This years NFL season has been more like an episode of a crappy soap opera than grown men participating in battle on the football field. Let’s review the distractions that some of these overpaid primadonnas have caused this year.

Starting with the obvious, yup, like it or not, T.O. is in the news every day. I wish this thing would go away but not much chance of that anytime soon. On second thought, maybe I don’t want it to go away – makes for good fodder!

The latest is that apparently arbitrator Richard Bloch is expected to reduce the suspension of four games that the Eagles handed out to T.O. recently. Last Friday’s hearing lasted 14 hours. It has to make me wonder – is Bloch getting paid by the hour? The NFL player association was seeking to have the suspension reduced and wants the Eagles to cut Owens if they are not interested in playing him again this season. The apparent decision from Bloch involves cutting T.O. instead of deactivating him, which was the original plan of the Eagles top brass. If he is cut, then Owens could go through the NFL’s waiver system with the worst team getting the first shot of claiming him.

Worst team eh? – Guess that means he is headed to Texas or back to San Francisco – so in other words, Texans here he comes. There is no way that the 49ers would take him back. On ESPN recently that had an interesting analysis of who would most likely take T.O. (everything else being equal) and they came up with the Broncos who certainly could use his talents to take that next step towards the Super Bowl.

Now, the Vikings. Just a brief synopsis here, time and decency prevent a full “undressing� of this guy’s season.

Under the category of convenient segues, the funniest thing that some of the - seemingly lobotomized – individuals on this team have done was the infamous ‘love boat’ trip. Here is how the conversation might have gone:
Teammate 1 – “Hey dude, lets rent a couple boats, get a bunch of booze and women and have a sex fest�
Teammate 2 – “Great idea, what could possibly go wrong, its not like the media keeps and eye on NFL player activities�
Teammate 3 – “Exactly, we will just go have a quiet weekend of sex, drugs and booze and no one will be the wiser�
Teammate 4 – “Don’t invite Culpepper though, that guy is a square�

But the Vikings travails started much earlier in the season:
1. They traded Randy Moss to the Raiders, giving up their best, albeit controversial player.
2. Mike Tice was fined $100,000 for scalping Super Bowl tickets (he needed the money),
3. Their best running back was suspended for the entire season for substance abuse. (I bet he was on the boat though).

Now, Culpepper is out and even Tice got a knee injury just from standing on the sidelines.

Synopsis: The Eagles and Vikings won’t be appearing in the Super Bowl.

Who will be appearing in the Super Bowl? A tougher question but it can be easily narrowed down to a short list.

Colts, Broncos or Patriots from the AFC.

Seattle, Chicago (dark horse), or Atlanta from the NFC.

Once again, the AFC will win regardless of who makes it. More reasons why the above teams will be in the hunt later, but right now I have to go on EBAY and find a Terrell Owens bobble head doll…….

More on the Super Bowl at Sir Links Alot.