JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …
Greg from Orange Park, FL
OK, the dead zone is over. Finally. Back to football, right? What worries me is that so many people believe this team is going to the Super Bowl. The Tony Romo pick feels like a trap to me, Zone. Say it ain't so.
First, the dead zone isn't quite over. Jaguars 2018 Training Camp begins in nine days; questions usually rush back primarily to football a day or two prior. And yeah: I imagine we'll stick our toe back in the football waters this week. Whatever the O-Zone tone of the coming week or so, I wouldn't worry much about what media types say or don't say about the Jaguars in the offseason. Yes, CBS analyst and former Dallas Cowboys Pro Bowl quarterback Tony Romo recently picked the Jaguars to play in the Super Bowl following this season. And no doubt other analysts will talk positively about this franchise in the coming weeks. It's just as certain that many analysts in the coming weeks will dismiss the team's chances and predict that the run to the AFC Championship Game following last season was a one-season fluke. And remember: no one predicted the Jaguars to go to the playoffs last season; most projected them to be a 10-loss team. The positive projections this offseason mean as much as the negative projections meant last offseason. Not much at all. Or more accurately: nothing.
Al from Memphis, TN
Jaguars running back Corey Grant has great acceleration, but you're saying as a fact he is faster than wide receiver Keelan Cole?
Yes.
Don from Ponte Vedra Beach, FL
It is crazy what Terrell Owens is doing. Is there no one out there who can give him some fatherly advice and stop him from making a big mistake? Every one of those guys in gold jackets have made sacrifices and they are a team. Son, do you want to play? Or do you want to take your ball and go home?
Owens has decided not to attend his Pro Football Hall of Fame induction ceremony later this month – apparently because voters had the audacity to wait to induct him in his third year of eligibility. This apparently means Owens believes at least one of 10 modern-era players/coaches inducted in 2016 and 2017 – Brett Favre, Tony Dungy, Kevin Greene, Marvin Harrison, Orlando Pace, Morten Andersen, Jason Taylor, LaDainian Tomlinson, Terrell Davis and Kurt Warner – less deserving than himself. Owens may or may not be right about this, but it's not exactly within the spirit of the Hall of Fame for Owens to continue to harp on this point. And that's probably the biggest takeaway overall from the Owens Hall of Fame story – that while he obviously is within his rights to behave however he chooses, his actions clearly run counter to what the Hall is about. For that reason, Owens' decision not to attend the ceremony probably makes sense for all parties. I imagine he will be much happier not attending, and I imagine other 2018 inductees and current members will be happy he's not there, too. Call it the ultimate win-win.
Rick from Greenville
Meet me anyplace or anywhere or anytime. I don't care. Meet me tonight.
Wait. What?
Carlos from Mexico City, Mexico
True story. I had a dream that left me anxious and dismayed. In it, we traded Myles Jack to some other team – for some reason. Other details escape me. How long until training camp and the regular season again?
Jaguars 2018 Training Camp begins July 26 with veterans scheduled to report July 25. Rookies and first-year players are scheduled to report July 18 with quarterbacks reporting July 20. The regular season begins a while after that.
Daddy Rat from Palm Bay, FL
Mr. O-Zone,
Oh, Daddy, Daddy, Daddy, Daddy, Daddy, Daddy ….
Daddy Rat from Palm Bay, FL
Mr. O-Zone, we hear of the 4-3 and 3-4 defenses all the time. Do you know of anyone that played a 4-4 with three defensive backs?
(Whew) I've never heard of it in my time covering the NFL, though it's probable and even likely the scheme was used at one point in league history before passing became as prominent as it is now. The University of Florida football teams I covered in 1993 and 1994 played what essentially was a 4-4-3 defensive scheme It worked in part because Southeastern Conference teams other than Florida at the time passed far less with less complexity than they do now. I can't imagine NFL teams moving that direction now. Teams these days need more defensive backs on the field; not fewer.
Doug from Jacksonville
Sir O, we are going to London to watch the Jaguars and catch some sights. In planning our trip, we didn't want to schedule anything to conflict with the festivities. My understanding is the Jaguars do some events before game day. Can you give us any kind of heads up to that schedule? Should we leave be Friday open? If you tell me we need to leave Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday open I would be fine with that. We wouldn't have time to go to the Princess Di dress exhibit.
The Jaguars don't do as much during the week leading to the London game as when they first began playing there in 2013. That's because they now arrive Friday rather than early in the week as they did the first two seasons. At least two fan-friendly Jaguars events have remained consistent during London week: an open walkthrough Friday morning and a Union Jax-sponsored event at a London-area establishment the night before the game. I've heard nothing to indicate those events will change this season. I would check back closer to the event for details.
Doug Since Day 4700
Don points out he bought season tickets Day 2 – and that's great, I guess. You had home playoff games and success – and if you were to divide your investment into the team by wins, you have spent your money well. I bought my first season tickets in 2008. Half of my first eight years the Jags were in last place. One homefield victory over the course of a season, etc. When I hear someone brag about season ticket ownership since the first season, that's great ... I didn't live here then. I invested and supported this product when it was terrible. I guess I shouldn't complain or expect anyone to tell me I'm a great fan for supporting them through bad years. I didn't ever have to fight traffic to get to or from a game so I had it easy.
I'm not sure when this turned into a bitter contest. I'm not sure it has to be that way. Am I missing something?
Richie from Ronkinkona
Why don't you just start OZoneKingofFunk.com and post in both places to ensure your streak and funkiness?
That sounds suspiciously like extra work I might have do to myself. I'm against such things.
Johnny from Syracuse, NY
It's a simple question: why exactly are we discussing foolish things when we have a 53-man roster championship-caliber team? I mean if this was the Gene Frenette forum, I'd get it. Let's get back to Jags country and talk about what really matters, please.
The way this works is relatively simple. People send me emails. I respond to the content of those emails. If there is a question, I try in many cases to answer it. If it's an off-topic question, I'll often try to answer it. If it's a football question, I'll often try to answer that, too. Did you have a question?
David from Scotland
Very, very disappointed to discover that the so-called "King of Funk" does not include The Stone Roses self-titled album as one of the best debut albums ever. Get your groove on old-timer and stop showering us with Fools Gold.
I actually bought the first two Stone Roses albums on compact disc in the early-to-mid-1990s. I know this because I still have them. I remember listening to them and thinking they were good. I don't remember much other than that.
Kenster from Rabun Gap, GA
Sir Funk O: First-time submission, enter key is apparently the enemy. A couple O points: best debut albums, "Boston," and "The Cars" by those bands. Second: If you indeed are the King of All Funk, and all your subjects are indeed those who bask in the shadow of your huge funkiness, it seems that Duval would now be "Funkytown." (The enormity of your wake being dwarfed only by Frenette) In this case one must muse whether after wins at TIAA Bank Field it would be more appropriate to play "Funkytown" by Lipps Inc... #won'tyoutakemeto
I have to make a move to a town that's right for me.
Bill from Hawthorn Woods, IL
Zone ... I'm cruising across the Baltic Sea somewhere between Sweden and Estonia on vacation but I have to ask this question. What the –
Oh well.
