JACKSONVILLE – Independence Day O-Zone. A little more than three weeks until training camp.

Let's get to it … Joe from Aurora, IL:
Can you elaborate for us out-of-towners the plans for the Shipyards?
John: There aren't really any hard, fast "plans" right now, per se. It's probably more accurate to say there are a lot of theories, projections and possibilities. The Jaguars consider the Shipyards – which are essentially adjacent to EverBank Field – important for the franchise. Jaguars President Mark Lamping has referred to them as the "front door to the Sports Complex." Lamping and Jaguars Owner Shad Khan have mentioned helping develop the Shipyards – and have said the franchise could get involved in the project. As of now, there have been no details released on what the development might entail, but Lamping recently said one idea could involve a facility that could have multiple uses, including an indoor practice facility.
Daniel from Jersey City, NJ:
I've figured out a way for you to do double the work and get all the credit for doing more work without actually doing any more work! Post half of the O-Zone twice a day!
John: Yeah, but which half?
Seth from Omaha, NE:
So now that they've decided Jimmy Graham is to be paid like a tight end, do you think teams will try to attract him with an offer to make him, and pay him, like a wide receiver when he becomes a free agent?
John: No, I expect the Saints and Graham to work out a deal at some point before he would become an un-taggable unrestricted free agent. Graham obviously is an elite-level player and a true franchise guy. Players such as that usually don't change teams.
Uriah from Marrysville:
I'm a Packers fan and on Packers.com there is "Ask Vic," which is the same thing as O-Zone. Did you guys just continue doing the question answer column when Vic Ketchman left for the Packers or did you stop and then later pick the idea up again?
John: There's an "Ask What" "where?" WHAT ARE YOU SAYING?!!!
Tudor from St. Augustine, FL:
Wow. Yellow and red cards in the NFL. See, this is why I hate soccer. It gives people ludicrous ideas. First let's start with the fact that when there's a hit in soccer, it's far more egregious because IT'S NOT A CONTACT SPORT. You want to leave the eligibility of an NFL player to finish the game at the discretion of the ref during a helmet to helmet??? After we've already seen so many B.S. accidental hits called? (Ahmad Brooks vs. Drew Brees). What a ridiculous theory! The NFL is soft enough as it is. Soccer needs to keep its nose out of big boy-sports. Also, I don't recall New York City evicting 250,000 people to make room for Seattle fans. Yea. Enough said.
John:You go, girl.
@Duval Doom from Section 217:
He IS mad bro. He is. It's ok … I get it. Swagger isn't something a lot of Duval is accustomed to, but let's remind James that, A) The last time we met both of those teams we beat 'em. Beat em bad enough to get their coaches fired, and B) It's SUPPOSED to be about swagger. I assure you every guy you ever see who "outkicked his coverage" did it with swagger that probably had no business being there. Ask Mrs. Doom. Doom out!
John:You're right – on all fronts – and there's another factor here, too. That factor is something people forget far too often – that sports are supposed to be fun. They're supposed to be about tweaking other teams – notice I didn't say, "Taunting" – and they're supposed to be interesting and if you build the World's Biggest Video Boards it's supposed to be OK to tell people, "Hey, look at us … you know what we built? THE WORLD'S BIGGEST VIDEO BOARDS!!" Yes, it's OK to have swagger – and besides: the Jaguars weren't taunting the Cowboys or the Texans on the field. I didn't really see it as over-the-top taunting, anyway. The Jaguars are trying to market the team and the stadium. Were they supposed to not mention the video boards? And when they mentioned them, were they supposed to not have fun?
Kyle from Pensacola, FL:
Tim Tebow, Michael Vick, and Maurice Jones-Drew walk into a bar... Is it August yet?
John:Not if they're talking about Marqise Lee.
Keith from Summerville, SC:
It's really annoying that just as the North screen is being finished up and ready for testing, you guys lock the webcam on the South screen. Anticlimactic much?
John:I don't know … I don't think it's that unreasonable to leave a few things unseen before things get going … you know, like, all "official and stuff."
Keith from Summerville, FL:
Disregard my last note complaining about the cameras being locked into position facing away from the completed board. I checked back today to see a beautiful picture of the coliseum in Rome displayed on the finished board above our coliseum.
John:Here we go, Jaguars!
Tim from Jacksonville and Section 213:
Watching the live cam, I just realized the pools are going to be way above my seat, John. I won't be able to see the pools. What the heck kind of stadium design is that when I can't see the people in the pools from my seat? Nobody can see the pools unless you're in the upper deck seats. What were they thinking?!
John:Oh, I don't know … probably that there are only so many places to put pools.
Chase from Jacksonville:
Haha, I'll stay in my lane, then. Again, not sure why you would treat the fans who visit this website that way, but oh well. On a serious note, which player on our defense do you see as the most important to our success? I'd think we need Cyprien to have a big year.
John:I'll take a moment first to address your statement. You're talking about me responding to a reader by writing, "You mad, bro?" I absolutely value and appreciate every fan who visits this website. I think most loyal readers – and he knows who he is – understand that. At the same time, I answer hundreds of questions a month and thousands a year and some of the give and take is going to have an edge. I try to keep the "edge" light and as inoffensive as possible, but if I know anything after doing this a very long time it's that you can't please everyone. On your serious note, I agree Cyprien needs to have a big year, and I'd add to that that Dwayne Gratz needs to develop. If those things happen and the Jaguars get a pass rush, that's a big step forward.
NoBodyImportant from Jacksonville, The BangEm, DUVAL:
No Question. "You mad, bro?" was Awesome!!! Thank you for that. It was much deserved and appreciated.
John:Word.
John from St. Louis, MO:
There are 30 seconds left in the game. It's 4th-and-goal from the one-yard line. Which running back would you choose to get into the end zone? a) Earl Campbell b) Bo Jackson c) Adrian Peterson d) Christian Okoye e) other.
John:Earl Campbell. Christian Okoye and the others you mentioned were and are good, but Campbell is the best power runner I ever saw.
Tudor from St. Augustine, FL:
Were Steve Young and John Elway really used in the same sentence as Montana and Brady?? Aaron Rodgers and Troy Aikman have more of a right to share that company than Young and Elway. And duh, obviously Montana, I can't believe it's even a question.
John:Your boldness is more impressive than your accuracy, Young Tudor, particularly when it comes to John Elway.
Greg from St. Johns, FL:
Hey, are you sure that isn't Oliver, the cousin on the Brady Bunch....squinting because he lost his John Denver glasses?
John:Cute.
Nick from Jacksonville Beach and Section 149:
No Dead Zone continues...Today's question is about the future stadium improvements and the chance that they will draw a Super Bowl. While I can see the improvements along the river as something that can immediately impact our chances to host the big game here, I don't see the shading tarps as such. The heat and sun wouldn't pose a problem to anyone in January, surely not to an amount to get us off the voting ballot. Does that make sense, or am I guilty of overthinking?
John:The shading tarps would be cool and "cool" tends to help draw big events, but yes, the improvements along the river – and perhaps other stadium improvements – would be far more of a factor.
John Oehser from Brooklyn, NY:
I'm not a Jaguars fan, but I had to write you after a friend told me someone was masquerading as myself under the guise of a reporter for the Jaguars. Upon review it looks as if you are representing us John Oehsers fairly well as long as no one thinks we look alike, yikes! Friends call me Johnny OZ, what nicknames have you had? I'm guessing Johnny Bozone around here?
John:* Two John Oehsers … like women could really be so lucky.