Mail-it-in Friday: What can NFL do to build on hiring of Sarah Thomas?

We're back!

The NFL offseason continues to provide new ways to get discussions going and this week is no exception. In this edition of Mail-it-in Friday, we're going to tackle two topics and see where it takes us.

Remember, if you want your thoughts featured here, just fire off a tweet using #FoxMailbag or you can tweet me @RealSidSaraf. OK, let's get to work!

WOMEN IN THE NFL

The league just hired its first female official this week. While it's a nice step for the NFL, what more can it do to provide opportunities for women? I got nervous when I asked this question and I braced myself for the responses. Here goes nothing.

#Harden,

I love your point of view. Unfortunately, we don't live in that world. You ever heard of the saying, "it's not what you know, it's who you know"? Well, most companies hire people they're familiar with. And many businesses definitely operate in a crony-like system where they will hire the people they're comfortable around. And if that company is run by a man, chances are, he's going to hire a man.

There are many women in this world who are more than qualified to work in professional sports. The days of hiring your neighbor because the two of you drink beer together should stay in the past.

Clyde,

Here we go.

Ebby,

Sigh.

Wild,

Dude, I would trust a horse more than I would trust the people who came up with this:

Hello,

I'm down with that. I'm sure anyone is better than Trent Richardson.

Seahawks,

Couldn't do any worse than John Idzik. By the way, this has been done before. If you remember, Amy Trask was the CEO of the Oakland Raiders for several years. There already are several women agents. And there's no reason why a woman can't be a coordinator in the NFL. Charlie Weis and Todd Haley never played football at any level, yet both managed to rise up the coaching ranks. It's just a matter of learning the game.

David,

I actually agree with that. It's nice that Sarah Thomas is the first female NFL official. Congratulations to her. Now, she needs to keep her head down and concentrate on perfecting her craft.

And no quarter should be given to her if she doesn't perform well. No excuses, just like with everyone else.

Pizza,

If she can fill the A gap and stop Eddie Lacy on third-and-1, she'll have a spot on my team.

YOUR DREAM STADIUM

The Minnesota Vikings are making great progress on their new facility, which should be ready for the start of the 2016 season. It got me thinking ... if you had the chance to design the perfect NFL stadium, what features would you want included?

Nicholas,

Absolutely. I hate AstroTurf, FieldTurf and other kind of turf. Football was meant to be played on grass.

There's nothing like the feeling of rolling around in the grass for a few hours. Letting that smell tickle your nostrils as your arms and legs begin to itch because of all the tiny bugs that attach themselves to your skin.

Who doesn't love those allergy sneezes that hit around the third quarter and there's nothing you can do because you left your Claritin -- not to mention your rescue inhaler -- at home.

As you can tell, grass gives me problems. But it's awesome when it comes to football. Also, it's the only way for the starters to differentiate themselves from the benchwarmers. Real football players have grass and dirt stains all over their bodies by the fourth quarter.

When games are played on turf? Everyone looks squeaky clean. BOOOOORING. Give me grass or give me death!

However, I disagree when it comes to leaving the field open to the elements. I'm all for retractable roofs. Nobody should be forced to play outside in Minnesota in the winter.

Chet,

Speaking of Europe, I think NFL crowds should also be in constant song. I always marvel when I watch soccer games how fans are almost always chanting in unison or in the middle of carrying a tune. That has to be exhausting.

Then again, they drink so much beer over there that standing and singing for two straight hours must not present much of a challenge.

Speaking of beer ...

Dirty,

Oh ... lord. That does sound amazing in theory, but if that actually happened, the ruckus would be next-level crazy.

People have a hard enough time staying sober at an NFL game when they're paying $11 for a Bud Light. Can you imagine the scene if they were paying just $2 each?

I wouldn't even make it to the second quarter before I would deteriorate into this:

Barfing by halftime and blacked out by the third quarter. The fourth quarter would be spent in a drunk tank. I don't need that.

Nobody needs that. The only thing holding live NFL games together is the fact that beer is expensive. It's for the greater good.

Matt,

Dude, this isn't a flight to Scotland. Should we wheel in a day bed and have a personal masseuse, too? I said features, not pipe dreams.

Brittany,

Pay attention, Matt. This is an idea people can get behind. One of my favorite inventions over the last decade has been the dine-in theater. There's nothing like sitting down for a movie in a huge comfortable chair and having a waiter bring you drinks and food.

That should translate well to the NFL. I'll need a place to pass out after pounding $2 beers for a couple hours.

Jesean,

My wife and I argued about this for a while. She thinks cheerleaders aren't stadium features, while I say they are.

Either way, that's not gonna happen. As antiquated as cheerleaders are in this day and age, it would be completely awful and sexist to force them to dance nude in stadiums. I wouldn't stand for that.

That being said, I would totally look. Yes, I'm an awful person. However, I think we can be fair with this if we forced cheerleading squads to be half female/half male. That should satisy everyone, right?

Mauteaplz,

That's an amazing idea!

Have you ever tried to trudge up those circular walkways to the 400 level of a stadium? After you've spent the previous three hours drinking the in the parking lot? By the time you sit down, you need a shower.

I want to reach the top of the cylindrical torture device in 10 steps. The moving walkway would make that possible.

Roger Goodell, this is your new mission.

Dev,

Great. It makes sense that we started and ended this mailbag with buffoonery. I think we're done here.

See you next time!