NFL a victim of our culture

"Ask Vic" will publish on M-W-F through the football season.

Aiden from Jacksonville, FL
How did the NFL become a polarizing league?
Our culture is polarized and the NFL is a victim of it. Patriotism? The NFL has treated the national anthem with more reverence than any sports league in history, as evidenced by the event the NFL has made it at the Super Bowl. The NFL turned fly-overs into one of the military's best recruiting promotions. The 9-11 tributes the week following that tragedy left fans around the league in tears of patriotism. The card show the Packers choreographed in a salute to the military a few years ago was befitting the Super Bowl. This year, the league has elected to support its players in their movement to defeat racial injustice. Good! I've never been prouder of the NFL. Who isn't opposed to racial injustice? If you're one of them, you're a racist. Please, don't watch. Don't read this column. You're not worthy of the fraternity of football. Vic to racists: Get out of my column!

Eric from Brooklyn, NY
For 2021, the Saints currently have 45 players under contract and are over the cap by $80 million. Do you think they're all in hoping for an uncapped year, or is the train going to smash them harder than any team I can remember?
The Saints won't have any trouble pushing $80 million out. Cut a couple of guys with high salaries, restructure the contracts of young core players and do some voidables. It's not about pushing the money out, it's about when do the Saints want to stop pushing the money out? That's when the run is over and it's time to cut and gut. Drew Brees will define the time.

Braden from Milwaukee, WI
If/when Charles Woodson gets into the HOF, does he go in as a Packer or Raider?
He goes in as himself. Players go into the Hall of Fame as representatives of their entire career. They often will favor one team in their induction speech, but the Hall of Fame doesn't play favorites. Who will Woodson favor? I like him a lot. I wish I could've spent more time covering him. He's a true football man.

Morgan from Little Chute, WI
What would Vic have done differently than the president in regards to the Wuhan virus?
I would've told Americans the truth. If I believed the virus to be five times more lethal than the ordinary flu, I would've warned my countrymen of that fact. If you love your country and its people, you owe it and them the truth.

Bob from Marshfield, WI
How do you feel about Alejandro Villanueva's decision to put fallen war hero Alwyn Cashe's name on the back of his helmet? Could it cause dissension in the locker room?
I don't think dissension is the issue. Distraction is the issue and Villanueva has definitely made Mike Tomlin's job more difficult. Focusing his team on a short week will be a daunting challenge for Tomlin. This is the second time Villanueva has broken ranks with his teammates and in each case it was a gameday surprise, and each time Villanueva was treated with respect and understanding by his teammates and the Steelers organization. He is a war hero of sorts. He is special and he has been treated as such. In my mind, the special treatment he has received is warranted. I applaud the Steelers' restraint. Be that as it may, Villanueva is not Tony Boselli. Villanueva is an average-at-best left tackle. I would expect the Steelers to draft a left tackle next spring.

Jason from Austin, TX
What's the most lopsided time of possession game you remember covering? Was the score just as lopsided?
I don't have a time of possession log, but one game sticks out in my mind: Bengals at Steelers, 1976. It was the week after Terry Bradshaw suffered a neck injury that sidelined him for several weeks. Rookie Mike Kruczek was the starting quarterback. He threw five passes and Franco Harris carried the ball 41 times in a 23-6 Steelers win. It was like watching a nine-on-seven drill.

Samuel from Jacksonville, FL
Belichick's signing of Cam Newton was a genius move. instead of going with a below average pocket passer, Belichick signed a better version of Tebow to pair with his offensive coordinator who took Tebow to the playoffs.
Bill Belichick is the master of patching in cheap free agency. That's his genius; patching, not plays.

Beau from Lancaster, PA
Vic, can you tell us more about Terry Bradshaw's brother, Craig? I recently learned he was drafted by the Oilers in 1980 but only ever played in two games.
He was tall.

Scott from Napa, CA
And like a miracle, I suddenly became a Pete Carroll fan.
Coach Carroll spent a lot of time through the years in the homes of black recruits. Coach Carroll gets it.

Mike from Charlotte, NC
Cuckoo doesn't even begin to describe what's happening.
This isn't a joke, folks. This is our country and our future. We're staring at the potential of a second wave to this virus. More will die and they are our countrymen. Regardless of who wins this election, the next four years don't look good. The CBO has already said it'll take the better part of this decade to recover economically from the damage this virus has caused. Businesses will close their doors. Unemployment will rise. GDP will fall. We're all in this together. We need to stop treating each other as the enemy and start pulling in the same direction.

Tomas from Davis, CA
What were your interviews like with Aaron Rodgers? Was he stand-offish or a fun person to speak with?
He was informative. He treated me with respect. He answered my questions. I am grateful. Memories make us rich.

Christopher from Oshkosh, WI
Which team you covered in your career had the best balance between run and pass? Do you think this is still needed to bring home the trophy?
The '78 Steelers are the answer. They could still pound with Franco Harris, but the new rules allowed Bradshaw to open it up, and he had great receivers in Swann and Stallworth. All four of those players are in the Hall of Fame. The '78 Steelers had great offense and great defense and won their two AFC playoff games by 23 and 29 points respectively. It's not that way anymore. Do one thing very well, get hot and you can go all the way.

Jonathan from Southern Pines, NC
How about the old man; 229 yards, 3 TD, 0 interceptions and more rushing yards than Barkley? If Ben can just be the Ben of Monday night with this insane defense, the Steelers are real contenders.
Easy, now, easy.

Brian from Philadelphia, PA
Edisto Beach is 97 percent white! Try living where I live before you lecture us about fear of minorities.
I don't live in Edisto Beach, I live on Edisto Island, which is 34.2 percent black. They are by and large the descendants of freed men. In 1860, Edisto Island's population was 329 whites and 5,082 slaves. This was during the sea island cotton era. I'm not trying to make a political statement, merely attempting to familiarize you with where I live.

Jim from Maple Grove, MN
Is Detroit's fourth-quarter collapse, punctuated by the ridiculous TD drop at the end, a reflection of the same old Lions or more a product of the lack of preseason reps? What can the Packers expect of this team come Sunday?
This game could signal the beginning of the end for the Matt Patricia era.