Homey: The NHL has a salary cap of $56.7 million, the NBA has a "soft" cap of $58.68 million, and the NFL has a cap of $116 million. My question is, do you think the NHL really has revenues fairly close to the NBA, and close to half the NFL? Or are the owners in the NBA and NFL likely just making more profit?

Jerry Micco: Well, the NFL is a much larger league and has to pay more people. The NBA has fewer players and those guys make very good money. I think the NHL has big revenues from ticket sales, concessions, etc., but no TV money. And the NHL also has a minimum cap, which I think some teams probably are closer to than the upper cap.

YeOldeBuccoFan: Everybody looks at the teams on the Steeler's schedule and says how tough it is. What are those teams thinking when they see the Steelers on their schedules?

Jerry Micco: Probably thinking it's going to be a tough, physical game. That's been the team's MO for years. But I also think they may say the offensive line has not looked great and the defense, while still very good, may not be at its peak anymore. So I don't think they see an automatic win, but they don't see an automatic loss either.

YeOldeBuccoFan: With all that fuss about that 9 year old baseball player being too good for his league, why not bump him up to the next level? That happens all the time in all sports.

Jerry Micco: Well, I just read that story last night and I can't figure out what the deal is. If the kid is way superior isn't there a more competitive league for him? Or are the parents trying to make him a superstar. At some point, kids reach a certain level where they just flatten out. I knew kids who were great through middle school in a sport and couldn't handle high school. And kids who were great in high school who couldn't sniff the field in college. Of course, what many folks do is try to find their level. If they know they can't play at Pitt or PSU, maybe IUP or Edinboro or the Rock is their calling. Most players and parents know that.

YeOldeBuccoFan: Good call sending Shelly Anderson over to Beijing. She gave us nice perspectives that we didn't get from glitzy NBC.

Jerry Micco: Shelly worked hard for us over there and I thought she did a nice job for us. We tried to concentrate on regional athletes who were there with the occasional big event. We even had a few A1 stories out of there. But the summer games are tough to cover because you have so much and so little time. And the games weren't set up for Eastern time. But Shelly's now on a much-deserved vacation after I thought a job well-done.

YeOldeBuccoFan: What do you think of the LPGA's English-speaking requirement?

Jerry Micco: It's their association and they can make the rules. I think it's a ham-handed way to do it, but they have that right. And the sponsors demanded it, too. Surprisingly, none of the South Korean players seemed to object too strenuously. Of course, I wonder if an American played on the Asian tour if they'd have to speak the main language on that tour? Sounds like they should.

jimmy_g: The immediate results of the Pirate trades of Nady and Bay have been extremely disappointing to say the least. Is there any reason to believe that the three position players and five pitchers will ever come close to making up what was given up?

Jerry Micco: That's way too early to say, jimmy. As disappointing as it has been, I still think they'd be 8 or 9 games under .500 with those guys at this point. I mean, they scored 9 last night and lost. It's still the pitching, or lack of it, that killed this team. They had to get more arms and more depth. They did that, but it's going to take a couple years to see if it worked. And it really would help if Snell and Gorzo could be competent.

atkpitt12: What do you think about the upcoming Pitt football season?

Jerry Micco: Should be a very good season for the team. I think 9 wins is certainly in reach and possibly 10. A Big East title is probably also in play. Of course, a few injuries could curtail that, but the talent is there.

jimmy_g: Here's hoping that Pitt doesn't fall flat on thier faces against Bowling Green's spread offense and end up with a very disappointing and demoralizing loss.

Jerry Micco: I don't think Dave Wannstedt and company will let that happen. First games are always dicey and unlike the NFL, you don't get practice games. So that's why the Coastal Carolinas of the world exist (if your Penn State). So you can get in a practice game before you play the season. I'd not put Bowling Green in that class. They are not a bad team, but Pitt should handle them.

jimmy_g: What are your thoughts on the Steelers QB situation? Is Charlie Batch headed for the DL?

Jerry Micco: I think they need to keep Dixon because if he is on the practice squad someone's going to take him. I think Batch is headed for the DL.

Chunkles: Jerry, they better get Dixon some playing time on Thursday because with the poor play of the offensive line, Ben and Byron, combined, wont last a whole season.

Jerry Micco: I look for Ben to maybe play a series. Maybe. Leftwich to play out the rest of the first quarter and into the second. And for Dixon to play the rest of the time. With a lot of third and fourth stringers. Still a couple big position battles though. And some backup roles need to be decided, so the game has some import to those guys.

jimmy_g: There was a true story movie awhile back about a local Philadelphia guy who made the Eagles team after new coach Dick Vermiel held open tryouts. Maybe the Pirates should have open tryouts for pitchers.

Jerry Micco: Would that hurt? Probably not. But the movie had our own Ed Bouchette in it. I wonder if Dejan Kovacevic could be in your movie?

MiccoIsTheMan: Jerry, what's your personal opinion on Hartwig? I tend to think he just isn't as good and the team is using this cohesion excuse to cover it up.

Jerry Micco: Hard to tell from a few games, but he sometimes looks like he's beaten pretty badly out there. I don't know how much is cohesion or how much is talent level, but he coaches obviously saw something I didn't see when I watched games. I don't go to practice, but it could be they just like him better there, too.

MiccoIsTheMan: How many Wins does Pitt get?

Jerry Micco: I'm going to say 9, maybe 10.

jimmy_g: There's been a lot of talk about Joe Pa not having a new contract. What are your odds on this being his last season?

Jerry Micco: I'd say no better than 50/50. I'm not sure they definitely want him to go and you know he doesn't want to go. I'm not sure how I feel about all of it, but I do know it's a huge story all season.

MiccoIsTheMan: Well, the Steelers O-line has a great test on Sept. 7th. We shall see!

Jerry Micco: That first game is always a big test. Again, it's hard to tell from preseason if the problem is talent or gameplan or what. I have to think they are better than they showed so far, but if they aren't, Ben had better lean the duck and run technique as well as the 3-step drop and fire.

YeOldeBuccoFan: If you were one of the other Rooney brothers, wouldn't you feel like the NFL was trying to strong-arm you? I mean, it is their money.

Jerry Micco: No question you'd feel that way. And yes, it is there money. But, it's the owners' league and Dan Rooney is probably the most respected owner in the room. Those guys can let in whomever they want and can refuse whomever they want. And I think the NFL was saying exactly that yesterday. I could see if all five brothers wanted to sell the team. Different story. But the guy who has run the team still wants to keep the team. So it's almost like a takeover. Hey, the family can do what it wants when if they want to sell, but the NFL has that approval right, which is a mighty big hammer.

Outsider: I know this is coming from left field so to speak but is the turf at Heinz Field going to be ready this year? Was anything done to improve it?

Jerry Micco: I'm not sure what they did to improve the field, but by late in the season, it'll be shredded. It is what it is. Players seem to rather play on mud than fake turf. And so they will.

chooch79: Jerry, I was surprised with Shelly at the Olympics, the PG ran an article from another newspapaer after Michael Phelps won his historic 8th gold medal. Could she not get into the event or was it just a timing issue?

Jerry Micco: There were some ticketing issues there, but again, we sent her there to do local athletes and add some color, as well as blog daily for us. If you send your reporter, who should bring something different to the coverage, to all the big events, then he or she joins hundreds of other journalists writing the same story. It's a tough call to make, but it's what we'd decided to do.

Outsider: Do the owners of baseball ever hint at wanting a salary cap? In spite of what people say I think it would level the playing field and help teams like the Pirates.

Jerry Micco: Many owners would probably love the cap. A few would hate it. The players will never vote for it.

theWellHungarian: What type of season are you predicting from Johnny Baldwin?

Jerry Micco: I understand from folks he's just a terrific player. I think receiver is tougher to learn than running back, so I'm not expecting he'll be an instant star. But he'll be a very good player and should be a threat on the Pitt offense. Maybe 7 or 8 TDs and maybe 40-50 catches. A very good season, I think.

George: Jerry- You should send Dunlap on another "where in the world is Pedro Alvarez" mission

Jerry Micco: Colin would be up for that, I'm sure. That is one of the oddest things I've ever seen. There's no reason for him not to report. Just crazy.

theWellHungarian: Will Pitt & University of State Penn ever renew their rivalry?

Jerry Micco: They probably will one day. And it may be an on-again, off-again deal. I don't know that they'll play forever because of the different conferences and the way college football goes these days. I grew up and went to college during the rivalry and it was great. But it was one-sided. I believe PSU is 23-7 vs. Pitt during the Paterno years. Doesn't mean they shouldn't play, but the best of that rivalry was in the 70s when Pitt was outstanding and PSU was still very good. All that said, I wish they'd play again.

virginiagold: Jerry--this is a little off the wall, but with the new arena coming, has there been any thought about trying to get an NBA franchise for Pittsburgh? The Pacers are drawing poorly in Indy and several other teams have market or arena problems.

Jerry Micco: My understanding is the NBA isn't interested and Pittsburgh isn't interested. Four sports in a market this size would be a stretch. I don't see how it would work. Not enough corporate sponsorship dollars or disposable income.

jimmy_g: I personally have a big problem with baseball's financial structure. Even if the Pirates were managed perfectly (which we all know that have not been), they would still be playing on an unlevel field. The only way this will ever end is for enough owners to vote to shutdown for a year or more like hockey did.

Jerry Micco: But you see, then how do you explain the Yankees, Red Sox, Mets, Angels and Cubs not winning it every year? How do you explain Colorado? Minnesota? Even Milwaukee, which is not in the range of those top teams, but they do spend $80 million. The problem with teams like the Pirates is they have to be perfect. And you're right, they are not. Few teams are. At some point, you have to spend money to get better, whether it be through the draft or free agency.

virginiagold: The baseball owners would love a cap but the most powerful union in America won't yield an iota on this. Hockey gave up a season to get a modified cap. I think NFL owners are truly playing with fire in terminating their contract with the players and going to an uncapped year in 2010 and who knows what beyond that.

Jerry Micco: The NFL owners are banking on the players wanting some financial security that a cap brings rather than no cap where some teams will just underspend and not try to win with big salaries. There are owners like that; they'll just pack it in and do it on the cheap. At least now, there is a cap minimum, so teams have to spend a certain amount. But any time you leave something open to chance, and with a change atop the players' association after Gene Upshaw's untimely death, you are rolling the dice.

Jerry Micco: Well folks, time to get back to the grind. I want to thank all of you who hung in there through the early technical troubles. We'll have this problem licked by next week. Let your sports friends know we do this every Wednesday at noon and they should join the club. Lot of stuff to talk about by next Wednesday! Thanks for taking the time.