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

Pat from Collierville, TN
Vic, has your laptop exploded yet? What are the Packers up to in free agency? Do you think they improved their roster enough and is it worth the money they spent?
At the end of last season, I was asked what the expectation should be for the Packers in 2019. My answer was to ask me after free agency begins. Well, free agency has begun and I'm prepared to answer the question: The expectation for the Packers in 2019 is to compete for the division title. Rebuilding was concluded on Tuesday. If the Packers don't make it into the playoffs next season, 2019 will have been a disappointment and the cap room the team spent in free agency will have been wasted and difficult to recover.

Dave from Lake Elmo, MN
The Packers feel the need to sign four new starters while their free agents don't even get a sniff, confirmation of what you've been saying for quite some time, that it was a weak roster. Are these signings an indication of too many holes to fill through a single draft, combined with a sense of urgency to turn this around in a hurry before Aaron's window closes?
The obvious answer to your question is yes. The Packers weren't willing to ride the slow train to recovery. They chose to ride a much faster train, and tickets to ride that train are very expensive.

Ethan from Ontario, Canada
You stated you like the bargain approach to free agency more than all-in spending, so how do you feel about the moves the Packers have made? I specifically like the Adrian Amos move. He always seemed to be around the ball when we played the Bears.
All four of their first-day signings are ascending players. I love that about the players the Packers targeted. Pass rushers are especially expensive, and I'm not a big spender, but I love the Za'Darius Smith signing. I'm surprised the Ravens let him go; that's the only thing that bothers me, because the Ravens know defense and how to rush the passer and I'm shocked they didn't value Smith more than they did. I think the Ravens got this one wrong. I'm not as familiar with Preston Smith. I'm more than a little surprised the Packers chose to sign two pricey pass rushers, what with this year's draft said to be deep in pass rushers. Amos is the signing I don't especially like. He was a fifth-round pick out of a big school. Hey, that's where you find non-elite safeties, in the fifth round and at big schools, where they played against top competition and in big games.

Ryan from Green Bay, WI
Do you believe the Vikings made a wise choice in re-signing Barr? I believe I can hear the train whistle.
The Vikings? If you open your window, you might hear, "All aboard!"

Dave from Franklin, WI
As the green and gold faithful sing the praises of free agency and celebrate Rome being rebuilt in one day, I must ask, did the Packers overpay to fill some holes?
Of course they did. There are no bargains on the first day of free agency. The real question is: How badly do you want to win? Or, as Coach Noll might've asked, "How do you wish to die?"

Dan from Madison, WI
Has the push begun for the Packers?
Yes. This is it. This is the aggressiveness in free agency for which Packers fans have been begging for all the years Aaron Rodgers has been the team's quarterback. The Ted Thompson era of Packers football came to a close on Tuesday. These are the new Green Bay Packers.

Paul from Jacksonville, FL
Well, the Jags are apparently all in on Nick Foles. He's an upgrade over what we've had, but is he enough?
The Jaguars' quarterback play last season was so awful, so dreadfully pathetic, the upgrade the addition of Foles represents makes him, in my opinion, the most significant signing in all of free agency. Jaguars fan claimed the team would've been a Super Bowl contender if they only had an average quarterback. Well, now they have a player who, at worst, will be average. I'm calling out the defense: Stop talking and start getting it done. You didn't get it done in the AFC title game in New England, and you didn't get it done against the Chiefs, Steelers, Bills or Titans last season.

Michael from Eau Claire, WI
Vic, help an old man understand. What is your take on these defensive acquisitions by Green Bay?
In my opinion, they are savvy personnel decisions that dovetail with a green light from Mark Murphy to spend the money to sign them. I can't think of two better words to describe the Packers' approach to free agency than the words "all in."

Mike from Fort Wayne, IN
Vic, when does spring cleaning begin for those living in your area of the country and what specific spring cleaning tasks do coastal people do?
Spring cleaning has begun and we do it with a power washer. My porch and rocking chairs are covered with yellow pine pollen. It will worsen over the next couple of weeks. The oak leaves have begun to fall, as the old leaves are pushed off the tree by new growth. The shower of leaves will leave my driveway covered by an inch of what was new only a year ago. It's a wonderful cycle of re-birth. I celebrate it with a leaf blower.

Steve from Hudson, WI
Can you share your thoughts on the free agency work done by the Packers, Steelers and Jaguars?
The Packers and Jaguars swung for the fence. In the Steelers' ongoing attempt to strengthen a persistently weak secondary, they signed an unremarkable cornerback who can also play safety, which gives them some versatility in sub packages. By and large, however, the Steelers have completed their cycle of success and have begun the process of reconstituting their ranks and clearing their salary cap. They've added three draft picks by trading Antonio Brown and Marcus Gilbert. The Steelers will get a big cap credit for Bell from last season, and trading Bryant will provide a lot of room following 2019. The Steelers will recover quickly if they draft the right players. They rode the train as far as it would take them.

David from Washington, DC
Peer into the abyss of these contracts and tell us what the numbers mean. I see a lot of money loaded into the first two years of these free-agent contracts. Is that what the Packers are expecting to get out of them, two years and then see what happens?
As Bill Cowher would say, "that's an accurate statement," and I might add that if two years from now these contracts are judged to have been a mistake, this column will be full of "fire everybody" questions.

Eric from Hudson, WI
Do you think pride forced Le’Veon Bell to sign with the Jets? That situation won’t end well.
He ran out of options. He didn't listen to his agent two years ago when Bell was advised to accept the contract the Steelers were offering. It was better than the contract he got from the Jets, and so was the contract offer Bell got from the Steelers in 2018. Between his childish tweets, his stubbornness and lack of business sense, Bell looks foolish. The Steelers are the clear winner. The money they're not paying Bell and the cap room they'll be credited is worth more than the yards Bell didn't gain and were affordably replaced by James Conner and Jaylen Samuels.

Taylor from Amarillo, TX
Vic, the Steelers have $21 million in dead money after trading Brown. How does that work?
It's bonus amortization that must pass through their cap, but the Steelers will get a cap credit for the roster bonus and salary they won't have to pay Brown this year, so the offset is about $6 million the Steelers will have to eat, and that's not a big deal. In 2020, the good times roll.

Eric from Lansing, MI
Besides being new, what is the best thing about being old?
It's the sweet surrender. All of a sudden, it's OK to be ordinary.

Robert from Chicago, IL
Nick Foles going to the Jaguars. I want to be excited about it as a fan, but why don't I believe? He's a Super Bowl MVP, he directed late-season winning runs two times. When you read that stuff, it seems like he is the answer, so why don't I believe it? What did you see in Foles?
I see a guy who can convert third down. Bortles couldn't convert third down. Against the Steelers, they didn't even let him try to convert third down. The key to belief, in my opinion, is to pin your expectations to the defense and Jalen Ramsey. If Foles can give the Jaguars a 2007-like David Garrard type of season, he will have more than equaled reasonable expectations for him.

​Jim from Madison, WI
My Jaguars just signed Nick Foles. While I believe they have improved as a team, I still don't believe they signed "The Man," nor should we expect for them to consistently compete for the playoffs with him at the helm. What is the silver lining for the Jaguars' season?
He shouldn't have to be "The Man." Vic to Ramsey: Facta, non verba.

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

Isaac from Nashville, TN
Vic, over the years I've come to the conclusion teams should only spend money or invest serious draft capital in quarterbacks, pass rushers and positions where the ideal player is a physical oddity, such as offensive linemen or corners. Safeties, receivers, off-ball linebackers and running backs are great if they fall into your lap, but you shouldn't chase them. I think I learned most of this from you. My question is where do tight ends fit in this picture?
Their supply is ample. A team in need of a tight end should be able to address the position in any year's draft. I think of tight end as a rounds 3-5 type of position. Gronkowski is a two. Kelce is a three.

Jim from Monroe, WI
Vic, if the Packers do manage to trade for Dee Ford, do you think that would be a good move?
He's a one-trick pony, but it's a very important trick. This draft is loaded with pass rushers. I think the Packers can find their guy in the draft and probably even find better for less money.

Barry from Hayward, WI
Vic, do you have any good John Kuhn stories?
Kuhn and Aaron Rodgers sat in the row behind me on a Packers flight, and they had me laughing with their humor for the whole flight. Kuhn is an accomplished football player and a bright man who, I have no doubt, will be just as successful in his post-football life as he was during his productive and popular career with the Packers.

Randy from Medicine Hat, AB
As it relates to life, what does "always buy, never sell" mean?
It means don't quit, keep living by finding new ways to enrich your life.

Derrick from Rockaway, NJ
Did Antonio Brown get rewarded for acting like a brat? I hope this doesn't set a bad precedent.
Going to the Raiders is a reward? By the way, this  isn't the first time in Steelers history something like this has happened. Ernie Holmes walked out on his team in 1977 and was traded following the season. Brown has spent his entire career to this point playing with one of the best deep-ball, big-play quarterbacks I've ever seen. He may come to regret his temper tantrum.

Dave from Savage, MN
Do you have any Dan Jenkins stories? I loved his stuff.
Jenkins was in the Orange Bowl press box when Raquel Welch made her Super Bowl X appearance. We all shot each other a look. I love his writing. He was old-school football and his writing helped give the game the toughness that made it the most popular professional sport in America. "Semi-Tough" is not-so-semi genius. It embodied the personality of the game I loved and miss. I was in awe of Jenkins; I still am.

Mark from Nashville, TN
I have used your BAP philosophy to recruit physicians into our quaternary care medical center, where previously we hired for specific need. It has worked extremely well and I thank you, Vic. I even have our senior leadership talking best available player.
Who doesn't want the best available doctor?

Aaron from White Hall, AR
Vic, if there is one thing in football I hate to hear, it's when I hear a team is in win-now mode. I feel if the Jaguars sign Nick Foles, then Tom Coughlin will be putting the team in salary cap hell for the second time. Am I off base with this?
That's the risk and it appears the Jaguars are prepared to take it. Look at it this way: They have a good team, but they don't have a good quarterback. That won't work.

Tom from New York, NY
NFL success at which positions can be most realistically predicted by college football performance? I see college and the NFL as two completely different sports.
I think the interior line positions translate to college and the NFL equally well. Aaron Donald, for example, has been as dominant in the NFL as he was in college football. The scheme positions are where it gets most unpredictable.

Dan from Richmond, TX
Vic, aside from best player available and move to where the value fits a position of need, are there any other draft philosophies you think are good practice?
Coach Noll was fond of saying "never fall in love with a guy." His point was another team could draft that player and leave you lost to find a prospect you love as much. That happened to Bill Belichick with Kyle Brady.

Brian from Yakima, WA
The Packers have a decent amount of cap space this offseason. Would you favor them signing a starter type or two, or going for 4-5 players that cost much less but would add depth and plug in for a year or two?
I prefer the bargain-shopping approach.

Pete from Minneapolis, MN
What is the best thing about free agency?
It creates offseason enthusiasm and helps teams create change where they need to change the most.

Johan from Pembroke, IN
Is the biggest challenge facing Matt LaFleur whether or not his team will be able to maintain a lead with four minutes left in Seattle?
The biggest challenge facing LaFleur is getting to those last four minutes in Seattle.

Ben from Alameda, CA
How do teams ascertain leadership qualities in a combine interview? What would you ask in a combine interview?
I would ask a prospect what he thinks I need to know about him. If he doesn't understand I know everything there is to know about him, and he doesn't voluntarily address any particular issues in his background, he's either too stupid or too unaccountable to play for me, unless he's really good. If he's really good, I'll probably make an exception for him.

Bill from Sheboygan, WI
Vic, you said the Steelers would be lucky to get a third-round pick for Antonio Brown. How did you know?
Picks, not players. Some things never change.

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

Kelvin from Kenilworth, UK
Vic, how is it that once again we see the Patriots prepared to let players walk at the same time many teams seem to be overly concerned at keeping everyone through use of the franchise tag and top-dollar contract extensions. Why is this lesson not learned after nigh on 20 years of New England bucking the trend and being successful?
The Patriots are the best at replacing talent, and this is very definitely a game of replacement. Bill Belichick's true genius is his ability to identify affordable players that can execute specific roles, and then fit those players into a design built around Tom Brady. Why doesn't every team do that? Because they don't have Belichick and Brady. I've been over this a million times. When I covered the Steelers, no player on their Super Bowl XIV championship team had ever played on any team other than the Steelers. Why didn't other teams build a roster the same way? Because they didn't have Chuck Noll, Art Rooney Jr. and the Steelers' commitment to home-grown talent. Just because one team can do it doesn't mean every team can do it. Be creative. Be unique. I'm tired of this obsession with the Patriots. Vic to everyone else: Stop whining and beat them!

John from Fitchburg, WI
"I'll wait for a verdict on this subject. Once the truth is clear, and if it's bad, I won't hold back." Two separate videos with Kraft, and laid out in graphic detail by police reports, aren't enough of a verdict for you? And Jussie is also not guilty? Please stop with the "innocent until proven guilty" that is reserved for the court systems and not people with a brain.
OK.

Mike from Fort Wayne, IN
Vic, I was looking at some scouting reports for edge rushers the Packers may be interested in. What does tight hips and no bend mean?
He's a stiff.

Anthony from Milwaukee, WI
Of your time covering the Packers, is there any player they released or you feel they didn’t attempt to resign that left you scratching your head? Anyone they signed that left you in disbelief?
Jeff Saturday is the only one. I know they wanted insurance at the position and the contract was cap friendly, but it kind of felt like welfare for the rich. Saturday was over the hill and the signing was unnecessary. Look how easily the Packers were able to address the center position with Corey Linsley.

Kirsten from Madison, WI
If you have "The Man," as the Packers clearly do, how good on average does the rest of the team have to be in order to be championship caliber? On a scale of 1-10, I'd say the Packers average a 5-6, with a few eights in the ranks. Clearly that wasn't nearly enough last season, but if Rodgers is playing at "The Man" level, do you think that'd be sufficient?
I think you can win with a roster that averages to a seven, maybe even a six if your quarterback stands on his head. Eights? I don't think even Aaron Rodgers played to an eight last season. I think the Packers roster averaged out to a four.

Bill from Good Villbell, Germany
Vic, if the verdict is bad, would you consider an asterisk next to massage?
Instead of "cheated in one game," it would be "had illicit sex before one game?"

Monty from Seattle, WA
In regards to Kraft, I agree a full opinion can't be properly formed until the evidence is released, however, I find it implausible a man of such great resources didn't know exactly what he was purchasing.
Some men wake up on Sunday morning and take their family out to brunch. Others get a massage in Miami from young, captive Asian women and then fly to Kansas City to watch a football game.

Spencer from Wrightsville Beach, NC
In what ways have your views on society changed from when you were a young adult to now? Do you think you have changed in material ways or, conversely, have your views from early adulthood been cemented and validated by your experiences throughout your life?
I've softened with age, the result of having witnessed my increasing unimportance and frailty. Cancer and a couple of heart attacks will back you off the plate. I don't take myself nearly as serious as I did when I was young and of immense significance. I'm calmer now knowing I don't matter. I feel peaceful, loving.

Dale from Palmyra, NE
I've been reading and enjoying your writing for several years. I have a much greater understanding of football due to "Ask Vic." More importantly, my wife and I are getting on in years and nearing retirement. When she asked me what retirement will be like, I quoted you: "When you stop being new, you start getting old." It's become her new mantra. Thank you.
I'm remodeling my house and I'm doing all kinds of new things, such as eating my meals in the bedroom and using a refrigerator that's parked in the middle of the living room. I'm writing this column with the laptop "mouse" perched on the arm rest of the chair. When this is over, I think I want to be old for a while.

Tim from Madison, WI
In the spirit of the NFL combine, who is the most impressive athlete you ever covered?
Rod Woodson.

Brice from Vancouver, BC
If you were Arizona's GM, what would you do with the first overall pick?
Trade it.

Steve from Lake Stevens, WA
If it was your job to do so, how would you approach your evaluation of a player like Montez Sweat in the draft? He has obvious athletic gifts, but also some off-the-field issues that put his character into question. Personally, I like defensive players who aren't choirboys.
You do your homework, talk to his coaches, and then you look him in the eye and you ask him if you can depend on him. You listen to the answer and make your decision. It comes down to that. There are examples of hits and there are examples of misses, but isn't that what the draft is, a series of hits and misses? I think you have to ask yourself this question: Would I be acting responsibly to bring this person into my team's community? Putting a million dollars into a man's pocket doesn't usually make him a better person.

John from Peoria, IL
The Vikings extended Zimmer through 2020. I guess that makes me feel a little more secure they won't hire Mike McCarthy after 2019. OK, not much more secure.
For whom the horn blows. It blows for thee.

Connor from Greenville, SC
How did the Patriots win six Super Bowls with a QB with a lower career postseason passer rating than Blake Bortles, Mark Sanchez and Alex Smith?
Passer rating? How about crunch time rating? Brady gets it done when it counts.

Ben from Chicago, IL
Vic, a while back you said you would wait and see on Kyler Fackrell. What is your current thinking on his pass-rush abilities?
He flashed against the Seahawks, but then disappeared again. He strikes me as a quiet kind of pass rusher. The Packers need a noisy one.

Kabir from Ponte Vedra Beach, FL
Does a runner like Le'Veon Bell require different blocking schemes compared to a standard one-cut runner? His hesitation move seems to force blockers to hold longer.
I think he fits best with a pass-blocking offensive line. He's a draw runner who hesitates and bounces. He's not a pounder. I thought the Steelers got soft up front as a result of Bell's style of running. They couldn't convert short yardage with any regularity. They became a stand-and-punch front, and I think that's because it favored Bell's style of running. Pouncey and DeCastro are powerful, mobile run blockers. I thought their talents were largely wasted with Bell in the backfield. The Steelers got back some of their natural personality last season, and they need to continue that pursuit.

Mike from Bridgeport, CT
A lot of buzz about Kyler Murray being the first overall pick of the 2019 draft, while I imagine there are teams who don't even have him on their board due to his height. Would you have him on your board and, if so, where?
I don't have a problem with his lack of height. I don't like his long throwing motion. I wouldn't have a first-round grade on him.

​Dan from Madison, WI
Mock drafts can’t decide what the Packers' biggest need is. Looks like the football world is coming to a consensus about your belief the Packers have a weak roster. Will the fan base take the hint?
No. I had Packers fans in my inbox who wanted a first-round pick for Vic So'oto.

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

Samuel from Jacksonville, FL
Has anyone really ever shot up a draft board because of a combine performance?
Mike Mamula is the definitive answer. Dontari Poe and Bruce Irvin exploded up boards. Nick Perry was a combine star. Aaron Donald used the combine to confirm the talent he showed during the season and at the Senior Bowl. I think the combine is best used to support evaluation, not change it.

Isaac from Nashville, TN
Vic, someone I respect once told me the Shanahan offense was dirty and it injured defenders. Could you give any insight on why someone might feel that way?
It's because of the backside cut-blocking in Alex Gibbs' zone-blocking scheme.

Ted from Clarkes Beach, Newfoundland
Glad you are still sharing your insights. Outside of the QB, what position group on offense and defense respectively, do you see as a strength on the Packers going into the draft?
The Packers are strong at cornerback and quarterback. Everywhere else, help would be welcome.

Travis from Indianapolis, IN
Vic, what’s the cure for wide receiver fever?
Big guy pills. Take two and call me in the morning.

Andy from New York, NY
Will the day ever come the Packers are bought by a billionaire?
I don't know what the legalities would be for changing the public ownership structure, but I'm sure the NFL would favor private ownership. It's expected the secrecy of the Kaepernick settlement will end as soon as the Packers release their financials.

Bryan from Neenah, WI
Vic, I was very surprised to see the news on McCarthy having an altercation with prep basketball refs. He handled himself with dignity, even going out of his way to help the ref who messed up the "Fail Mary." What changed with him?
He became a fan. It's much more difficult being a fan than it is being a coach.

Peter Benton City, AR
Vic, your son is wrong. We are exiting a 50-million-year cold period. Warming is a good thing.
OK.

Joey from Venice, CA
What advice would you give someone who is uncertain about what career path to follow?
Mike McCarthy had a sign in his office that read: "Find something you'd die for and then live for it."

Jacob from Green Bay, WI
What was free agency like before 1992? What would happen when contracts were up?
Free agency was restricted. The compensation was so high, teams wouldn't sign free agents. Walter Payton is the perfect example. The advent of unrestricted free agency changed the game. Chuck Noll said he retired because he didn't want to coach a game that had a graduating class every year. Chuck wanted to work with a player through his career and develop his talent, instead of seeing his work benefit the competition. I covered the game in restricted and unrestricted free agency. I think unrestricted free agency has been good for the game and the players. It's allowed for options and creativity. It's demanded change and I think change can be a good thing.

Ben from London, England
Vic, which two presidents, past or present, would you most like to see perform an Oklahoma drill against one another?
Obama vs. Trump. Just think of the crowd that would attract. The TV  ratings  would be  bigger than the  Super  Bowl's.

Eric from San Francisco, CA
I'm not sure if you were the one who called this development, but I saw an article today that Pop Warner football is banning the three-point stance for the youngest divisions. Does change bubble up from the bottom? Are we not too far away from such a ban in college or the NFL?
It's just a matter of time. One more wave of CTE exposes or an on-field catastrophic could result in another major player-safety emphasis. Hands off the ground could be the next move.

Josh from Tucson, AZ
Vic, would an appropriate justification for the Jags signing Foles be they don't think the top QBs in the draft are worth where they are picking?
The most appropriate justification would be the belief the Jaguars are built to win now and Nick Foles is the guy who can take them to a title. The money they'd have to pay to sign Foles would probably cause the Jaguars to push it out and/or restructure contracts to create more room. The irony of that situation is that's exactly what the Jaguars did in 1999 when they went all in for the Super Bowl and created a cap mess that cost Tom Coughlin his job and the team an era of repair. Will they try it again?

Vincent from Seattle, WA
Vic, did you ever ask a question that noticeably made the person angry or defensive? If so, what was the question?
It happened so often I can't remember a particular incident or question. It's what we do in press conferences. The media asks questions, the answers to which the person being interviewed doesn't want to fully reveal, so an evasive answer results. It's ritualistic. When is the last time a reporter got an honest answer to a question about a player's injury? I have a greater recollection for the questions that didn't result in the coach becoming defensive. Chuck, what are your thoughts on Atkinson's hit on Swann? I didn't expect that question to be answered as honestly as it was. The result was a lawsuit.

Mike from Somerset, WI
Vic, prostitution and sex slavery is a horrible thing that results in rape, domestic violence and slavery of women. Prostitution's darkness being supported by an NFL owner should not be tolerated by the league or its fans. I don't get why there is no outrage on this topic, yet, people went bonkers on Kaepernick. Robert Kraft has committed a much worse injustice in my eyes.
I'll wait for a verdict on this subject. Once the truth is clear, and if it's bad, I won't hold back.

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

Steve from Plymouth, MA
A Super Bowl commercial celebrated a girl playing defensive back, so this is on people's radar. How will this affect the man versus man confrontation on the football field that originally drew you to the game? The locker room? Lawsuits due to inappropriate comments? I know many men's egos couldn't handle it, but if football is a career, then all must have an equal opportunity. Please let me know your thoughts.
All must have an equal opportunity.

Darren from Burlington, Canada
"If you don't agree with me, then we're all going to die!" You're sounding like socialist Cortez, who is truly making a power grab for the ages. Calm down and enjoy the easiest time to ever be a human.
OK.

Bill from Hawthorn Woods, IL
Ah, the Oklahoma drill. Memories. Tell everyone the story of how you, with help of the “Ask Vic" faithful, used to pick the matchups in Jacksonville. Great stuff.
I was waxing nostalgic in "Ask Vic" about the Oklahoma drill. Jack Del Rio read it and agreed a popular staple of training camp had been abandoned. He came to my office with an idea: He would run the drill and allow me to pick four matchups, per his approval, if I would promote the drill in "Ask Vic." It was a no-brainer for me. I began promoting the drill in my column and the crowd for the first-ever Oklahoma drill on Jaguars soil was beyond expectations. At that time, the Jaguars were struggling to sell tickets and the energy the Oklahoma drill created was more than welcome. The following summer, we did it again, and this time the crowd was overflow. Wayne Weaver remarked to me he thought the Jaguars could move the drill into the stadium and sell tickets to it. My enduring memory is of a city fire truck pulling up outside the practice field fence, adjacent to where the drill would be conducted, and raising its ladder so the firemen who had climbed onto it could see over the crowd and watch the drill. The Florida Times-Union published a picture of the fire truck moment the next day. Memories make us rich.

Zach from Virginia Beach, VA
Vic, your positions aren't "radical," they're ignorant.
OK.

Bryce from Marquette, MI
Vic, have you ever felt lost?
I think we all have at one time or another. I can remember such a moment on a return flight from Houston following a 1989 playoff game. It was late at night, the cabin was dark, the players were sleeping and I was putting the finishing touches to my stories when the pilot whispered: "Happy New Year." I looked at my watch; it was midnight, 1990. I looked down on the twinkling lights below and wondered where I was. Down there, they were celebrating the new year. I remember feeling lost.

Steve from Rothschild, WI
I see Arthur Blank, Dan Snyder and Jerry Jones all bought $100-$250 million super yachts. Hasn't anyone told them the therapeutic value of kayaking in a quiet bay?
They should watch this.

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

Timothy from St. Louis, MO
When did the First Amendment become left wing and the Second Amendment become right wing?
Liberals talk, conservatives shoot? That's funny.

Stephen from Chicago, IL
Who were the men who got off the bus first during your time covering three football franchises?
That first-off-the-bus talk is classic college football baloney. In my career covering the NFL, the "bus" was multiple buses leaving the hotel for the stadium at different times. Special teamers, reserves and early tapers would ride the early buses. Starters, coaches, light tapers and those who got taped at the hotel would ride the second bus, and the late bus would accommodate stragglers. The buses would usually pull into a stadium tunnel area where stadium workers and a few media would be the only people who would see who got off the bus first. I can think of times I got off the bus first. I bet that scared some people. Be that as it may, if I was going to pick one player in my career covering the NFL who might intimidate the opposing team, if they were assembled and forced to watch who came off the bus first, it would be Ernie Holmes. He was a lovable man, but not at first glance. The arrow he shaved onto the top of his head made him the scariest player I ever covered.

Irving from Bristol, CT
At a distance, the Jags appear locked in on doing what it takes to acquire Nick Foles. They already hired his offensive coordinator from Philly. Foles will cost at least $25 million. What is your opinion on the Jags' pursuit of a starting QB? Would you pursue Foles, Haskins, Murray, Lock, etc.?
I think the Jaguars are picking high enough to target a quarterback they believe can lead them into their future. I would prefer they draft a quarterback and acquire a veteran to serve as a bridge to the future, as the Browns did, rather than go all in on Foles.

Ryan from Chicago, IL
What, if anything, should the league do about Robert Kraft?
I'm not sure, yet. Ben Roethlisberger was suspended for six games and he wasn't even charged with a crime. Part of me thinks no punishment by the league can be greater than Kraft's own. I'll wait for a verdict on this.

Nate from Naples, FL
One of your draft mantras has always been to get the big guys early because there are only so many athletic big guys in the world. This becomes clear while watching the low quality of line play in the AAF. My question is would a big tight end who blocks as well as he catches fall into that category?
Mike Ditka? John Mackey? I don't think that player exists anymore. The tight end position has been pencil-whipped into specialization.

James from Orlando, FL
The question about animosity between teams was good, as well as the response, but it reminded me of what was going on between the Steelers and the Raiders in the 1970's. Those games were vicious and brutal, but great to watch as you knew they were going to very physical.
Physical teams engender intense rivalries. The Steelers have always done that, as evidenced in more recent history by their games against the Ravens and the Bengals. The Jaguars have acquired a physical reputation in the last two seasons; they have a budding rivalry with the Bills. The Packers haven't been that kind of team. They have more of a play-calling, finesse reputation. In the five years I covered the Packers, I never got a war-of-the-worlds feeling in covering their games. The rivalry with Seattle developed as a result of the "Fail Mary," not because of physical play.

Josh from Lynchburg, VA
In your opinion, should women be ministers? Figured we might as well open all the cans of worms.
The pastor of the Edisto Island Presbyterian Church is a woman. I think it's wonderful. Why is that a can of worms?

Pete from Minneapolis, MN
Vic, some in the comments are characterizing your politics as radical. The only political positions I’ve seen you take have regarded the importance of First Amendment rights and the existence of climate change. What’s so radical about that?
The option is shut up and drown. No thanks.

Mark from Bettendorf, IA
What's the funniest thing you have ever written?
We had a debate about the TV first-down line, during the "Ask Vic" years in Jacksonville. I claimed the line was invisible paint. I greatly enjoyed the responses and opinions.

Eric from Green Bay, WI
I think what the AAF and the XFL are failing to realize is we need the offseason. Our time away from watching the game recharges us for when the fall comes around.
Rod Woodson nailed it.

Willie from Hayward, WI
There was a Packers player who came out in the press and hoped the new coaching staff would hold players more accountable. He refereed to being late to meetings and for road trips and missed assignments on the field. Yet, this is the same team that traded Damarious Randall as soon as the league started last offseason, traded an under-performing Ha Ha Clinton-Dix and traded or cut bonehead performers Ty Montgomery and Jermain Whitehead as soon as they got off the plane in Green Bay. What is your take after actually walking the halls at 1265?
Accountability comes from within. If the Packers' players lack accountability, the Packers need new players.

Eric from San Francisco, CA
Since retirement, what's your favorite activity to spend your time on?
I walked in the same circles for a long time. Since I retired, I've enjoyed meeting and socializing with people from places and backgrounds with which I was not familiar. It goes back to my new year resolution for 2016: Be new. I knew I was retiring and I knew what that meant.

David from Capitol Heights, MD
Vic, are there any other sports you really enjoyed and were able to cover as a reporter?
I enjoyed covering golf, when the occasion arose. It was a very different forum. Instead of sitting in a press box, I was able to walk the field and talk with fans. I have wonderful memories of covering golf: the 1983 U.S. Open, especially the final-holes continuation on Monday morning, when I was able to walk so close to Tom Watson I could "hear" his every thought; the 1994 U.S. Open, when Colin Montgomerie nearly died from the heat but somehow rallied to come to the press tent and share his thoughts with the media. It always intrigued me the way golf tournaments would build to a crescendo, the cymbals would crash and then everybody would just leave and go to the next place. Pro golf has a carpetbagging feel to it I kind of like. I like professional sports, and no pro sport is more about the money than golf.

Andrew from Mount Dora, FL
One year ago, I told my co-workers the Browns would be in the playoffs in two years, meaning this coming season. It was my bold prediction and I still take a lot of heat from it. I think I have a decent chance of being correct, do you?
It's not a bold prediction, it's an expectation. It's OK to be 16-0 or 0-16; just don't be 8-8.

Paul from Green Bay, WI
When do you think the Rodgers/McCarthy relationship went south? I think it was after the 2014 Seattle loss. They seemed to never get past that.
The first signs of trouble were in Cincinnati in 2013.

Paul from Hartland, WI
What would be your first offensive play call as the Packers' new head coach? No doubt, Matt LaFleur would gain considerable favor with fans by calling a well-executed screen to Aaron Jones. I'd favor a quick slant to set the tone, but I'd be happy with anything as long as it's not that awful step back, wide receiver screen play they've run so often the last few years.
I don't know about the first play, but I know what the first contact drill of training camp would be: the Oklahoma drill. Please, somebody complain. Who'll be the first?

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

Eric from Green Bay, WI
Vic, when is the appropriate time to trade for or pay a top receiver? I understand your wide receiver fever opinion, but the position isn't worthless.
When you are absolutely sure he is special, and you'll probably regret having done it.

Ben from Columbus, OH
Vic, what are your thoughts on the Jags hiring Capers? I know Coughlin and Capers had success together for a few years. Does this move have Coughlin's fingerprints on it?
Of course it does. Coach Capers lives in Jacksonville. It's a perfect fit for both. The Jaguars get an experienced coach who'll lend expertise to the defense, and Coach Capers returns to coaching without having to leave home.

David from Janesville, WI
Vic, do you have any insight on how the revenue is handled in the AAF? There are already rumors of financial problems with the Hurricanes' owner infusing a quarter of a billion dollars to prop up the league after two weeks. Do the teams follow a similar revenue-sharing model as the NFL? I'm hoping they survive, not only for having more games to watch but for allowing development of players that maybe weren't ready for the NFL.
Revenue? There's no revenue, only red ink. The AAF is in survival mode. It's too new to have any plan other than to do what it takes to stay in business. I don't see attendance or TV ratings improving. I think it's all downhill from here. I can't imagine why anyone thought this would work. I hope I'm wrong.

Ben from El Paso, TX
Vic, how do you measure yourself with other golfers?
There are two kinds of recreational golfers, those who know they stink and those who've yet to admit they stink. If I'm playing with a guy who has new, expensive golf clubs, I immediately know he's still attempting to not stink. I have old, cheap clubs. I have stunk for a very long time.

Sandy from Texas
More of a statement than a question. Wow, you are a bleeding heart liberal all the way! Change the NFL rules to accommodate racist creeps who wear socks of pigs wearing police uniforms? Disgrace our flag, our country, our military’s sacrifices for lies? The NFL lost big letting the chump kneel and the TV stations televising it. Many will not come back. I, myself, lived for the Packers; went all over the country to see their games. No more. The most I do is tune in to laugh at Rodgers, Mr. left wing politics himself. So arrogant, so dismissive of his fans. Learn to swim if you're afraid of climate change. The climate is always changing. Ask the dinosaurs.
OK.

Christopher from Marina Del Ray, CA
Any thoughts on the Flacco move to Denver you’d like to share?
The Broncos won a Super Bowl, so they have that going for them, which is nice.

Curt from Portland, OR
Hearing some former Packers receivers say Aaron Rodgers scoffed at some calls from Mike McCarthy and changed them in the huddle made me wish I could ask Aaron for the truth about that and get the honest answer. If you could ask Aaron Rodgers just one question and be garaunteed to get a full, truthful answer, what would you ask?
I would ask him about the final four minutes in Seattle. If he thought the plays were too conservative, why didn't he change them? It's a question that should've been asked back then. I apologize for not having asked it.

Lori from Brookfield, WI
Vic, when it is reported Offensive Coordinator Hackett is bringing West Coast principles to the Packers, what does that mean?
It means he'll be doing the same things Coach McCarthy did.

Greg from Cuenca, Ecuador
In the last column, you asked why people remarry. I believe it was Oscar Wilde who said, "A second marriage is the triumph of hope over experience.” Sounds like 99 percent of football fans, me included.
The answer came to me as a fond memory of Coach Noll. For a game in Chicago in 1986, the Steelers created a short-yardage play in which the tackle reported eligible and then stood abruptly and took a step back as the quarterback barked the cadence. The Bears jumped offside, ostensibly, but the referee penalized the Steelers for trying to assimilate a play. After the game, I asked Coach Noll to explain what the call was, and he did. "So why did you try it again in the second half?" I asked. "Why do people remarry?" Coach Noll said. He was a treasure.

Isaac from Nashville, TN
Vic, do fans exaggerate the animosity between rival franchises? The contempt Green Bay fans show for the Vikings and Bears, for instance, seems to have no relation to how the actual players regard each other.
Generally speaking, the fans care more about winning and losing than the players do. The players care most about how they performed, which is as it should be.

Todd from Brookfield, WI
What does Tony have to say about where the Packers are slotted after the Senior Bowl? How does that square with what you think the Packers need?
I think the Packers need pass rushers. Tony says the draft is loaded with them.

Jesus from El Paso, TX
I know a new coach can't win in the offseason, but I get the sense he can lose. What would you guess is on Coach LaFleur's list of top priorities, now that the coaching staff is settled?
His No. 1 priority, I would think, is to have his team prepared for the start of training camp.

Darius from Grand Forks, ND
I enjoyed reading your non-football responses, but it kind of turned your comments section into a crap hole.
The sea was angry, my friend.

Roger from Chesterton, IN
When do you think Michael Corleone turned evil? For me, it had to be that year gap we’re introduced to between his wife’s death and him re-introducing himself to Kay. What do you think?
I think it was when he got beat up by the police captain.

Nate from Neenah, WI
What is the No. 1 regret Packers, Jaguars and Steelers fans have?
The final four minutes in Seattle, not having addressed the quarterback position last offseason, and franchising Le'Veon Bell last winter.

Rich from Apple Valley, MN
After watching Matt Lafleur's press conference, I was unimpressed. He wants to run the ball to open up the pass. Well, duh! McCarthy had the same belief and so do several head coaches. Players, not plays. Am I missing something?
No.

Jeff from Miami, FL
Was Lombardi's blocking scheme a zone-blocking scheme?
It was known as a run to daylight scheme and it contained some zone-blocking elements, but it didn't wall up and move laterally as today's zone-blocking schemes do in the system's signature stretch play. In the Lombardi system, the offensive lineman moved the defender in the direction the defender was favoring. It was a path-of-least-resistance system, as opposed to blocking the defender in a pre-designated direction. It required the back to run to daylight.

Henry from Wyoming
How do we get the billionaires to listen to the thousandaires?
It can't be done because the billionaires believe the thousandaires are guilty of a terrible crime: not being billionaires. Being a thousandaire is their punishment.

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

Brian from Odenton, MD
Vic, I have been wondering how much running game issues are caused by drafting/converting tackles to play guard, or by trying to save money at this position? Or maybe another way to ask is what does a power running team look like compared to a team that tries to balance its attack, or run as a change of pace?
A power running team can drive block and move the line of scrimmage on short-yardage plays. Teams that can only zone block are finesse running teams that routinely fail on short-yardage downs because the defense either holds the point of attack or penetrates and blows up the play, or both. That's why zone-blocking teams have to throw the ball on third and one. My idea of the perfect offensive line is one that can do it all: drive, pull, trap, zone and pass block. That usually requires a combination of big tackles with light feet and guards with low pad level. The Patriots offensive line appears to possess those combined talents. It was able to adjust its game to complement its running back, even when he was a wide receiver.

Tom from Bismarck, ND
Vic, for what seemed the entire football season, fans of the game were treated to an ongoing saga of the Steelers' running back and the daily claptrap that follows players like him. Since December, only the name has changed. The uniform remains the same. Today, the most popular sites for NFL fans reading up on daily NFL happenings have completely devoted themselves to the new problem child. We like to blame the commissioner, referees, owners, players and fans for what our wonderful game has become. However, your brethren in the sports reporting business are the ones fanning these fires. Please don't blame the readers. We're starved for news about the league and will read almost anything. Oops.
Vic to Tom: Stop reading "Bleacher Report” and other such re-write sites. They’re not trying to inform you, they’re trying to get your click by taking the same facts -- none of which they uncovered -- and putting a new lede and a sexy headline on an old story. By doing that, they turn a one-day story into an every-day story, as long as you continue to read it.

Bob from Australia
Vic, I feel like Antonio Brown is inviting you to respond when he tweets, "It's not about the money, it's for the love of the sport." Love to hear your take.
When they say it's not about the money, that's when it's really about the money. Thank you, George. You're still the best.

Dave from Chippewa Falls, WI
What does the Kaepernick settlement mean to you?
It means the First Amendment remains the guiding light of a nation that doesn't fully appreciate what truly makes America great, again and again and again. Way back when this began, I wrote in this column Kaepernick would win and become a very wealthy man, because there's no court in the land that'll rule against First Amendment rights. Thank God!

Phil from Marietta, GA
You've often said revenue sharing is one key to the Packers' viability. I don't get it. The season ticket waiting list is a generation long, the team has as big a national following as any and the owners/fans would pitch in for any high-priced free agent if given the chance. Assuming TV revenue for New York vs. Green Bay, for example, would be split between the two teams, how would teams spending on their own hurt the Packers?
All of the success the Packers enjoy is after the fact; it's the result of Pete Rozelle's pool-the-revenue plan. Without Rozelle's leaguethink, the Packers wouldn't have survived in Green Bay long enough to reach the Lambeau restoration phases. All of that wonderful tradition and the amazing allure of Lambeau Field would've been lost, and the Packers would've become just another franchise trying to survive. Even as popular as the Packers are today, I think it would only be a matter of time before the franchise fell into disrepair, if the NFL stopped pooling its revenue and every team was left to its own devices. The big-market teams would dominate.

Doug from Phoenix, AZ
You have very high regards for Tom Coughlin. Below is Jason La Confara's grade on their QB situation, and puts Coughlin directly in the crosshairs. Where is he wrong? "F--. Yeah, that's an F minus, minus. We don't play around here. Not only did they punt on an entire draft class of QBs, and bought back into Bortles, they amplified their problems by trading for Cody Kessler and pretending he was an NFL backup (of course, he ended up starting when Bortles was inevitably benched!) and scoffed at the Jets when they offered Bridgewater, straight-up, for Dante Fowler before the season (they ended up dealing Fowler to the Rams for picks). Bridgewater may have saved their season. Now they will likely land Nick Foles and pray he can do for 16 weeks what we know he can do for four. Tom Coughlin has botched the QB position to this point, no other way to say it."
I think I said it was a mistake sticking with Bortles before it even happened. I called the 2017 season a fluke, and that's when I got the email from the Jags fan thumping his chest about having beaten the Steelers in Heinz Field. I specifically wrote you can't expect to win a championship by playing around your quarterback.

Tim from Lancaster, PA
What are the ramifications, if any, of the collusion settlement? Why were you so sure Kaepernick would win?
There's no way the NFL's army of attorneys would allow the league to suffer the crushing defeat it would've suffered. As a result of this settlement, the league needs to amend its official position on any player kneeling for the national anthem to: We support our players' First Amendment rights.

Samuel from Jacksonville, FL
Why did it take so long for the NFL to settle? The NFL is a multi-billion dollar company. They should have settled as soon as this was getting traction.
What was the rush? The league was going to lose, whether it was sooner or later. The longer the NFL held back the settlement, the longer it had to invest that amount of money and bank the gain.

Brandon from Lafayette, IN
In your recent post, you mentioned you hope the NFL fixes what ailed it in 2018. What would you say ailed it that is causing us to all feel this certain way?
The game is over-officiated. The result is we've become over-sensitized to officiating mistakes. I think it's possible the league likes it this way, and I think it's disrespectful of fans and a potentially dangerous position to take.

Steve from Minocqua, WI
Vic, why do the Steelers have player drama with Bell and Brown? Is it coincidence, team culture, did they not conduct thorough background checks, or is it something else? I’m baffled as to why two stars are causing such internal strife.
The Steelers did this to themselves by franchising Le'Veon Bell for a second consecutive season. They should've let him go into free agency. The year-long circus that resulted from franchising Bell might've even contributed to Antonio Brown's misbehavior, as angst seemed to be the Steelers' constant companion. Do you remember what I wrote last spring about how I would respond to questions about Bell if I were Mike Tomlin? Le'Veon who?

Gary from Panama City, FL
I find it extremely difficult to wrap my head around the fact people who dislike your writing style so much are still reading every week. Why do people force themselves to be miserable?
Why do people remarry?

Joseph from Dillon, MT
I would love to hear your opinions on other topics.
OK, here's one: The water's rising, folks, and it's going to impact all of us, not only the people who'll be forced to move to higher ground. The devastation to our economy from the loss of the most valuable real estate in America will be felt by all. We need to come together on this and find a solution or, at the least, devise a plan for retreat. I am not intending to make a political statement. My interest is in preserving our beautiful country for our posterity to enjoy as we have, and avoiding the calamity that would follow if we do nothing.

Tristan from Durham, NC
It was nice of John from Ann Arbor to take his time to write you. Did he spell the name right?
It's the PR mantra that brought the NFL out of the darkness and helped make it our most popular professional sports league: Write anything you want; just spell the name right.

Tom from Superior, WI
Other than your position with the Packers, what was your favorite thing about living in Green Bay? We know it wasn't pumping gas in the winter!
I loved the nearness of everything. In the offseason, I went home for lunch. I never had to build my schedule around rush hour because there was no rush hour. That kind of job exists nowhere else in the NFL. It was wonderful!

Andrew from Mount Dora, FL
Vic, what would your advice be to someone looking to become a better writer? What are some of the best resources out there?
I owe my professional life to the newspaper business. It taught me how to write responsibly, creatively and on deadline. It taught me one car doesn't hit another car; two cars collide. It taught me to look inside the person I was interviewing and feel the truth he is trying to hide, and then make it my truth. It taught my fingers to glide over a keyboard, as one eye looked at my notes and the other glanced at the clock. The most pure writing/reporting experience of my life was Friday nights in the fall in Western Pa. Go to your local newspaper and volunteer to cover city council meetings. They'll teach you how to write.

David from San Francisco, CA
I’m more optimistic than you, Vic. What happens when AAF players get injured. You think the quality of play will drop as the season progresses? I disagree; that’s only one variable. I spent this past September watching NFL players, coaches and referees all embarrass themselves. I believe the quality of play will increase with familiarity and regularity as it did in the NFL, and I believe the pool of C-grade players available to the league is probably huge.
What will happen when AAF players get injured? Without a players union and a CBA, the players will sue and the AAF will begin reeling from the effects of its liability.

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

Roger from Auburn, CA
Vic, who would you target in free agency if you were the GM for the Packers? Maybe your top three picks, if they could pull it off?
That's too aggressive for my taste. That's like buying Berkshire, Google and Amazon. You're not going to have enough money left to build a portfolio (team). I like cheap free agency. Wanna do what the Patriots do? Then identify some affordable patches and fit them into a role-playing design that covers your needs but doesn't pin you against the cap. Expensive free agency is a trap. You don't get a lot for your money and the reward, in my opinion, is seldom worth the risk. Jimmy Graham is a perfect example. Now the Packers are stuck with the decision of whether to cut their losses on Graham or pay him even more money and increase their risk. No thanks.

Jerry from Ponte Vedra Beach, FL
Why would any team trade for Antonio Brown?
His cap situation favors trading for him, if you believe he's still a great player and he can be managed. His amortization stays with the Steelers so you'd only be on the hook for his salary if you traded for him. If after one season you don't want him on your team, cut him and he's off your books; no dead money. A team with wide receiver fever that believes it's one player away will trade for him, but I don't see the Steelers getting better than a third-round pick for him. I think Mike Tomlin did a pretty good job of dealing with Brown's disruptive personality; Tomlin got a lot of production out of Brown. When Brown walked out on his team, it was over; there was no excusing that behavior. Two of the best players in the game became the top stories in the league this past season, and for the wrong reasons.

Kurt from Springfield, MO
My family and I will be in Charleston this weekend. My nephew graduates from Navy Nuke School on Friday and gets married on Sunday. If you were to offer a suggestion on a local place for a good meal to take your family, what would it be?
High dollar -- Fulton Five. Medium price -- Acme Lowcountry Kitchen on Isle of Palms. Cheapo -- Swig and Swine.

Mark from Wausau, WI
Vic, really NFL? Kareem Hunt gets signed, but Colin Kaepernick doesn't?
The message is you can beat up a woman and get a second chance, but expressing your right to peaceful protest is intolerable if it's viewed as unpatriotic.

Bryce from Marquette, WI
Vic, have you ever given thought to writing about anything other than football? I find myself gravitating towards your writing style and your disposition towards your own life (and life in general) is something I strive for. Your columns are a constant exercise in perspective.
I'm toying with the idea of tweaking the "Ask Vic" format by adding topics on which I'd like to comment.

Pete from Los Angeles, CA
Vic, are there any second or third-tier free agents who pique your interest?
They all do. That's where the bargains are. A good pro personnel department finds those guys. They find role players from other team's castoffs.

Bob from Green Bay, WI
What are your thoughts on Sterling Sharpe having a shot at the Hall of Fame. Arguably the best receiver in the league his last three years, even when compared to Jerry Rice at the time. Any chance?
No. His career was too short. We don't need to reach for wide receivers. The Hall of Fame selection committee is barraged by better candidates. We need a Hall of Fame of Wide Receivers. Sharpe belongs there.

​John from Ann Arbor, MI
You get your rocks off fooling imbeciles into thinking you’ve any real insight into the strategy of the game. This whole website is one vanity plate. You reminisce about a time when sports writers could paint a picture instead of analyze. The irony is you never had the talent for either. You claim to love the human confrontation but you completely ignore the grit and maturation of coaches like Belichick and instead attribute their success to others. There’s a reason you giggle when Romo makes a wrong guess. Because you mistake fallibility with coming down to your level.
OK.

Mike from Missoula, MT
I got my dad "Instant Replay" for Christmas and he found it interesting Kramer said the Packers practiced harder than any other team. In what ways do practices differ from team to team? Have they changed dramatically over the decades?
Under Chuck Noll, nine-on-seven drills and sled work were staples of Steelers practices. Coach Noll also liked to begin each training camp with an Oklahoma drill. That regimen is considered Neanderthal-like compared to today's passing camps. Bill Cowher liked a spirited goal-line drill in training camp. He liked to end a hard-hitting practice with a test-of-will thud. Tom Coughlin's practices featured precision passing. I think Mark Brunell could've completed a down-and-out in his sleep. Jack Del Rio was big on pass-rush drills pitting offensive and defensive linemen; that's where he put his exclamation point in his practices. Mike McCarthy was all about tempo and thoroughness. He covered all of the bases.

Ryan from Hayward, WI
Did you have the opportunity to watch any AAF games last weekend? I'm curious about your overall impressions and whether you think a league like this has a future.
I'm not going to judge the success or viability of that league on just one weekend of play. Can it sustain the level of play for which it's being praised? What happens when injuries begin depleting their ranks? Will the quality of play decline? What happens when the TV ratings and media attention declines? Will anybody still care? If it keeps its costs down and finds a way to limit its exposure to player liability, the AAF has a chance to survive and become a minor league of football, but the odds aren't in its favor.

Ryan from Bartlett, IL
Vic, I was watching the excellent documentary "Standing in the Shadows of Motown" discussing the lives of some of the members of Motown Records' house band, the Funk Brothers. This was the band that played the instruments for a massive number of hits, but received none of the recognition the singers did. One of the musicians was bassist James Jamerson, who hailed from Edisto Island, and his son still lives there, carrying on his father's legacy. Did you know before you moved there you'd have the scion of one of Motown's (unsung) heroes as a neighbor?
It was after I owned a home here I learned of Jamerson. I love the first three notes of "My Girl."

Brady from Milwaukee, WI
In the NBA in particular, there is a lot of discussion about market size. I don’t think I can think of a time the media has mentioned market size as a relevant factor for free agency in the NFL. Is this just because the NFL is such a national game and other sports leagues tend to be more regionally focused? Or is my analysis incorrect?
It's because Pete Rozelle instituted a system of pooling the revenue. It allows markets such as Green Bay to compete on a level field with New York. In my opinion, the Packers owe their success as much to Wellington Mara as they do to Vince Lombardi. Mara agreed to Rozelle's idea and at that point market size became meaningless in the NFL.

Tom from Vista, CA
Who was your fave player to ask for a quote?
In Pittsburgh, it was Joe Greene. In Jacksonville, it was Fred Taylor and Tony Boselli. In Green Bay, I thought Aaron Rodgers' postgame press conferences were always enlightening and I thought he worked hard and respectfully to help reporters provide an accurate account of the game. I found James Jones too late and I wish I had been able to spend more time with Charles Woodson.

Ben from Columbus, OH
Vic, what's your eye-test opinion of Dwayne Haskins and Kyler Murray? Do you believe they're top 10 picks?
Haskins absolutely is. Murray, in my opinion, is a little guy with a long throwing motion. I think he's a big risk in the first round.

Omar from Morelia, Mexico
Vic, this season was quite disappointing. Right now, I need to take a break from football and that saddens me. It is the first time I have had this feeling. I really want to leave this season behind. Do you have any advice?
I feel the same way and I think it's good for me because I came to count on football too much. I'm going to fill my offseason with other endeavors. Right now, I'm in the midst of house remodeling. It's taken my mind off football. By the start of next season, I want to feel refreshed and ready for something better. Hopefully, the NFL will fix what ailed it in 2018.

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

Ben from El Paso, TX
Happy Black History Month, Vic! Who is on your Mt. Rushmore of black coaches?
Eddie Robinson, Art Shell, Tony Dungy and Mike Tomlin.

Rick from Pine Mountain, GA
Should the NFL return the hash marks to their original width? Do you remember why they were narrowed?
They were moved toward the center of the field in 1972 to help promote the passing game, but they had a completely opposite impact, as they produced an explosion of thousand-yard rushers. I see no reason to widen the hash marks, though I think the effect of doing it would further stimulate the passing game. Boundary corners would become plentiful, but the wide-side shutdown corners would become even more difficult to find and doubly expensive. I think there would be an immediate shift in strategy. Passing offenses would live on the wide side of the field, and defenses would have to flood that side of the field with coverage defenders. Kickers would have to deal with sharper angles on chip-shot kicks.

Lori from Brookfield, WI
Vic, while it may not have ben a great season or a great Super Bowl, what did you enjoy most about writing "Ask Vic" during the past year?
I didn't enjoy writing about Mike McCarthy's fall, the Le'Veon Bell drama or the childish antics of the Jaguars. This season was a disappointment in nearly every way for me, except for one: I always love reading and exchanging thoughts with the column's readers.

Barry from Hayward, WI
Vic, which teams are going to win the next five Super Bowls?
The Rams, Chiefs, Bears and Browns are best positioned going forward. I liked the Jets' future until they hired Adam Gase. I hope I'm missing something but I just don't get that hire.

Will from Salt Lake City, UT
I do believe Brady is the greatest QB ever, even though Rodgers is my favorite player. I think if it wasn't for Belichick he would have maybe 1-2 titles fewer than the six and I would still view him as the GOAT. Too much credit to their system. How do you think Brady would do with McCarthy or Tomlin as his coach?
He would've flourished because they are proven championship coaches. Brady is perfect for McCarthy's offense and Tomlin would've surrounded him with top defensive personnel until the last few years.

Dan from Sebastopol, CA
Vic, what are the top three positions Green Bay, Jacksonville and Pittsburgh each need to fill in the draft or free agency?
The Packers need a premier pass rusher, a guy who is disruptive and demands extra attention from the offense. The Jaguars need a quarterback, a guy who can win at crunch time. The Steelers need corners.

Dave from Jacksonville, FL
Vic, I’ve been retired for a couple of years. I believe I’ve watched every televised sporting event in its entirety at least once in my lifetime. I think the Masters is the best television sporting event. What do you think?
I enjoy it, but sometimes I feel as though I'm watching the same golfers hit the same shots every year. I like the variety the two Opens offer. The Masters' advantage is it's the only thing going on. Baseball has just begun and football is a distant memory.

Mike from Fort Wayne, IN
Do you think football, both college and pro, needs to be saved? If so, what needs to happen?
If the facemask had never been invented, you wouldn't be asking this question. Think about that. How do we turn the clock back? There's no chance the facemask will be taken off the helmet, so we continue to work around that fact by creating rules that are changing the game more quickly and radically than we can digest. The answer lies in changing the culture, but at this point it might be more about changing the fans' culture than it is about changing the players' culture.

Kirsten from Madison, WI
In defense of Chatty: I didn't grow up playing football or Madden, but I'm a long-time Packers fan who wants to learn more about the game, the same way I would about any other hobby I pursue. There are 22 men on the field and the game moves fast. Without any personal history in playing the game or seeing it coached, it's hard to sort through who is doing what and why. I can call an offsides penalty from my living room. Romo's insights give more clarity to the game itself.
I agree, he offers insight, but I think for those who know the game a lot of his comments come off as self-serving baloney, except I wouldn't say baloney. In my opinion, a fan such as yourself would be better served by a TV guy who gives you feel for what's it like to be playing in that game. Yes, I'm talking about the human confrontation. Imagine breaking the huddle for a goal-line play that'll determine the outcome of the game, knowing you're getting the ball and those 11 men on defense are looking right at you. I'd like for TV to give us an analyst who can capture that moment and that feeling. Cosell could do it.

Paul from McLeansville, NC
Much has been written about Rodgers changing the plays that McCarthy called. I'm guessing this happened in prior years, too. Have read a couple of articles of former players noting the change in Rodgers over the years. Now, with a new coach, how do you see this playing out if he continues changing the plays that are called in by the coach?
I think a quarterback of Aaron Rodgers' esteem should be granted the right to change the play, but there are times when a coach will call a play to set up another play. When those times occur, I think the coach should include the words "and run it" following his play call, which would be code for don't change it. A coach has to be allowed to call plays that dovetail with his game plan. Sometimes you have to run against an eight-man box to sell the play-action pass you have planned for the following play. If you're just calling plays randomly, you don't have a game plan.

Joel from Laramie, WI
Vic, I'll just ask it since I suspect a lot of Packers fans and others wonder or want to ask. Does Rodgers already have more Super Bowl appearances and victories under his belt with Belichick as his coach?
I have no reason to believe Belichick could've done a better or even as good a job with the 2010 team. It was superbly coached and McCarthy's stamp was all over it. The 2011 team suffered the same fate against the Giants Belichick did twice. The '12 team was garbage on defense. Maybe Belichick could've worked his magic on that team, but it would've begun with replacing the personnel. The '13 team had momentum and would've beaten the 49ers had Micah Hyde (I think it was Hyde) intercepted that pass. Maybe Hyde would've caught the ball had Belichick been the coach. The meltdown in Seattle the following year is germane to your question. I can't see a Belichick defense dissolving as the Packers' did. That's when the music ended for the McCarthy era teams. They were never the same following the meltdown in Seattle. Frankly, I think McCarthy got more out of the '15 and '16 teams than should've been expected of their weak rosters. Final tally: With Belichick, I'll give the Packers a Super Bowl title in '14.

Justin from Dacula, GA
I was wondering if you had any memories or thoughts regarding the Lou Holtz "era" with the Jets. Has there ever been a greater example of the massive gap between college and pro football?
He didn't even know the waiver rules and ended up painting the Jets into a corner by repeatedly claiming players off waivers. Holtz was smart enough to get out of the NFL and go back to college football. Spurrier did the same thing. He was a disaster, too.

Koko from New York City
In the Super Bowl, you mentioned the Rams offensive line performed poorly. Others have said the Pats defensive line dominated. Those two aren’t mutually exclusive, but what did you see and look for to arrive at your conclusion?
The Rams whiffed too many times. Getting bulled and walked back to the quarterback is one thing, but an NFL-caliber offensive linemen should never whiff. The Rams did a lousy job of preparation on offense.

Brooks from Moore, OK
Vic, I know the Packers had problems last year, but I was surprised complacency was on the list. Were you? I always thought Mike McCarthy ran a tighter ship.
I can think of another problem the Packers had: whiney players.

Gordon from Jacksonville Beach, FL
Can you write a bit about Noll's and Bradshaw's relationship? You wrote Noll is the most honorable man you've ever known, but I feel like I've heard some accounts of those early days with Bradshaw that didn't sound so great. Did Bradshaw get his feelings hurt too easily? Was Noll still coming into his own? I know you were there and I'd love to hear your summary and thoughts about it.
They won four Super Bowls together. What's not great about that? The intent is to win championships, not fall in love. Brown and Graham had a contentious relationship. So did Landy and Staubach. Starr drew a line in the sand with Lombardi about criticism in front of the rest of the team. Unitas called time out and told Shula, the Colts' new coach, to never, ever send a play into Unitas' huddle again. Bradshaw needed attention. He wanted to be pampered; don't we all? Coach Noll kept a distance from his players; that's how he achieved accountability in his team. He wanted no excuses. If Noll had babied his quarterback, it would've sent a wrong message to the rest of the team and it might've estranged the team from its quarterback. Someone once said Bradshaw wanted love and Noll didn't know how to give it. Noll knew how to win. Would you rather love and lose?

Nathan from New York, NY
Vic, what do you mean when you say a coach has his team prepared to play?
A team is prepared to play when every member of it knows its role and is completely focused without distraction on executing that role. Belichick is a master at preparing his team to play.