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METAIRIE - Reaching an NFL conference championship game for New Orleans Saints cornerback Randall Gay has become second nature.

Sunday’s NFC title game against the Minnesota Vikings at the Superdome will mark his fourth such conference championship in six NFL seasons, the first three coming in 2004, 2006 and 2007 as a member of the AFC New England Patriots.

The Patriots went on to win Super Bowl XXXIV following the ’04 season.

Gay, a native of Baton Rouge, also played on LSU’s 2003 national championship team, placing him in elite company and serving as the inspiration for having a championship trophy case in his home.

It features four souvenir items from each of his Super Bowl and national championship seasons – helmets, gloves, rings and jerseys.

Gay’s trophy case also is the current home of a Saints helmet and jersey from this historic season.

"Right now, they’re at the bottom of the trophy case,’’ Gay said Friday. "If we don’t win it all, they got to come out. It’s only for championship stuff.’’

A handful of lockers down from Gay, Saints free safety Darren Sharper described to reporters what it meant to him to return to a conference championship game for the first time since his rookie season with the Green Bay Packers in 1997.

"The young guys can learn something from Sharper but it’s hard for me to tell the younger players how hard it is to get there,’’ Gay said, smiling. "I’ve been there four of six years, so they just look at me and say, ‘yeah, right.’ ’’

INJURY REPORT

Both teams filed their player status updates with the league office Friday.

New Orleans: WR Robert Meachem (left ankle), FS Darren Sharper (knee), DE Bobby McCray (back) and C Jonathan Goodwin (knee) are probable. Meachem and Sharper practiced on a limited basis Friday. McCray and Goodwin fully practiced. TE Jeremy Shockey (knee) and CB Malcolm Jenkins (hamstring) did not practice for a third consecutive day and are questionable.

All are expected to be available Sunday.

"I think he's close to being 100% right now,’’ Saints Coach Sean Payton said of Meachem. "In other words, I think the injury, fortunately, for us was not as significant as maybe some ankles. It was not a high ankle sprain. He ran out there well today. I was encouraged. So when you look at Friday, we've still got two more days before a Sunday p.m. game. I think he's running well. So I'm not as concerned. I would be if it was a more serious injury.”

Minnesota: Three-fourths of the Vikings’ defensive line is listed as questionable – DE Ray Edwards (knee), DT Kevin Williams (knee) and DT Pat Williams (elbow/foot). WR/KR Percy Harvin (migraine headache) and CB Benny Sapp (ankle/back) also are questionable.

All of the aforementioned Vikings players are expected to play.

DT Jimmy Kennedy (thumb), CB Antoine Winfield (foot), LB Ben Leber (knee) and G Steve Hutchinson (shoulder) are probable.

QUICK HITS

* Saints right tackle Jon Stinchcomb and his wife Allison became the proud parents of their first child, a boy named Mason Andrew who was born Tuesday and weighed 7 pounds, 11 ounces..

* Saints LB Anthony Waters was excused from practice Friday so he could attend the funeral of former Clemson teammate Gaines Adams, who died from an enlarged heart Sunday at the age of 26. Gaines, a No. 1 pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2007, finished the 2009 season with Chicago after being traded to the Bears in October.

WORTH REPEATING

"They can fly you safely to your destination or take you right into a mountain if you're not careful.’’ - Saints Coach Sean Payton on the importance of good quarterback play.

New Orleans Saints Notebook: Just another title game for Saints CB Gay