Brian from Sussex, WI
Vic, I didn't like the officiating in the Bears game, not because I thought it favored one team or the other, but because it had some very questionable/mystery calls that really take away from the game.
I saw cited violations that didn't occur, which reminded me of something a high school coach said to me a long time ago. "They're supposed to call them as they see them, right? Well, how could they have seen them if they didn't happen?" The answer is officials will call something that didn't happen when they're looking for it, trying to find it. They begin to imagine it happened. The officials in this league have been over-sensitized. It's a mistake and the product is suffering. Somebody better wake up soon and realize the mistake that's been made. This is not good.
Gene from Midland, GA
Vic, with much ado about the safety position this offseason, I think adding Hyde and Ha-Ha has made a difference. Have they equaled or surpassed your expectations?
They've improved the position, which is what our expectation was. I wasn't nearly as concerned about safety as everybody else was. My concern is always for big guys. They're the ones you have the most trouble finding. This No. 32 ranking against the run is a grave concern. It bothers me greatly.
Justin from New York, NY
Vic, are the referees graded after each game? Is there discipline at all?
All officials are evaluated and if they under-perform often, they are fired. My concern isn't for their performance, it's for the emphasis they've been assigned. That's the problem.
Jesse from Bethlehem, PA
The Packers just dropped to last in the NFL in run defense, but Mike McCarthy says the problems are correctable. What are your thoughts on corrections the defense can make?
Push harder.
Josh from Boulder, CO
Vic, I agree, it's players, not plays, but how can you play if you have no clue what to expect? That's where coaching and scheme comes into play. New England had no clue what to expect. Reid outcoached Belichick.
Nobody out-coaches Bill Belichick.
Greg from La Crosse, WI
Vic, you are right about the power of "The Man." Packers fans have been fortunate for many years at the QB position. I think of Montana/Young and Favre/Rodgers as back-to-back successful franchise quarterbacks. Has there ever been a team to hit on three consecutive quarterbacks?
At that level of stardom? I can't think of any. Having a great quarterback is a luxury teams that don't have a great quarterback dream of having. Nothing gets a coach and general manager fired more often than not having "The Man." For fans, not having "The Man" makes football a miserable experience. Enjoy this, everybody. There are no guarantees you'll ever have a quarterback again as special as the one you have right now.
