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Jaguars News | Jacksonville Jaguars - jaguars.com

Time to let it rip

Join jaguars.com Senior Editor Vic Ketchman as he tackles the fans' tough questions.

Brian from Atlantic Beach, FL:
Who is going to be the next Jaguars player to make it into the "Pride of the Jaguars," and does the player have to be retired before he can make it? It's been 15 years and all we've got is Tony Boselli up there. When can I get Jimmy Smith, Fred Taylor or John Henderson? I know real estate is limited, and we have to save room for future players, but I think it's time for an addition.

Vic: You don't induct a player into the "Pride of the Jaguars" because it's time for an addition. In my opinion, it's more important to keep players out of these types of forums than it is to put them in. Look at the Colts' ring of honor. It's laughable. They just put a whole bunch of average guys in there to help fill up the walls with guys who played in Indianapolis; they did it to distance themselves from their roots in Baltimore. Boselli belongs on the wall and there are a couple of players – Jimmy Smith and Fred Taylor – waiting in the wings. I don't know if there are any written-in-stone rules governing the "Pride of the Jaguars," but I would think retirement is understood to be a main criterion.

Vince from Indianapolis, IN:
What continues to make you look inept is your blaming a loss or contributing a win to one player. It is asinine and makes you look petty and uninformed. Buckle up! The fuel tank is close to empty on Jacksonville, but the trucks to LA are coming.

Vic: Folks, allow me to introduce you to Vince, the president of the Peyton Manning knee pads club. Vince spends all his time and energy making excuses for Manning and the Colts. Vince's latest excuse is that Manning was blocked in the back. These, obviously, are tough times for Vince. Can you imagine his pain when Tracy Porter intercepted that pass and started running in the opposite direction? I don't know how I'm responsible for this latest Manning failure, but I guess someone other than Manning has to take the blame. I've cautioned Vince against reading and participating in this forum, because it's become too upsetting for him, but he won't stop so now I'm gonna let it rip. I have a feeling Vince is gonna become a regular. This could be fun.

Chase from Clackamas, OR:
I may be a homer on this one, but wouldn't you consider the Broncos a surprise team? Sure they fell apart, don't get me wrong, but with probably the league's toughest schedule, a new coach, new defensive scheme, a journeyman quarterback and a troubled wide receiver, they were able to exceed most expectations. The Broncos arrow is pointing up, wouldn't you agree, Vic?

Vic: No, I wouldn't. The defensive line is soft and I don't see much at the skill positions on offense, other than the troubled wide receiver, that excites me. I'm sorry, Chase, but the Broncos are a team I consider to be teetering on the brink of disaster. They have two picks in the first round. Whoops! I forgot that the Broncos traded one of their first-round picks to Seattle for a second-rounder they used to select cornerback Alphonso Smith, a backup in 2009 that had 11 tackles and three passes-defensed.

Bryan from Fernandina Beach, FL:
As a faithful "Ask Vic" reader, I should know the answer to this, but I can't seem to remember whether or not you feel cornerback is a premium position? If it is, do you foresee one worthy of the Jaguars' first pick?

Vic: Cornerback is the most premium of positions and you can't have enough of them. There's no such thing as two corners. Every player in the secondary is a corner. If he isn't, the quarterback will find him and ravage him in the passing game. Joe Haden is a player worthy of a high pick. If he was at the top of the Jaguars' board when it was their turn to pick and they picked him, I'd have no problem with the choice.

Chris from Jacksonville:
What is your opinion on how the Saints use Reggie Bush? Now that it's been a few years, do you think the Texans made the right decision in drafting Mario Williams over Bush?

Vic: Williams is the better player, but he hasn't flashed for me in the games I've covered. Go back to the 2006 draft and find me the guy the Saints should've drafted. Vince Young? You could make a point for D'Brickashaw Ferguson. A.J. Hawk? Vernon Davis is just coming on now. Michael Huff? Donte Whitner? Ernie Sims? Matt Leinart? Jay Cutler? You have to go all the way down to number 12, Haloti Ngata, to find a star player who has played at a dominant level since his rookie year.

Cory from Valencia, CA:
Would you say letting go of Thomas and Holt means a big step forward for the Jags, as they feel they have young players they can trust in those positions?

Vic: I know it's February and there's not much going on, but let's not make little things big things. No, I don't think it's a big step forward. It's the step you expected to take when you signed those two guys. They were older players that were receiving no interest from anyone else. I think it was understood that they were one-year patches.

Dave from Jacksonville:
I have to believe that if Jimmy Clausen performs well at the combine and he falls to us (or even close), then we should go get him. That sets this team up for the future and puts a little extra perhaps in David. Your thoughts?

Vic: I watched some tape of Clausen this past weekend. He's an interesting guy. I detect some of Joe Montana's resourcefulness and instinct in Clausen, but I don't believe in overdrafting quarterbacks simply because they're quarterbacks, if that's what you're suggesting.

Bill from Collins, OH:
I'm a huge Browns (5-11) fan but love your forum. Stumbled across it about eight months ago and now I have it in my favorites. Keep up the good work. Here's my question: In the last eight months I've been reading "Ask Vic," numerous times you have said the NFL is a passing league. I do not necessarily disagree with that, however, can you explain how (the Browns) managed to win five games averaging seven for 17 for 77 yards per game in passing? Don't discount two of those victories came against Pittsburgh and your team, which was still in the playoff hunt.

Vic: You seem to have discounted the fact the Steelers were in the midst of a five-game losing streak and the Jaguars were about to lose their fourth in a row. You can beat a couple of bad teams in the snow without a passing game, but you're not going to compete at the playoff level without one.

Howard from Homestead, FL:
What do you think about the new NCAA policy that says a player can tattoo any offensive thing they want on their body but they can't have a Bible verse in their eye black?

Vic: The body belongs to the player, but the uniform belongs to the school and the patches worn under the eyes are part of the uniform and the NCAA must exercise a separation of church and state, for the obvious reasons. I think that's easily understood. Be that as it may, I don't like tattoos that send messages, either.

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