problems for a defense that is still suspect against the rush.

No, the Packers don’t want that. What they want is to turn the game into Jay Cutler vs. Aaron Rodgers.

We all like to take our shots at Cutler – he really makes it too easy most of the time – but the fact of the matter is he’s been very good as of late. Eight touchdowns and just four picks in his last four games, including a very nice showing against Seattle last weekend. Still, no one knows how he’ll fare in a playoff game against a defense that isn’t from the Pacific Northwest.

Well, let’s find out. Make sure you’re ahead 10-3 or 7-0 in the second quarter. Make him feel like he has to beat you. Frankly, I don’t think he’s got enough bullets to do it, not with his tendency to give the opponent some shots at turnovers.

(By the way, Jay, we all talked it over and it’s totally cool if you want to throw at No. 38 a bunch. Really, he’s not that good. You should go for it!)

• For the love of all things holy, make sure Bryan Bulaga has some help on the right side

Julius Peppers will be lining up opposite Bulaga on Sunday. You know it. I know it. Dead people know it.

And why wouldn’t he? He’s destroyed Bulaga countless times in their two matchups this season, including getting Bulaga to jump offsides three times in the second game. He’ll aim to do so again in this one. And it might only take one Bulaga error for Peppers to break through for a game-changing play.

Mike McCarthy can not allow for this. Look, we all know Mike Mac doesn’t like to give his linemen too much help. Keeping extra guys in to block takes away from what he wants to do in the passing game. I get that. But he needs to re-think that approach here. Peppers must be neutralized at every turn. Bulaga may be able to do so on his own in time, but he’s not ready for that challenge just yet. He needs help. Give it to him.

Make sure Tom Crabtree is over there. Get Brandon Jackson or Donald Lee that way. Heck, put B.J. Raji over there if need be. But do not expect Bulaga to hold his own, one-on-one, for 60 minutes with that beast.

There are likely some things I’ve left out (feel free to toss in your thoughts in the comments section below). But, really, I believe if the Packers can successfully nail these three things, they will win Sunday and advance to the Su…the Sup…

Nope. Still can’t say it. Yet.

-Chris Lempesis

Anyways, here are Jonathan’s answers.

1) Lovie Smith has said he plans on playing his starters the full game Sunday. Unless Carolina beats Atlanta for probably the upset of the year earlier in the day, is this such a good idea against a team that needs to win at all costs?

Lovie is giving the politically correct answer. I’m sure he’ll let the status game dictate what he chooses to do. On the one hand, he’s made it clear that he wants to beat Green Bay. His record proves it against the Packers. His first press conference when he was hired basically said as much. On the other hand, he’s got to see the bigger picture. My guess is that he’ll play most of his starters and ease them out. Two weeks off is a long time, and this team has work to do.

Now an even more interesting question becomes what if the Packers clinch and the Bears have a shot at the one seed. What do the Packers do?

2) Peppers, Urlacher and Briggs are all Pro-Bowlers to no one’s surprise, but who is this the MVP of the defense this year for the Bears?

Wow, great question. I’ll say Peppers because he’s the obvious answer. However, Urlacher is the leader of the defense. Despite the numbers put up by Clay Matthews, I really think these two are more valuable.

3) The NFC is pretty wide open with all of the playoff teams, sans the NFC West toilet bowl champion, having the talent to reach to the Super Bowl, so what areas do the Bears need to improve on in the next month in order to play in Dallas?

The Chicago Bears offensive line has been playing well, I would like to see that continue. The other area are the safeties. They miss too many tackles in the box. This team has been playing solid football and showed some offensive punch against a good Jets defense.

4) Cutler has cut his turnovers in roughly half from last season, what do you think have been the biggest reasons for this?

He’s a heck of a quarterback that needed time to get comfortable. Think of it this way, Aaron Rodgers had time to develop as a quarterback, Cutler didn’t. He was thrown to the wolves last season. Now with a real offensive coordinator and an improving line, he’s showing his talent. Plus, the Bears have committed to running the damn football. That helps too.

5) The last time the Packers and Bears met was way back in Week 3, what has impressed you the most about the Packer since and do you expect Sunday’s game to be different this time around?

Sunday’s game, unless about three things earlier happen, will be a tough game to use as any sort of measuring stick. I know your readers aren’t going to like this answer, but the Packers are a Jekyll and Hyde team. Losing to the Lions was beyond inexcusable. I’ve heard the excuses, but a championship team has to win that game. I was impressed in the Patriots game, but the Patriots made the two plays they needed to in order to win. Obviously the Giants game was impressive. I think the Packers’ defense is overrated. Aaron Rodgers is a stud. He’s got good receivers and a fair offensive line. I’m sure I’ll hear from your readers, but I’m being honest. The Packers have to get a lot better before I’ll crown them. By the way, for the record, I’m not sure if the Bears are that complete team either. But, I think the Bears’ record certainly shows they’re a good football team.

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Thanks again to Jonathan for joining us again this week. We answered some questions for his site, so make sure you check it out this week and you can also follow him on Twitter at bearshq. Have a great and safe New Year’s holiday and hopefully this isn’t the last weekly Q&A for the season!

-Adam Somers