JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it … Tyler from Jacksonville:
Players that deserve the Pride of the Jaguars before Josh Scobee ... Mike Hollis, Rashean Mathis, Tony Brackens, Kevin Hardy, Leon Searcy, Donovin Darius, Keenan McCardell, Daryl Smith, MoJo Drew, Greg Jones, and I could keep going with the Lagemans and Smeenges of the world – and then Scobee slots in right behind them as a career mid-level kicker...
John: You're probably right. I'd throw in Brad Meester and a couple of other longtime Jaguars players as being more "deserving" in terms of being better players than Scobee, too. My point remains the same as when I discussed this earlier in the week – and that's that I would have no problem with Scobee being placed in the Pride just as I would have no problem with a bunch of other players you mentioned. That's because while Scobee may not have been a Pro Bowl kicker, he provided fans with a bunch of memories and happiness for a lot of years and carried himself well while doing it. He therefore was a fan favorite and a beloved player. If you go around the league and see "Rings of Honor" for all 32 teams, you'll find that a lot of players seem to be honored for precisely that sort of career. And that's OK.
Julio from Orlando, FL:
John, please don't ever say, "This gu-u-u-u-u-u-u-u-u-y" again. Thank you.
John: Nah, I'll probably write it again. It makes me laugh.
Chaun from St. Louis, MO:
Let's say Myles Garrett slips to us at the fourth pick and we draft him. What would our front seven look like?
John: It would look like a front seven with a lot of depth, and with a lot of options to rush the passer. I have no idea who would start on the line in 2017 Week 1, but it would stand to reason Garrett would start at one end relatively soon if he's as good as advertised. Is he as good as advertised? We won't know that until games begin.
Andrew from Honeytown:
Myles Jack indicated he has been in town most of the last three months working out. That is a TC kinda playa. The Patriots' coach in the winning Super Bowl locker room said NO DAYS OFF. In your experience with winning teams, what percent of players would you say work out at their home stadium most of the offseason?
John: I don't want to dampen your enthusiasm for Jack's approach, because it did sound from listening to him Wednesday on Jaguars.com LIVE as if he is approaching things the right way. But it's my experience there's typically not a huge difference in offseason participation from winning teams to struggling ones. Players that live in town typically work out at the team's facilities during January, February and March, then a pretty high percentage – over 90 – typically participate in the voluntary offseason program beginning in April. What matters far more is what players get done wherever they're working.
Lane from Orlando, FL:
O-man, it's common knowledge that Skynyrd wrote "Sweet Home Alabama" as a response to the Neil Young songs "Alabama" and "Southern Man," which criticized the state in a big way. Don't you know the lyrics? "Well, I heard Mr. Young sing about her. I heard old Neil put her down. Well, I hope Neil Young will remember -- a southern man don't need him around anyhow." Neil Young actually liked the song and has played it in concert before. There was a perceived rift between Young and Skynyrd, but they actually liked each other. It's an interesting read if you ever research it.
John: Thank you, Lane – and thank you to all others who criticized my Skynyrd knowledge in response to a Thursday morning O-Zone question regarding Sweet Home Alabama. Yes, I do know the lyrics, am well aware of the Neil Young/Skynyrd/Sweet Home Alabama story, and am well aware of the stories surrounding Ronnie Van Zandt and Young. I also know that Young in retrospect thought Van Zandt was right in his criticism of his two songs – and that he didn't think much of his own song, "Alabama," as time went on. I know if you listen to "Sweet Home" just right," you can hear at one point the words "Southern Man" very faintly. I know it's "Swampers" and not "Swampland," and I know a few other things I didn't mention in Thursday's answer. I know, too, that Young and Van Zandt both rank among the best song writers of recent decades. I know Curtis Loew was the finest picker to ever play the blues and I know when Young sings "There is a town in North Ontario" at the beginning of "Helpless" it sends chills through you. But I was assuming that the O-Zone question to which you refer wasn't so much asking for a history of the song as it was asking why a band from Jacksonville, Florida, would care enough about Alabama to write a song about the state. I therefore tried to answer the question in that vein as best as possible rather than try to write a comprehensive history of the song. The history of the song indeed is intriguing, and I remain confident that those interested in it can find far more detailed and accurate versions outside the O-Zone. I also remain steadfast in the main point of the answer which is that I'd like to hear Sweet Home at Jaguars games again. #Tellthetruth
Ed from Ponte Vedra, FL:
I have heard several national NFL media commentators strongly mention how Johnathan Cyprien will make the Titans so much better. If he can make another team's defense better and we have all this salary cap room, what is the No. 1 reason we would let him go?
John: The Jaguars didn't think letting Cyprien go would make them worse and in fact thought moving in another direction would make them better. That's why they allowed him to sign elsewhere and why they signed strong safety Barry Church from the Dallas Cowboys as an unrestricted free agent.
Frankie from London, UK:
John, I was just wondering your thoughts on a theoretical 3-4 defense. I know it's ultimately nothing to debate, but doesn't this team seem so right in that set up? Can you see it happening for even a few snaps here and there? Wondering your thoughts.
John: This continues to be a popular 2017 offseason question, in part it seems because Dante Fowler Jr. late last season expressed his wish to play more standing up. He indeed seems to have some strong-side linebacker traits and Calais Campbell and Malik Jackson both could play defensive end in a 3-4 scheme. And yes, I could see the merits of a 3-4 defense with this team's personnel, although I've always been partial to having four down-linemen with the defensive ends having their hands on the ground and rushing. What matters more than that is that Head Coach Doug Marrone has said he is partial to that approach, too. In light of Marrone's opinion, I anticipate the Jaguars running a 4-3 scheme this season, though I do think there will be some 3-4 looks on occasion.
Jonathon from Jacksonville:
O, what was your favorite moment during Scobee's career as a Jaguars player? My favorite moment occurred when I was stationed in Norfolk, Virginia and he had kicked the 59-yard winner against Indy ... just curious.
John: I don't necessarily have that many "favorite" career moments from players I cover. The 59-yarder to beat Indianapolis at EverBank Field in 2010 certainly is Scobee's most memorable kick, and I'll always remember him as the player whose last-second, clutch kicks beat Indianapolis not once or twice but three times when I covered the Colts. Perhaps no player other than Tom Brady had as many huge moments to beat the Colts during that period than Scobee. I'll remember Scobee for being a player who truly appreciated the fact that he was playing a game for a living, and he never seemed to forget that he was fortunate. He was always decent and gracious, and I never met anyone who'd met Scobee who found him anything else.
Brian from Orlando, FL:
Comparing quarterbacks to a captain of an aircraft carrier. Becoming a captain of an aircraft carrier is a long and winding road. The candidate must complete 20 years of jet fighter service, then serve as executive officer on a carrier, then go to nuclear power school, then serve as a captain of a deep draft (non-carrier) ship for six years; finally he can be eligible to be considered for the top spot as an aircraft carrier captain. So, there are always many people in the pipeline to supply the need for captains of the 15 or so carriers the USA keeps active. Why can't the NFL design a program to give more young quarterbacks a chance to gain experience and keep the quarterback pipeline full and flowing nicely?
John: This is a good plan. As soon as the NFL starts looking for 55-year-old rookie quarterbacks, I'll speak to someone about implementing it.
Nathan from Richmond via Duval:
John, turn it up.
John: Damn right.