Quarterback Daunte Culpepper is one of four quarterbacks who is to be honored by the National Quarterback Club in early June. All four have strong Minnesota connections.

Vikings QB Daunte Culpepper garnered numerous awards after becoming only the fifth quarterback in NFL history to post 40 combined (rushing and receiving) touchdowns in his first season as a starter last year. Now he is getting another high national honors for a quarterback, being named the NFL Quarterback of the Year (NFC) by the National Quarterback Club.

Culpepper joins three other honorees as national quarterbacks of the year, all with a strong bond to Minnesota. Former Vikings quarterback Rich Gannon, who is the son-in-law of former Vikings running back Bill Brown, will be honored as the NFL Quarterback of the Year (AFC). Chris Weinke, who grew up in St. Paul and played for Cretin-Derham Hall (Matt Birk and Corbin Lacina's high school), was named the National College Quarterback of the Year for his performance at Florida State. And Joe Mauer, current Cretin-Derham Hall multi-sport athlete, was named the National High School Quarterback of the Year.

Because of the Minnesota connections this year, the awards dinner will be hosted in Minneapolis at the Minneapolis Marriott Southwest on June 9. Individual tickets and corporate tables of 10 and eight are available. Call 1-888-488-2597 ext 3113 to order tickets.

One of the two charities to benefit from the dinner will be The African American Adoption Agency, a charity for which Culpepper is the spokesman and diligent supporter.

Previous NFL winners of the award include John Elway, Brett Favre, Steve Young, Joe Montana and Troy Aikman.

SATURDAY NOTES
* The Vikings are going have a rookie minicamp starting Wednesday that will feature draft picks and undrafted free agents.
* The NFL is expected to finalize realignment at its owners meetings May 22-24 in Chicago. Both of the most likely realignment scenarios have Minnesota staying put in the NFC Central and shipping out Tampa Bay.
* The Vikings finished fourth in CNN-SI's "Dead Pool" -- which "honors" the team that has to use the most of its current salary cap money against contracts of players no longer with the team. San Francisco, which is still paying millions for Steve Young, finished first with almost $22 million in salaries for non-roster players, followed by the Cowboys and Chiefs. The Vikes edged out Washington with almost $14 million in "Dead Pool" money on the table.