Jim Kleinsasser deserved better.

Jared Allen deserved better.

The Metrodome deserved better.

Viking fans deserved better.

On the first day of the year 2012, the Minnesota Vikings should have defeated the Chicago Bears in what was the final game of Jim Kleinsasser's proud and distinguished  Vikings career, and in what could be the final game played in the Vikings' home stadium for the past 30 seasons, the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome. On the last chance to salvage a small measure of dignity in this historically awful season, the Vikings failed but yet again.

Despite the Bears riding a season-long five-game losing streak and seemingly in free-fall, the Vikings still managed to lose to them 17-13.

In a way the game was a fitting way to end this season. It was so typical, so much the way the first month of the season began, with the Vikings jumping on an opponent early, playing with energy and purpose, only to eventually fade and allow things to slip away. The Vikings led Sunday's  game 10-0 and it seemed as though they might actually go out the way they did against the Bears in the season finale of 2005, with an easy 34-10 home win. That victory six years ago to the day - also a New Year's Day game - helped soothe the wounds of a disappointing season, although that win did not save Mike Tice's head coaching job, nor should this loss save Leslie Frazier's.

Just as in the Viking performances in the first month of the season, early focused play Sunday gave way to messy careless play, and in the span of 42 seconds in the second quarter - courtesy of a complete absence of pass coverage in the Viking secondary and an easy pass being poorly thrown and resulting in a pick six - the Bears had all of the points they would need to win the game.

In a game in which the Vikings should have mustered enough pride, to put their foot down and play one inspired performance for 60 minutes, they could not even do that. With an assortment of place-kicking woes, dropped passes (one resulting in an interception), drive-crippling penalties and a couple of errant tosses resulting in interceptions, a 13th loss was finally secured.

With the loss, the Vikings completed the humiliation of being swept by their entire division for the first time ever. For the second time in their history the Vikings have gone 3-13, finishing with a better record than only two teams in the league. One of those two teams the Saint Louis Rams, have already fired their unsuccessful head coach, and the other, the Indianapolis Colts - who won a Super Bowl five years ago (Leslie Frazier was an assistant coach ironically) - have fired their vice-chairman and general manager, and their coach is almost surely to follow.

The Vikings' ownership on the other hand, seems quite content with colossal failure. In 1984, the only other time in Vikings history a 3-13 season was registered, then head coach Les Steckel was excused after that season, he was not given another opportunity. Complete and utter failure for the once-proud Viking franchise was not acceptable once-upon-a-time.

It is a shame that the long-time tight end (drafted as fullback) Kleinsasser, had to walk off the home turf after playing his entire 13-year career with the franchise, in defeat. Kleinsasser played in two NFC championship games, started 130 games, carried the ball 43 times as a fullback, caught 192 passes and scored seven touchdowns. Never a star, Kleinsasser was a fine blocker and as a football player, always steady as a rock. He is a player Viking fans have come to love over the years, and should have had a win to close out with.

Defensive End Jared Allen, was one player who never quit, no matter how frustrating this season became. He played with energy and heart all season long. His effort has earned him a place in the Pro Bowl, the only Viking to receive that honor this year. His three-and-a-half sack performance Sunday left him with 22 sacks on the year, bettering the franchise record of 21 set by Chris Doleman in 1989, and a half sack short of former New York Giants' Michael Strahan's all-time NFL record 22.5 set in 2001, the last sack being a "freebie" courtesy of a Brett Favre flop down. (It was great to see the classy Doleman on the sideline graciously rooting on Allen Sunday. Doleman - the eight-time Pro Bowler, and fourth all-time career sack leader - should have been in the Hall of Fame by now). If all of the Vikings played with the energy and spirit that Allen played with this year, the team would have won a half dozen or so more games. Allen deserved not to have had to walk off the field in defeat on Sunday.

One of the characteristics that has defined the Metrodome throughout the years, has been the deafening noise that the home crowds have been able to generate. While much has been said about playing outdoors, and the success of the Viking teams of the '70's who played in the often rugged weather conditions, home crowd noise of the old Metropolitan Stadium could not approximate what occurs in the dome. Sunday in what was a battle of two also-rans, and obviously one of the worst teams in Viking history, the fans yelled at the top of their lungs, and made it very difficult for the Bears' offense to operate at times. There is no question that the crowd noise aided the Vikings defense Sunday and the unit responded by producing seven sacks. In a game where only pride was at stake, the Viking fans' volume was a testament to their faithfulness. It is a shame that they had to walk out of the Metrodome, perhaps for the last time at a Vikings game, with a loss.

Actually, if that is the last time the fans of Minnesota ever get to watch their Minnesota Vikings play, what a shame, such a sorry way to end such a sorry season.