JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it … Jason from Dallas but #DTWD:
O-Zone, I have to agree with you. Having been to AT&T Stadium here in Arlington, it was like they built a five-star center and decided to host a football game there. Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones gets applauded for the move, but Shad Khan and Jacksonville attempt to do the same thing (and take it a step further, even) and the verbal jabs start to roll.
John: Your e-mail oozes truth, but really, such is the nature of public perception and reputation. The Dallas Cowboys and Jones deservedly have a very good reputation as an organization and owner for thinking big – and outside the box – and having success doing so. The Jaguars and Khan are in the beginning stages of developing such a reputation. You can make a strong case for Khan being one of the most outside-the-box, big-thinking owners in the NFL. The same can be said of the team's leadership under Khan and President Mark Lamping. The approach and success of this team off the field in the last three years has been remarkable. It goes unnoticed – and yes, even lampooned – by many outside the market because of the team's record and an undeserved national reputation. It's not in lockstep with what's true. The more quickly the Jaguars start winning, the more quickly the nation's perception will catch up to reality.
Jeremy from Jacksonville:
Best football movie? "Little Giants." At least when I was a kid, it was pretty good. What about the one you saw?
John: I didn't see any of them. Given a choice between watching it and trusting you, I'll trust you. This time.
Sam from Orlando, FL:
No love for the "Little Giants?" Ed O' Neil was hilarious in it. "What was my time, Coach? I don't know, son. I don't have a sun dial." P.S "Remember the Titans" is the best.
John: Lotta love for "Little Giants" today. OK. I'll accept that. P.S. You're right.
Eric from Yulee, FL:
"The Replacements." I always enjoyed watching that one before Pop Warner games on Saturday. "Little Giants," too.
John: All right … we're getting into a weird area here.
Dalton from UCF:
How does our salary-cap space compare to other teams around the league rolling into the 2015 season?
John: According to overthecap.com, the Jaguars have the most cap space in the NFL – about $35 million compared to about $25 million for the Tennessee Titans, who have the second-most cap space.
Dave from Duval:
John I'm seriously worried about you! In consecutive days you admitted in the OZONE that you rooted against Rudy and you never "got" The Three Stooges. Something is missing in your brain dude!
John: Nah, I'm ah-ight.
Josh from Deep South, TX:
One can't get a stooge when one is a stooge. Here's to all the stooges out there.
John: K.
Paul from Jacksonville:
I heard you say on Jaguars Today recently that you think players should take more time off during the offseason? Are you serious?
John: I said that Monday, actually – and I was serious. What I said – or was trying to say – was that although my understanding is that Blake Bortles and some of the Jaguars' wide receivers may work out together on their own in the coming weeks, it wouldn't be a big deal if they didn't. Football isn't a year-round game. While players need to do enough between the end of minicamp and the beginning of training camp to stay in shape, there's also value to time off. Bortles and the wide receivers worked out before the offseason program and they worked together for the two months that made up the offseason program. If that's all they do, that's a lot.
James from Raleigh, NC:
I've got a brother-in-law who is down in Jacksonville currently for work for a week. He asked me yesterday for some suggestions on what to do while he was down there. Having only visited a couple times for games, I couldn't give him a good answer. Can you help me out?
John: I like to go to the Starbucks a couple of miles from EverBank and harmonize out loud to early Bee Gees songs (especially How Can You Mend a Broken Heart?) on the headphones … but that's awesome to do in any Starbucks anywhere. It doesn't have to be in Jacksonville.
Big Papi from Windermere, FL:
Tell me if you've heard this one before. My wife says I have been working too hard and that I need to take a day off of work. I finally did only to find a really long "honey-do" list at home for me. Sometimes, I can't win. Any advice, O-Zone?
John: Accept your fate.
Jeff from Jacksonville:
The Women's World Cup was the first soccer game I actually watched all the way through. Not gonna lie; I was impressed. Other than maybe Super Bowl XLIX, it was one of the impressive games of any sport I have seen this year. Congratulations to the US Women's team!
John: #USWNTTWD
John from Jacksonville:
I read with interest your post Monday about five rookies to watch. Really, doesn't that take up pretty much the whole rookie class? And what about second-year players to watch? Huh? Huh?
John: Well, five does take up a lot of the rookie class – and considering I cheated and paired Nick Marshall and Corey Grant together in one entry, then Michael Bennett and Rashad Greene together in another … yes, I suppose we did talk about a lot of the rookie class in that post. As far as second-year players to watch, we covered a lot of these in a recent story on breakout players, but there are plenty. Cornerback Aaron Colvin. Wide receiver Allen Robinson. Guard Brandon Linder. Center Luke Bowanko. Wide receiver Marqise Lee. Wide receiver Allen Hurns. Linebacker Telvin Smith. It's likely not all of those players will break out, but that's a strong group of second-year players with a significant amount of potential.
Maurice from Jacksonville:
Hey "O …" What is the best situation possible for the Jaguars to be in at the bye? In order for us to still be relevant in conversations about making the playoffs...wildcard or division...maybe the former rather than the latter!
John: Well, the best possible situation for the Jaguars would be an undefeated record at the bye week. That would put them in a very good situation entering the final part of the season. That seems relatively obvious, though, so I'll assume you meant something else. I'd say the Jaguars need to be around .500 after seven games to be in the conversation, so if they're 4-3 or 3-4 after playing the Buffalo Bills at Wembley Stadium in London October 25, that would put them in range.
Mac from Neptune Beach, FL:
Hey, O: How are doing? I hope you're doing well ... Talk to me about Corey Grant. I heard somewhere that we signed him to a three-year deal? Is that true? And if yes, is it common to sign a UDFA this time of year?
John: There's plenty about which to be excited when it comes to Corey Grant. The undrafted free agent from Auburn has a chance to make the team as a returner/reserve running back. He has top level speed and drew a lot of praise during the offseason program. But don't get excited about the contract. He signed a three-year contract on May 5. That's the standard usual deal for undrafted rookie free agents.
Ed from Danvers, MA:
Despite the fact that I am still struggling with the Penske file, I can see the retired numbers solution very clearly. If a guy is worthy of this, then take his number out of circulation for the number of years he played. When the next year comes up, have a little ceremonial passing of the number from the old guy to the new guy getting it. Old guy pats new kid on the back and walks off to thunderous applause and into the sunset.
John: I could rattle off a few lines on this topic, but it strikes me that we may be overthinking this. That's OK, because July is probably the time to overthink such ideas in the O-Zone. The overarching truth is franchises realistically have few enough all-time level players that they're not in too much danger of running out of numbers. If they do reach that point, numbers can be unretired with something else done to honor the players for posterity.
Ray from Jacksonville:
John: What about Matt Jones as someone who played quarterback and then had a successful career at another position? Uh, never mind.
John: If I'm not mistaken, this is your second swing at this question/response. It's funny. I get it.
Peter from Maribor, Slovenia:
The definition of marriage: a partnership where one partner gets his way and the other is a husband. There is a saying in Slovenia: There are two kinds of husbands in the world - those who admit that the wife is dominating the marriage and those who don't. Which are you, John?
John: I'm the kind who realized a long, long time ago it doesn't matter if I admit it or not.