James_Taipei: Jerry, I wanted to comment on you remarks from two weeks ago about why one conference dominates for a while and then the other. I don't really think the reason you gave is very accurate if we are talking in terms of one conference dominating the Lombardi Trophy. You said it was because the other conference had higher draft picks. I think that if you look at most of the successful teams over the years since the merger that the teams that dominated the Super Bowl largely did so because of their ability to draft quality players with lower round picks. I think the Cowboys of the 1990s were the one exception to this rule. It is players like Tom Brady (6th round), Willie Parker(undrafted), and the Steelers work beyond the first round in the 1974 draft that really make the top teams.

Jerry Micco: Well, that's certainly part of it, but for every Tom Brady and Willie Parker there are Fred Gibson's (4th round) and Huey Richardson (1st round). And you're not wrong to cite what you cite, but if you draft low enough and you know what you're doing, you shouldn't be drafting low every year. If you are, and the Browns are a good case in point, then you either aren't drafting well or you can't coach the guys up. Perhaps my reason wasn't accurate, but I'd like to hear what others think is the reason for the cycles.

James_Taipei: Do you think that the Pirates will avoid signing another free agent dud this winter? What do you think the chances are of the Pirates finding solid value for their money in the free agent market?

Jerry Micco: They will hardly be active in free agency.

James_Taipei: With Zach Zuke's inconsistency, if you were the GM would you pick up another veteran pitcher to be the Pirates fifth starter if there was someone out there that was not over priced?

Jerry Micco: You'd certainly have to look at that. But I don't expect the Pirates to be major players in free agency. And to sign any starter, you'd need about $3-5 million to spend. I don't think they'll do that, but you never know.

Pickman: Well, its seems Troy Polamalu and Casey Hampton were not even considered injured until a follow up question by the media in Coach Tomlin's press conference last week. And since both were out in Sunday's game, is the league going to hold Tomlin more accountable for his players' health status (a la Bill Bellichek who was always less than truthful regarding their health ailments)

Jerry Micco: I think part of that is Tomlin being a new coach. I don't think he's going to purposely hide injuries, but I think like most coaches, he'll do all he can to hold back information as long as he doesn't get fined.

Pickman: Well, within a few weeks there is going to be decisions to be made regarding retaining or letting go of players, will the pirates have a manager by then and is there a list of canidates yet?

Jerry Micco: I think the Pirates will have someone hired before the end of October. Don't ask me who, because I have no idea where this new group of execs will go.

PirateApologist: Jerry, new Pirate manager: Joe Torre. Come on, think about it, think about it. Culture of success. Let's schedule the press conference.

Jerry Micco: OK, I thought about it. Next question.

PirateApologist: Do you think Steinbrenner was bluffing about Torre to fire up the team, it backfired, and now he has to fire him to save face?

Jerry Micco: With the Boss, you never know. I think they'll take a hard look at things and if they're smart, bring Torre back. Steinbrenner has done this for years. Said stuff and then changed his mind. Joe Torre is a terrific manager for a veteran club.

Pickman: As much as I hate to admit it, I think the Pirates may need to burn it down, trade their best players for prospects, and start over, while this may be (in my opinion) the best option to make the playoffs in the least amount of time (3 yrs min). Do you think the Pirates: A) will do this and b) if they do burn it down what will be the fallout with the fan base?

Jerry Micco: I think they'll hold on to a core of players, but that core will be smaller than many think. To me, the core is Bay, Wilson, LaRoche, Nady, Sanchez, Gorzo, Maholm, Snell and Capps. Outside of that core, anything can happen. However, out of that core, are the players you can trade to restock the minors or get near-ready major leaguers. So take a look at that list, then subtract at least one and maybe 2 names. They have to rebuild. They have no choice. And fans will appreciate it if they show signs of doing something. Anything.

Jonny_J_from_Pittsburgh_PA: Who is your favorite sportswriter of all-time, co-worker or otherwise?

Jerry Micco: That's a hard one. The late Jim Murray was a wonderful columnist. He wrote with a sense of humor, which is very difficult. He was a nice man, too. Gary Smith is a terrific writer. I used to read Tom Boswell a lot when I was a young journalist in Northern Virginia. John Feinstein was a hell of a reporter, too. Guys like Frank DeFord and Rick Reilly are excellent storytellers. Christine Brennan at the Post writes a good column, too. And I've worked with many good writers here and other places. Too many to mention!

Jonny_J_from_Pittsburgh_PA: Given the chance, would you vote Joe Torre into the Hall of Fame?

Jerry Micco: Yes, but I don't have a vote and probably wouldn't want one.

Jonny_J_from_Pittsburgh_PA: The Patriots vs. a healthy Steelers squad at a neutral site: who wins? Our D just might be the antidote to Moss and that offense.

Jerry Micco: As good as the Steelers are, and they are very good, the Patriots are a bit better. As good as Ben is, he's not Tom Brady, who in my opinion is the best QB around.

mtw: Any update on a new Bucco manager?

Jerry Micco: Nope, but we talk to the team daily.

Art_Vandelay: Hi Jerry, any info/names on the Bucs new manager? If not, who would you prefer?

Jerry Micco: Nothing yet. Someone who can teach young guys what it takes to win.

psufan: Is there any new information on the off-field incident potentially involving a high-profile Pennsylvania State University employee? There are reports on the web confirming the name and rumors. Do you expect the University Police to try to let this case disappear into the night just as the football season seems to be fading away?

Jerry Micco: We are in University Park today to do a number of things. If there's any news out of this report, then we'll have something. Right now, it's Internet rumor. There was an incident of road rage reported to University Police at 12:15 p.m. on Friday. The place where it happened is very busy and that time is between classes. Seems there'd be a lot of witnesses.

Art_Vandelay: Is Mike Tomlin too good to be true? I already feel like he could match wits with any coach in the league.

Jerry Micco: He's had a very successful start. But the schedule toughens up now and those back to back road games in Denver and Cincinnati look like wins on paper, but we know road games in the NFL are always tough to win.

psufan: Is Pitt expecting another "Gold Out" with the Penguins in town tonight? Penguins probably are the hotter ticket in town compared to Pitt/Navy.

Jerry Micco: Without question that's true. I don't know what Pitt expects crowd wise, but if it's over 30,000, they'd be ecstatic.

Art_Vandelay: How about Joe Torre and Andruw Jones in Pittsburgh next year? We can all dream.

Jerry Micco: Well, certainly we can all dream, but then we have to wake up, Art.

Art_Vandelay: Was Ike working on his hands in practice? Not complaining, but he could have 10+ interceptions in '07 if he could catch.

Jerry Micco: He could have had three on Sunday if he could catch. Of course, if he had great hands, he'd be a receiver. I can recall Rod Woodson not having good hands early in his career then improving greatly in that regard as he got older. Maybe Ike will have the same track record, not saying he's Woodson mind you. For those of you who missed it, our Web site is reporting that Ike was NFL defensive player of the week.

jimmy_g: After the Steelers got going on Sunday, they looked awesome especially on the 10+ minute drive to start the second half. I'm not sure if they are as good as New England and Indianapolis but I'm sure that they are not. What is your take on the team?

Jerry Micco: Very good, very solid. The offensive line needs to continue to work and there's not a whole lot of great depth at receiver, but the team is very good. I can't yet put them into the Indy, New England class. But they seem to be, right now, the best team in their division.

Art_Vandelay: Jerry, if you run into Neal Huntington, please ask him to ask Dan Rooney for help in finding a new manager. Seriously. Seems like he knows a thing or two about hiring coaches.

Jerry Micco: I don't expect to run into Huntington any time soon, but I'm sure he's talking to a lot of people about what type of manager to hire.

ronin_buc: Predictions on the Pitt-Navy tonight? I think if the offense can put enough points on the board with Bostick given more of the playbook to run, maybe the defense will slow down the option of Navy. Your thoughts?

Jerry Micco: I think this is Pitt's game to win. I like the matchup for Pitt because I think Bostick will feel more comfortable and they should be able to run the ball some on Navy. Navy's offense is tricky, but I think Pitt can outscore them. Could be a 31-24 type game.

ronin_buc: Nice move by Pitt to have Staubach and Dorsett as honorary captians tonight. Pitt does have a great tradition, but do they start to regain respectability status in 2008? Do you think a bowl game is out of the question this year with Cincy and SF passing them in the Big East?

Jerry Micco: I don't think they'll go bowling this season. I think next year they can be very good. Not great, but they can win 8 or 9 games IF they progress like they should. I don't know if they can win the Big East, but I think they'll contend and they'll definitely get a bowl game next year.

Art_Vandelay: Do you think there are times when Ben looks to scramble too early (gives up on the initial play?) At times he seems to almost prefer breaking out of the pocket and throwing on the run. He is very good at it, mind you.

Jerry Micco: Actually, he had to run out of the pocket a bit against Seattle because guys were bearing down on him. One of Ben's strengths is escapability and throwing on the run. I don't know this to be fact, but maybe they've encouraged more rollouts. But one thing I've noticed in a lot of younger QBs is they are great in the pocket but can't escape any pass rush. Ben's ability to do that is a real strength, moreso than his ability to throw on the run.

ronin_buc: Please tell me what you think of Phil Garner's name floated as a possible candidate. That guy is good with the press, so he always seems to get a pass. He was and still is a really bad MLB manager, don't you think the Pirates can do much better than this retread?

Jerry Micco: I think his name is out there, but I don't think he'll be strongly considered for this job. This is a Pittsburgh thing: people with any Pittsburgh tie are on people's lips the minute a job comes open. That's why you see Ken Macha's name being floated. Not that he's a bad manager, but if it's a Pittsburgh guy, then he's an automatic. I don't think that's such a good thing all the time. The Steelers did well not hiring "Pittsburgh guys." As for Garner as a manger, he's OK. He did get to the World Series a couple years back. Got swept, but got there.

ronin_buc: How about the news that Paul Meyer reported Chuck Tanner coming back to the Pirates as a special advisor to Huntington? Good move if it happens?

Jerry Micco: If it happens, and it hasn't yet, that would be a great move. Another Pittsburgh guy! But in this case, a person who's evaluation of talent is apparently second to none. Why not get an old hand involved in the scouting of the team? He's at the park most nights anyway. And he was a very successful manager here.

smpjcu: In regards to James from Taiwan, I think you owe Jamain Stephens an apology Jerry.

Jerry Micco: God, forgot about him. That's why the draft is so tricky. Yes, you should get great value out of your top three. But if you draft well, you get value out of nearly all of your players. Look at this year so far. Timmons hasn't had much impact. Woodley was great in preseason, but hasn't played much. But look down at 3, 4 and 5. Spaeth, Sepulveda and Gay have all had big contributions so far. The draft is all about depth.

dumbname: Jerry, how many more times will kendall simmons get beat this year? he has been awful this year for the most part, i think the steelers put their money in the wrong guy

Jerry Micco: Really? While Simmons has had some ups and downs, from what I'm hearing he's been pretty solid so far this season. He's not Alan Faneca, but by no means has he been awful. Maybe I'm watching a different guy out there.

smpjcu: Here's some food for thought, the Steelers have developed Smith and Keisel (I do not count Hampton since he was a first rounder and not much of a work in progress) but how come the last 3-4 years they cannot develop any young DL

Jerry Micco: Well, Keisel was a seventh-round pick and they developed him very well. I think they draft guys to plug holes and the young D-linemen they have take time. I think it's very difficult to develop those guys, but the Steelers do rotate guys in and out and there's not a big drop off. Granted, you don't want Smith and Keisel to go down any time soon, but you have steady backups.

smpjcu: Ed Bouchette chats are hilarious. Seriously, people make so much out of nothing when he gets stupid questions and gives stupid answers. It is easily the 3rd funniest weekly read.

Jerry Micco: Ed has a very good sense of humor and for a moment, put yourself in his shoes. He's constantly bombarded with questions from readers. That's a blessing and a curse. He wants to get back to people and sometimes he just gets too busy, so the answer is short and sweet. His time is pretty sliced up during the season and some people mistake that short, often funny, answer for being a bit stand-offish. Folks gotta understand the guy's very, very busy. And there is no better NFL beat guy around. For him to keep up that type of reputation, he needs to have time to report. He likes interaction, but sometimes, a humorous answer is a way to get his point across. Glad you like it!

dumbname: Jerry, please review some of the tapes, Simmons spends more time in the Steelers backfield than Willie Parker

Jerry Micco: Well, I don't have coaches tapes, but my feeling is if he's played poorly, that someone would be writing about it or the coaches would be running more guys out there into his spot. But I did tape last week's game. I'll watch it.

smpjcu: I understand, but there is a precedent with the Steelers with DL and LB, but they haven't been able to fill the back up roles with young guys, instead they are cast offs that somehow are better here than their previous team. I just think it is important and it is often overlooked

Jerry Micco: They do grow a lot of their own guys, though. Foote was a 4th rounder. Haggans was a third or fourth rounder. James Harrison, I believe, was a free agent. These guys played back up and are now starters. So now they've got to develop Woodley and Timmons, the next set of backers. Perhaps on the line you have a point, but at linebacker, I don't know.

dumbname: Jerry, how do you like the national press slighting the steelers, they manyhandled one of the NFC's best, hardly a word, but NE beats up Cleveland(less impressively than the Steelers) and they can't stop slobbering about them

Jerry Micco: I think part of that is New England has just been so dominant in its games. You think the hype's been bad before, wait until you start seeing the stuff ahead of the NE-Dallas game this week. The Steelers have won all the games they should win and lost a game, maybe they should have won. Games at Denver and Cincinnati can turn the tables a bit. If they win both of those games, then you'll see more national press attention.

smpjcu: Jerry, I figured it out, I think ijustfarted is Chris Kemoatu

Jerry Micco: Kemo played a bit on Sunday late. Or, he'a Alan Faneca's agent.

Art_Vandelay: Looking at the QB situation around the NFL (guys like Testaverde still getting signed), I've always thought having Batch was a luxury. I thought he'd be with the Steelers for a cup of coffee and then he'd be starting for another team soon. How do you think Batch is regarded around the league?

Jerry Micco: As someone who a lot of teams would love to have. You must have a good backup because in this league, QBs are targets. I know the league does backflips trying to protect them, but it isn't foolproof. Think the Cards are happy to have Kurt Warner? You bet. Batch is that kind of player, a guy who can step in right away, which is imperative for a back up QB.

ronin_buc: World Series prediction now that we are down to the final four? Does Colorado and Arizona give Pirates fans some hope that if your management team is not incompetent- It is possible to build a winner from your own farm system?

Jerry Micco: Still too early for the Series for me, but I think Boston and Arizona will make it there. Arizona largely on its starting pitching. Boston largely on talent, though the Indians have two terrific starters in Sabathia and Carmona. Actually, it'd be a lot of fun to see the Indians beat the big-money Sox. It does give Bucs' fans hope, but again, if you draft poorly and scout worse, then you never have the good young guys up all at once. Colorado is a great example of how to do it.

smpjcu: My point at LB was that they were so decimated last year they had no choice but to spend 2 rounds on LB b/c Frazier, Wallace, etc are not NFL caliber LBs

Jerry Micco: That's a good point, smp. Particularly Rian Wallace and Frazier haven't developed, no argument there. But it looks like Arnold Harrison is starting to make a push. And for some reason, I've always liked Frazier. Not saying he's ready to play every down, but he seems like he's cut from the right cloth.

ronin_buc: It is way early, but after the first two games, do you think the Penguins will have to get in a lot of goals to win games 6-5 if the defense and Fluery don't pick it up?

Jerry Micco: Well, that stands to reason, ronin. If the D and goalie aren't very good, you must score to win. But, keep an eye on Fleury. He really didn't hit his stride until after Christmas last season. The D is still iffy and will be all season. But I think it's Fleury who bears watching. I don't think he can wait until Christmas to play better. He needs to step it up earlier.

Goodness_Gracious: Can Mike Tomlin coach more than 5 games before people talk about him "matching wits" with any coach in the league?

Jerry Micco: In this town? No, not really.

smpjcu: Have you been watching Cowher at all on CBS? He does not seem like a guy who is going to coach anytime soon. If he does, some of his post game hand shakes should be interesting after his CBS gig.

Jerry Micco: I've not seen him at all, usually because I'm at games. But if I were him and the TV folks kept throwing six figures at me to be in New York a couple days a week for four or five months a year, I'd never coach again. Why put yourself through that meat grinder when you can blab to an adoring audience? That's why I do chats. Did I say that?

jimmy_g: Jerry, it's good to seed Dan Gigler back today. Is he just auditing the chat or is he actually moderating it?

Jerry Micco: He's hanging out. I'm self-moderating. And it's always good to have Dan around though. Keeps you guys in line. OK, maybe not.

jimmy_g: When Miami, Va. Tech, and BC left the Big East everyone thought that the top two teams would be WVU and Pitt. Now we have South Florida, Cincinnati, Connecticut, and others way ahead of Pitt. What has gone wrong here?

Jerry Micco: Nothing. It's good for the Big East. Although UConn seems to own Pitt, I'm not ready to say that program is ahead of Pitt. The Big East would love to see Pitt and Syracuse right the ship. Both are good Eastern TV markets that would help the league. And you can't say they didn't smile when Syracuse stunned Louisville. It's not the SEC by any stretch, but if you can get a lot of teams to be competitive, it makes your conference so much better. Pitt needs to get there, but it'll happen next year.

jimmy_g: Jerry, do you mean that the PG is paying you six figures?

Jerry Micco: You'll have to ask my agent about that.

smpjcu: Do you think underneath all of the political correctness that Willie Parker is annoyed that his TDs are going to someone else again? Anyone who competes knows this has to fuel his fire.

Jerry Micco: I think Parker's happy when the team wins and he's the feature guy. I really don't think the TDs affect him one way or the other. He knows he's the guy on that team and probably the guy they can least afford to lose. That fuels his fire more than scoring on 1-yard plunges.

jimmy_g: Jerry, you are definitely worth six figures in my book, and if not then I'll be your agent.

Jerry Micco: On that note Jimmy, I gotta run! And I may need to hire you if your rates are good. Nice seeing everyone again. It's always a pleasure to spend this hour with you guys. See you at noon next Wednesday. Maybe we'll have a World Series matchup by then. Thanks!