Eric from Stramproy, The Netherlands
Vic, the 2-point conversion rule has had its first season. I think it added it to the drama. How do you assess it?
In my opinion, the 3-point shot rule in college basketball is the most impactful rule change in sports history. I think last year's point-after-touchdown rule change is in the discussion and I think the effects of the PAT rule change will deepen with time. It was genius. It introduced drama to a game that was sacrificing plays to player safety.
George from Hutchinson, MN
Vic, where in Las Vegas are the Raiders going to play? Will they sell out? Will Wayne Newton sing the National Anthem? What about colorful dancing water fountains? Maybe showgirls with pompoms, too. How about a magic show at halftime? Don't get me started!
I suspect the suites will be bought by the casinos. That's pretty close. Don't get me started.
Bill from Claremore, WI
On the Joe Mixon situation, I live in Oklahoma so I've seen Mixon many times and think he is the real deal. I hope the Packers do their homework and think he would be a steal in the second round. What are the thoughts on the other running backs?
Leonard Fournette is my kind of running back, but he'll be gone by the time the Packers go on the clock. I want a pounder. The wiggle guys are plentiful. The big, durable, take-over-the-game-in-the-fourth-quarter guys are rare. Fournette is that kind of back. Is there another one in this draft? That's the question I'd like to see the Packers address.
Stephen from Chicago, IL
Vic, just watched the Ben Boulware primer. How can you not like that guy? I understand a lot of the draft, if not all of it, is about how much upside a player has, but does being short still play a role in teams' estimates of a player's upside? While looking at the video talking about his height, I thought about the Zach Thomases and Sam Millses of the world. Who is in your "he was thought to be too short to be drafted (high) but had an amazing pro career Hall of Fame?
Maurice Jones-Drew is the best short player I've covered. Frankly, I haven't covered many, and that's because the too-small, too-slow guys that didn't make it far outnumber the ones that did. I've covered a lot more Gordie Lockbaums than I have Jones-Drews. Football is a game for big, fast men.
Fred from Holmen, WI
I believe that in days of old, the official time was kept on the field by the umpire, the scoreboard time by someone else. The clocks did not always match. The two-minute warning then confirmed to the coaches two minutes remained.
The AFL gave us the official scoreboard clock, and the scoreboard clock was official in the pre-merger Super Bowls. The AFL gave us so much.
Thomas from Black Earth, WI
I know you're sick and tired of overtime change suggestions, but hear me out. Whichever team gets the ball first has to score a touchdown on that drive. If they don't, the defense is granted two points, like with a safety, and wins the game. This, in my opinion, would shift the advantage away from the offense, in addition to ensuring overtime is short and more high stakes. It also forces the coach that wins the coin toss to decide whether he wants to put the game in the hands of his offense or his defense. Thoughts?
I think the other team should also have a chance to play defense.
Etienne from Sainte-Anne-des-Monts, Gaspe Coast
Good morning, Vic. I remember the first and only time you ever answered my question. It was about me thinking the Packers should sign Brian Westbrook. I was a new reader back then. I thought your answer was rude, but figured over time that you have an attitude and a sense of humor that can be real and sarcastic at the same time. That was a long time before you received an invitation to a wedding in Norway. By the way, according to National Geographic, Gaspe Coast is ranked the third-most beautiful place in the world, behind some Norway fjord. Since the screen play is my favorite play, I'm hoping for that McCaffrey kid to be on our roster. That offense would be something like the greatest show, period. Whatever it is, we are fortunate. My thoughts go to those Chargers and Raiders fans, and Rams. I guess in this day and age there is no chance fans rally to save a team like they did in Green Bay. I still believe Montreal should get an NFL team over Mexico or London. Did you instruct the young pups that took over that Germany, not Japan, attacked Pearl Harbor? Excuse my English.
OK.
Lucas from Stevens Point, WI
Vic, who wears the khakis better, you or Jim Harbaugh? It's gotta be a close one.
It's not even close. Harbaugh was born to wear khakis. He's even got the perfect tilt of the belt that's common to all natural-born khaki wearers. At the combine a few years ago, I was standing next to Coach Harbaugh during an interview session and I couldn't help but notice the "Dickies" tag on his khakis. I thought to myself this man could make a khaki bag look good. I wanted to ask him where he bought his Dickies, but he probably wouldn't have had that information in front of him.
William from Airway Heights, WA
I noticed the writers at packers.com now refer to the draft room as the "draft room." Thank you. I, and others, I'm sure, sent many emails to "Ask Vic," the Packers and the NFL to see this change, as it was and is an insult to veterans everywhere. Football is a game of human confrontation, to be sure, but it is not war. As of this writing, NFL Network and ESPN still say war room. However, the Packers organization's class shines through again by making an effort to lead the way in doing what is right. Thanks to all at packers.com. Now, if we could get the rest of the NFL community to get on board.
The "war room" reference is a product of the 1960's movie "Dr. Strangelove." "Gentlemen, you can't fight in here! This is the War Room!" When did we stop laughing? Was it in 1996?
Rob from Kent, OH
Vic, do you believe in second chances for people such as Mixon? I do, if the said person has made strides in really changing. Do you think Packers nation could be forgiving to that young man if it picked him?
Yes.
Jason from Fargo, ND
What's the penalty/punishment to a team that would be caught spying or tampering on another team's draft board?
Colluding with the Russians to help them hack into a team's computer system to steal their draft evaluations? Oh, it would be real bad.
Brian from Columbia, MD
The overlooked aspect of wrestling experience for a football lineman, in particular, is wrestlers have to show up, stand alone against an opponent, and face victory or defeat based on their own effort and skill. They fully understand the need to win those one-on-ones. You can't hide on a wrestling mat.
You can't hide on a football tape, either. The coaches know if a guy won or lost his one-on-ones.
Dennis from Rhinelander, WI
Could there be a life-size cutout of Vic in his office on the "Ketchman Reality Tour," so we can take a photo with it?
I left something in that office and nobody else knows what or where it is. There will always be a little bit of Vic at Lambeau Field.
Nate from Minneapolis, MN
In light of the latest replay rule changes, do you think there will come a day when there is no more human referee presence on the game field?
I don't. I see the league adding personalities, not taking them away. At a time when the pursuit of player safety is causing the game to lose some of its edge, the league is finding new ways to replace that edge. The game officials have never been more high profile. No one even knew who Art McNally was until Fred Swearingen decided to make that call to the press box. In contrast, Dean Blandino is a rock star. And Mike Pereira? Don't get me started. Everybody's a star in today's NFL.
Lori from Brookfield, WI
Vic, my favorite answer you wrote was regarding the "Hail Mary" to win the game in Detroit. You said you didn't see it but knew the Packers won by the sounds in the stadium. Your description took us to that time and place. Is there another game-ender you didn't see but discerned the result by the sounds you heard?
Yeah, the game in Miami in 2014. I learned to listen to the crowd at a young age. It goes back to when I was a little kid and I missed school on a Friday because I was sick and my parents wouldn't allow me to go to the big high school game that might. I sat on the porch, wrapped in a blanket, and listened to the sounds coming from the direction of the glow in the sky at the end of town. I listened to the cheers and the fight songs and I knew what the outcome was. The next morning, I rushed to the front door to pick up the newspaper. The final score was at the top of the page. It was the same score my ears told me it was. I guess the lesson was: You don't have to see to know.
