How about the scramble QB offense?

Jon from Lynchburg, VA
Would a way to devalue the quarterback position be to have more of them?
Increase the supply and reduce the demand? Yeah, that's the solution, but how do you do it? Well, by making passing the ball easier to do you lessen the skill demand, therefore, increasing the pool of talent available to you. Mike Leach did that at Texas Tech. Or you could revert to the single wing days and make your quarterback the equivalent of a single wing tailback, which also deepens the pool because you bring into play all of the wishbone-type quarterbacks. Here's what intrigues me: Every time a quarterback begins to scramble from the pocket, the crowd rises in excitement. There's something about a scrambling quarterback fans love, and given the sensitivity toward protecting the quarterback and flagging sideline hits, it's nearly impossible to defend against the scrambling quarterback. Somewhere therein lies the answer. The league wouldn't legislate against a player that excites fans, and the deeper pool of talent would devalue the position. I propose the "scramble quarterback offense."

Nick from Detroit, MI
This sounds like a joke question, but it isn't. What do the Packers have to do to revert back to their horrible state of the 1980s? Injuries? Horrible draft? Overspend in free agency? All of the above?
As Coach Noll might say, "How do you wish to die?" Bad drafting is a slow death. The effects of overspending can be delayed by irresponsible cap management, but death is also a certainty. All of the above? Call the undertaker.

Dr. Buford from Iowa City, IA
In terms of value to the team, how would you rank Packers receivers not named Davante Adams?
They're all valuable when they're catching the ball, but receivers are the most easily replaced players on a roster.

Paul from Milwaukee, WI
You have a fine head of hair, but if you didn't, would you shave your head or get a wig?
I'm not a wig guy, but I'm not fond of the escaped convict look, either. I'd probably just keep going to Ed's Barber Shop and tell the guy to "make me look sexy."

Quentin from River Falls, WI
Vic, who would you most like to have dinner with out of Jerry Seinfeld, Larry David, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Michael Richards and Jason Alexander. Why?
I think I'd like to go out on a date with Elaine, play "Desperado" on the car radio, go dancing and then talk about Christmas cards over some lobster bisque.

Eddie from Jollyville, TX
Regarding the famous Bart Starr touchdown in the Ice Bowl, Jerry Kramer's "Instant Replay" book states: “I wouldn’t swear that I didn’t beat the center’s snap by a fraction of a second. I wouldn’t swear that I wasn’t actually offside on the play.” In a variety of places, Jethro Pugh has also said something similar. For example, according to "Packers By The Numbers," Pugh "for years asserted that Kramer was offside on the play and that Pugh was looking for a penalty flag after the play." Why did Kramer and Pugh both refer to Kramer's alleged offense as offside instead of false start?
False start was a term that didn't exist back then. Kramer would've been technically guilty of illegal procedure, but it was also known as offensive offside.

Jason from Jacksonville Beach, FL
Vic, we are remodeling the golf course at Jacksonville Beach. Have you ever played the course, and what advice would you offer to draw our golfers back? Love your column.
I lived in the Marshside development adjacent to the course. I played the course and liked it, but it lacks a marketable/signature hole. The par three (14, I think) on the back has signature potential.

Bertram from Chestershire-on-the-Cormingwell, GBR
My dear chap, as you reside in a southern clime, one would assume you favor propane-powered grill cuisine, as opposed to charcoal-based. Would this be a correct assumption, as charcoal does not bode well in humidity?
I'm a charcoal guy all the way. I haven't experienced any humidity problems with the charcoal. The bag tends to fall apart, but the charcoal stays dry and lights easily. I love the name of your hometown. From now on, I'm Vic from Natrona-on-the-Allegheny.

Chris from Appleton, WI
Vic, be honest. Do you think Kramer came off the ball early?
It appears he did, but it was too borderline to flag and that means it was perfectly executed. All offensive linemen in the run-the-ball-era attempted to anticipate the snap so they could get off the ball a split second ahead of the defensive linemen. It allowed the blocker to achieve leverage. It's a lost art in the dancing bear era.

Mike from New Berlin, WI
Given how much animosity has been created between Roger Goodell and the players, do you think it would have been better for the next CBA negotiations if the NFL had hired a new commissioner rather than extending Goodell?
I don't think it matters. The commissioner has become a titular head. It's money for nothing. The owners are in control. The commissioner is their puppet. He invents nothing. He's unimportant other than to accept blame.

Wallis from Gartrudel, Bavaria
How's the pluff mud?
I live on Scott Creek and I think we have the best pluff mud on the whole island. There's something therapeutic about pluff mud coming up between your toes on a hot summer day.

Eric from Hudson, WI
Vic, I have a theory. That is, once you find "The Man," you hire, if not in place already, a defensive-minded head coach who can give the team that edge. Mike Zimmer has brought this to Minnesota since day one without having "The Man." Bill Belichick knows you need to have speedy receivers who can simply create separation. Then let your system quarterback nickel and dime the opposing defense to death. Green Bay goes with the offensive-minded head coach. Soft. They want to finesse the offense with timing and back-shoulder throws while paying $20 million to Nelson and Cobb, two players I doubt would find much playing time in the NFL without Aaron Rodgers throwing them the ball. All the while, the defense struggles to find its identity, and "The Man" finds himself with one Super Bowl ring. First, find "The Man," then find the defensive-minded coach. This is how a team goes to seven Super Bowls in 17 years with a band of misfit toys.
When you have Tom Brady, you can do it any way you want.

Ben from Alameda, CA
Mike Tice retires from coaching and says players no longer want to be coached. What do you think?
I was with Mike in Jacksonville and I thoroughly enjoyed his views on football. He was a delight to cover. I think what Mike might be saying is a lack of competition has given today's players a sense of security that's lessened desperation and eroded the bond between coach and player. When I began covering the NFL, there were 26 teams, 17 rounds of the draft, training camp rosters were unlimited and regular-season rosters were capped at 40. The competition was intense. Nowadays, only a few players really get cut, and a lot of them find their way back into the league. They might consider their agent to be more important than their coach.

Adam from Boston, MA
Thank you for calling it as you see it. It came to a point where my wife would know when I was reading “Ask Vic” because I’d be reading next to her and then just begin laughing out loud. One question: Which teams think they have “The Man” but don’t, in your opinion?
All of the teams paying their quarterback as you would pay "The Man," but whose quarterback is not playing as you would expect of "The Man," think or thought they have "The Man" but don't. You can figure out the rest.

Brad from Basalt, CO
Vic, the rules created the quarterback. What change(s) would you make to help reduce the need for "The Man?"
I touched on it above. If you want to make it easier to pass the ball, thus deepening the pool of quarterback prospects, then create a rule that forbids defensive backs from jamming or making contact in any way with a receiver until the defender is making a play on the ball. Who couldn't complete a pass in that league?

Andy from New York, NY
Just un-tarp me, baby! The Jags are back, Vic.
The whale has been saved.

Ryan from Stevens Point, WI
Vic, what are your thoughts on hockey? It's been called soccer on ice, but it's obviously a physical sport. Is it watchable for you?
I think playoff hockey is as good as it gets.

Chad from La Crosse, WI
What would SMU's penalty be today? It seems universities are getting away with more today and "death penalties" are not even a consideration.
The NCAA is powerless. It runs a museum; that's about all it does. The power five conferences are in control and they're not likely to weaken themselves by giving one of their members the death penalty.