James_Taipei: Would JoePa stepping down be the biggest sporting suprise of the year? Any chance of it really happening?

Jerry Micco: I don't know if it would be so surprising, especially if they can go 11-1 and get a BCS bowl bid. Or, if you consistently saw him struggle with his health the way he seems to be since his second leg injury. It will not be easy for him the rest of the season. And Bob Smizik may have had it right today -- his health may eventually drive him out of this job.

James_Taipei: What AFC team do you think would give the Steelers the most problems?

Jerry Micco: Tennessee, because I think they are a similar team in that its defense is very good and they have enough offense to make it stand up. I'm not convinced that New England is a bad team, even without Tom Brady. And I have to believe at some point, San Diego is going to get better. Right now though, I think the Steelers are in the top 2 or 3 of the conference.

jimmy_g: He may not be quite up there with Tom Brady but Big Ben's elusiveness (as evidenced on the last drive on Sunday) must drive defensive coordinators nuts.

Jerry Micco: It does because he's so strong that it's sometimes tough to bring him down. He's always going to have to do that type of thing because he wants to hold on to the ball to make a play. That's going to get you sacked a few times every game. I think they'll continue to work with him on that because as much as you like his big-play ability and his ability to escape, he just can't keep taking those hits.

jimmy_g: What a great win for the Panthers in Florida. Of course it could all be for naught if they stumble against Navy.

Jerry Micco: I go back to what I said last week, even if they stumble against Navy and Notre Dame, which are both possible, they can still win the Big East and get to the BCS. They have no shot at the national title because of the Bowling Green game and strength of schedule. So out-of-conference losses won't hurt them so much. But who in the Big East is better? I think only WVU, which is pretty ordinary these days, and UConn, minus it's starting QB, are the only other teams in the conference that could beat Pitt. I think winning the BE and getting a BCS bowl would be a tremendous accomplishment.

jimmy_g: You have to feel good for Jason Bay as he escaped the Pirates and is now playing in the ALCS, but you have to feel bad for the Pirates and their fans who are looking as 3-5 more years of losing.

Jerry Micco: Well, by all accounts, Bay was well-liked by his teammates and well-liked by the folks who covered the team. So in that sense, he's getting his shot at being with a winner. But if you are a Pirates fan, you are seeing another rebuilding that is going to take time. You wonder how long the patience is going to last for the fans.

PhillyMarty: Jerry: Can we have some objective chat on Ben. I was one of the first to buy his shirt his rookie year, now I am a harsh critic every since the season after the accident. Playing hurt can be admirable as long as it does not hurt the team. Don't feel like he understands that fine line. His game vs. Philly was brutal and he allowed his line to take most of the rap!!! I maintain his ridiculous sack totals are 90% on him, he holds the ball way too long. I even suggest that his accident has caused his brain to process info as little as 1/2 second slow, which is a long time in the speedy NFL. But now he seems to be ignoring coaching, imploring him to throw the ball sooner. At this rate, don't see how a season ending injury does not come by Thanksgiving if not next game vs. the toothless Bungals.

Jerry Micco: You could be right about the injury Marty, but you look at the numbers and they say he's still one of the best QBs in the NFL. I don't disagree, as I said earlier, that he should be worked with to get rid of the ball more quickly and needs to make better reads sometimes, but I'll take him over 90 percent of the QBs out there now. He's certainly not perfect and the Philly game showed that. There are tough games ahead, too. Let's see how he comes out of those, because if this team is going to win, they need him to play to the top of his ability. I don't know if I buy the accident argument. He had an excellent season last year.

PhillyMarty: JoPa won't retire, remembers too well the passing of Bear Bryant within 6 months of his retirement. I still say the crime log is sufficient grounds for the admin to force him out no matter how many he wins this year. Whether they have the gumption is another matter.

Jerry Micco: You may be right on the admin having the stones to do that, but I think their decision is made much more difficult if he gets them to a BCS bowl, or even a national title shot. Again, this may be moot if he health continues to decline.

jimmy_g: Even though others may have predicted the same thing, you have to give crusty old Bob Smizik credit for nailing it with his prediction of the Steelers game plan on Sunday.

Jerry Micco: Bob, crusty as he is, also is a very good reporter/columnist. He is around the team some, not as much as the beat guys, and is very analytical. That's a huge part of the columnist's job.

PhillyMarty: I think the Big East has sunk to the level many feared when Miami and BC left, allowing many to question if the league deserves BCS membership.

Jerry Micco: Well, unless their champion can get a Top 16 rating and out-rank a non-BCS qualifier, they would not be given a BCS birth. Is that possible? Yes, if indeed Pitt is the winner and they have three out-of-conference losses. However, some teams ahead of them now likely will fade. And if Pitt can go 9-3, they'll probably get that rating. It's no worse than the ACC has been the last couple of years. The difference is, no WVU at the top, which helped the conference's overall ranking.

jimmy_g: Follow-up on Pitt: I agree on Pitt and the Big East but what I was referring to was the overall direction of the program.

Jerry Micco: Certainly, a big win like that helps the program. Actually, the big win against WVU may have helped more with local recruiting. And while I'll grant you that the USF win was a program enhancer, how does that same team lose to Bowling Green?

jimmy_g: The Penguins OT win in the first game was great but the loss in the second game was anything but that. What are your early season thoughts?

Jerry Micco: Gosh, too early to tell. They are going to miss Gonchar terribly and until Satan and Fedotenko get used to playing with Crosby et al, it's going to take a while for the offense to adjust let alone the power play. I think they may start out slowly and then get going around Thanksgiving, much like last season. They are still one of the best 2 teams in the East.

PhillyMarty: I have long admired Jeff Fisher the longest tenured coach since Cowher resigned. But how many playoff games can he win with his QB's? His d and running game are good, but don't think they are the level of the SB winning Ravens a few years back.

Jerry Micco: It's not better than Baltimore's defense, but it's awfully good. And Kerry Collins, if he remains the starter, has played in many big games. All they have to do is control the ball and play great defense to get deep into the playoffs. And the Steelers play there on Dec. 21. That could decide the top seed in the AFC.

OBAMA_: Doesn't it sound like Lanny was forced out? He's too much of an egomaniac to step aside quietly.

Jerry Micco: I'm not privy to the private discussions between Lanny and the Pirates brass, but he's saying he retired, so we'll go with that. Unless we hear otherwise. Some people agree with your take that he was forced out. Others don't . Sometimes in these situations, we never really know what happened until some time later.

praveen: Stapleton seemed to hold on to his blocks longer than the likes of Simmons, Colon from past games. Do you think the Steelers would consider cutting Simmons next year if Stapleton keeps this up?

Jerry Micco: If Stapleton does a good job the rest of the season, they are going to need to look at how to deploy Simmons, since he'll make around $4 million. Remember, Stapleton's natural spot is center and while maybe Simmons returns to guard next year, Stapleton becomes a backup at both center and guard. And maybe you let him compete with Simmons in camp. Besides, if Marvel Smith goes, is Starks going to play left tackle? Right now, that's a bigger question for the line.

PhillyMarty: Other than residual effects of the accident, how else do you explain Ben holding the ball so long. May I suggest someone pull out tapes from 2005 and compare the time taken for his typical release from then to now? Other than the accident, the only other possibility would seem to be over the top stubbornness bordering on failure to accept coaching instruction. He comes across as one whose helmet size got much larger after SBXL.

Jerry Micco: Then I find it amazing that a team full of pros like the Steelers, character guys like Ward, Farrior, Marvel Smith, Townsend and Polamalu, would elect Ben captain. I think they like playing with the guy. Does that mean he's the most popular guy in the locker room? I don't know. Captains aren't elected on popularity, but leadership qualities. As for the release, that's an interesting theory, but I'm not sure if the offense that year was more three-step drop and throw or if it's more like it is now. It was a different head coach and offensive coordinator that year, too. I'm not saying your theory on the accident is not worthy examining, but I just don't know if I buy it.

YeOldeBuccoFan: Two Pittsburgh football teams going down to Florida as underdogs, giving up stupid early TD's, then dominate the games only to fall behind 21-20 in the 4th, then come back to win 26-20. Both night games on national TV. In the same week! How weird is that?

Jerry Micco: The irony didn't escape us here, either. Rather odd circumstances.

jimmy_g: OK Jerry, here is a question of interest to most of us in the room: Are you disappointed in the usually low attendance in the chats? And is there any chance they will be discontinued?

Jerry Micco: I've never drawn all that many people. If I get 12 people in a room at once, then that's not too bad. What I enjoy are the large numbers of questions I get because I like to interact with whoever is here. Of course, you want 100 people here because then they are utilizing our Web site. It's part of our business. As for discontinuing the chat, that's up to folks above me. I've been the longest-tenured chat person here, going on four-plus years. I have never grown tired of it. Maybe I'm the JoePa of the PG chatters.

praveen: Even if the decision was made before the Stanley Cup finals, I think it was silly of the NHL not to have the Red Wings open the season in Sweden with the Swedish players they have.

Jerry Micco: If you go on that logic, you are exactly right. If you go by marketing, jersey sales and popularity, you go with Sidney Crosby. He's the most marketable player in the league and he makes them a lot of money.

PhillyMarty: Pitt may not be able to lure a coach any better than the mediocre one they have. Believe he has much to do with the loss to BG. His presence will place a low ceiling on how far the program can advance. I like him, just don't think he is that strong of a coach.

Jerry Micco: Many share your belief, Marty. Dave Wannstedt is in year four and this likely will be his first winning season. I'm sure that was not in his plan. He has two very big wins, though, in the last six games. Over top 10 opponents. That does help the program. But can he make that program elite? That's a pretty big jump.

PirateApologist: Hey Jerry, Don't you think that every round of the baseball playoffs should be 7 games? Probably wouldn't change any of the outcomes this year though.

Jerry Micco: They'd play the World Series in early November, then. No, I'm good with five games for the opening round.

yzguy431: what do you think the real reason for max Starks being on the bench is

Jerry Micco: I have no idea, except to think that Mike Tomlin and the coaching staff don't have a lot of faith in his ability. Willie Colon is not their best lineman, but he keeps his job when you have a $7 million tackle who started for a winning Super Bowl team on the bench. Go figure.

YeOldeBuccoFan: Let's see..Dodgers get Manny Ramirez, who leads them into the NLCS...Red Sox get Jason Bay, who plays huge role in leading them into the ALCS...Pirates get Hansen, LaRoche, Moss, and Morris...gee, I hope this Morris kid can win a couple Cy Youngs, or this trade could go down as a REAL joke.

Jerry Micco: Patience, patience. But yes, every Pirate fan is thinking the same thing. As are Neil Huntington and Frank Coonelly. Makes one swallow hard if you're in their shoes, which is why they get very nice salaries. It's part of the job not only to give the team a direction, but then sell that direction, after 16 losing seasons, to fans. Not very easy.

PhillyMarty: Have heard the murmurs about Lanny being forced out, care to venture the reasons behind it? Is Greg Brown strong enough to merit being deemed the #1?

Jerry Micco: Again, I can't comment on rumors or murmurs, but I'm sure the Pirates will look within to see if Brown is the guy for the job. I think they'll look outside, too, because many fans follow the team through the announcers. They have a huge connection with the fan base. Most of my mail is pro-Lanny, people saying they'll miss him. It's not all of the mail, just most of it. I'd like to see Brown get a shot. But I'm not sure he will.

jimmy_g: Speaking of Baltimore's defense, Ray Lewis has to be one of the greatest linebackers of all time (and I don't even like the guy).

Jerry Micco: Not the most likeable guy, but certainly one of the best ever. He won't have a long wait to get a bust in Canton. Even with the incident at the Super Bowl hanging over him, which it still does to an extent.

OBAMA_: Maybe every college coach should watch film at home. Ron Cook and others were very critical of Paterno for this in the offseason, but I don't think there is a better coached team so far this year than Penn State.

Jerry Micco: Joe has always had terrific assistants. And now, more than ever, they are running the team. I think Joe still has the final say, but the day to day stuff as well as gameday stuff, is handled by Bradley, Hall and Jay Paterno. I'm sure Joe's talking with them, but they are running things. And you can't argue with 6-0, either.

YeOldeBuccoFan: I liked Lanny, but I don't think he's Hall of Fame (Frick Award) material. He had the longevity, but not the "magic" that those great all-time announcers had. What do you think?

Jerry Micco: I'm closer to your camp than the other side. He was good, very good, most of his career, but there's no signature thing he did that says Frick Award. You know, I'm not sure there are many of those guys around, especially with the newer crowd. Everyone seems very cookie-cutter these days.

PirateApologist: Not to be too dramatic, but this Navy game is huge for Pitt. They absolutely cannot drop this one after the win in Florida.

Jerry Micco: From a program advancement point of view, you are right. No question you can't beat No. 10 and then lose to Navy. But if you take the long view of the season, it's more important to win Big East games.

yzguy431: pitt t4-1? do you believe it? can the win out?

Jerry Micco: I'm thinking they can't win out. But 10-2 or 9-3 is certainly attainable.

PhillyMarty: It appears that the best CB on the team is McFadden and free agency looms. Who is his agent? Understand the policy on regarding negotiating after the season starts. Do the Steelers try and do a deal now on the QT and announce it later, or is it too hard to keep something like that quiet? What else can they do?

Jerry Micco: I think his agent is Drew Rosenhaus, so the negotiations will not be fun. I think they are going to try to get something done with him, but if they want to do that, they will have to work through the season to do it and then announce it rather quickly at the end. If McFadden tests the waters, someone's going to gobble him up. And while the Steelers have a need in the D-Line, I think they need secondary people, especially corners.

praveen: I love the Pens and am glad we have Crosby because of his tough play and hustle. But even I am sick of all the Crosby hype by the North American hockey media. Crosby doesn't score enough goals to merit that Mario or Gretzky like hype. Crosby may be the best or one of the best right now. But he is one of a few superstars not THE SUPERSTAR.

Jerry Micco: The guy does some incredible things on the ice, and he's only 21. Yes, there are terrific players in this league, including his teammate, Evgeni Malkin. But Crosby has a Hart and an Art Ross already in the trophy case, as well as a conference championship. Not bad for three years work. And the league hypes Crosby more than the media in North America. The fans in every city turn out to see him when the Pens come to town. No, he's not Gretzky or Mario and may never be. But before he's done, and barring injuries, he'll be in the top 5 or 10 players ever.

YeOldeBuccoFan: James Harrison gets fined $20,000 for speaking the truth? What is this, Soviet Russia of the 50's?

Jerry Micco: It's the NFL of the last 10 years or so. You cannot knock the officials, even if they blow calls. Players and coaches know that.

OBAMA_: Has Dejan come out of his cave yet or is he still in hibernation?

Jerry Micco: After a long season, he's taking some well-deserved time off. He is one fabulous beat reporter.

jimmy_g: Good catch by YeOldeBuccoFan but the scores were 26-21.

Jerry Micco: I didn't want to call him out for that, jimmy. OK, you did.

praveen: Is Sydor that low on the coaches depth chart? We lost two of our top defensemen and he still barely manages to crack the opening game lineup.

Jerry Micco: He was the odd guy out in the playoffs last year, too. He's very serviceable, but I think if you want offense, and you need that now, LeTang and Goligoski are much better prepared to deliver that for you.

Count_Chocula: Jerry, what's the biggest key to the Nits getting out of Madison with a W Saturday Night?

Jerry Micco: No turnovers. Run the ball and keep moving the chains. And the defense has to not let Wisconsin up off the deck if the offense gives PSU a lead. This is a good, but not great Wisconsin team. But Madison is a very tough place to play. Any Nits fan should be a bit queasy about this one.

PhillyMarty: Don't ever remember the Steelers using a significant amount of 3-step drop type stuff. That has always been more of a staple of the West Coast offense or even the old "run and shoot." They have always like to throw the ball down the field. The physical Steelers and their fans have detested "dink and dunk." Don't think that has changed under the new regime. Perhaps you are arguing that they are placing even more emphasis on downfield throwing hence the play takes longer to develop, more sacks result.

Jerry Micco: That could be it. And I don't think the line is as good as the group in 2005. You had Faneca and Hartings in that mix. And Starks was a very serviceable RT. Add to that, a younger Marvel Smith. I think Ben holds on too long at times. That helps him make great plays, too, but maybe you can do that if you have a better line in front of you. And maybe you have a point: The coaches may be pounding it into his head but he wants to do it his way. Wouldn't be the first time a QB and a coaching staff have been at odds.

Count_Chocula: Lanny being gone is the best thing to happen to the Bucs in 16 years. Noooooooooo doubt about it!

Jerry Micco: See, there are those folks out there that won't miss Lanny at all. Even ones with cereal names.

praveen: Dodgers seemed to have been the biggest winner of the trade simply by virtue that they get Manny's production for free(Red Sox picking up most of his salary). Red Sox winners too with Bay nearly matching Manny with the bat, and surpassing him in other areas. The Pirates - well, I just can't see the players improve enough to consider them winners in this trade. I am hoping Moss can redeem the trade.

Jerry Micco: Moss will have to get healthy first, though I believe Morris is the guy who they are looking at down the road to redeem them. I think the Sox won this one because they got a bad character out of their clubhouse and replaced him with the ultimate team guy. The fact that Bay is hitting so well is just icing on the cake.

jimmy_g: Is there a professional sports season that isn't too long? Football starts in blazing heat and ends in bitter cold. Someday a World Series game will be snowed out. Hockey ends its season on "soft" ice. Basketball just goes on forever.

Jerry Micco: They are all too long. Used to be a time in our business that you could take a breather and plan things season to season. Now, we have to do it during the season. I think the NFL is about right, but give me 150 baseball games (or 154). And 70 NHL and NBA games, and I'm fine. But then, you have to have fans to help pay the salaries.

PhillyMarty: Bad analogy, JoePa would never do chats, does not especially like sportswriters. Ever go to his weekly Nittany Lion Club luncheons if they still have them? Questioners from the audience got roasted if they did not ask softball questions.

Jerry Micco: I interview Joe a few times when I was sports editor at the Collegian for a bit. Back in those days (late 70s) he was much more amicable with the press. But no question, he's adversarial now. In a social setting, he's absolutely fine. I remember a different time and a different guy sometimes. But I think his age and the toll on him is really, and has been for a few years, wearing him down.

Count_Chocula: Jerry, anybody covering the preseason tilt between King James and the World Champs Tuesday? I'm one of two NBA fans in the city.

Jerry Micco: Mike White will be there.

Jerry Micco: Folks I need to go, but this has been a great hour. And the crowd, not too bad by the end. The questions were great as usual, and I'm leaving many in the box because I'm out of time. Good to see Marty back live chatting. And of course my regular folks: jimmy-g, james-taipei, pirateapologist, yeoldebucco and some newer people. Hope to see you all next Wednesday at noon. Thanks for taking the time.