jmf1177: The Steelers have shut the door on new contracts this season and are working under a self-imposed cap but if the Steelers do cut Hartwig, would that free up money to allow them to resign Jeff Reed?

Jerry Micco: Before I answer, I wanted to thank any and all of you show show up here today. I want to apologize about last week's late cancellation, but some flu bug nailed me Tuesday night and kept me in bed all of Wednesday. So thanks for coming to chat today. As for your question, I'm not sure of all the nuances of the salary cap, but yes, you'd have a good chunk of Hartwig's $2 million to play with as far as salary this season. And maybe Reed will get a contract done because of that. But I think all NFL teams will go slow until there's movement on a new players' agreement. Until then, I think caution will be the watchword.

Guest: Can JoePa prove the critics wrong one last time?

Jerry Micco: He's done that many times over his storied career, but I think with the team they have and the schedule in front of them this year, Penn State should be ecstatic with an 8-4 record and an Alamo Bowl bid. Road games at Alabama, Ohio St. and Iowa are going to be extremely tough. And home games with Michigan and Michigan State are not easy contests. Especially when you've got a young quarterback and an unsettled situation at the position. All that said, Joe Paterno has always had competitive teams. I have no doubt the same will be true in 2010.

James_Taipei: If the Steelers win no one will give two thoughts to how Tomlin handled the QB situation!

Jerry Micco: That's very true, and the unique part of this is the preseason is being used to get a quarterback ready for what probably will be 4 regular-season games. In the meantime, you need to keep the QB who will play the other 10-12 games sharp because he's not around at all during those first 4-6 games. I'm not sure Tomlin has handled the QB situation correctly this summer. It's hard to tell. But you are correct in saying that if they can get a couple of wins in the first four games and then Roethlisberger comes back, they will be in pretty good shape.

Chunkles: Jerry, assuming the NFL goes to an 18 game schedule, will the players get payed the same? Right now, are their salaries spread out to cover 4 preseason games and 16 regular season games?

Jerry Micco: I believe that will not change. Only, it'll be 2 preseason games and 18 regular-season games. Either way, they'll get a paycheck every week from the time they start camp until the season ends. By the way, I do not like an 18-game schedule.

Chris: What do you make of the Pirates upper management not traveling with the team? I think Dejan reported in he has never seen anything like it.

Jerry Micco: Dejan never said he'd never seen anything like it, just pointed out the fact in his story the other day that there seems to be a lack of accountability from management's side on this team. In making his point, he noted that no one from the baseball ops team is with the club on this trip and that GM Neal Huntington is scouting the minor-league affiliates. I'm not sure there's much anyone could do for the Pirates at this point, but what they lack goes way beyond what the front office can do. They are wildly inconsistent and generally not very good. If they get any type of pitching, you roll the dice that the hitters will support that and vice versa. It's a long season and mercifully, it's in its last month. There's a lot of work to be done in the organization.

theWellHungarian: Hi Jerry-- With the success of the World Cup. I'd like to see the following poll, "What would you rather have a.) the Pirates in their current state b.) an MLS team" I guarantee an MLS team would win by a landslide...

Jerry Micco: Well, look what you're putting it up against, arguably the worst team in baseball. A more interesting poll might have been, "which would you have preferred, A. An Arena football team or B. An MLS team."

James_Taipei: Jerry, Paterno won a Big Ten championship with Michael Robinson coming out of no where and becoming the Big Ten offensive player of the year. So you never know. Maybe the QB will surprise everyone.

Jerry Micco: I think whoever they decide upon will be better later in the year rather than sooner. I think there are too many holes for Penn State this year, with the biggest being an inexperienced QB. And that schedule, particularly on the road, is a killer. Again, Joe Paterno has taken teams that didn't seem that talented and won big with them. But I just don't see that this year. An 8-4 record isn't a terrible thing, by the way.

theWellHungarian: Tino Sunseri... Thoughts I think he's going to do well. I think the Utah game is a tough test, but he has great players surrounding him that should make the transition to starting QB as seamless as possible. What say you?

Jerry Micco: I think if Pitt can do the things well it can do: running game and play tough defense, Sunseri will be fine. I think if the interior O-Line can block well enough for Lewis to get his 150-175 and Frank Cignetti can develop a solid gameplan to keep it simple for Sunseri, Pitt should be fine on Thursday. Baldwin and Shanahan are great targets, but a successful game has Sunseri throwing 20 times and no more. Less is even better. I think it'll be a very tough game for Pitt because Utah is a great home team and a very solid team throughout. It'll be a close game, for sure.

The Chief: Jerry , glad you are feeling better. Now the Orioles are 16-10 under Buck. Do yo think there is something to changing managers to try and change the attitude that comes with losing ?

Jerry Micco: I think that can work both ways. Sometimes, particularly with younger players, a new manager may backfire. Sometimes, you are comfortable with a person and how they handle situations and it makes your transition to the big leagues much easier. Look, say you fired Russell a month ago. And let's say you have five more wins because of it. OK, you are 49-83. It's still ugly. I say if you are going to make that change, you do it in the offseason. And who knows. I thought I heard Frank Coonelly say that everyone is evaluated at the end of every season. So you may have an entire new management team next year. But I don't think hiring a Buck Showalter in August makes this team much better.

theWellHungarian: true, that would be a little closer... but people like to be outdoors in the Summer time. An MLS team would provide that...

Jerry Micco: Depends on how hot it is. I went to a Real Salt Lake-San Jose game in late June in Utah. Really hot weather. It was a group of sports editors from around the nation, and we got dinner there at halftime. A majority of us stayed in the AC an watched on TV (game was a 0-0 final).

The Chief: I like the 18 game schedule, assume it would eliminate the bye week and let teams play a more equitable sked i.e the Steelers play 6 in their division, two other AFC conferences and one NFC conference.

Jerry Micco: I'd think the players would argue for 2 bye weeks, not to do away with it. That's a very tough schedule to play 18 regular-season games. A lot more chances to get hurt and more wear and tear on the body. Preseason games, for starters, often don't last very long and they don't have to go all out every play. I think the 18 games is a mistake, but it also may mean they let each team dress all 53 players instead of 45.

James_Taipei: Do you think that if Pitt beats Utah they will be in the top ten?

Jerry Micco: Not unless a bunch of teams ahead of them lose. Good win for Pitt, but Utah isn't ranked. They may jump up to say 12 if they win, but if everyone in the top 10 wins, they'll not be booted out of the top 10 because Pitt beats Utah. Just like if Pitt loses, and they are slight underdogs, they won't plummet in the polls. Probably drop 3-5 slots, depending on what other teams do.

theWellHungarian: Would you have preferred the score to have been 14-2 and the team you root for to lose about 80% of the time for the past 20 years?

Jerry Micco: I didn't think mentioning the score showed a preference on my part, did it? Just mentioned the game score in passing. And the fact that given the choice of AC and TV rather than the heat, I took the AC route as did the vast majority of my colleagues.

Chris: Who would you like to see as the Steelers QB Week 1?

Jerry Micco: Ben Roethlisberger. OK, can't have him? All right then, Byron Leftwich. I still think he gives them the best chance to win. He might get hit 10 times behind the offensive line, but I also think he's a veteran with a strong arm who can make all the throws. No, he won't make you forget Ben, but he should be able to manage a game for you.

James_Taipei: Do you believe that the Steelers will run the ball 60 percent of the time in Big Ben's absence?

Jerry Micco: I'm not ready to say that because it depends on the game situation. If they are trailing by a lot early on, they may have to throw it more. I think ideally, they'd like a 50/50 split, or maybe a slight nod to the run. But Bruce Arians likes to throw the ball and mandate or no from Art Rooney, ultimately, Mike Tomlin controls his coaches and the plays. And if you don't trust those guys to do it on the field on gameday, then you should replace them.

The Chief: Does Nutting belong in the same group with Sterling (LA Clippers) and Bidwell (AZ Cards) ?

Jerry Micco: Bob Nutting hasn't been an owner all that long, but there's no question he bears some responsibility for the team's lack of success over the past few years. I'm not ready to call him Bill Bidwell yet. And the fact that the Cards made the Super Bowl and generally are a better franchise, probably time to take Bidwell out of that equation. Like the Wirtz family in Chicago is off the hook with the recent play of the Blackhawks.

Bucco: Recently saw that you have a gig on The Fan, how's that going so far?

Jerry Micco: I do, and it's going fine for a new radio show. Radio is something I'd never done, particularly hosting a talk show. But I've got a great producer in Matt Popchock and the panelists from the PG and The Fan have been great. We're on from 7-8 AM on Saturday (for all you early risers) and the podcasts live on our Web site as well as The Fan. It is not a call-in show, but a discussion show of the local sports scene. It keeps me even busier, but it's a new challenge and I'm happy to give it a go. I'm still most comfortable behind the sports editor's desk, but I also like new challenges. And we hope it helps cement our partnership with The Fan, too.

James_Taipei: If Leftwich starts do you see Dixon getting into the game? Could he possible run some goal line series?

Jerry Micco: I'd love to see them do a couple packages for Dixon. Don't know if goal line is the only time I'd use him, but that's a possibility. I think a couple series would keep defenses off balance and put some spark into the offense. And if it works, I'd keep using it even when Ben returns.

The Chief: Your thoughts on the Strasburg situation. Wouldn't this lead a team to constantly draft position players and sign F/A pitchers

Jerry Micco: I think you always roll the dice when you draft college pitchers because there's more wear and tear on them than high school pitchers. And you can control high school pitchers because they are in your system from the start. College pitchers throw a lot. Coaches in college are trying to win and keep their jobs. I'm not saying they abuse pitchers, but they are going to do what they have to do to win and if that means pitching a guy on 3 days rest, that's what it means. No one cares if your minor league team wins. Just how the players are developed. Sad story on Strasburg. Hopefully, he'll make a full recovery.

James_Taipei: Who do you see leading their respective team to more championships Crosby or Big Ben?

Jerry Micco: Well, Ben's up by one, but I'll say Crosby. I think the Penguins are going to be very good for years to come and to me, it's much tougher to win in the NFL. Not that winning a Stanley Cup is a walk in the park, but I think when you have the best player in the game on your team, you're going to get a leg up toward a championship season. Of course, a lot has to happen in between, but the Penguins seem like contenders again this season. The Steelers, in my mind, are not.

jayhawk: How do you think Goodell's handling of various suspensions or lack of suspensions will affect the collective bargaining agreement?

Jerry Micco: Yes it will. He's been very inconsistent on the penalties, and I don't think the Players Association will give him the blank check it handed him a couple years back. It will be a huge bargaining hurdle for them.

Eddie T: Why hasn't Batch been given a shot to compete for the starter's job? Past injuries cannot be taken into account unless they affect his play today. He has always done a good job when called upon, he knows the offense and he has the experience. I think that he will wind up as the starter in Arizona, or elsewhere after someone gets hurt.

Jerry Micco: I don't think Batch starts anywhere, but he could very well land in Arizona as a backup to Derek Anderson. Batch's injury history has to raise concerns, and it did with the Steelers. The obviously traded for Leftwich because they didn't think Batch could handle the starting job. He's looked fine in preseason, but he's going against the "down the liners." I'm a personal fan of Batch because of his off-field stuff and his leadership in the locker room. But Lefwich gives them the best chance to win without Ben.

James_Taipei: Jerry, do you current participate in any recreational sports? What is your best sport?

Jerry Micco: Oh man, I play golf occasionally, but that's about it. I watch a lot of inline hockey (my youngest son plays for Pine-Richland and a host of house leagues), but I'm way too out of shape to do much else. That's an indictment on me, and I wish it weren't true, but years of sitting behind a desk take their toll. My doctor will not be happy when I see her later this month....

The Chief: Your thoughts on what happens to Clemens, will he be wearing "pinstripes: once again ?

Jerry Micco: Sad tale, but hey, if you lie to Congress you're going to be in trouble. I don't know if he did or not, but the feds usually don't indict unless they can convict. No one is above the law, and certainly that's true of Roger Clemens.

Eddie T: Do you think that Strasburg was not given an opportunity to gradually build up to pitching a greater number of innings? Is that always a risk with the young guys, more so than pitch development and control?

Jerry Micco: I think the Nationals had this great kid, a phenom, and wanted to ride him to some wins. Besides, he packed them in at their ballpark when there is no other reason to see a game there. Maybe they overworked him, but I didn't follow him that closely to know that. Whatever the case, they're going to have to do without him for 12-18 months. And after that, they will have to be very careful about how much he's used.

James_Taipei: Do you think that Big Ben will one day speak out about the allegations in Georgia? Or will he take it to the grave with him.

Jerry Micco: He certainly won't say a word until the Nevada case is resolved. And I don't know if he'll ever tell his side of what happened in Georgia. If I were him, I'd let it die and not bring it up again. No one benefits from him talking about it, even if he were to answer questions people might have about that night.

Jerry Micco: OK folks, time to get back to the sports editor part of my job. Thanks for taking the time to talk with me this week. Makes me feel better just being here for the hour to talk about what's going on. I'll see you next Wednesday at noon. Enjoy your week and enjoy the start of the college football season.

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