James_Taipei: How can Frank Coonelly say that he is offended that people might think that John Russell would do anything but put the lineup out there most likely to win games? If that was true why has Brandon Moss started so many games?

Jerry Micco: I thought Frank's reaction was pretty strong, but it's his job to help defend his employee. And Brandon Moss, I think in the long run, will be a pretty good player. But the jury's still out on him. That said, why not try these young guys? What do you really have to lose but a few more games. They are not contenders this season, so guys like Moss, Andy LaRoche, Ohlendorf and Karstens get a year of a tryout.

yzguy431: good afternoon, Jerry. Matt Cooke...dirty hit?

Jerry Micco: Hard to say. I don't know if Cooke is thinking "Now's my chance to take out Erik Cole." Heat of the moment, heat of the game. Also, I didn't think Ovechkin meant to go knee-to-knee on Gonchar. Should both Cooke and Ovie been more careful and did both maybe, just maybe, leave that knee out there a bit too long? Probably to both.

yzguy431: good afternoon, Jerry. James Harrison? should anyone really care?

Jerry Micco: Makes no difference to me, but seems to resonate with readers, and they are the bosses.

James_Taipei: Will Sidney Crosby one day be considered the greatest Penguin ever? What do you think?

Jerry Micco: It's going to be hard for Sid to top what No. 66 has done both on and off the ice for the franchise. Sid will be a great player. He already is. But Mario's level of play, his comebacks, his saving of the team on at least 2 occasions, all add up to the greatest Penguin ever.

ajt123: Whats your opinion of James Harrison not going to D.C.?

Jerry Micco: Not everyone on the 53-man roster will be there, I'll bet. If he doesn't want to go, so what? I know he's a high-profile player, but I don't think President Obama is going to care who shows up. Unless of course, his ambassador-nominee to Ireland is absent for some reason. And we know, as a pilot, Dan Rooney isn't afraid of the friendly skies.

ajt123: Prediction for this Penguins Series?

Jerry Micco: I said early that it'd be Penguins in 6. I'll stick with that.

theWellHungarian: did I call it or what last week? for those that need a reminder (from last week's chat 5/13/2009), "theWellHungarian: ... & I think this Varlamov is gonna crack ... Thoughts?"

Jerry Micco: He did crack, good call Hungarian. You see that much rubber and you aren't all that experienced, that can happen. He obviously has some flaws in his game, but I think in time, he'll be a very good goalie. But like a lot of European goalies, his glove hand needs a lot of work.

PirateApologist: Who will retire first: Big Ben or Farve?

Jerry Micco: Hopefully, and I'm pleading with him here, Favre.

Chunkles: Jerry, Here is an idea for a story for your paper. The attendants in the penalty box. Who are they employed by? What is their job? I'm sure they have some interesting stories?

Jerry Micco: My kids always ask why that guy is in there besides opening the door and telling the player when he can leave. Good point. I'll bring that up with our writers.

RonnieTuriaf: Kunitz is a very solid player, butt do you think a first-line can continue to get by when one winger barely shoots? Isn't it easier to defend a two-man game of Crosby and Guerrin if Kunitz doesn't present the threat of a shot?

Jerry Micco: It probably is easier, but Kunitz brings some toughness to the line. I have no idea why he's suddenly gone cold in the playoffs. He's still doing a lot of other things, but if he's going to be with Sid, he has to score. Guerin, who has always been a scorer, can still bring it some, but he's 39. Seems Kunitz would be good on a third line with Staal. The 2 seemed to have good chemistry right after the trade. But he does perform a role and for now, I'm sure he'll stay right where he is.

theWellHungarian: What impact, if any, will Coach Dixon's being appointed U19 USA National Team coach on the Pitt program? I hope & think that it can help with recruiting, you?

Jerry Micco: Certainly can't hurt. Pitt has recruited pretty well in the Dixon era, so all you are doing with that appointment is helping them out a bit more. And in the competitive world of college basketball, you need every break you can get.

Fish: How do you feel about the Penguins chances IF they win this series against the Canes?

Jerry Micco: They are better now, maybe, than they were last year. But Detroit is, too. I don't like those odds.

praveen: Hi Jerry. Great to see Fleury outplay Ward. I hope Jordan Staal can pick it up to the next level so Fleury wont feel the pressure to outperform the clutch Ward every game.

Jerry Micco: If you can get 3 goals a game on Ward, you have had a huge night. Believe it or not, Fleury is going to have to be beyond good for the Pens to win the series. I think he can do it, but they need to bang on Carolina a bit more and they need more than 31 shots at Ward.

Fish: What number of years do you think for the over/under on the Pirates finishing over .500?

Jerry Micco: I think if some of their pitching holds up and some of the younger hitters, including guys in the minors who will move up, come through, they can be a .500 team in a couple years. But you need Snell better than 1-5. And you need for Maholm to be more consistent. And you need hitters that don't go into huge slumps for long periods. Consistency is the hallmark of great clubs.

theWellHungarian: What are your thoughts on the youngster from the Dominican Republic? A part of me says, "that's a lot of money to invest in a 16 year old kid," but another part of me says, "the greatest risks have the greatest rewards." In the end, my line of thinking is, If we sign him and he becomes Hanley Ramirez, it will give me a reason to go to the park, but if we sign him and he becomes a bust, well then, we were going to stink regardless ...

Jerry Micco: It's a lot of money to sink into a young kid, no doubt. But if you look at your draft and say there's no one there who is screaming for a huge bonus at No. 4, so maybe we go young, then why not take the kid from the Dominican. I have to think if this kid is the real deal, big-money teams may pay even more than $4 million and outbid the Pirates, who would stretch to make that figure.

PirateApologist: Please give me your expert opinion on this: Last week, in a parking lot downtown, I saw a car with a Steelers and Penguin sticker on it (it had a PA license plate). I searched for the Pirates sticker to make it complete, only to find a Cubs sticker. I know they have lost for blah, blah years, but that is lame. Thoughts? Again, it was a PA car.

Jerry Micco: Since I'm an expert on nothing, let me venture this guess: The husband is from Chicago and the wife is from Western Pa. That's the best I can do. Or, they are a family of front-runners.

praveen: Boucher had only 8 min plus of ice time. Gonchar who was clearly hampered by injury in the first period had 20 min, and the slow tiring Gill who seems to have the knack of falling on his goalie(on the Staal attempt at the end) got nearly 20 min. I was hoping for Boucher to get 15min. Thoughts?

Jerry Micco: I'm not a huge fan of Boucher as a defender, but like you, was surprised to see Gonchar had 20 minutes. He must be feeling that some, I'm sure. Gill has had a tough stretch after playing really well early on. I think, though, you still have to give him his minutes. He's really a better option defensively than Boucher.

praveen: I think the difference with James Harrison's reaction now is that he is one of the marquee team leaders. It will show some team spirit to show up. Driving to the DC is not that hard.

Jerry Micco: Well, again, he's a team leader but Big Ben and Hines Ward are really the faces of the Steelers. Harrison shuns the limelight every chance he gets. Maybe he doesn't want 5 hours in a car coming and going.

theWellHungarian: If Crosby was extra-motivated playing against Ovechkin, what kind of extra-motivation do you think he will display going up against someone (Hossa) who turned his back on him & the team he captains? Could get scary, eh?

Jerry Micco: His motivation, as Ron Cook captured in his excellent Sunday column on Sid, is to be a champion. Individuals motivate him some, but winning is all that matters to him.

praveen: The reason why Fleury is held to a super high standard was he was a #1 pick in one of the best first round drafts. I will not name later round picks who ended up successful as that happens every year. First round picks tha year include Vanek, Staal, Mike Richards, J. Carter, Getlaf, Perry, Parise. Thoughts on this talent group?

Jerry Micco: One of the best groups ever brought into the league. And remember, the Pens traded out of the No. 3 spot to No. 1 to take him. Because the goalie is the X-factor in hockey. A great goalie can lead a good team (see: Carolina in 2006) to the promised land. Rarely does the other way work (great team, good goalie).

Swanny: With Harrison being afraid to fly, I ask you these two questions: Did he take a boat to "report for duty" when he signed on the play in NFL Europe? If not, could you imagine being that guy sitting next to him during that flight from JFK to Berlin? Sheeeeesh!

Jerry Micco: He flies when he has to and obviously doesn't see a White House visit as a mandatory thing. Reporting to work is mandatory, so he does it. And no, you really don't want an agitated James Harrison in the same 100 yards of you.

RonnieTuriaf: do you think it's awkward in the pens locker room that Petr Sykora, one of their most important players of the past two seasons, has been phased out of the team. what can it be like with him hanging around there? do you think there's just an unspoken understanding that he doesn't have it anymore?

Jerry Micco: I think the players respect Sykora for his entire body of work and my guess is he's treated very well by them. Of course it's awkward because he's done many good things here. But something's amiss and the players know that. Their goal is to win. And to do that, you have to put your best guys out there. Winning trumps all.

theWellHungarian: I was looking at a few mock NBA drafts and Fella is slippin' and slippin' and slippin' some more ... Do you still think he made the correct decision? I think he made a sound decision, but the decision to hire an agent is going to be the coup de gr?. I like Dejuan, but he really needs another year if seasoning ...

Jerry Micco: I don't know if he would have gotten much better in another year at Pitt. And besides, he'll still be a first-round pick and a bit of a project/role player early in his NBA career. I think a lot of the decision revolved around money so he can help his family. The other was I don't know how much better he could have gotten at the college level.

praveen: I noticed in the Red Wings game that in the power plays, whenever the puck was sent to the other end, the PP unit would retrieve it and start the rush back really fast.Our players seemed to ponder the mysteries of the world before deciding to start another rush.

Jerry Micco: That's been on problem on the Pens power play, though it has stepped it up recently. Detroit has always been known as a team that moves the puck fast, particularly the great Nick Lidstrom. And they have all the players they need to fast-break you to death, or plant guys in front to make life miserable for goalies.

praveen: I can't remember, but I think Dupuis may have actually gotten a goal or two, at least, by this time last year in the playoffs. (Comparing to Kunitz)

Jerry Micco: Dupuis did score some and is capable of doing that on occasion, but I'd rather have Kunitz out there because he can do other things better than Dupuis. I think what's keeping Dupuis on the bench is Dan Bylsma's decision to play 7 defensemen. And Kunitz is going to keep playing. Who knows, maybe he's the guy who is the hero in a game with a goal. He needs to get off the schneid.

RonnieTuriaf: Do you think the Pens or Detroit are a more physically imposing team? I feel like our team has gotten tougher from last year.

Jerry Micco: Yes, tougher, but Detroit is more physical. It'll be a closer matchup physically, but Detroit would have an edge there in my opinion.

PirateApologist: During the Capital series, I heard a lot of people on the call in shows saying that announcers are biased against the Penguins. I never understood this, and even if they came right out and said "I hope the Capitals win this game," what difference does it make? Now, if the league or refs said it, it would be a different story.

Jerry Micco: People here really have a thing about national announcers being "against" the Steelers/Penguins/Pitt. I don't see that, though perish the thought that a studio analyst wouldn't pick any of the above teams to win it all. People have to lighten up. If anything, and NBC game called by Doc Emrick and Eddie Olczyk may have a Pittsburgh bias, considering Emrick is from here and Edzo coached here.

praveen: NFL and COMCAST seemed to have come to their sense and avoided an NHL style bungling of TV rights and access.

Jerry Micco: Good call by both parties. The NHL still needs to do some work.

praveen: I actually hope Cooke gets fined heavily even if others have escaped punishment this year. It will actually help the Pirates because players will think twice before doing the same to Crosby or Malkin.

Jerry Micco: I know you mean the Penguins, but Cooke may be up for a fine. But did Ovechkin get a fine? That seemed like an even more brutal hit. You cannot fine or suspend by depth chart.

RonnieTuriaf: isn't it time to get Dupuis back in the lineup? Gonch said he's close to being able to get his normal minutes. I worry that double shifting Cros and Malkin will tire them. Sid looked gassed at the end of last game.

Jerry Micco: Only if Gonchar is near 100 percent and can handle 26 or 27 minutes, which is what he'd get if he were. I don't think the Pens are sure he can do that.

Swanny: Should Roger Goodell stand in the way of Michael Vick making a living doing what he is trained to do, which is play football?

Jerry Micco: Vick served his time. I don't know what Goodell will do with him, but some prison time trumps a suspension. And yes, Mike Vick will be in a uniform this season, barring a Goodell suspension.

praveen: I hope opposing players will be foolish enough to use this White House incident to make fun of him. That will ensure a very very mad Harrison which is good.

Jerry Micco: You know, I'm just guessing here, but if you're his opponent, don't you go out of your way to please the man?

praveen: If Satan maintains this level of play throughout the playoffs, this will make up for his mediocre regular season.

Jerry Micco: Well, maybe. We'll see what Shero thinks of in the big picture, such as who he signs in the offseason. An entire body of work, along with the fact that the 2010-11 salary cap almost certainly will go down, may enter in that decision.

ajt123: If you were the Pirates GM, and money was no object pick one player you would add...

Jerry Micco: Albert Pujols. Then, Roy Halladay. OK, just one? Then it's Pujols.

ajt123: Do you think Sykora and or Satan are retained next year?

Jerry Micco: I think it's a long shot. Age and salary cap space may dictate that both go.

praveen: No team seems to have it in their will to block shots like the Pens players.

Jerry Micco: I think their opponents, Carolina, likes to block shots. And they do. The Pens, though, do a very good job of it. I think that certainly helps Fleury, so they go out of their way to do it. Even if it means trying to run him over in the crease (see: Hal Gill vs. Washington last round).

RonnieTuriaf: can you imagine how good we'd be if we had the True Sykora playing on our team? it's pretty impressive that we've been able to not lose a step after losing our 3rd leading goal-scorer behind Kid Cros and Geno. maybe, somehow, he comes back later in a pivotal moment and lights the lantern.

Jerry Micco: Again, it's the playoffs so you never know. Sykora has always been a very good scorer and you'd think he'd be a huge help. I don't know what his problem is, and for all we know, he's injured. The NHL is super secretive about those things. Also, you get a very good two-way guy in Sykora.

praveen: Mikael Samuelson, the throwaway in the Fleury trade. I don't remember him being this impressive with the Pens. He is more than a spare part with the Red Wings.

Jerry Micco: Sometimes guys mature and improve, and other times, you surround marginal guys with great players and they thrive.

RonnieTuriaf: how crushed would we be if the Pens lost the series to Carolina? I think us fans are all a little guilty of looking ahead to the Cup, but how can you not when we're clearly the more talented team (on paper)?

Jerry Micco: I think fans would have been crushed if they lost to Philly or Washington, too. But certainly, getting this far, fans expect to win the series and head to the Cup final. But you are right. You cannot look past Carolina. Great goalie and a very good team. And they took out the top seed in the East.

praveen: A big difference in this year's playoffs: The lines are more settled. Though I do wish Blysma tries out Kunitz on other lines to see if he will click better with Malkin or Staal.Still overall, less desperate and steadier work by our lines.

Jerry Micco: That's a Bylsma thing: settle down the lines and play your game. He's had to juggle a bit because of the odd number of forwards, but the basic lines have held true. I'd not mind moving Kunitz maybe for Cooke on Sid's line. Cooke played there some this year. And he might at some point.

KS_Steeler: Hi Jerry; great to see another Wednesday Chat; one correction; many announcers don't 'like' the Steelers, such as John Madden and now Cris Collinsworth

Jerry Micco: Well, I'm sure as a coach and player, those two didn't like the Steelers. But I don't pick up too much from them when they analyze the game. Madden did the Super Bowl. I watched it. He didn't seem to be hammering the Steelers during that game, unless they deserved it. I don't know that their biases creep into their work. Does that mean Jerome Bettis, as an analyst, hates Cleveland or Baltimore? Works both ways, I'd think.

RonnieTuriaf: Why did the media barbeque Malkin after the first two games against the Capitals? He was playing pretty well, not scoring goals but making plays, creating chances. And now you never hear anything negative about him, and he's playing the same. Seemed like he was made an obvious scapegoat.

Jerry Micco: I am Geno Malkin's biggest apologist, but he did not play well early in the Caps series. Tons of turnovers, trying to do too much, penalties. Not his best moments. And he disappeared for part of that series. He's been playing much better from say Game 4 in the Caps series through Game 1 now. He's playing like he's capable. He'll never be an awful player, he's way too talented. But he does have lapses and he needs to work on that.

KS_Steeler: have you heard if Cowher is going to ring the bell in Carolina? That won't go over well here, do you think?

Jerry Micco: I don't know if he's cranking the hurricane siren, but should it matter here? I mean, he's in Raleigh now and that's the local team. I'm sure he's somewhat torn and being a native of Pittsburgh, probably likes the Pens. But it is where he has put down roots.

praveen: It is odd that the NHL playoffs take place in a warmer month than the baseball playoffs. June Cup is too late. And late October World Series is too much.

Jerry Micco: I'd agree to shorten both seasons. The NHL to 72 games and baseball back to 154. If for no other reasons than what you state. Way too long and way too much. But there's money to be made, so that'll never happen.

praveen: I like Mike Emrick. He is very fair to all teams even when they play the Devils. I don't see why some harbor hate towards his style. Your thoughts?

Jerry Micco: He's the best in the business. Very straightforward and knowledgeable. A hall of famer, too.

Swanny: But Jerry, Pujols would only hit like .191 because if he played for the Pirates, he couldn't hit against their pitchers.

Jerry Micco: Good point. But for my money, he's as good as there is in the game. I'll take him.

praveen: Regardless of his goal and very solid work, do we think DuPuis and Adams should be rotated? I don't see Adams putting any thundering checks. Both are good penalty killers.

Jerry Micco: Adams is a right-handed shot, which makes him valuable. And he is not a bad faceoff man. He can play all the up-front positions. I like Adams because he's more versatile than Dupuis.

KS_Steeler: Well, I don't think Bettis would hate on Cleve or Balt b/c the never beat his Steelers that way Maddens Raiders and Collinsworth's teams got roughed up by the Steelers. You are absolutely correct it works both ways though; but I love Hodge b/c is unapolgetically a Steeler supporter; loyalty has to go both ways, and I set the alarm on Sunday AM to watch his show.

Jerry Micco: And Terry Bradshaw hasn't always been a Steelers apologist. Yes, Hodge certainly is. I think those guys are paid to have an opinion. Folks here have a problem with anyone, and I mean anyone, not picking their team to win it all. Remember folks, it's a national audience they play to, not a regional one.

KS_Steeler: Cowher was supported by the fans of Pittsburgh, now is goes against us, no it doesn't matter, but it is odd to see.

Jerry Micco: Again, he doesn't live in Pittsburgh now. As I said, I'll bet he's torn because he's from here and probably has been a Pens fan for some time. But he's a celebrity in Raleigh and has some ties there. Both he and his wife went to school there. He's pretty much said this will be his new home. So when in Rome...

Jerry Micco: Sorry folks, technical glitch here, but I need to run. Thanks, so much, for taking the time to talk today. I'll be back next Wednesday at noon and I'm sure there will be plenty to talk about. Have a great week.