JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …

Brendan from Yulee, Moral Mid-Ground

Did you ever watch Bob Hayes play? Derrick is probably going to go down as the most "game-planned against" athlete of all-time. You are right, the discussion isn't even close. Best ATH from J-ville? Derrick wins easily.

This continues a recent O-Zone discussion about the greatest athlete from Jacksonville. I have come to learn in recent days that there are those who believe this is Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry, who indeed is a standout NFL player who appears headed to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. My contention and the contention of many others is that the best athlete from Jacksonville is 1964 Olympic Gold Medalist and Pro Football Hall of Famer Bob Hayes, who changed the NFL and who is still considered one of the great sprinters of all-time. To answer your question … yes, I saw Hayes play – though I was too young for the memories to be vivid. I have been struck by the passion of those who believe Henry is the greatest athlete ever from Jacksonville. This passion is impressive and people can believe as they want. I'm not particularly passionate about the subject. I just look at it objectively and it's hard to find anyone else from Jacksonville with the historical, legendary impact on two sports to match Hayes. It's also hard to find anyone else from Jacksonville who is still considered perhaps the fastest human in history. There's probably not much more to add to the discussion.

Rob from Jax

I was familiar with Bob Hayes from growing up in Jax, but I just watched the 1964 relay for the Gold Medal and damn: I was pumped up like I was watching it live. How impressive. Thanks for the history lesson and while I am a fan of Henry … yeah, I don't think it's particularly close. Good one, O.

Henry and Hayes both are/were impressive athletes. Both will be long remembered. I've watched Henry do amazing things in the NFL. This discussion is no knock on Henry. Hayes was a defining athlete in two sports. There are a lot of people who don't belong in the same discussion with him.

Messi from Brentwood HS

JO- Are you changing your nickname to " King of all dolts?" Asking for a friend.

Fair.

Ray from Vernon

O Mighty Zone. Now that Jaguars Head Coach Liam Coen has completed his staff, are they already in the building every day getting their plan and draft strategies together? Just wondering what the coaching staff can do without the new general manager being there. Thanks for your daily read.

The Jaguars' new coaching staff indeed is in the building and officially began working together as a group this past week. While the head coach and general manager should work together and have one vision, whether or not a general manager is hired doesn't affect a coaching staff's work at this time of the offseason. There will be time for coaches to be involved in draft scouting following the NFL Scouting Combine at the end of February.

David from The Island, FL

There are a lot of people on NFL teams, players, coaches, scouts, office personnel, etc? Generally speaking, who gets a Super Bowl ring?

This depends upon the organization. All players, coaches, scouts and football personnel – trainers, conditioning staff, equipment staff – almost always receive a Super Bowl ring. Business staff and various support personnel also usually receive them, though different teams often give different levels of rings based on services, title, responsibility, etc., etc., etc.

Marty from Jacksonville

Bullet Bob Armstrong? Seriously? Bullet Bob Hayes, the greatest athlete in Jacksonville history, is an NFL Hall of Famer. He is the only man with an Olympic Gold Medal and a Super Bowl ring. And it is widely reported that he was the reason for the invention of the zone defense. Because he was the World's Fastest Human. And, even more importantly, he is the reason I started watching pro football. So here's one fer the REAL Bullet Bob.

One fer Bullet Bob Hayes? Absolutely.

Taylor from Columbia, MD

We haven't drafted a quality interior offensive lineman since 2007? Good grief. That might be the biggest indictment of all of the past regimes I've seen yet. Not one of them could draft a long-term guard or center, which typically doesn't require a premium draft selection to do. I would go Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham in the first round and spend the majority of the rest of my offseason equity on upgrading the offensive line. Thoughts?

This ongoing discussion isn't particularly fair to center Brandon Linder, who was selected in Round 3 of the 2014 NFL Draft and who was a quality interior lineman. But the Jaguars haven't drafted interior linemen well enough in recent offseasons. Or in a lot of offseasons before that. I expect they will address the area this offseason, though it's a bit extreme to spend the majority of their offseason equity there.

Ken from Ormond Beach, FL

So why in God's green earth do you keep saying that defensive end Travon Walker, the No. 1 overall pick, was a good pick? Hutchinson will be wearing a gold jacket in 15 years and Travon Walker will go down as a better-than-average edge rusher. How can a general manager be so arrogant to not draft the winner of the college best defensive end (Ted Hendrick's award), best defensive player in the Big Ten, and a unanimous All-American and instead pick a guy that didn't even make the third team SEC defense team. Jaguars General Manager Trent Baalke should have been fired on the spot after that ridiculous pick.

Defensive end Aidan Hutchinson is a good player. No doubt about it.

Gator from Gainesville, FL

I like biscuits. I like them with gravy, I like them with jelly. I like them with ham, I like them with ham. I like biscuits with sausage and egg and I like them on a plate or in a bag. I like them with butter or plain. I like them for lunch or breakfast all the same. However one made of rubber sounds like a bummer.

Jake and Elwood, forever.

Bill from Jacksonville

John, fans and media have pushed for a while for the NFL to ban the "Tush Push" the Philadelphia Eagles use so effectively. While the NFL has yet to do so, it seems they're taking another route. It appears referees have just decided they're not going to call neutral zone infractions when the Eagles line up in that formation anymore. On the goal line in the Super Bowl, almost every single Kansas City Chiefs player was in the neutral zone. Chiefs and Eagles players were inches from each other at the snap. Do you think this is what the refs are doing?

Count me among those who would like to see the "Tush Push" banned, though my thoughts on these matters hardly ever influence significant action. Were the officials letting the Chiefs line up in the neutral zone to defend the play in the Super Bowl? Perhaps, though likely not intentionally. But the players bunch up so much on that play it's perhaps easier for the officials just to let boys be boys. I guess it's whatever.

Kevin from Jacksonville

I read a previous segment where you wrote that you hoped Jags keep Christian Kirk. Kirk carries a $24.1 million cap hit. Cutting him with a post-June 1st designation saves $16.2 mil against cap. Keeping Kirk at that cap hit would be idiocy.

I do hope the Jaguars keep veteran wide receiver Christian Kirk. He is a good player and Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence has been better with Kirk on the field than without in recent seasons. His salary-cap number is a real thing.

P Funk from Murray Hill

Kirk is a good player and impact wide receiver. I've heard many discussions about the "role" he plays on an offense. What is his "role" and why is it unique/ hard to replace? Is that role exclusive to just the Doug/Press/Whoever offense he was playing in and can it be pivotal in a new one?

Kirk is a good receiver who excels in the slot and who is also productive lining up on the outside. It's hard to replace because he's a good player and good players can be hard to replace. It's not exclusive to the offense run the past three seasons by former Jaguars Head Coach Doug Pederson and offensive coordinator Press Taylor.

Daniel from St. Johns

I totally believe you that no one knows anything about the General Manager search unless they are in on the meetings. So, unless Jaguars Executive Vice President of Football Operations Tony Boselli writes in to the O-Zone, we won't know anything until everyone knows. But wait, when you say Boselli knows where to find you, you mean here right? Is Boselli really Gary from St Augustine? LOL

Uh-oh.