For years, it has been the classic hypothetical question:

Now before you jump to any conclusions or reach for a sharp object, let me make a few things clear.

First, I’m not one of those insufferable people from the Big Apple who worship everything Yankees, Mets, Knicks, Rangers or even Jets. The closest I’ve ever lived to New York was a few years in the late 1970s and early 1980s in eastern Connecticut – on this side of the Red Sox-Yankees line of demarcation that supposedly splits the state right down the middle.

Second, it’s not really my fault. I mean, it’s not like I chose to be a Giants fan. It’s just that when I was an impressionable young kid growing up in the early 1960s, the Giants were the local football team.

I can still remember those Sundays. Church in the morning. Dinner at my grandparents’ house in Lowell, Mass., in the afternoon. (Or more appropriately, if you are of Greek descent, yiayia and papou’s house.) Then my older brother George and I would escape to the family room to watch football on that black-and-white TV set with the small, circular screen.

While the Boston Patriots would join the old American Football League in 1960, my brother and I already were hooked on the dulcet tones of TV broadcaster Chris Schenkel relaying the exploits of Y.A. Tittle, Frank Gifford, Alex Webster, Joe Morrison, Del Shofner, Andy Robustelli, Roosevelt Brown, Dick Lynch and the like.

Having been born too late to enjoy the championship years of 1927, 1934, 1938 and 1956, I don’t mind telling you that I took particular pleasure in the Giants’ Super Bowl victories in 1986 (Denver) and 1990 (Buffalo). That was far more enjoyable than the Patriot Super Bowl losses in 1985 (Bears) and 1996 (Packers).

As I grew older, of course, being a Giant fan became a bit more of a challenge. After the Patriots joined the National Football League following the AFL-NFL merger in 1970, they really became the local football team. The days of being able to watch the Giants on TV every Sunday were over.

Still, in the spirit of full disclosure, I have to admit that I’ve become a pretty good Patriots fan over the years as well. How can you not be living up here? The fact that they also went on to win three Super Bowl titles in four years between 2001-04 didn’t hurt, either.

So back to the now not-so-hypothetical question: Which team do I plan to root for on Sunday?

I wish I knew.

The best I can figure is that the experience will be similar to what I went through watching the Patriots-Giants match-up in the final week of the regular season. That was the week the Patriots were looking to conclude the first undefeated 17-0 season in NFL history.

For the first part of the game, I was pulling for the Giants – not so much because I was certain I wanted them to ruin the Patriots’ perfect season, but because I didn’t want them to be embarrassed in their final tune-up game for their own playoff run.

But when the Giants surprisingly pulled ahead 28-16 in the third quarter, I found myself rooting for the Patriots to at least come back and make it interesting. When the Patriots hung on to win, 38-35, I can’t say I was too disappointed.

Now that I think of it, I guess I can’t lose either way.

If the Patriots win, I’ll be able to say I celebrated their fourth Super Bowl victory in seven years and the first undefeated season ever – a record that may never be matched.

If the Giants win, I’ll be able to say I celebrated the biggest upset in Super Bowl history since Broadway Joe Namath led the New York Jets to victory over the Baltimore Colts as 19-1/2-point underdogs in Super Bowl III in January 1969.

I know. It doesn’t seem fair, does it?

Maybe not. But I bet there are a few other 50-somethings (or more) out there who are feeling the same way.

Nick Pappas is editorial page editor of The Telegraph. He can be reached at 594-6505 or npappas@nashuatelegraph.com. (But don’t feel you have to.)