I don't want in that head

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

Craig from Cedarburg, WI
If the questions you’re answering are a fair reflection of those submitted, are your readers losing their minds?
I cleansed the column a couple of weeks ago and attempted to avoid political and social issues in subsequent columns because we were clearly unable to discuss them without anger. What I got was an inbox full of emails begging me to reconsider; some of those emails were even mean-spirited. So, I've given the readers what they want. Are they losing their minds? I don't know. As Coach Noll might say, I don't want in that head.

Jason from Friesland, WI
Well, that was a fun week. Thank you for the distraction!
You ain't seen nothin' yet.

Aaron from Madison, WI
Your recent responses to Barry, Ian and William are the reason I love reading this column.
I was just trying to capture the spirit of the thing.

Steve from Phoenix, AZ
Vic, did you see the piece in the NY Times (June 12)? "A Statue Was Toppled. Can We Finally Talk About The British Empire?" by Dr. Gurminder Bhambra.
Wow! We scooped the New York Times!

Barry from Ireland
Vic, Brit bashing became a bit of a national pasttime primarily due to their treatment of Catholics in the north of our country and 800 years of occupation. I would also like to bring up the British debacle in South Africa, directly leading to the disgusting Apartheid policies there. Additionally, the mess they left on the Indian subcontinent has resulted in three nuclear capable countries at each others' throats over Kashmir. "Arguably the most tolerant society worldwide." Indeed, you hit the nail on the head with Brexit. All of that being said, half of their country voted against Brexit, much like half of yours voted against Trump. Division is getting us nowhere, and we're getting there faster than ever.
The line is drawn. It's winner take all.

Bob from Kansas City, MO
Vic, I'm sure you have a lot of angry people in your inbox. I'm sorry you're dealing with that, and thank you for putting up with it. I am writing to implore you to continue writing about the important topics you've been addressing. People are probably threatening to quit reading your column unless you "learn your place," and I'm sure some will. If you continue, I imagine your readership will go down. However, I want to give you an example of why I think this is so important. My dad is a smart man, and I know he tries to be good, but he has become radicalized. His news sources have become more and more self-selecting, and he only gives credibility to sources which he agrees with. Everything else is fake news. It's hard to watch, let alone discuss current events with him. But he still reads you, and you're one of his only sources for an alternate perspective. I imagine the same is true for many of your angered readers. I really think you are opening his eyes to some things in a way his family never could. He respects you and so he listens to you. He discounts anything I say as, you guessed it, fake news. Maybe he internally says the same of you. But he's reading, he's learning and, I hope, he's growing. Perspectives that challenge our world view are important. I'd go so far as to say necessary. And because a large segment of your readers hear those perspectives from you and no one else, I beg you to do them the service of not backing down. Truly, thank you for what you do. You are making the world a better place with this inbox.
Readership increased last week. My inbox is nearly unmanageable. The comments section was up over 300 within the first 24 hours. The more people hate, the more they read.

Gina from Vorhees, NJ
This is in response to Ben from El Paso. As a female fan of your blog, I think his comment about needing to listen to women has no place here. This is not a space where I worry about whether a comment is coming from a woman or a man or what the commenter's race or ethnicity is. I want to hear about football from football fans. That is what we are here for. Honestly, I come here for a break from the political and social upheaval that permeates every other area of social media these days. Some days I can smile all day thinking of a post where your only comment is “OK.” You say so much with those two letters. Keep up the good work!
Football?

George from Virginia
Kap is the new Jackie Robinson? Are you aware Kap wore the face of an anti-black communist tyrant on his shirt, while deriding America? You've turned a great football column into yet another outlet of leftist propaganda. Thanks for the good times, sad to see them go.
OK.

Pete from Minneapolis, MN
Why is your comment section beginning to look like the comments on my aunt's Facebook posts?
I'm a senior citizen Antifa operative and the comments section is my disguise?

Jason from Green Bay, WI
If you were asked to give a speech at a high school graduation, what advice would you give to the class of 2020?
Buy the dips.

Dan from Milwaukee, WI
Will the development of a power run game give the Packers an advantage over a precision passing offense due to COVID reducing the number of offseason reps?
I'm having difficulty imagining a football season. Without a vaccine, people are going to die.

April from Missouri
I've never posted a question to you before but I would like to pass on a message to your buddy Ben, commissioner of fairness to women. I would just like to know why Ben feels he needs to speak on behalf of women. You see, I come from a long line of strong, outspoken, respected women who have never needed a man to speak up for them. I am fairly certain that would be true for a large majority of women. So it is unclear to me why Ben feels he needs to represent us now. It is possible women just don't feel the need or have the desire to participate in "Ask Vic." It is also possible they choose to remain anonymous and don't use real names/locations. Regardless, I feel certain if women felt the need to comment on their presence here they would/could do it without male representation. I mean, isn't that kinda the point? This world would be a much better place if people would stop getting offended on other people's behalf. Wouldn't you say if something offended you you could react/respond on your own? Women are a force to be reckoned with and if we really were offended by the number (or lack thereof) of female questions, then we could probably figure out how to make ourselves heard.
Maybe Ben is a woman.

Lisa from Wausau, WI
As a female reader of this column, I’d like to personally thank Ben from El Paso for his ally-ship.
I think I could create a controversy about mud.

Stephen from Dublin, Ireland
I'm sorry to see you are getting a flavor of the attitude of Perfidious Albion in recent days. They point down at all the problems around the world, without actually realizing wherever there's trouble, strife, corruption, etc., it can usually be traced directly back to England. Brittania rules the waves, except it doesn't anymore.
I had never seen the term Perfidious Albion. Thank you for the education.

Dave from United Kingdom
I remember you suggesting the draft room was divided on whether to pick Jones-Drew in the second round that year. Who was it that could see he wasn't just a kick returner and could be a top back? They made one of the franchise's great picks that day.
Kennedy Polamalu was the Jaguars' running backs coach when the Jaguars drafted Maurice Jones-Drew in the second round in 2006. UCLA teammate Marcedes Lewis was the Jaguars' first-round pick. Kennedy played with Jack Del Rio at USC and coached running backs there under Pete Carroll prior to joining Del Rio in Jacksonville. I suspect Kennedy recruited Jones-Drew while at USC, had Jack's ear and was largely instrumental in the selection of Jones-Drew. Ironically, a few years later Jaguars GM Gene Smith sent Kennedy to Pitt to work out LeSean McCoy. Kennedy returned with a thumbs down on McCoy, who Smith loved. Jones-Drew and McCoy each won an NFL rushing title, which is further proof the draft is not a perfect science.

Dave from Savage, MN
There has been quite a bit of angst expressed over colleges possibly having to cut some non-revenue-generating sports. I know the benefits of organized sports, but have never understood the amount of money and resources spent to have a WVU-KSU soccer game in Manhattan, KS. Wisconsin hasn't played intercollegiate baseball since 1991 and hasn't seemed to miss it. Do you have any opinions?
Title IX changed the landscape of non-revenue sports.

Craig from Weare, NH
Vic, I can't comment because you accidently banned me. However, I deserved it. I just wanted to say your comment on 1960 with Bob Prince announcing games and the Pirates in first place made me reflect to my youth. I fondly remember riding my bike down to my grandparents to watch the Pirates. Thank you.
I tried to get a message to you through the comments section. I had my IT guy reinstate you. You're free! As for 1960, and in the words of Bob Prince, you can kiss it goodbye. Sometimes I Google "Mazeroski World Series home run" just to watch it again. I was nine years old and in love for the first time. Memories make us rich.

Sam from Martinsville, IN
"Kaepernick is the Jackie Robinson of professional football." Even if I didn't hate Kaepernick, I would find this insulting if for no other reason than it diminishes Jackie Robinson. Yes, Vic, you're right, a mediocre player conducting a protest in the most obnoxious way possible and subsequently not being picked up (as he turns down backup QB offers) is equivalent to Jackie Robinson. I'm sorry, but your column's asinine political commentary has reached the point where it outweighs whatever I gain from reading your sports commentary. I want to thank you for your years of writing, as I have gained a new joy and perspective for the game of football, but I will not be reading your column anymore since you don't seem to understand people tune in to gain your unique insights on sports, not poorly thought-out political pontification.
You're doing the right thing, Sam. Folks, if this column upsets you, please stop reading it, but you don't have to inform me of your decision. I don't keep score. I don't take attendance. I don't even know who you are.

​Dave from St. Peters, MO
I'm not going to stop reading because I disagree with you. Thanks for your honesty.
With an open mind, we find the truth.