Rendered sleepless by a Kahlua cigar and the still unfathomable fact that the New England Patriots are one of the greatest teams of all time, I’ve had a million thoughts running through my head. Here are the ones fit for publication in a family newspaper.

• Move over Ted Williams, Bill Russell, Bobby Orr and Larry Bird. You now have company in the Boston sports pantheon – Tom Brady.

• I’ve got a feeling that 10 years from now, someone will have to explain to me how Lynn Swann gets into the Hall of Fame and Deion Branch doesn’t.

• Look out Jerry Rice (Super Bowl record eight TD receptions), here comes Mike Vrabel.

• Gotta give it up for T.O. He earned my respect Sunday night.

• I refuse to feel sorry for Philly fans. They were way, way too cocky heading into the game. And really obnoxious at the game, from what I hear.

• Speaking of too cocky, I will never forecast a Patriots’ Super Bowl blowout again.

• Hey Steve Young, what’s this crap about “the Eagles lost this game more than the Patriots won it?” You know what? If not for Jerry Rice, you wouldn’t be going to Canton this summer without a ticket. How’s that?

• On my list of Most Despised Teams, Notre Dame ranks behind only the New York anythings, the L.A. Lakers and the Philadelphia 76ers. But I’ll be rooting on the Irish for at least the next year with Charlie Weis at the helm.

• And mark the Cleveland Browns down as my second favorite team in the NFL, too.

• Speaking of the coordinators, I’m much more concerned about replacing Weis than Romeo Crennel. Belichick’s presence leaves me confident about the defense’s continued excellence. It will be interesting to see how Tom Brady adjusts to his next coordinator.

• And while we’re on the assistant coaches, offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia doesn’t get nearly the credit he deserves. Just look at how that line held up against Pittsburgh and Philadelphia’s blitz schemes and against Carolina’s vaunted front four last year. I’m torn between whether he should be Weis’ successor or stay right where he is.

• If FOX never gets to broadcast another Super Bowl or World Series in my lifetime, it won’t be soon enough.

• My friend Kyle Rhoads, who went to Houston last year and Jacksonville this year, reports that Jacksonville was woefully unfit for the Super Bowl. Accommodations were so scarce that there were stretch limos and countless other luxury vehicles parked at the EconoLodge he and his buddies stayed at, which was an hour outside of J-ville.

• Apparently, Jacksonville was lacking other necessities on the day of the game, too. “I think we parked in Compton,” my pal told me Sunday night.

• Quick quiz. Worse at clock management, the Eagles or the Academy Awards?

• Since we live in a country where attitude is everything, I’d like to make one request of the rest of America on behalf of all Patriot fans. Either stop complaining about the Pats’ celebrations mocking T.O. or stop calling them boring.

• I wouldn’t have had a problem with Rodney Harrison winning the MVP, either. But for all of those discounting Branch’s performance because he didn’t score a touchdown, it’s an undeniable truth that the Patriots wouldn’t have scored two of their three touchdowns without his contributions.

• Early 2006 Super Bowl prediction – New England vs. Carolina. For comedy’s sake, though, an Andy Reid-Romeo Crennel matchup would be pretty good for Super Bowl XL.

• Tedy Bruschi. Love ya guy. But please, next time, wait until Belichick’s 80-something year old father is out of the way before you douse your coach with ice water.

• Ty Law may have been rooting his teammates on from the sideline Sunday night, but his wallet must have gotten tighter and tighter as the game went along.

• As of today, my own personal all-time team rankings (teams with at least three championships) go like this – 1. Steelers; 2. 49ers; 3. Patriots; 4. Packers; 5. Cowboys. Head-to-head, they’d beat the Pack and the Cowboys, but I think the Pats would have a hard time scoring enough against the Steelers’ defense and stopping the Niners’ offense. But I wouldn’t wager against them, either.

• But they’re still not a dynasty. Sorry.