Pat from Ishpeming, MI
Knowing your style, Vic, I'm surprised Nitschke wasn't thrown into the mix for you. Do you think Nitschke could play in today's game?
He is one of the great players in the history of the game, but he would likely be a two-down player into today's game, which has become the plight of the 4-3, middle linebacker position. That's not a knock on Nitschke. I love how he played and I miss that style of game very much. It's just that the game has changed. It's a sub-package game now.
Karl from Albuquerque, NM
Vic, why Starr instead of Favre? From you, that choice surprises me.
Who do you think Favre would pick? Men of honor are also men of respect. Lambeau founded the team. Lombardi saved the team. Starr defined it.
Nathan from Portland, OR
iOS is the software used on iPhones and Android is pretty much everything else.
I've always been suspicious of him. I've never seen him eat.
Bob from Colby, KS
It seems to be there have been studies made that proved having a pro team in your city didn't make for a better economy or that cities were better off without them. Or are we talking about a city's self-esteem?
I hope those studies weren't conducted with my tax money because they are a waste of it. Call the mayor of Green Bay and ask him if the Packers are valuable to this region. Call the mayor of St. Louis and ask him how he feels about losing the Rams. What if they lost the Cardinals? Baltimore, Cleveland and Houston all lost teams and were manic in pursuit of a new one. Why, because it was bad for their economy and they were better off without one? Yeah, self-esteem is an issue. Sports teams are the heartbeat of a city, and a city without a heartbeat is a place to sleep, not live. Sports teams are also about stimulating commerce. It's difficult for small markets to attract ownership that'll bankroll stadium construction. In most cases, the available revenue streams don't justify the expenditure. Los Angeles is a rare circumstance and it should not be compared in any way to the league's small-market teams.
Ciaran from Tullow, Ireland
If two new teams in L.A. drive up revenue and this leads to an increase in the salary cap, how will this affect Green Bay? Is it good or bad?
It'll affect the Packers the same way it will every other team in the league: The teams in L.A. will pass their player costs onto the other 30 teams in the league. All teams do that, but it's especially burdensome when one team spikes revenue leaguewide, as Dallas did when it opened its stadium and the Giants and Jets did when they opened theirs. Revenue is always good, as long as you can afford its salary cap costs. The Packers can.
Mark from Stewartville, MN
Vic, Bruce Arians is obviously a very good football coach. Why do you think it took him so long to get a job as a head coach?
Maybe it's because he tells the truth. A lot of owners want to hear the fairy tale.
Jesus from El Paso, TX
You're not the last dinosaur, Vic. There are plenty on the Cardinals' coaching staff. What are the most valuable lessons coaches learn as they gain experience?
They quickly learn the game is about people. Great coaches are skilled in the art of evaluating and utilizing the talents of others. They have a feel for people and what they can do. One such man on the Cardinals' coaching staff is Tom Moore. He's the best offensive coordinator I've ever covered.
Christian from San Diego, CA
With Davante out, who will be starting with Jones and Cobb? Do you think Abbrederis and Janis can produce the same yards and back-of-the-end-zone catches as Adams does?
It's a fair question, but it can only be answered on Saturday night. If Adams can't play, Jared Abbrederis likely becomes the Packers' No. 3 wide receiver, and if Cobb draws Peterson, Jones and Abbrederis will draw Powers and Bethel, both of whom played lights out in Week 16. Those are your potential one-on-ones, folks.
Christopher from La Crosse, WI
This is the first time I've been able to click on a link from your column while using the packers.com app on my Android phone. I'm submitting my first question via this method; your intern must be doing something right, Vic.
He's a good kid. He's a little stiff, but he has a good heart, I hope.
Jeff from Bismarck, ND
I love your technological innocence. Can you stay that way?
My goal is to know less.
Adam from Sussex, WI
What things do the Packers have to do to beat the Panthers?
Beat the Cardinals would be No. 1.
Stephen from Chicago, IL
Why did the league go away from "Defined Gross Revenue" to "Total Football Revenue" when determining the salary cap?
Some of the monies were in categories that didn't include the players' share, and there was concern within the NFLPA that values were disproportionate, if you know what I mean. The NFLPA wanted a total revenue system so they wouldn't have to track and negotiate with the league about what constituted the costs of generating revenue. That's the diplomatic answer. The Oliver Stone version is a little more pointed.
Michael from Ellicott City, MD
Vic, I love the column; keep up the great work. I thought the teams keep the stadium revenue. So how does the L.A. stadium move help the salary cap?
Signage, sponsorship, suite licenses; they'll be at L.A. prices and they'll help spike revenue leaguewide. Also, teams in the nation's second-largest market are certain to increase TV and radio ratings and their values to the league. Ticket revenue is also part of the TFR model; it'll drive the cap, too.
Carl from Bay Shore, NY
OK, Vic, run the ball. That's fine with me if it's working. At what point in the game does a good coach make adjustments if, say, the run just isn't working?
As long as the defense is keeping you in the game, keep pounding it. In the playoffs, especially on the road, all I want is the ball last with a chance to win.
Nate from Jackson, WY
Vic, after the Cards started off 2-0 this season, Bruce Arians said, in reference to the media: "When they're patting you on the back, they're looking for a soft spot to stick the knife."
He's right.
Jordan from La Crosse, WI
Got any good Tunch Ilkin stories?
I sat next to Tunch on a flight back from Minnesota in 1980. He was a little-known, sixth-round draft pick that year; nobody expected his career would be as long and as productive as it was. We talked all the way back to Pittsburgh and got to know each other. It was different back then, and I've expressed my feelings on the loss of that closeness between players and media. I saw Tunch this past summer when the Packers played at Heinz Field. I got the big hug I've come to expect. What a wonderful game this is. How could I be so lucky?
Rob from Hartland, WI
Would a great offense make a team's defense look better statistically?
In most cases, only if it was dominating time of possession.
