"Ask Vic" will publish on Mondays and Thursdays through the offseason.

Mike from North Hudson, WI
Another season is upon us and naturally we are seeing more rule changes. With the proposed pass interference rule change, is it necessary or is it a knee-jerk reaction to the missed PI call in the Rams-Saints? What's your perspective?
It's pandering to the fans. All indications are the fans want replay's use to be expanded.

Frank from Lillington, NC
Vic, as I age, my love of the NFL wanes. This week they made it possible to review pass interference calls. Can we just review every play and get it over with? Will that make all of the Madden football playing world happy? It has most podcast hosts excited. Now we can right the wrong that happened to the Saints. The popular media is too much and I find myself seeking few opinions because everything I hear is the same. Matt LaFleur will save the Packers because McCarthy's offense was stale; those are the opinions I hear. I'm not sure how good the Packers offense can be with a QB that has two surgically repaired collarbones and an attitude. The Packers might be best suited to let Rodgers call his own plays. Would the fans try to fire him if the offense sputters?
You have an interesting perspective.

Mike from Milwaukee, WI
Vic, you’re a running back afficionado. Is Frank Gore a Hall of Famer?
Gore reminds me of Hall of Famer Curtis Martin. They each had long careers and were durable, dependable and versatile. They were complete backs but they were never regarded to be among the elite running backs in the league. Their stats are nearly identical and they are impressive: each rushed for more than 14,000 yards, more than 3,000 yards receiving, similar touchdown totals; Martin topped the 1,000-yard rushing mark 10 times, Gore nine times. Martin has a couple of defining postseason moments; Gore has nice stats from the 2012 postseason but nothing dramatic. I would support Gore for election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Aiden from Jacksonville, FL
Do you think Fred Taylor is one of the most underrated players in recent memory?
The die was cast in Fred's rookie year. His stats were every bit the equal of Randy Moss' stats, but Fred was hardly mentioned as a rookie of the year candidate. Fred is the best combination of size and speed I've ever covered.

Stephen from Jacksonville, FL
If you had to build an offense for today’s pass-first game using only players who played in the 1960's and '70's, who would you select for your starting eleven? Who from that period would you want to coach (head or coordinator) and draw up plays?
The quarterback would be Ken Anderson and the coach would be Sid Gillman.

Josh from Madison, WI
The Ted Thompson Packers had a long stretch of success with limited free-agent help, and many of us fans (myself included) chortled over his draft-first shrewdness until their inevitable decline silenced support for Ted's firmly disciplined approach to roster building. Now, with Gute at the helm, the team dipped heavily into free agency and made pricey moves in the draft, and expectations are sky high before the team has even played a down. I'm as hopeful for this season as anyone, but what if the chortle is coming due?
This will afford an opportunity to compare the two styles. A couple of years from now, which will we favor as the best way to build a football team? I favor building through the draft and patching in affordable free agency.

Kent from Flanagan, IL
One of my regrets, having grown up in the 1960's, was I seldom got to see Sonny Jurgensen play on television. He sounds like a talented and colorful man. Do you have any memories you can share?
I saw him play in person and often on television for both the Redskins and the Eagles. He was a gunslinger. He would've been a huge star in today's game. Unfortunately for Jurgensen, he played for two franchises struggling to be competitive during the AFL war years. I've heard it said Lombardi loved Jurgensen for the one year they spent together.

Clark from Boise, ID
Florida State University announced it will privatize its athletic department (as did Florida and Central Florida). How do you think this will change the landscape of college sports in the future?
The cheating will go to new heights.

Nathan from New York, NY
Vic, who are your top five regular season quarterbacks of all time?
1) Peyton Manning, 2) Dan Fouts, 3) Dan Marino, 4) Drew Brees, 5) Brett Favre.

Randy from Medicine Hat, AB
Did the Brown/Graham coach/quarterback combo have the biggest impact on the modern game? I would think the Walsh/Montana combo would get some votes, not to mention Coryell/Fouts or Lombardi/Starr.
I think it's Walsh/Montana. Noll/Bradshaw identified the impact of the rules changes of 1978, Walsh/Montana provided an attack strategy for the ages.

Jesus from El Paso, TX
Is it possible to learn to love a sport, or does something in our nature determine what we enjoy watching?
I think it has to be in your DNA. As a kid, I wandered onto a high school football practice. Immediately, I fell in love with football. Day after day, I went back for more. All these years later, I still feel some of that initial attraction.

Bob from Mystic, CT
How long do you keep a player who looks like Tarzan but plays like Jane?
Get him good or get him gone.

​Larry from Goldsboro, NC
In memory of Bart Starr, I have seen some fans putting forth the idea of placing a star with the number 15 on the goal line at the place of the sneak. I like the idea. Would you be in favor of such a memorial for the season or do you think that would be over the top? What are the chances they actually do it?
The league would have to approve it, and I remember the league making the Jaguars remove the Santa hat they put on the Jaguars logo at midfield during the holidays season. I also remember the league allowing the Cowboys to put red and blue stripes along the 20-yard-line stripes (America's team baloney), so maybe the league would give the Packers approval. Personally, I think it's over the top. I'd like to see the Packers become a little more subtle in celebrating themselves.

"Ask Vic" will publish on Mondays and Thursdays through the offseason.

Jim from Huntertown, IN
Vic, I read an article that stated Aaron Rodgers is already pushing for more freedom within the new offense Matt LaFleur runs, even though his style of offense doesn’t allow much room for quarterback adjustment. Do you think this could be something that sours the milk, so to speak, going forward?
It could be the first big test LaFleur faces as coach. In my opinion, LaFleur has to find a way to reel in Rodgers or risk this mania for play-calling poisoning training camp. LaFleur has to send the message the Packers will win with players, not plays, and that he has a plan and Rodgers will be expected to play within that plan. This must not be allowed to become the No. 1 media topic of the summer.

Steve from Hudson, WI
The Packers hype train is chugging along pretty strong at the moment. I just read a power rankings placing them fourth in the league. How over-hyped is this? Is it reasonable to think a first-year coach can take a team deep into the playoffs? I'm just wondering if it's safe to buy a ticket for that train.
Why do you do this to yourself?

Nick from Owego, NY
Ryan Fitzpatrick is an enigma to me. He must be good since he's survived in the league for so long. Yet, he also can't be that good as he is constantly changing teams. Can you elaborate on his strengths and weaknesses?
His strength is he makes plays. His weakness is he has to force passes to make plays, and that often results in making bad plays. The good ones make it look easy. Fitzpatrick makes it look difficult.

Tom from Bismarck, ND
I read a headline proclaiming Max Scherzer passes Warren Spahn and Bob Feller in strikeouts. Good for Max. however, there was no mention of Spahn serving four years in World War II or Bob Feller also losing time, being the first high-profile American athlete to enlist after Pearl Harbor. Do you have any examples of great NFL players who would have achieved greater fame/statistics if not for their service time?
Chuck Bednarik followed a unique path to football fame. He enlisted in the Army Air Forces following graduation from high school, and then attended Penn after the war and later became the first pick of the 1949 NFL draft. The military was full of football players during the war. It was difficult for the NFL to find players to fill a roster during the war years, which left the Steelers to merge with the Eagles (Steagles) and Cardinals (Card-Pitt) for the 1943 and '44 seasons respectively. Baseball was the national pastime and its players stole the headlines -- Ted Williams, Joe DiMaggio and Stan Musial played in an Army League. What would Bednarik, Williams, DiMaggio and Musial have achieved if you could put a couple of more years onto their pro careers?

Glen from New York City
Lombardi said, "The greatest accomplishment is not in never falling, but in rising again after you fall." I'm a lontime Packers fan, however, I thought the St. Louis Blues hockey team displayed in their Stanley Cup play this philosophy to a tee. Were you aware of their rise from worst team in the league (after 45 percent played schedule) to Stanley Cup champions?
No.

Kevin from Whitehall, WI
In a recent column, you wrote, “The Internet has made it easier to become a sports writer, but more difficult to make it a career. I see a lot of hobby writers and part-timers. The day of full-time reporters with medical plans and pension funds is largely gone.” This is truly a sad reality of what the Internet and social media has become. Are we experiencing the end of true journalism?
What we've experienced is the end of day-old journalism. The Internet is immediate. Instead of sitting on a story until the next press run, the story posts on the Internet and within a few hours reactions and rebuttals are posting. What was once a week-long story now runs its course in one news cycle. As a reporter, I like that kind of power. I think it's a good thing, provided it's used responsibly. The reader is in control. Read the sites that use the power of the Internet responsibly; reject the ones that don't.

Brett from Hoboken, NJ
Another disappointing weekend for Rickie Fowler at Pebble. He is always in the mix, which helps, but will he ever actually finish one off? I always root for him, but something just seems to be missing.
The U.S. Open is an endurance test. It's about avoiding meltdowns. Phil Mickelson hasn't won a U.S. Open because he's wasted too many strokes on wayward shots and missed short putts; his losses at Winged Foot and Shinnecock are perfect examples. Fowler has some of that in him. He was never the same following his wayward approach shot at No. 18 last Saturday. It's ridiculous for a golfer of his talent to pull a short iron into the ocean on a par five. Mickelson has sadly wasted a big chunk of his career on careless/reckless play. Fowler is young enough to change his ways. I have a feeling his water ball at 18 will serve as a wake up call.

​Vincent from Seattle, WA
Vic, what are your thoughts regarding the large Lombardi replica trophy at Lambeau? My July, 2015 first-time pilgrimage to Lambeau was exciting and rewarding in many ways, but I thought that item was a bit much.
I see nothing wrong with it. It's a marketing tool. It's for the fans, but that's where it has to stop. The past won't win games in the present. Too much celebration of the past can even become a burden to players.

"Ask Vic" will publish on Mondays and Thursdays through the offseason.

Tom from Bismarck, ND
Vic, there's no question in my mind that Bud Grant ... was the greatest special teams coach of all time. Grant's Vikings teams were fundamentally as solid as any teams I've ever seen. His use of real talent on special teams, not second and third stringers, was what separated them from the rest. Your greatest special teams coach or team?
I covered teams that had big-name special teams coaches, pioneers of a sort: Bobby April, Frank Gansz, Larry Pasquale, Pete Rodriguez, Joe DeCamillis. I can remember some big special teams plays, but I don't think I've ever fully appreciated the value of special teams and the importance of their coaches, and I think I know the reason. When I began covering football, special teams were something the Steelers did in the final five minutes of practice, as most of us began walking up the hill toward the lunch room. Chuck Noll was head coach, offensive coordinator and special teams coach. There didn't seem to be much of an emphasis on special teams and I developed a cavalier attitude toward them. Late in my career, I began to see the importance of special teams, but I think Coach Noll poisoned me forever. His regular centers were his long-snappers, he won Super Bowls with a punter and a kicker he was afraid to use, and the collective practice time he spent on special teams wouldn't have made for one good nine-on-seven drill. Yet, they never seemed to be a problem. I remember former Steelers "GM" Tom Donahoe saying, "The more time we spend on special teams, the worse we get." And I remember thinking, "Just kick it out of bounds."

Kirsten from Madison, WI
Is mortgaging the future in order to win championships now an acceptable strategy if you actually win those championships? What should be the goal, being a perennial contender or racking up the occasional Lombardi Trophy? What's more profitable?
You're describing the dirty little secret: The Super Bowl isn't the goal; the goal is making it into the playoffs every year. The problem with mortgaging your future to win it all now is it creates self-inflicted rebuilding, which creates an expectation for losing. Periods of darkness are devastating for a franchise. The goal is to contend for the playoffs every year; it gives a franchise a steady heartbeat. The Broncos won the Super Bowl just three years ago, but the effects of what it took to do it have left the franchise in a state of mediocrity and in search of a coach and a quarterback who can lead the franchise out of its darkness. I don't think winning a Super Bowl is worth years of hopelessness.

David from Washington, DC
Can you imagine being a kicker named Blewitt?
He didn't blow it against Clemson, did he?

Adam from Wausau, WI
Are sports fair?
No, they seem to unfairly favor the economically disadvantaged.

Todd from Wauwatosa, WI
Comfort is a bad thing. Was comfort the unintended consequence of the program Mike McCarthy ran that did him in?
I never liked the attitude that seemed to promote a separation of the Packers from the rest of the league, the idea the expectations in Green Bay were different from the expectations and demands every other team in the league is facing. I think it's arrogant to believe winning a championship means more in Green Bay than it does in Jacksonville, or that Green Bay aspires to a higher plane because of its history and tradition. I think that attitude can cause a culture of hubris. Nobody is above losing. Vic to Packers: You've won one Super Bowl in the last two decades; so have the Tampa Bay Bucs.

Jack from Chicago, IL
Vic, I am not a soccer fan, but I did read the U.S. women's team was criticized for beating up the Thailand team in the World Cup tournament, 13-0. It made me shake my head. We debate whether how much we won by was right or wrong instead of celebrating a dominating performance. Jack to the rest of the World Cup contenders: Look out!
Yeah, Thailand got what it deserved, for working for nine cents an hour and dumping all that cheap clothing into our country. USA, USA!

Tom from Elkport, IA
Vic, watching journalists interview Matt LaFleur, am I seeing some deer in the headlights, I’m in over my head looks? If you were interviewing LaFleur, would a fair question be, “Coach, are you ready for this assignment?"
It's not a fair question; he shouldn't have to defend himself before he coaches his first game. We'll find out if he's ready for his assignment the first time he faces a crisis. Chuck Noll was challenged by Roy Jefferson, who wanted to see how far he could push the new coach. Noll traded him. Bill Cowher faced an immediate crisis in his first training camp. Barry Foster, the player on whom Cowher intended to build a power running game, was a holdout. Cowher remained calm and committed, the crisis eased and Foster led the AFC in rushing. Tom Coughlin was challenged by Andre Rison. Coughlin cut him and took the team from 4-7 to the AFC title game. Every coach faces an early crisis. Mike McCarthy had major issues early in his career with Charles Woodson and, of course, the Brett Favre saga. Matt LaFleur will answer your question with actions, not words.

Vincent from Seattle, WA
In honoring a player memory (in this case Bart Starr), which uniform form do you like better, helmet number sticker, or patch on the jersey?
Jersey patch.

Jerry from Savannah, GA
Vic, I like the U.S. Open being played on the West Coast. Championship golf until 10 p.m. ET. I’ll take it. Were you able to stay awake?
I was glued to the TV for four days. It's the best golf I've ever seen.

Lori from Brookfield, WI
Vic, what do you watch for in preseason in order to forecast how successful a team will be in the regular season?
I watch for nothing. The preseason is meaningless.

Stephen from Jacksonville, FL
I wouldn’t necessarily say the Jaguars locker room is putting off a toxic vibe but there does seem to be many distractions coming to the forefront. From Leonard Fournette’s maturity concerns to Telvin Smith’s cryptic messages and outright disappearance, to Yannick Ngakoue’s contract dispute to Jalen Ramsey’s regular bold commentary. These off-the-field issues paired with the offensive concerns and key defensive departures give reason to believe the Jaguars might be heading for a rough season. Is there any hope to think they’re gonna be good this year?
The Jaguars have talent. They need someone to bring it all together and Nick Foles has to be that player. If he plays up to his contract, he'll take the spotlight away from the distractions and give the Jaguars the freshness they need, the freshness they seemed to have two years ago.

​Nick from Owego, NY
What was your best day ever at work?
It might have been my final day at work. It was a Friday in the middle of winter, so there wasn't much to do other than to write a column and say goodbye. I remember sitting in my office with the door closed, and allowing the memories to wash over me. It was wonderful.

​"Ask Vic" will publish on Mondays and Thursdays through the offseason.

Brad from Tucson, AZ
So the Vikings have extended Kyle Rudolph, and by my reckoning have not lost anyone significant in free agency over the past few years. Isn't this supposedly unsustainable? What is the expiration date for their championship hopes and roster as currently comprised?
Pushing money into future years' caps is a slow death. The expiration date is the point at which you have to replace the players you've restructured. Simply put, you're spending the cap room of future players on current players. We've been over this a million times in this column. Eventually, the hurt is felt; the collapse is inevitable. The Vikings know this. They're willing to suffer the future consequences to take their shot now at winning a championship. That decision was made when they went all in on Kirk Cousins. My guess is if they don't win this year, they'll go after a veteran coach who'll give them new hope of salvaging this win-now strategy. There's no turning back, and patience is not part of the plan.

Steve from Hudson, WI
How much of special teams success is coaching vs. players?
The best special teams coaches are the ones who can convince each player the execution of his role is the difference between winning and losing. It can be as simple as staying in your lane, but good special teams coaches can make his players believe it is of monumental importance. In my opinion, special teams play is all about the execution of football fundamentals. I can still hear Frank Gansz yelling "Come to balance, come to balance." Bill Cowher cut his teeth on special teams and leverage was his buzz word; "We lost leverage," Cowher would say of having allowed a long return. Offense and defense are thick with schemes; special teams are almost solely about the discipline of execution. You don't need great players to have great special teams. You need great discipline and execution and those virtues are the responsibility of the special teams coach.

Jacob from Green Bay, WI
Was Green Bay really that much colder than Pittsburgh?
Yes. It surprised me, too.

Tom from Bismarck, ND
Vic, for a young guy you have a pretty good recall of happenings in the 1970's NFL, at least in Pittsburgh. You rarely mention the Pittsburgh teams or players from the '60's. I think Roy Jefferson, and especially Andy Russell, were two of the most underrated players in the game in the late '60's. What Pittsburgh players from that era have been overlooked? I assume you were up and alert in the '60's.
There weren't many. The late '60's were an especially dark time for the Steelers. John Baker was a very good defensive end, but I don't think anyone would remember him if he hadn't cracked Y.A. Tittle's head like an egg. The '60's were a decade dedicated to war with the AFL, and poor franchises such as the Steelers struggled just to pay the bills; competing for a title was out of the question. Buddy Dial was a good player the Steelers somehow managed to develop during the Buddy Parker trade-picks-for-veteran-players era, but the Steelers traded him to Dallas for the rights to Texas tackle Scott Appleton, who the Oilers signed by throwing Bud Adams money at Appleton. The Steelers spent a first-round pick on West Virginia running back Dick Leftridge, solely because he would agree to sign for what the Steelers offered him. Jefferson was the only blue-blood talent the Steelers had when Chuck Noll became the head coach in 1969, but Noll traded Jefferson when Jefferson challenged Noll's resolve. Russell and Ray Mansfield bridged the eras. For me, the highlight of the '60's was Jim "Cannonball" Butler getting hit on the butt by a snap from center during a punt play.

Nick from Owego, NY
Best football name you ever heard?
Willie Thrower.

Wayne from Beavercreek, OH
Vic, once years ago, I remember you asked the questions and the readers answered. I remember the answers people gave were so wishy-washy. It seemed as if people were afraid of offending anyone or afraid of criticism. It gave me an appreciation for what you do. Why do you think people answered that way?
I didn't get it either. It was as though they were all trying out for Packers PR man.

Mario from Lemon Grove, CA
If the "Ice Bowl" changed the Packers, how did Bart Starr's quarterback sneak change the Cowboys?
It changed the Cowboys in the same way the Steelers' wins in Super Bowls X and XIII changed the Cowboys: It kept some of them out of the Hall of Fame.

Ben from Alameda, CA
Before "Sunday Ticket" and other cable packages, how did you write about teams and players you didn't see in person? Were you given access to coaches' tape?
You mean film, right? No, we talked to people. We talked to other reporters and we talked to coaches and scouts. We had something back then called the five o'clock club. Coaches and reporters would meet in the beer room and we'd talk. What was said wasn't off the record but it was understood it wasn't to be directly quoted. It was a wonderful way to exchange information because you created bonds with others in the game. You earned each other's trust.

Jason from Austin, TX
That question about reporters overly laughing at a player's bad joke was really funny and, I think, transcendent amongst jobs (laughing at your boss's bad jokes). What was the most over-the-top response or gesture you saw a reporter make to gain a players approval?
I don't remember any particular instance of laughing to gain favor, but I remember laughing to the point of having to leave an interview huddle. It was after a game in which Bubby Brister threw several interceptions. A bearded reporter asked Brister what he did after bad days like this. Brister jokingly said he'd go home and "kick the dog." The reporter asked what kind of dog Brister had. Brister looked directly at the reporter and said, "One with a beard." I couldn't stop laughing.

Scott from Sauk City, WI
"A great coach whose teams seemed to always find a way to lose in the postseason." The details and the situations are different, obviously, but I feel like you could almost say the exact same thing about Mike McCarthy. At the end of the day, Brandon Bostick and Larry Fitzgerald may have cost him two more Lombardi trophies. I'm thankful for the one he got us, and don't blame him for the ones we let slip away.
If Bostick had caught that onside kick, McCarthy might be headed for the Hall of Fame.

Brian from Baltimore, MD
There are days I wonder how many have ever played sports, spontaneous or organized. I believe the great teachers are not coaches, but the games themselves. There are valuable lessons in a 12-year-old getting bruised and dirtied a little playing unpadded, helmetless tackle football in the yard with friends. Fewer and fewer kids learn those lessons anymore. Someone could get hurt; social services called. What do you remember of your days playing sandlot pickup? What lesson might you have taken away for lifetime reference?
We played in a narrow yard that included a brick path down the center. I remember trying to avoid being tackled on the brick path. It's not a lesson, just a memory, but memories make us rich.

Paul from Cumming, GA
Much has been made about competition and edge helping to sharpen a position group. How do coaches balance the necessary edge without allowing the atmosphere in the room to become toxic?
What's wrong with toxic? Some years ago, when I was in Jacksonville and the Steelers and Jaguars were still in the same division, I remember the Steelers having a big fight in the locker room during OTAs. I remember thinking to myself, "They're gonna be good this year." They were. Fans worry too much about feel-good chemistry. Tom Coughlin once said to me, "I don't want guys walking around here with smiles on their faces." Football isn't a feel-good game. Toxic isn't necessarily a bad thing. Comfort is a bad thing.

​Randy from Medicine Hat, AB
Why doesn't the Howard Cosell style work these days? You may not have agreed with him, but at least what he said had substance, as opposed to Tony Romo, who doesn't seem to have a shut off switch.
The Cosell style can still work. John Madden had a lot of Cosell in him. Madden is probably the last guy who had the talent to do what Cosell did. Today's TV analysts are ex-players who are more concerned about being right than they are about being entertaining.

"Ask Vic" will publish on Mondays and Thursdays through the offseason.

Lori from Brookfield, WI
Vic, how did you deal with arrogant, condescending athletes you interviewed?
You may not like dealing with them, but their importance to the team you're covering make them integral to the stories you write. You deal with them respectfully and professionally. They play a tough game. It can fray their nerves and charge their emotions. I think that needs to be taken into account. I didn't ask questions looking for PR answers. Arrogance and condescension make good quotes. They are the kind of raw, honest emotion that bring words to life.

Brandon from Milwaukee, WI
Do you think a career in sports writing is easier or harder than it was when you started?
The Internet has made it easier to become a sports writer, but more difficult to make it a career. I see a lot of hobby writers and part-timers. The day of full-time reporters with medical plans and pension funds is largely gone.

Darren from Alice Springs, Australia
It seems to me the NFL game that made itself our nation’s most popular sport continues to change (less violence, more instant replay), yet, it remains ever popular. Why do you believe this is the case?
TV made football popular and it continues to drive its popularity. Football and TV are the perfect marriage of sport and media. Pete Rozelle saw its potential and negotiated a leaguewide contract with CBS nearly 60 years ago, and the structure of that agreement remains the template for how the game is presented today. The quality and wealth of today's TV productions are beyond anything Pete could've envisioned, but the concept is the same.

Jon from Omaha, NE
Let me preface this by saying, do not stop writing to us until you are on your death bed. That being said, why do you continue to write?
I enjoy writing and I enjoy reading the questions. The combination helps me enjoy football.

Dan from Green Bay, WI
Vic, I found your comments on Andy Reid interesting and enlightening. Please share your thoughts on Marty Schottenheimer. What, in your opinion, kept him from reaching the pinnacle.
There was "The Drive," Earnest Byner's fumble, the lack of a star quarterback in Kansas City, Marlon McCree's goof in San Diego. Schottenheimer was a great coach whose teams seemed to always find a way to lose in the postseason. Bad luck or bad coaching? He's often criticized for having been too conservative, but his Browns and Chargers teams had explosive pass offenses. I always considered Schottenheimer to be a leader of men and an astute judge of talent and how to use it. Be that as it may, his teams didn't finish, and that falls on the coach.

Jared from Rigby, ID
Vic, if you were a defensive coordinator, how would you game plan for Rodgers? How would that differ from how you would plan for Favre?
How do you wish to die?

Todd from Brookfield, WI
Vic, do you have kids? Either way, how do you simultaneously teach them grit and compassion? Bart Starr is the model, yet, in youth sports the compassion part seems to be missing. I think cues are coming from professional sports and many other places. I hope the kids are going to be alright.
The ability to be hard on yourself and soft on others is an endearing personality, and Starr is its shining example. You teach by setting the example, and that's the parents' responsibility, not sports'.

Dave from Madison, WI
Watching video of player interviews, I notice reporters often laugh too hard at players' comments that aren't that funny. Did you ever laugh too hard?
I'm sure I did. Whatever it takes.

Scott from Hamlin, NY
Sean McDermott said he needed three years to turn the Bills around. It's year three but with a second-year QB. What should I expect from the Bills?
I think it's fair to expect them to become a playoff contender.

Samuel from Jacksonville, FL
Outside of football, what did you like and dislike about each of your three cities?
In Pittsburgh, I loved the view from Mt. Washington and disliked the traffic. In Jacksonville, I loved the beach and disliked the pizza. In Green Bay, I loved the nearness of everything and hated the cold.

​Kevin from Destin, FL
Vic, I read a report Todd Gurley won’t be the bellcow going forward. Are the Rams already feeling the ill effects of that massive contract they gave him?
Big contracts are often a curse. They should be avoided as long as possible.

"Ask Vic" will publish on Mondays and Thursdays through the offseason.

​Mike from Kalamazoo, MI
A few years ago, you answered a question about what makes you comfortable and/or happy. Your answer was “I like when the bills are paid." My youngest son just graduated from high school and will be off to college in a couple of months. The quieter the house gets, the more I think of the accuracy of that answer. Thank you.
Money can't buy happiness, but I'm happy when I have more of it than I need.

David from Fleetwood, PA
Who would be at the top of your list of all-time greatest Packers? Where would Rodgers be on your list?
In my opinion, Starr is No. 1 and Lombardi is No. 2. Then it's Favre and Rodgers or Rodgers and Favre; take your pick. No. 5 is up for grabs. Hutson? White?

Gregory from Milwaukee, WI
Vic, in the 20th century, the title of Greatest Sportsman was bestowed upon either Ruth, Ali or Jordan. Who do you think it is in the 21st century?
Brady is the obvious answer, as it stands right now, but by the time the century ends, the voters won't be old enough to have seen Brady play, and the tapes of his games will be comical looking to a generation of young fans who'll claim the athletes of their generation are bigger, stronger and faster, and Brady wouldn't have been able to play in that era. Sound familiar?

Ross from Milwaukee, WI
You've mentioned several times the head coach is responsible for setting the culture of the team. After the Chiefs lost to the Patriots in the AFC Championship, you mentioned Andy Reid teams have always been soft on defense. A few days after the loss, the Chiefs hired a new defensive coordinator. Is it possible for a coordinator to create a culture within their unit that offsets the culture coming from the head coach? Or do you think that as long as Andy Reid is the head coach, the Chiefs will be softer on the defensive side of the ball, regardless of who the defensive coordinator is?
Are you talking about Buddy Ryan? I think that's an exception and I don't think it's sustainable. The personality of the team is the result of the personality of the head coach. Chuck Noll and Vince Lombardi were offensive guys, but their defenses were dominant because Noll and Lombardi had tough-guy personalities and they focused a lot of their attention, which includes acquisition of top personnel, on the defensive side of the ball. Reid has always struck me as a play-caller who didn't want to be bothered by defense. One more thing: Noll and Lombardi played to the strength of their defense with the style of offense they played. They ran the ball, dominated time of possession and didn't leave their defenses with short fields to defend. Racehorse offense isn't a defense's friend. In my opinion, Reid is an offensive coordinator, not a head coach.

Alex from Shishmaref, AR
While covering football, did you enjoy traveling to away games, or did it grow to become a monotonous chore that disrupted your life at home? I've learned that some travel is fun but lots becomes tiresome.
Football travel is in on Saturday, out on Sunday, so it's not a big deal. When I was young, it was a chance to get away from crying babies and get a full night's sleep.

Bob from Green Bay, WI
Have sports become too important in some peoples' lives?
When sports becomes painful, it's too important in someone's life. Even the most passionate fan should be able to transition seamlessly from the conclusion of a game back into real life. If the opposite is true, you've lost perspective. Yes, I think a large segment of the population has lost perspective, as evidenced by the ridiculous reaction to the non-call in the Rams-Saints playoff game.

Neil from Cheddar, UK
If sports journalism had not worked out for you, which other specialism would have appealed to you?
I don't think I could've been successful at anything else. I'm fortunate to have come from a newspaper family. I owe everything to my father.

John from Sioux Falls, SD
Every season is a new chapter for every franchise. What are you looking forward to seeing from the Packers, Jags and Steelers this season? By the way, following you has allowed me to embrace leaguethink and be more interested in the other teams in the NFL universe. Thank you.
I'm looking forward to seeing how the Packers will turn the page. This is a big deal. They're transitioning from the second-winningest coach in their history to a young man with a limited coaching background. The Jags' season will be defined by Nick Foles. Did the Jags make the right decision in signing him? They could've drafted Haskins or Lock. For a franchise that passed on Roethlisberger and Rodgers, the Foles instead of Haskins/Lock issue is huge. The Steelers are plunging into a rebuilding phase. To what degree can Ben Roethlisberger soften the effects of roster turnover?

Paul from Hartland, WI
Vic, I've seen Marion Motley's name surface on your column a couple of times and really enjoy learning about special players like him I probably wouldn't know about otherwise. Can you share some names of other dominant players time has largely forgotten?
Hugh McElhenny, Tommy McDonald, Dick Bass, John Henry Johnson, Bobby Mitchell, Charlie Conerly, Cookie Gilchrist, Joe Schmidt and Bill George are just some of the names from my youth that immediately come to mind. They're great players with interesting stories. Dick Butkus? George created the middle linebacker position.

Sam from Tahunanui, New Zealand
You've lived and worked in at least four distinct communities. How have you been able to take the best elements from these places?
Growing up in Pittsburgh taught me to love football. It also taught me how to write about it. Jacksonville allowed me to find football in a new place and establish a new identity and new regard for the game and my career covering it. Most of all, Jacksonville launched me into a new career, website reporter. Green Bay allowed me to achieve perspective. It bookended my career and defined its worth. Living in South Carolina has allowed me to love professional football from afar. I've learned how to stay close to the game without being where the games are played. Thank you for your question.

David from Rochester, MN
You said "good teams still have a trademark, an identity on which they can rely."  What is the Patriots' trademark and identity?
Execution. They do their job.

Justin from Athens, GA
It’s peach season, Vic. What’s your favorite way to eat a peach?
I like freestone peaches, which is a special kind of peach. It has to be ripe enough to "spit" the stone, but fresh enough to maintain the fruit's shape and consistency. I'm describing a peach from Chambersburg, Pa., which is famous for its peaches.  South Carolina is No. 2  in the country in peach  production.

Derek from Eau Claire, WI
How many pass attempts would be a healthy number for the Packers' offense this season?
I think a 60-40 pass-run ratio is perfect balance in today's game. I think it plays to the defense but still opens the playbook. The number of pass attempts, of course, will be dictated largely by the Packers defense. If the Packers can play from ahead, the number of pass attempts will be fewer than if the Packers have to play from behind. Balance is the real issue. Good offenses achieve balance. Good defenses allow for it to happen.

Lori from Brookfield, WI
Vic, Jordy Nelson is going to return to Green Bay on a one-day contract so he can retire as a Packer. Do many players take this kind of action? What does this communicate to you about Jordy, the Packers and the fans?
It tells me Jordy's career as a player is over and he's ready to embark on a career marketing his fame as a player. One-day contracts have become a common mareting tool. A one-day contract says "I'm done and I'm yours." Fans love it.

"Ask Vic" will publish on Mondays and Thursdays through the offseason.

Billy from Farmingdale, NY
Does Maurice Jones-Drew have a stronger Hall of Fame case than Fred Taylor? Taylor has him in overall yards and yards per carry, but MJD has more TDs, more Pro Bowls, more All-Pros, a rushing title, virtually every Jaguars rushing record, not to mention all-purpose yards. He was a better blocker and receiver, as well. I couldn't believe my eyes until I dug a little deeper, but there is a decent case for Jones-Drew over Taylor as the best running back in Jaguars franchise history. What have you to say, Vic?
Maurice didn't crack the 10,000-yard mark, and that's why he won't make it into the Hall of Fame. That doesn't mean you can't consider him to be the greatest running back in Jaguars history. Mo was also a game-breaking kickoff returner. His long return in the 2007 playoff win over the Steelers was the turning point in the game. The sad fact of the matter for Mo is he spent too many years sharing carries with Fred. It helped lengthen Fred's career, but it cost Mo the yards he needed to break the 10K mark.

Clint from New Berlin,  NY
I have never heard of Marion Motley until Thursday's posting. I had to do a quick Google search to find some highlights. Wow! What a player! I'm too young to have experienced that era of football, but he really stood out as a man among boys. Thank you for sharing, Vic.
He was 6-1, 232, and he looks pretty fast on those old films. The problem with the bigger-stronger-faster snobbery of today is it tends to ignore or discredit special players from the past that could've dominated in today's game as they did in their era. Motley is one of those players.

Todd from North Carolina
Do you think the media is lauding LaFleur too early with distinctions along the lines of "his scheme is going to attack every level"?
It's that way with any new coach. Chuck Noll is the best coach I've covered. He won four Super Bowls and changed the course of Steelers history, but when he was replaced by Bill Cowher the lead up to the 1992 season was full of stories about positive change. The big one was about motivation. Instead of players having to motivate themselves, Cowher was going to do it for them. It made me angry to read those kinds of stories because they ignored why Coach Noll didn't believe in pep talks: You can't stop the game in the fourth quarter to give one. Every coach has his own style and personality. The difference in those styles and personalities are easy topics of interest for the media to expose. Soon, the season will arrive and predictions will be replaced by facts. Here are the facts on Mike McCarthy: He's No. 2 behind only Curly Lambeau in wins. McCarthy was 10-8 in the postseason, including a 4-0 run to the Super Bowl title in the 2010 season. I bet Matt LaFleur would be happy to have accomplished as much at the same stage of his career.

Mike from Fort Wayne, IN
Reflecting on Bart Starr's career with the Packers and the reports he called his own plays, I know Unitas did also. How many QBs back in that era called their own plays and what happened in the game that influenced the change of coaches calling the plays from the sideline?
Most but not all quarterbacks called their own plays. Tom Landry called plays for his quarterbacks. Paul Brown used a messenger guard system to shuttle in the plays for Otto Graham. As time passed, the game became too sophisticated for quarterbacks to have to deal with the personnel changes that accompanied the responsibility of calling plays. When Terry Bradshaw called his own plays, neither the personnel nor the formation changed much from down to down. In my opinion, predictability is one of the trademarks of great teams. The Steelers were going to run the inside traps and throw it deep. The Cowboys of the early '90's were going to run the lead draw; the Bill Walsh 49ers were going to run "sprint right option," which was a Paul Brown play. The Packers sweep? Yes, the game has changed, but good teams still have a trademark, an identity on which they can rely.

Tom from Bismarck, ND
Vic, I still remember buying football cards for a penny a card, individually wrapped, by the way, and later in five-packs for a nickel. Those cards were the only image we really ever had of the players. The statistics/bio on the back gave us all we needed. I still have my Packers cards separate from all other teams, in an effort to prevent contamination from Bears cards, etc. Funny thing, but I have Bart Starr on the top of the stack.
The less we have, the more we value it.

​Matthew from Madison, WI
Is "stepping into a leadership role" akin to mentoring younger players?
It's become this offseason's go-to story. Coach Noll is the first coach I heard use the words, "Just do your job." Now, Bill Belichick is famous for those words. That's 10 Super Bowl titles. Maybe everybody should just do their job and stop trying to help everyone else do theirs, too. Leadership is a special quality. It comes naturally to people who have a special capacity for it. It came naturally for Bart Starr. Joe Greene had it in his personality, too. Bradshaw was more of a loner, but he did his job. In my opinion, a football team only needs one leader for the team to win, as long as everybody does their job. The coach is the leader.

"Ask Vic" will publish on Mondays and Thursdays through the offseason.

Eric from Seattle, WA
I know you are not much of a hockey fan, but Monday night in the Stanley Cup finals a helmetless Bruins player laid a huge (but clean) full-speed check on a Blues player. It got me out of my seat. It was old-school hockey and I think anyone who likes old-school football would also appreciate it. Are there any helmetless NFL plays that stick out in your mind?
Marion Motley's run down the sideline.

Michael from Fort Wayne, IN
How do the pros deal with fear? The fear of losing; not making the team; letting teammates down; the fear of failure? Do they learn lessons along the way or is there something in their DNA?
Years ago, I had a player tell me his training camp roommate was up all night worrying about being cut. Veterans learn they have to put football into perspective or worry will paralyze them. I encourage fans to do the same. Put the game into its proper perspective or your fear of losing will overwhelm your ability to enjoy the game. What's the proper perspective for fans: There's nothing they can do but watch.

John from Brandon, SD
Regarding the significance of the sneak in the "Ice Bowl," I had the privilege of spending time with Bart Starr twice, the second time along with his wife Cherry. She told me that play changed their lives!
That play changed all of our lives. One play, one moment can do that. The "Immaculate Reception" changed the course of history for the Steelers. I consider myself to be a man of rational thought, but I believe in fate.

Alex from Orlando, FL
Vic, who are some sportwriters you recommend I start reading? I'm struggling to find good content and I've searched a lot of websites.
I'm best friends with long-time Steelers beat writer Ed Bouchette. We grew up in the sportswriting business together. I love Ed's work. He's a scoop reporter from the days when sportswriters prided themselves on their ability to frame a story. Nobody's better at it than Ed. He broke the Antonio Brown story. Bleacher Report wrote the daily, two-month re-writes that offered no new information but got all the clicks; Ed got the story. Recently, Ed moved from his long-time position with the Post-Gazette to a job writing for The Athletic. If you're a fan of the Steelers and you're not reading Ed, you're reading the wrong story.

Derek from Eau Claire, WI
Aaron Jones' 5.5 ypc average is the highest mark in NFL history for backs with a minimum 200 carries. What should one do with this information?
It tells me either Mike McCarthy's use of Jones was strategical genius, or he didn't use Jones enough. Which one is it? I think we're going to find out.

Jored from Wisconsin
Dedicating the Memorial Day blog to a football player. Someone's out of touch.
Yeah, you.

Mike from Charlotte, NC
My friend Erik and I were playing soccer in the driveway. We were about 11-12 years old or so. He deflected a shot and then kicked it clear to the road. I could have stopped it, but hesitated. The game was over seconds later with a loud pop. The car that ran over the ball didn't stop. Erik chirped a bit over my failure to stop the ball, but we had no choice but to move on to something else. There was no immediate procurement of a new soccer ball to calm a devastated alpha child. I still chuckle when I remember that day. It's the popping of the soccer ball that acts as the association.
It was one small pop for man, one large pop for mankind.

Steve from Lake Stevens, WA
Fake grass, domed stadiums, in the grasp, no Oklahoma, no half-line drills and no more hot dogs! What's getting better, Vic?
TV's getting better. I still think it's a positive. TV gave birth to the rise in the NFL's popularity, and nearly 60 years later TV is still driving the NFL's hold on American sports fans.

Jonathan from Hednesford, England
Do you have a Bart Starr story?
I've told it before but it bears repeating. I bought a house in Green Bay across the street from what was Bart Starr's house late in his playing career and during his days as Packers coach. The first day I lived in my new house I couldn't find its mailbox. I called the realtor, he called the former owners and they said my mailbox was on the other side of the street, but there was more to the story. My home's mailbox once stood next to Bart's mailbox, but when Bart was Packers coach and the Packers would lose, angry fans would knock down Bart's mailbox and my mailbox would suffer collateral damage. Bart felt so bad about my mailbox getting knocked down he built a big, brick mailbox holder that included a two-sided mailbox. The left side was for him and the right side was for my house. Nobody knocked that mailbox down, and I got a great story to tell. Vic to fans who knocked down Bart's mailbox: Repent!

Pete from Chapel Hill, NC
Vic, do the Packers now have enough jars on the shelf? At this point, who do you think is the heir apparent at right tackle?
I don't think the heir is apparent. I think the Packers have a plan for right tackle, but I'm not as confident in their options as they might be.

Steven from Phoenix, AZ
So, Vic, the women's World Cup starts next week. Are you ready?
Thanks for the heads up. I'll close the blinds.

Tyler from Augusta, GA
If you could have Brady quarterback your team for 10 years or Belichick coach/GM your team for 15 years, one without the other, which would you chose?
I'd choose Brady. Belichick was 5-13 and on his way to being fired when he made Brady his starting quarterback. Be that as it may, Belichick has my full respect for sticking with Brady once Belichick made the choice. Belichick is a great evaluator of talent and he makes bold personnel decisions. He made a bold decision as Browns coach to bench Bernie Kosar.

​John from Benoit, WI
Do you see in Starr a representation of that generation of players who never took their popularity for granted? All these stories about the things he did for people who reached out to him strike me as very different from the way players interact with the public today. Was he an exception or the rule?
Starr is an exception in any generation.

"Ask Vic" will publish on Mondays and Thursdays through the offseason.

Doug from Union Grove, WI
The greatest Packer.
I agree.

Ethan from Ontario, Canada
Please explain in your own words what made Bart Starr so legendary to us Packers fans who were sadly too young to have watched him play.
One play did it. No one man has ever meant as much to one franchise because of one play. I'm not sure Lambeau Field would be standing today if that play hadn't happened. The drama of that moment is that great. One man accepted the challenge of risking his existence by making a decision he didn't have to make. It should've been his coach's call, but Starr made it his. It is, in my opinion, the greatest act of courage in football history. Today's column is dedicated to that man. Without that play, I'm not sure I'd be writing this column, or that I would've ever spent time in Green Bay. As it pertains to the Green Bay Packers, Starr and that one play are the reason for everything.

Jeff from Brooklyn, WI
Do you have a favorite story about Bart Starr?
It's from a conference call interview I did with him when he was the coach of the Packers during a week leading up to a Steelers-Packers game. He requested each reporter identify himself and his publication prior to asking his question. He would then say, "Hi, Vic," and then he would answer the question. I participated in hundreds of conference calls through the years, but he's the only coach who went to the bother of personalizing the call in that way.

Alan from Albuquerque, NM
Vic, I just read a Cliff Christl story on Ron Kramer, which reminded me that Kramer, Max McGee and Boyd Dowler were said to be the best receiving corps in the game during the early '60s. Do you agree and did Lombardi’s run-first offense open things up for them?
Kramer was underrated, but best receiving corps in the game in the early '60s? Better than Berry, Orr and Mackey? The Browns' Warfield and Collins would get my vote as the best pair of wide receivers at that time. Most teams had a run-first offense in the '60s. The Browns with Jim Brown certainly did. The Lombardi Packers were balanced. Jim Taylor rushed for more than a thousand yards in five consecutive years, but the passing totals were still impressive. Yeah, I think the run opened the pass for the Lombardi Packers. Lombardi used the pass to make big plays. The run did the heavy lifting.

Bob from Port St. Lucie, FL
The question about a player taking a lower salary and getting paid by another company got me thinking about Tom Brady. He has always taken a salary well below his value but that has never raised an issue with the NFL office. I wouldn't be surprised if after retirement he will be offered part ownership of the Patriots for less than market value. Could something like that happen?
OK, let's go through this again. Brady has been paid a salary below his value because he has repeatedly restructured his contract to accept a conversion of salary to signing bonus. In other words, he got his money up front so the Patriots could push portions of his salary onto future years' caps. It allowed the Patriots to create cap room in a current year. It also increased Brady's dead money, but the Patriots would've been dead without him, so what did it matter? His dead money topped $40 million in 2016, but since then the Patriots have been unwinding his dead money so as to prepare for Brady's eventual retirement. This year, his dead money will drop to $12 million and his salary will explode to $14 million. He'll be a $27 million cap hit. Aaron Rodgers will be a $26.5 million cap hit this year. When you're talking about quarterbacks, salaries are meaningless. It's about guaranteed money, conversion money and dead money. Tom Brady is not underpaid. As far as Brady getting a sweetheart deal to become a part owner of the Patriots, it would have to be approved by the league's ownership, and I doubt that would happen.

David from Hallowell, ME
"The coaches who are the best talent evaluators see the upside and accept the challenge of teaching the technique." Sounds like the philosophy behind the Rashan Gary pick, yes?
I agree. My guess is Coach Pettine loves the upside he sees in Gary, Brian Gutekunst agrees and is entrusting Pettine with the responsibility of developing Gary's talents so he might realize his full potential. It's kind of what happened when the Packers drafted Clay Matthews. Matthews was Dom Capers' guy.

Mark from Wausau, WI
Vic, how important is team chemistry in the NFL?
It helps a team achieve success, but you can win without it. Bad chemistry is an obstacle to winning because it can become a distraction. I think the Steelers faced that with the Le'Veon Bell issue last season. Bell divided that team. He was an irritant that caused nerves to fray. Teams don't have to love each other to win football games. They just need to be focused, and a peaceful locker room promotes focus.

Ben from Chicago, IL
Vic, I've been reading these do-over draft articles. Is there any value to be gained by reading these?
I think what-if? draft stories are fun. I think they underscore how fragile the draft is. What if the Packers had picked Jim Brown instead of Paul Hornung in 1957? Do the Packers pick Jim Taylor the following year? What would Lombardi have accomplished with Brown in the Packers' backfield? What if the Steelers had picked Dan Marino in 1983? Or what if they hadn't forfeited their third-round pick in 1979 and had drafted another local product, Joe Montana, as they said they wanted to do? How many more Super Bowl titles would they have won? I think the draft is great fun.

Paul from Verona, WI
After Packers games, my most memorable game was the 1985 Super Bowl, Bears vs. Patriots. Stationed a few miles from the Soviet Union, the Army set up a large tent in which the game was projected onto screens. Outside it was dark and snow-covered, inside there were two inches of mud and 400 cheering soldiers touting M-16s. The game was one of my favorites because I am one of the few who enjoy a good defense more than a good offense and the Bears defense was one for the ages. What a cast of characters: McMahon, The Fridge, Singletary, Sweetness, Dent and coaches Ditka/Ryan. To cap off the night, a few hours after the game I was awakened from a sound sleep by the Military Police. Luckily, after my interrogation for a serious crime, the MPs realized I was not the guy they were looking for. Memories make us rich.
OK.

Derek from Eau Claire, WI
No more half-line drill? Doesn’t that mean no more practicing football?
The game has changed. It's pitch and catch, not block and tackle.

Graydon from Columbia, SC
Vic, we’re getting a new dog and are looking for some good Packers-based dog names. Do you have any suggestions?
I remember doing a video outside Lambeau Field with dogs named Vince and Curly. Cute! If I was going to name a dog according to Packers legends, I'd lean toward Bart, Brett or Aaron, depending on the dog's personality.

Nick from Owego, NY
Are interior pass rushers becoming more important than edge rushers?
They always have been. Aaron Donald is a special talent to get through the traffic in the middle of the line. He flushes the quarterback into the edge rushers' arms.

Wayne from Beavercreek, OH
You don't think Earl Thomas is a Hall of Fame player? Thomas was the glue that held that defense together. He is the type of player that makes everyone around him better. The difference without him is distinct.
He's borderline, but I think we're falling a little too much in love with safeties. Most of them are centerfielders and ambush hitters. Richard Sherman was the star of that defense. He cut the field in half.

​Mike from McFarland, WI
What did playing football teach you about yourself?
How great I wasn't.

Kristen from Madison, WI
The world has enough cruelty. Please don't actively encourage even small amounts. Driving over a kid's soccer ball isn't funny. It's mean. Is it global-catastrophe mean? No. But I'm sure that little kid was heartbroken, and for what? So Luke from Horicon could have a good laugh (at a child's expense) and get a moment of notoriety on some sports blog? Our words and actions matter; even the small ones. Giving Luke's behavior a voice only encourages random acts of unkindness. Everything I've read from you suggests you're better than that. If nothing else, think like a dad. Thanks.
OK.

Justin from Eustis, FL
How much leadership does a QB need to provide to be successful? Is it not enough to repeat the right play from the headset, make the right adjustments at the line, and throw an accurate pass? Some articles out there make it seem as if teams need Patton in the backfield to be successful.
Teams need a stable, calming presence at quarterback. Bart Starr is the best example. Ben Roethlisberger got wild last year. He talked too much on his radio show and his outburst in practice before the final game of the season caused a firestorm that resulted in Antonio Brown being traded.

​Justin from Dacula, GA
Which American sport presents the hardest Hall of Fame to get into?
Baseball does it right. They guard the front door of Cooperstown. Entry is denied, not encouraged. The Pro Football Hall of Fame has become too concerned with marketing. The contributor category is cheap and ridiculous. There are too many inductees. Forget the big weekend event and think about the immortality of the game.

"Ask Vic" will publish on Mondays and Thursdays through the offseason.

John from Peoria, IL
As I recall, 2010 was an uncapped year due to the CBA situation. If the same scenario plays out and 2020 is also an uncapped year, wouldn't now be a great time to be thinking about pushing a lot of money into 2020? Could a team get in trouble for doing so?
What if 2020 isn't an uncapped year? Now you've got to push money out of 2020 and that would likely mean converting a lot of salary to signing bonus on contract restructurings that are going to cost you more money and eat up future space you otherwise might not want to use, and the restructurings would probably leave you considerably above your cash-over-cap tolerances. Don't try to beat the cap. The cap is your friend and wants to protect you. Be good to the cap and the cap will be good to you.

Luke from Horicon, WI
I was driving past the soccer fields by my work on the way home and a young kid kicked his ball in front of my vehicle. I could have locked up my brakes and avoided it. I didn’t and I heard a loud pop. I smiled and drove away without an apology.
The kid's mother is going to hunt you down and cover your car in soccer ball stickers.

Ryan from Plymouth, MN
Jace Sternberger, you mean.
Him, too.

David from Madison, WI
How did this NFL mentoring baloney begin?
Older players used it as a means for deepening their worth and hanging on for another year or two. Young players played to it because it meant the older player had become less competitive. A few years ago, Keyshawn Johnson was doing draft-day commentary when Johnson's team, the Panthers, selected a wide receiver. Johnson feigned excitement for the pick, gushing about his opportunity to mentor the young receiver. Soon after, the Panthers cut Johnson.

Jason from Austin, TX
Vic, let's say an NFL owner owned a business other than his football team, and that business wanted to sponsor a WR from the football team. Could the business that's owned by the same owner of the NFL team sponsor that player without it affecting cap numbers? If so, what's to stop an owner from offering a player a huge sponsorship deal to make up for a low-cap NFL salary?
The league would see the player's contract wasn't up to market value and the commissioner would void the deal. The bigger problem would be the intent of such a ridiculous attempt to circumvent the cap. The owner would be announcing himself to be duplicitous, a reputation that would put him in the commissioner's doghouse and dog the owner in a myriad of ways.

Eric from Seattle, WA
Gase somehow fell forward into a GM role. Which other current coaches could pull off the coach/GM combined role? Belichick seems to be the obvious one but who else?
Sean Payton seems to have a good feel for talent. So does Doug Pederson, and I think time will allow the same to be said of Frank Reich. Most coaches are technique crazy. They'll draft a player of average talent but who plays with great technique over a player with bad technique but great athletic ability. Scouts favor upside. The coaches who are the best talent evaluators see the upside and accept the challenge of teaching the technique. It was one of Coach Noll's greatest strengths.

Mike from Somerset, WI
Vic, is this your last season doing "Ask Vic?"
Do you know something I don't? I can hear Coach Noll saying in a haunting voice, "Nobody knows."

Bo from Iowa Falls, IA
If football isn't a proving ground for masculinity anymore, what is it today? Can it ever go back?
Football is still a tough game for tough guys, but what was once a game played with hips and shoulders is now a game played with hands and feet. Ram has been replaced by reach, and dip has been replaced by dance. Today's game is more of an exercise in athletic grace, rather than the test of will it was when injury was regarded as an opportunity to prove your grit. That's not to say elements of each don't exist in each era, it's just the balance of those elements are tilted. There was no place in the Lombardi era for a cornerback who wouldn't tackle, and there's no place in today's game for a skill-position player who isn't a top athlete. The game has changed so much. Putting that change into perspective is startling. Ray Nitschke would play fewer than half the snaps in today's game. Paul Hornung would probably have to play slot receiver.

Dave from Savage, MN
Penn State, Michigan State, Ohio State: People knew. Why is it hard to do the right thing?
Because we celebrate winning more than we respect virtue.

Mike from North Hudson, WI
What is your perspective on Josh Jones skipping OTAs and wanting to be traded?
It's a non-story. It only becomes a story if Jones does something with his career. The Packers didn't sign a safety and draft a safety because they like what they've seen in Jones. Vic to Jones: Do something!

Lee from Marshfield, WI
Vic, it’s been awhile since you talked about the football gods. So why have the football gods looked at the Patriots so favorably?
Because the Patriots have Tom Brady.

Tom from Bismarck, ND
Vic, one of my friends is a graduate of Kent State University. I believe he graduated in 1966 with a degree in journalism. He must have been hanging on in Akron through the early 70's, for he claims to have been near, or on, campus during the tragedy of 1970. He has a man crush to this day on Jack Lambert and will begin conversations with perfect strangers by telling them stories about Jack. Other than producing a world class coffee drinker living in Bismarck, a margarita-sipping Pittsburgh homer sunning himself in Carolina, and maybe the best middle linebacker in the past 50 years, what else has Kent State done for us lately?
Kent State produced the player who made the greatest play in Super Bowl history, and also the most recent Super Bowl MVP. I don't drink margaritas.

Craig from Cedarburg, IA
The NFL just asked teams to stop doing the Oklahoma drill. Is your NFL of old officially dead?
A big chunk of it is. The physical rite of passage that was training camp is certainly dead. I mourn a little at the news, but memories make us rich and my memories make me the richest man in the world. I cling to them. I'm sorry for the young fans who'll never know that game. It was wonderful.