JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it … Ernest from Rockville, MD:
Rather than compare the Allen Brothers to Jerry Rice, comparing Allen Hurns and Allen Robinson to Mark Clayton and Mark Duper – Florida's other NFL "sibling" wide-receiver tandem – would be more appropriate. The "Marks" brothers had Dan Marino throwing to them and I won't compare Marino and Blake Bortles. But let's assume Bortles develops into a great quarterback in his own right and the Jaguars are able to keep both Allens together for a long time. Both receivers can have great careers during their time together in Jacksonville. What are your thoughts?
John: Ah, we're continuing the Comparing-the-Allens thread from last week, I see. I suppose my thoughts on the subject are that aside from both tandems having the same first name, comparing Hurns/Allen Robinson to Duper/Clayton is tricky because of the 30-year gap between the duos' careers. Look, let's not get carried away with this topic just yet: Hurns and Robinson had very good seasons last season and it appears they have a chance to develop into very good players. They have that chance because of a very promising combination of talent and the correct work ethic/approach needed to improve. But let's let them have another good season or two – and let's see how this offense develops around this trio of the Allens and Bortles – before we go too far comparing them to all-time great anythings.
Steve from Nashville, TN:
While I am a frequent reader of the O-Zone, I am not someone who knows if your post if five minutes late or five hours late. Does that make me a bad person?
John: Yes.
Clay from Nashville, TN:
What stadium, besides EverBank Field, has the nicest press box and why?
John: EverBank Field's press box actually isn't the nicest in the NFL. It's functional with a very good view, which is what matters for a press box. As far as the nicest press box in the NFL, I like Baltimore's for the angle, consistently good food, ease of access and functionality. Tampa Bay's also has plenty of space and perhaps the best pregame meal in the NFL, the latter of which is course is by far the most important "why?" of them all.
Roy from St. Augustine, FL:
Reading about the early NFL experience, I can add … being a young crew cut man in the fifties … going to Yankee Stadium, lining up on the street … by 10 a.m. one small window opened … you thrust the man $2 and ran for a baseball bleacher seat. You sat in ice and snow freezing until 1 p.m. and then were rewarded with the Giants versus whoever, including snowball fights and literally a small bonfire in the aisle of broken-up wood from under the bleacher! All to see Frank Gifford, Jim Brown. Now, to tailgate under a palm tree and be treated with great hospitality is a perfect twilight time for an NFL fan (and Jags, of course) who has almost seen it all!
John: Wow. How cool is that?
Mike from Des Moines, IA:
So, what were the coaches supposed to do to shield their eyes from the sun? I am fairly surprised that Tom Coughlin didn't have more mutinies. Were there ever any rebellions against Coughlin that didn't make it to the public/press?
John: Players certainly bucked against Coughlin's rules early in his Jaguars tenure – to the point that he indeed bent on some things and made efforts to be more accessible. Coaches were less inclined to mutinies, which meant in lieu of sunglasses there was in the early days of the Jaguars a good deal of on-field squinting.
Stephen from Jacksonville:
Why is Mark Brunell not often discussed as the greatest player in Jaguars history? Don't his individual accomplishments and the team's success under his leadership warrant his inclusion in the discussion?
John: Brunell is certainly in the conversation when discussing the great players in Jaguars history. He was a three-time Pro Bowl selection and is in the Pride of the Jaguars. But when discussing the absolute greatest, Boselli, Taylor and Jimmy Smith are the three who merit the most consideration. They belong in the discussion of the greatest players at their respective positions during the eras they played. Brunell, while critical to the franchise's success, wasn't quite at that level.
Hunter from Jacksonville:
Revisionist History! A tally has been demanded! Your attempts to put the house of Tyler in a position of superiority reeks with incompetence and delusions of grandeur. Heavy is the head that wears the crown. Fetch my neck brace.
John: Apparently it's "on."
Rob from Brunswick, GA:
Who is the Jaguars' emergency quarterback? My guess is it may be Denard Robinson, because he's our second-best Robinson and he played quarterback at a major college. Is there anyone else who could possibly play a game at the NFL level on the roster?
John: Denard Robinson has been the Jaguars' emergency quarterback in recent seasons.
Gary from Jacksonville:
I was raised in Jacksonville right across the street from Jacksonville University. I was raised up watching the Bulls, Jacksonville's USFL team. Before my city had an NFL team I liked Miami with Dan Marino and the Marks Brothers and the 90s Dallas Cowboys. But when Duval was finally rewarded the Jagz I have been a fan ever since. In your opinion would you consider that bandwagon? Thoughts?
John: That's absolutely not bandwagon and it's not close. It actually in a lot of ways sort of defines the opposite. #DTWD
Nick from London, England:
Overall, I was happy when Gus Bradley received his contract extension. He deserves the chance to work with a roster that can genuinely challenge for the division, and maybe more. The one nagging doubt I've had about him is game management. It seems there have been some missed challenge calls and poor-clock management at times in recent seasons. Is this unfair? If not, is it something the staff works on, perhaps during dead zone periods like this? After all, if we're expecting better from the players this year, we should expect improvement from the coaching too, right?
John: No, that's not an unfair assessment. There indeed have been some missed challenge calls and questionable clock management, though missing challenge calls hardly makes him unique among NFL coaches. Clock management issues aren't uncommon, either. I've said throughout Bradley's first three seasons that though I didn't necessarily agree with some of his in-game decisions I also believed some of the ones that were questionable likely were made because the roster was generally outmanned. You risk a little more trying to give a young team momentum, etc. Yes, it's something the staff focuses upon during the offseason, not in late June or early July. Coaches are on vacation; they're allowed to have that, you know?
Johnny from San Juan, PR:
It's Dead Zone time, so how about a heartfelt story from some rabid Jaguars fans living in Puerto Rico? My girlfriend and I were watching the Jags play at a local bar. We meet this guy, and when he learned we were there to root for the Jags, he laughed and loudly exclaimed things such as, "The Jaguars have fans?" and, "I didn't know any existed, much less in Puerto Rico!" and generally made fun of us in an obnoxious manner in front of everyone. At this point my blood is boiling, so I asked who his team was. He said, "The Giants, of course!" I then calmly said, "That's great, because the last time our teams played, we beat you, even after you were up 21-0, so as we stand here right now, the Jaguars are better than your beloved Giants, dude." He had a stunned look and muttered, "Well, I'm really not that big of a Giants fan…." and that was the last we heard of him. Moodachayo (Spanish for Moodachay).
John: #Moodachayo
Jeff from Wake Forest, North Cacklacky:
I have a Touchdown Jacksonville! T-shirt, the original logo helmet from the first press conference, and have eaten barbecue with Cole Pepper (name drop), but I never get to go to games and I'm too cheap to pay to watch them on television. I just continually hit refresh on my browser 1,000 times each Sunday at 1 p.m. in the fall. Am I a Day One fan? Also, I was shocked to see once again ESPN didn't include you in their Body Issue, especially after that combine video. What gives?
John: No, you're not a Day One fan – primarily because you didn't mention being among the 24 fans who bought Jags to Riches in 1997 and attended the book signing at the Atlantic Boulevard Barnes & Noble. As far as the Body Issue, I've said enough on this topic in the past. I've protested and there have been enough petitions nailed to ESPN's front doors protested on my behalf. To those who have protested passionately, I say, "Enough. More than enough." If ESPN doesn't "get it," there's not much I can do about it.